The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-07-09
The Horse Outlook.

There is continued demand for good
horses, a demand which we have no doubt
will stimulate breeding by the farmers. and
the call is for that class of animas which the
farmer can always breed with safety. In
breeding TO supp the markes, the farmer. of
course, Goes not consider what horse would
be The best for his own use, but what will
bring the most and pay the greatest per
cent. of profit. The farmers as class, have
pretty generally settled the question for
themselves, that it is not best tor them to
breed expressly for speed. The development
of speed in the horse so as to secure good
results, is entirely foreign to the business of
ordinary farming, and past experience has
very strongly impressed this fact upon many.
When a farmer pays hundred dollars for
the service of a stallion, and gets colt that
will not bring that sum when old enough 10
be broken to harness, he does not reed to
be told that he has made bad investment,
and cases ike this were by no means I'M
common few years ago
AT the present time, the call is for larger
horses, and it SO happens that the demand
is for that class of animals which farmers
will .find it for their advantage to breed for
their own use ON the farm. A few years ago
the grea; craze WIS for 2.40 trotting horses,
and the result was very damaging 10 the
horse interest of the State in the production
OF small animals of no speed, and entirely
unsui'ed to the wants of the country. A few
fat b. rises were produced, but the per cent.
OF the wnoie was very SMALL and these gave
no profit until they had passed from the
ownership of the farmer and into the hands
OF the professional horseman. The demand
for large horses is so general that farmers
in many parts of the county are giving
their attention to breedi. g by crossing either
with The Ciydesdae, or with the Norman
PoFnh INN nfsN -
these breeds are being annually made, and
the demand seems to be constantly ahead of
the supply. The large English draaght-
horse is also in great favor in some localities.
This animal quite closely resembles the
Clydesdale or Scotch hose, though the latter
has somewhat more hardened and endur-
ing appearance.
The Percherons which come ia us from
Norman France, are about as large as the
Cfydesdales and English breeds, but they are
cleane-- BED. frcre and therefore
better roadsters. Either OF the ss41see--e breeds
crossed with our Maine bred horses, would
increase their size aud render them more
salAbie,sas we'll as more valuablea for farm
use. The introduction of large sires of
either of the breeds above named, for
breeding 10 our small mares, would improve
our stock in the direction of the present
popular demand. We do not want the
largest sized animals. such as are found the
most profitable in the old country; at any
rate, not at present. Our system yet calls
for faster moving and lighter weight ami
mails, even for heavy drau ght, and one that
will weigh from 1400 to 1900 pounds is
about as large as is profitable. The advan-
tage of using only good sire is too well
understood to need any argument. II cos s
no more to keep him than it does a poor
one, and the chance3 for profit are so much
better, in view of the demand for first class
heavy animals. that thee is no chance for
discussion. Good sized roadsters and work
horses, with no pretensions 10 speed are
pow bringing from two to three hundred
dollars. and even more, and at these prices
horse breeding must be reckoned among our
well-paying farm ndustries.-Maine Far
mer.