50 
Relative Profits to the Farmer from 
not pay at all ; but with the present rise in prices, and improved communica- 
tion with our large towns and England, a good demand can be had at fair 
prices ; and in circumstances already described, a few brood-mares are now 
being kept on most farms, and pay fairly. As better mares are produced and 
kept, and a more general introduction of first-class Clydesdale and Suffolk 
sires takes place, agricultural horse-breeding will probably become more general, 
as they are safer for a steady profit that the breeding of hunters. 
As a whole, in Ireland cattle pay best ; but of course there are districts in 
which this may not be the case. I never knew a farmer who went in for 
breeding horses as the principal branch of his business, but have known 
many who kept a few mares and gave them up as unprofitable. I have known 
many lessen their sheep-stock in favour of cattle (as their laid-down lands 
became old pasture), but have never known the reverse. 
Clydesdale horses. Shorthorn cattle, and large Long-wooUed Leicester 
crosses, are best. Shropshire Downs are now coming much into favour, but I have 
had no experience of them. I have had considerable experience of agricul- 
tural horses, and after trying both Suffolk and Clydesdale prefer the latter, 
as having the freest action, best feet and legs, less liable to grease by stock- 
ing in stable, with a rouuhness of character and strength of constitution that 
best fit them for the ordinary every-day usage and work of the farm. Both 
may be said to be trae pullers ; but, as a whole, I would say the Clydesdales- 
are best tempered. 
For crossing the weedy blood-mares of this country — with the object 
of again breeding from the mare-produce with a blood-horse to produce 
hunters — I think the Suffolk best suited ; his great carcase, short clean legs, 
fine skin, and smooth coat, blending best with the blood-horse, and giving 
the siibstance required. The white marking of the Clydesdale, and the gingery 
chesnut of the Suflblk, that will now and again break out in the after-crosses,, 
are about equally objectionable. 
Luke Christy. 
35, Laighwood, Dunkeld, Perthshire. 
At present there is a deficiency of capital in connection with the occupation 
of land, and were the breeding of horses, cattle, and sheep, more extensively 
followed, more capital would be required. At the same time, many arable 
farms are not sufficiently" fenced for breeding and rearing either horses, cattle, 
or sheep; but if more capital could be brought into the cultivation of the 
land, and farms properly fenced, breeding find rearing stock more extensively 
than at present would, as a general rule, l e profitable to the British farmer ; 
but, with the present capital, state of fences, and taking things as they exist, 
it is doubtful if increasing breeding and rearing would be profitable. 
Breeding of horses cannot be profitably carried out extensively on good 
arable land near large towns. Breeding and rearing them can be most pro- 
fitably followed on farms, the arable land of which is of medium quality; 
with, in addition, a considerable amount of natural pasture, adapted for a 
run-out for marcs and foals and young horses ; farmers, therefore, who occupy 
farms not well situated for breeding and rearing horses, naturally prefer pur- 
chasing them from farmers occupying farms like the above. 
For the jirofitable rearing of cattle, a considerable proportion of natural 
pasture is almost indispensable; it being at the same time not high-rented 
land. Low-lying, dry, arable lands are best adapted for feeding sheep uj)on ; 
while the hill and mountain grazings arc best adapted for breeding and rearing 
them. It is therefore more profitable to buy sheep to about what the holding 
