MITCHELL BREEDING AND REARING OE HORSES. I OS 
as the dictates of common sense are followed. The work 
of the fourth and fifth year should be light and barely pay 
the keep ; the horse will then come up to steady work in 
his sixth year and serve you faithfully foT at least twenty 
years longer. About 50 years ago, this was to a considera- 
ble extent the method of rearing hunters followed in Ire- 
land, and some of the Counties could show their first-class 
fencers by the thousand ; look for them now, they have dis- 
appeared, nor can a good hack be procured except at a 
fabulous price. As Mayhew justly observes, u this result 
is due to racing and carrying less weight daily, while the 
abundance of worthless bloods has contaminated our best 
breeds and prevents the raising of good animals except at 
heavy outlay.” He states further, what is admitted by Car- 
son and other sound physiological writers, 11 that a youth 
passed in running unfits the horse for propagating his spe- 
cies, as exemplified by the fact, that most blood mares and 
stallions become famous through their progeny only after- 
years of repose have effaced the evils due to early training.” 
This fact is also admitted by Maine, a modern French vete- 
rinarian, who states, without however assigning the reason, 
that stallions are not to be depended on as proof horses till 
they have reached the age of eleven or twelve years. It is 
unnecessary to illustrate this subject further from personal 
experience. I shall, therefore, conclude by observing that 
creole animals, whether of the horse or mule kind, are sin- 
gularly hardy, gentle and pleasing in their paces. 
His Excellency the Hon. Mr. Gordon having honored the 
Association by attending the present meeting then addressed 
the Members. He thanked the Association for the honor they 
had done him in electing him an honorary member of the 
