The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-01-08
FARM NOTES.

IhlS column Is edited by Mr.. JOhn T.
Edgar of Duval, to whom all communities
tons should be addressed.l
Now is good time to determir c
what class of horse will be most pr !,
fitable to raise. The decision will
lssary with the varing conditions and
circumstances of the raiser. Some
will find it best to raise "saddlers,
some trotters; others heavy draft OF
the SO called "all purpose" horse.
Each one must be guided by his local
circumstances. Ii man has saddle
mares and good market for their
produce he had better stick to that
line of breeding and it would be foolish
for the owner of fine trotting mare
to mate her with even the best draft
horse, if one having her own char
acteristics was within reach.
But while it is good rule to breed
"like to like" it has exceptions. For
instance, it will rarely be found profit
able-in Texas-to breed heavy draft
mares to the same class of horse, as
the offspring will be tot deavy for gen.
eral use. They are MOI adapted to our
warm climate: A horse weighing 1900
to 1900 pounds, is heavy enough for
any farm work, and if he has good &C
ton, will find favor with city people
for their family carriages, omnibuses,
transfer wagons and similar work.
Such an animal may be called the "all
purpose" horse, and farmers will gen
orally find this the most profitable to
raise. Now comes the question "what
combination is required to produce
this RESULT" 1t can be done by mating
the small or light active gated mare
with heavy draft horse; or the draft
mare with well actioned horse
havirg "a dash Of blood" in his COM
position. Or if the mare is possessed
of the qualities sought after, she
should be mated with horse as near
as possible to her own standard.
The Percheron, Clydesdale, Shire,
or Suffolk Punch will all give good re-
suits when crossed with our small
native mares, and first-class mares OF
any of these breeds or their grades
should be coupled to the thorough
bred or something approaching 1T.
This is necessary to give finer,
stronger bone activity and endurance.
1t is this combination of thorough
bred blood, with that of the best draft
strains, that has given us the Hack
ney, the Cleveland bay and the French
coach horse, all of them general rur-
pose" horses. Whatever breed OF
horse may be selected he should pos
sess not only individual merit, but a
pedigree showing a line OF ancestry OF
like quality. Pedigree without indi-
vidual merit is liable to prove de-
.lusiye. while on the other hand the
old saying that "there is many good
looking nothing" is true in the brute,
as we'll as in the human creation, but
when the good individual can show an
unbroken line OF ancestors OF un-
quilted quality the evidence is strong
In his favor.
These things should be well con-
sidered by those engaged in horse
raising, and especially by the horse
owner, both need educating.
The latter will say: "Oh,
YES. know all about that, but pure
bred horses cost a lot OF money, and
people will not pay fee that will
leave any profit on the investment.
They would rather pay $40 for the use
of a good looking scrub, than $l5 for
the best bred horse in the country"
Unfortunately, this is true. But there
is a revolution in progress and the
reading, thinking farmer is beginning
to realize that "scrubs" won't pay,
and that a colt costing $25 may be
cheaper, than another for nothing,
and there should be enough horse
breeders in a county like Travis to
find employment for several first-class
animals, at d fee that would pay their
owners.
There is a natural objection TO pay
q large fee for second or third rate
d ryices, but once horse has proved
,'ss quality, as did Mr.. Graves Crank
III Conde," the fee is not an object.
ia often q matter for regret among
rsemen that the Morgan is now ex-
Ikct in Texas, for he came nearer be-
an call purpose horse" that any
pwn breed.
n kerhaps the English Hackney
II Mes nearest the mark, and | would
\ to see that useful breed fairly
i Ea in Texas, and feel certain the
y III would be satisfactory. The
N kckney is an old established breed,
\ Rpurity being guaranteed by st stud
/ IEstry about 100 years ago. They
NIX Ee from Is - to 16 IL hands, and
w Ne 1900 tie 1900 pounds.
|N hhey are compactly built, have
\ Wing flat bones, good feet and a
II XIV, high stepping action that
wi 49,, ,>op,11ar az carriage