44 
Relative Profits to the Farmer from 
against buying store cattle. Where one year's grass (and that principally 
hay) is taken, breeding cannot be followed out. The produce of first-class 
" early-land " will feed better in every way than that of inferior soil and late 
climate ; whereas the produce of the latter will enable a farmer to rear up to a 
certain age as many, and as good stock, on the same extent as can be done 
on the former. 
Before you can both breed and feed sheep profitably, you must be able 
to keep two flocks and two good shepherds. 
Sheep cannot be profitably reared or kept without the attendance of a shep- 
herd ; whereas cattle can be, without the attendants being specially told off and 
trained for the purpose. Sheep can also be raised without arable land, under a 
rotation of cropping, being held in connection w-ith pasturage. Cattle (with the 
exception of slow-growing and Highland breeds) cannot, lender such circum- 
stances. On strong clay lands sheep cannot be kept in wet weather, or during 
the winter months. On rich grazing-lands the number of sheep requisite to 
consume the produce would so soil the ground as to render pasturage unprofit- 
able ; not so cattle. 
Clydesdale horses. Shorthorns, Polled — a cross with these, or with either — 
and our native breeds ; Leicester, Cheviots, and Black-faced, or a cross with 
" Leicester " for sire, and Cheviot or Black-laced for dam are best. 
Robert Walker. 
29. Sheeipf Hutton, York. 
As a rule, the number of cattle and sheep bred formerly in the United 
Kingdom will bear no comparison with the large number now bred ; and the 
increase is likely to continue to an indefinite extent so long as the improve- 
ment of the land continues, and the price of beef, mutton, and wool keeps so 
high ; but the number of horses bred has not increased, but rather decreased, 
until very recently, when the high price of large agricultural and cart-horses 
has caused more to be done in that way ; but so long as the high prices of 
cattle and sheep continue, I do not think the number of other kinds of horses 
bred is likely to increase. Cattle and sheep can be increased to a consider- 
able extent to advantage, and the land materially benefited thereby, with 
great certainty of a good return ; which is not the case with horses. They 
are uncertain, and very risky, and damage the land as a rule. 
The farmer will do well to breed his own horses, that is, all he may require ; 
and he ought, as a rule, to breed double that number : which may be dono 
to advantage. But it is necessary to have some inferior laud upon 'which to 
pasture the mares when breeding and unable to work, and also the inferior 
young ones. Unless a faiTner has this, he cannot breed horses to advantage, 
that is to say, very extensivelj'. 
Farmers may keep, say, two brood mnrcs to every 50 acres ; this would 
give him about three foals in two years, which he would find quite sufficient. 
This is more, however, than what is kept. I never find it desirable to keep 
mares in a state of idleness when breeding ; they are no worse, but generaliy 
do better, when at work on the land. 
The only circumstances to prevent any one from breeding his own cattle, that 
is as many as he is able to fatten, are when all or nearly all his grass land is 
capable of fattening, and is too good or, rather, too high-rented to be used 
for breeding purposes. In this case he must, of necessity, buy rather than 
breed. The same conditions apply to sheep as to other live-stock. There is 
an immense number of acres of land everywhere well adapted for breeding 
sheep, but the animals often have to be removed to be fattened in other 
districts. As far as possible, it is most desirable that a farmer should breed 
