The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-06-03
Horse Breeding.

HOTst DEttOluSs
We directed attention some time ago
to the advantages that are now open to
agricultuIists and occupiers of lend in
various parts of the country. who will
devote themselves to the production of
horses for expectation. The greatly-in
creased demand that exists for horses in
some of the principal European States, the
high price demanded for them, and the
diminution, to large extent, in England
# the best siIes and .bre0d-mares are so
many arguments Ia favor of the PROPOSE
ton.
But more recently the subject has been
under the consideration of the British Par
lament. where ample evidence was ads
duced to sustain the policy Of our sug-
gestiDn. and to show how wide the u)ar-
ket has become for animals of the right
kind. Neither thoroughbred racers nor
trotting horses are wanted. but both ln
Great Britain and on the Continent OF
Europe there is good demand for we'll
bred, sound, weight carrying horses. such
as would be suitable for the sadole for
cavalry purposes, or, If exported young,
for cross-country riding, as wei as for
c.rriage horses. For many yesrs past
England has been the great producing
country for this kind of stock, and foreign
Governments have gone there for the
finest blood that is now to be found,
especially in France, Germany and Italy.
The result has been, not to materially
lessen the number Of horses in England,
but to deteiiorate their quality. he act
ual numbers are indeed greater than they
were few years ago, if returns are TO be
depended upon, although proportionstely
they are probably not what they ought to
be; but while England has been export
ing her best stations and mares, she has
been compelled to import large numbers
of animals of a much lower gra lie for
working purposes. Private breeders have
seen the evil of the system, and it is well
known that in one instance 10000, was
paid for a horse at a public sale, rather
than that he should be allowed to leave
the country, an agent of the Prussian
Government having offered about S5S, 900
for him at the same time. =
In France, Germany, Austria, and Italy,
horse breeding establishments are main
tained at the public expense. On the au-
thoritv of the Count Munster, there are in
these four countries not less than IL, 200
horses, independently of broOd-nares,
which are kept by the Governments. A
large proportion of these horses has been
obtained from England, where the loss is
now being felt. In Germany there are
three breeding establishments, but there
are also eleven depots in various parts of
the Empire, each containing nearly fifteen
hundred animals, which are used for the
same purpose exclusively, but many OF
them are placed at the disposal of farmers
and Others in the neighborhOod who may
require them. Under this system fifty
thousand foals are produced annually, but
still the supply is not equal to the require
ments, nor is 1t expected to be so for sew
eral years yet.
Facts like these show the importance
with which the subject is regarded on the
other side: and when it is remembered
that the wealth and private enterprise
which have been given to horse breeding
in England, together with the compara-
tive unlimited resources of foreign Gov
ernments devoted to the same object, are
still inadequate to meet the demands by
very long degree, there must be seen
good margin available for foreign compe-
titiOn. The needs of the armies in India
have for many years been supplied from
the Cape of Good Hope and Australia
and the voyage has not been found to
be detrimental. This may suggest the
possibility of an export trade from our
Western ports, but we mention it ra-
ther in anticipation of any objection
that might be made to the difflcul ties
and cost of crossing the Atlantic. These
are more imaginary than real. If the
trade were once started, these would be
found to disappear. 1t would be of much
more importance to give proper attention,
so that none but the right kind of horses
were bred for the European market. To
send over animals of an inferior quality
would simply be ruinous, but with the
blood that We now have in the country,
and with the advantages presented i'll the
vast extent of magnificent pasture lands
that is at the disposal of our people, there
would not be any difficulty under an hon
est system of management. Quite as good
horses for the purposes we have named
are to be produced here as in any other
part of the world. and the business, on a
much more extended scale than we have
at present adopted, would well repay either
a small or a liberal investment.
As an illustration of the rapid advance
which has taken place in the value Of
horses in England during the last quarter
of century, we may mention that up
to the year 1880 the British Government
paid an average of Sl3l for the cavalry.
In 1874 the price was S225, and horses hit
for artillery purposes could not be had for
less than $3.50. The figures are still rising.
and so far as can be seen now, they are
likely to rise, so that even for the supply
of the Government there is sufficient
room for good profit on two or even three
wear old horses. These, however, may be
regarded as the lowest rates that are to be
expected. They are contract rates, but
for private purposes breeders may fairly
expect to realize on an average far higher
prices, ranging probably from $500 TO $3,-
90 J, if they entered upon the work in the
right spirit. The subject, however, is one
which well deserves the attention of farm
ers, involving as it does an occasion for
very largely increasing the wealth and re-
sources OF the pastoral regions Of Ameri-
ca.-Netc York Times.