218 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
June 
per cent in the weight of straw, and a gain of 7s. 6d. 
sterling in the value of every quarter (560 lbs.) of 
wheat. 
Breeding Horses. 
I have no desire for controversy, but there are a few 
points, involving important principles, in Mr. Burnet’s 
second article on breeding horses, (current vol. Culti¬ 
vator , p. 49,) which deserve notice. 
Mr. Burnet remarks that “ the most profitable 
horse to breed from is the one that offers the greatest 
certainty of producing a first-rate foal every year;” and 
it appears to be his opinion that such a horse can only 
be found among thorough-breds, for he says—“there 
really is but little certainty in breeding from any other 
than a thorough-bred stallion.” 
Thorough-bred, is a technical term applied exclu¬ 
sively to the race-horse, and presuming that Mr. Bur¬ 
net uses the term in this sense, I confess myself at a 
loss to perceive the reasonableness of his assumption. 
Are blood-horses, as a breed, more uniform in their 
qualities and characteristics t.han'all others ? Compare 
them with the Norman, the Flanders, the English 
draught-horse, the Welsh, Scotch or Shetland ponies; 
Are “ thorough-bred ” horses more alike than these? 
And are the characteristics of “ thorough-breds ” more 
strikingly stampedjjon their progeny, by intermixture, 
than those of the breeds mentioned? 
Is Mr. B.’s 'conclusion supported by authorities, or 
by observation, or even by his own reasoning? Mr. 
Burke, in his essay on the breeding and management 
of horses, published by the Royal Agricultural Society, 
(1845,) remarks, that those who have paid only a mo¬ 
derate share of attention to the subject of breeding, 
must be aware that there is perhaps no distinct breed 
of horses, “ among which are to be found so many 
absolutely worthless animals, as among those that are 
thoroughbred.” 
But take the characteristic for which the thorough 
bred horse is most esteemed; that is, ability to run; 
and what is the “ certainty” on this point ? What pro¬ 
portion of thorough-breds are racers ? Ask Mr. Botts 
of Virginia, or Col. Cost of New-York, or any other 
experienced breeder, and see what will be their testi¬ 
mony in regard to the “ certainty ” of breeding this 
description of horses. 
Look at the great proportion of thorough-breds 
which become worthless frum disease and from lame¬ 
ness, and which from various causes fail in training, 
and what are they? Read the remark of John Law¬ 
rence—“ As to the refuse of our studs of race-horses, 
it consists usually of a parcel of half-gotten, delicate, 
weak, spider-legged creatures, which it is a misery to 
see applied to any labor whatever.”* 
But notwithstanding Mr. Burnet’s position in re¬ 
gard to the “ certainty ” of breeding the right kind of 
stock from thorough-breds, he says—“ it must be ad¬ 
mitted that first-rate thorough-bred horses are so scaree 
in our country that it is difficult to procure their servi¬ 
ces.” And further on we find the confession, that tho¬ 
rough-bred stallions in this country, have been “for the 
most part, little, gaunt, spindle-legged animals,” which 
from various defects “ have been sold for a song.” 
The English blood-horse has been in this country for 
many years, and in some sections, as parts of Virginia 
and Kentucky, he has, within the last fifty years, been 
bred in considerable numbers; while in some parts 
of New York, New Jersey and other states, he 
has been by no means rare. Why, then, with so much 
supposed “ certainty ” in breeding, are “ first-rate 
thorough-bred horses ” so 11 scarce,” and poor ones so 
plenty that they can be bought, for “ a song ?” 
'* Lawrence ’ 8 Treatise on Horses, vol. 1, page 105. 
Mr. Burnet thinks that none but thorough-bred 
stallions should be used in breeding carriage-horses. It 
is unquestionably true that some thorough-bred horses, 
with the right kind of mares, have produced good car¬ 
riage horses; but I presume no one will contend that 
any considerable number of the best of that class of hor¬ 
ses in this country, have been thus bred; neither does 
it appear that this is the course pursued in breeding 
them in England. The Cleveland bays have there been 
much esteemed as carriage-horses, and we are in¬ 
formed by Youatt, that very celebrated caniage- 
horses, with “strength, activity and figure,” have 
been bred by the Duke of Richmond “ by crossing the 
Suffolk with one of his best hunters.” 
The saddle-horse, Mr. Burnet says, “ should be at 
least three parts bied.” Youatt admits the advan¬ 
tage of a strain of this blood for the saddle-horse and 
roadster; but at the same time adds, by way of caution, 
that—“ when approaching to thorough-bred he will 
be scarcely fitted for duty. His legs will be too slen¬ 
der; his feet too small; his stride too long; and he will 
scarcely be able to trot.” 
I will simply say in conclusion, that in my remarks 
about thorough-breds, I have had no ieference to indi¬ 
vidual horses. Some of the stallions mentioned by Mr. 
Burnet I have not seen. I have seen Mr. Albott’s 
Consternation, and think he is a good horse—better cal¬ 
culated to improve our stock for useful purposes than 
any blood-horse I have met with for a long time.— 
Equus. _•_ 
Scotch <& American Plows. 
I am in hopes your correspondent W. may draw out 
some of your scientific men on the subject of the plow. 
How your northern plows do in the north countries, I do 
not know, but have no kind of doubt but they do well. 
In these parts they do not give entire satisfaction; the 
most of them “ throw out,” without any coulter; that 
is the beams are so low, that where there is litter or 
grass, the plow chokes, and is thrown out of the earth. 
I have some now, made by Ruggles, Nourse and Mason, 
that remedy this defect, they being some 13 to 14 in¬ 
ches high in the beam. I do not understand why our 
plows are made to turn so wide a furrow. I am fully 
aware that our planting community desire to do “ a 
heap” of work with little labor. 
Castings are not made heavy enough,—they may do 
for Yankee white folks, but as sure as “ falling off a 
log,” they will not do for southern “darkies.” 
To insure satisfaction in the use of the cast iron 
plow, I advise the eastings to be made a little thicker, 
the points not quite so long or so wide, all cutting sur¬ 
faces to be sharper than usual, and to be made as hard 
as a flint. There need not be much additional metal 
used, only to contract the width of furrow slice, say 
one-horse plow to 8 inches,and a two-horse plow to 10. 
There are some soils where a one-horse plow will do at 
9, but I would rather have 5 to 7|. 
I have used cast Iron plows; that is, cast iron mould 
boards, points and shares, for several years. I am so 
well pleased with them that I shall continue. 
My hands will break occasionally, but not compared 
to some of my friends, who declare they would not use 
the cast iron plow. I find, instead of paying 25 cts. 
to sharpen a share, and in tw r o weeks more 25 cts. again 
and in two weeks more to pay $1.50 for laying, or pro¬ 
bably not lay the first season, but to sharpen at least 3 
or 4 times, costing 75 to 100 cts., that one or two 
points, worth 50 or 60 cts. will do equally well—and 
no lost time sending to shop. I have as many cast iron 
points and shares as I have wrought ones,—my cast 
iron has cost me say 50 cents each, with shares enough 
for 12 months more, whilst my wrought iron shares 
