74 
Relative Profits to the Farmer from 
farms. I am not ^ware of any circumstances that make buying cattle or 
sheep more profitable than breeding. 
It is my opinion that a farmer ought to breed as much as possible. On my 
farm I breed everything I require except hunters. These I buy when nearly 
fit for use. In my opinion, if more farmers would pay attention to the 
selection of their breeding-stock it would be to their own advantage, and we 
should, by degrees, see the markets and fairs cleared of a number of rubbish 
which are continually offered as grazing-stock. 
Breeding of horses, in preference to cattle and sheep, can be carried on 
to advantage where the breeder is a good judge, a good horseman, and has 
buildings, paddocks, &c., adapted for the purpose ; but, as I said before, 
any farmer can keep a good draught brood-mare to work, and breed a foal 
annually ; the breeding of hunters, hacks, &c., however, is always attended by 
more risk than cattle-breeding, still the prizes to be won are very tempting. 
For instance, I know a tenant-farmer this year who realised over 600^. for a 3- 
year-old hunting colt, and I have a 2-year-old colt I gave 3672. 10s. for. These, 
of course, are extreme cases ; but I know many farmers who have made money 
by keeping a good half-bred brood-mare, and have had the sense to send to a 
fashionable good sire. I know many who have lost money by breeding from 
some outcast that could not be sold, and patronising the horse that would take 
the mare for the smallest fee. 
I should say that where the farm is adapted for sheep nothing pays so well. 
Clydesdale horses. Shorthorn cattle, and Leicester sheep, are the best farmers' 
breeds. 
T. H. Hdtchikson. 
67. Mekeyton, Hamilton, N.B. 
My opinion is that, considering the present high rate of wages, and low 
price of wheat, it would be an advantage to the farmer to give more attention 
to the rearing of live-stock, particularly draught-horses, which command a 
high price when sold, and are usually healthy and work best on the farm where 
they are bred. My experience is that no class of stock breeds so true as the 
Clydesdale, which differs in this respect from Ayrshire cattle and Border 
Leicester sheep. Both of these I have tried. The former I retain, but the 
latter I gave up as unsuitable for the moist climate of this district. Draught 
mares are all the better for being moderately worked till the day they foal ; 
and should they not prove in foal, the only loss is the service of the horse, 
and this is more than can be said of any other breed. I think draught-stal- 
lions serve too many mares, about 100 being the usual number. Were the 
number restricted to GO, I believe there would be more foals, and" the horse 
would continue longer serviceable. Landlords have it in their power to do 
much for the improvement of the breed of draught-horses, by aiding their 
tenantry in securing good stallions. 
Lawrence Dbew. 
68. Pbeston Faem, Dunse, N.B. 
Farmers could profitably breed more stock, because the demand for both fat 
and unfed stock, as well as for horses, is great, and seems likely to continue 
good ; also in view of the extensive and aj^parently-increasing competition iu 
the British grain-market, by imports from nearly every quarter of the globe. 
Upon mixed arable farms, where part of the acreage is in permanent 
