108 Relative Profits from Breeding and Rearing Horses, Sfc. 
Conclusions. 
The substance of the foregoing testimony may be stated 
thus : — 
Horses. — Hunters and carriage-horses cannot be reared by 
ordinary rent-paying farmers with profit ; agricultural horses 
should, with few exceptions, be reared on every farm to keep up 
as nearly as possible the ordinary working stud ; on well-fenced 
holdings, with a considerable acreage of grass and roughish land, 
draught-horse breeding could advantageously, and should at 
present prices, be carried on beyond the working requirements of 
the respective farms. The great drawback to horse-breeding, 
however, is the want of good sound stallions. 
Cattle. — Farmers would profit by breeding more on their own 
holdings, even though they fed rather fewer ; and some of those 
who at present breed, particularly in Ireland, would benefit bv 
feeding-ofF more of what they rear ; while there is great need 
(1) for better housing accommodation throughout England and 
Ireland ; (2) for more food and more shelter to the animals in 
winter ; (3) for a more uniformly good bull-service ; (4) for a 
generous and progressive system of feeding, so that the " calf- 
flesh " may not be lost, and the animals turned into the market 
good fat, at from two to three years of age ; and (5) for more 
humane and comfortable means of transit, both by sea and land, 
especially from Ireland. 
Sheep. — The double consideration of wool and mutton, the 
good management, the saving of farm-labour, and the ([uick 
returns, have naturally earned for sheep the reputation of being 
the best-paying kind of stock in Britain, though not in Ireland. 
Dry climate, well-drained lightish land, and large holdings with 
extensive hilly ranges, are the circumstances which specially 
favour sheep-farming. 
General. — Mixed stocks, combining horse-breedingj cattle- 
breeding and feeding, and sheep-breeding and feeding, unques- 
tionably pay best. Numerous holdings are not suited for such 
a combination ; but it is generally admitted that the mixed 
system referred to is not practised upon nearly so many farms as 
it might advantageously be. This is a point which British and 
Irish farmers should take seriously into consideration. Separating 
the species, and arranging them in the order determined by the 
evidence before us, as to sources of profit to the farmer over 
the country generally, we have: 1st, Sheep; 2nd. Cattle; 3rd. 
Horses. 
