Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-06-11
suggestions about Breeding Horses.

Not long ago the Chief Engineer of the
Fire Department in this city, asked us to
say to the farmers, that they were in error
in breeding so mahy small horses. 81 have"
said he "been into Penobscot and Piscata-
quis counties, for the purpose Of purchasing
pair of horses for the city, and have travl-
eled miles and miles, and found nothing but
small, light horses, averaging about $50 or
900 lbs. Those | saw seldom weighed over
ten hundred, and did not find any weighing
from twelve to thirteen hundred pounds.
We may not have given the exact words Of
Mr. Morse-who is a good judge OF horses
but have conveyed his statement. Now our
people are SO proverbially apt to run to ex-
tremes in their farm management, on the
advice or suggestion of writer's and speakers,
that we might be doing them wrong to
advise them TO commence TO breed n HEAVIER
class Of horses than they have been breeding
Should we do this, they would be likely to
adopt another extreme in breeding, which
might in few years result in disappoint-
ment, and perhaps loss, to many. At the
same time, we feel perfectly safe in sayin G
that they can hardly give this matter of
breeding horses too much attention; and
especially at this season, as their thoughts
are turned towards it again, they should
we'll consider what they want to accomplish
and understand the means TO be used to
secure it. One way of doing this is to ex-
amino the various stations in the vicinity
and as many of their get as possible, learn
! from what mares the colts have been pro-
duced, aud then knowing the style of mare
you have to breed from, judge what sire you
will use. Such a course would take a day
or two's time-but it would be a judicious
expenditure and much could be learned by
conversation and observation, that would be
valuable for any farmer to know For
instance, he might enquire as to what kind
and style Of horses are most in demand il
the results of breeding 6ne bred horses to our
common and ordinary mares has been pro-
ductive of satisfactory results if there is a
feeling that too much effort has been expend-
ed in breeding for speed if it is not better
not TO breed at all than TO breed from such
mares as are too commonly found over the
state, and If farmers on the whole are salts.
fed with the results OF their course Of breed.
ing in the past.
We all admit the great Improvement that
has been brought about in our horses dur
ing the past dozen years, and that this has
been done through persistent and we'll di
rected efforts on the part of gentlemen oI
intelligence and skill, and who have ample
means to "labor and wait" We have evel
been among the first aud fastest friends Of
the pioneers in this field of improvement
and have ever been ready to give them full
and hearty commendaton for their efforts
But it is different with us from what it is il
England and Continental Europe. Ther'
the stations are generally the property Of
government, and horses are bred for specia
uses, as for the different branches of thu
military service and for other purposes
Here stations are owned by private person
for speculative purposes. In saying this w
do not mean to be understood that the owner
Of stations keep them solely for purposes o
speculat ion-but that certain breeders viii
be interested in their own stock, and will o
course, by all legitimate endeavors, try &
render it popular. And We have only Il
call to mind the means resorted to by Ger
tain breeders in the past to obtain customer
for their horses, so TO speak-as the offer