<54 Relative Profits to the Farmer from 
liable to unsoundness as horses are ; and although the price of horses is at 
present high, I doubt whether they yield in the long run so adequate a 
remuneration as sheep and cattle. 
I liave known many farmers who have reduced their number of breeding 
mares, and increased their numbers of cattle and sheep. I know of no 
fanner who has given up the breeding of cattle and sheep and turned to 
breeding horses. 
I should say the Cleveland breed of horses answers for farming purposes 
as well as any in this district ; next to these the Clydesdale. Shorthorn 
cattle, and crosses from them, are far a-head of all others. In the valleys 
and lowlands the Improved Leicester sheep, and on the high grounds the 
Black-faced Highland, and crosses from them by the Improved Leicester or 
Long-woolled ram, are best suited. 
Thomas Willis, Jun. 
52. HoLKER, Caeke-in-Caetmel, Lancashire. 
If the produce of the land were increased, more stock could be profitably 
bred. 
If the farm is all under tillage, and in a high state of cultivation, no horses 
should be bred upon it. No farm is adapted for breeding cattle unless there 
is a fair proportion of permanent pasture and meadow land in it. When the 
farm is all in grass, and no winter food except hay produced upon it, or when 
a farm is all good feeding or fattening land, it will answer better to purchase 
than breed cattle or sheep. 
I think cattle- and sheep -breeding are more profitable than horse-breeding. 
The risk is much less. The bulk of the profit on hunters and carriage-horses 
goes to the dealer, as gentlemen seldom purchase their horses direct from the 
farmer. This does not apply so much to cart-horses, and at present they are 
paying better for breeding than any other description of horse. 
During the cattle-plague time the Cheshire farmers stocked the land with 
sheep in many instances ; but I understand they have given up sheep and 
gone to cattle again. As a rule, all the great breeding-districts for cattle are 
on the west or wet side of the kingdom, from Ayrshire to Devonshire. The 
greater portion of the sheep are bred on the east or dry side of the kingdom. 
The Clydesdale and midland counties horses are both very good, and generally 
used here. Scarcely any kind of horned cattle are bred but Shorthorns. The 
-breed of sheep depends upon the pasture and the altitude of the farm. Herd- 
wicks are the breed on our mountains, and large Leicesters and Shropshires 
on the lowlands. 
I remember some years ago meeting a farmer from Northumberland, who 
told me he had bred 8 or 9 foals from one mare, and, although they averaged 
SOI. each, he had given up horse-breeding, as he found sheep pay him 
better. 
No doubt farmers of late years have turned their attention more to cattle 
and sheep, though at present the high prices are tempting them to breed 
more horses. 
G. Deewry. 
53. Corskellie, by Huntlt, N.B. 
Farmers could with profit to themselves and advantage to the nation breed 
more horses, cattle, and sheep. I do not know any agricultural circumstance 
that would make the purchasing of horses preferable to breeding at present 
