Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-06-23
THE BEST ALONE WILL ENDURE.

THE BEST ALONE WILL ENDURE.
The sooner the farmers in the United
States realize the fact that the ordinary
and commonly-bred horse is likely to de-
teriorate in value year by year, the bet
ter it will be for them. The use of ca
bles to drag street cars has already re-
duced the service performed by horses
in the city, and the extension of the
trolley system in the suburbs and the
perfection of electric motors will re-
lieve many other thousands of horses
from such service. 1t has not been so
very long since nearly all the threshing
was done by horses; now only very
small percentage of even the threshing
machinery are worked by horse power.
Practically all of the blowing is done by
horses; but cheap and practical steam
pillow will be shown to visitors to the
Worlds fair, and 1t is not improbable
that in ten years from now quite large
percentage of blowing will be done
without the aid of horses. The need in
the cities and on the farms for fewer
horses will tend more and more to re-
duce their market value. Commonly
rate in price; indeed it is doubtful
whether tinely-bred horses will suffer at
all. There is no reason why they should.
The purposes for which they are used
will not be affected by any inventions
reyolutionizing methods of transporta-
ton or tillage. Even though we could
fly in the air with balloon entirely I'M
der control, spin on the road behind
pair of trotters or galop across
country would give just as much pleas
uTe as ever 1t gave. The horses who
get the blue ribbons in the horse shows
will continue TO be as valuable as ever,
while humber animals-those that drag
street cars and plows-wlll be less valu-
able year by year.
This increase in value has already
been noted. so far as farm animals are
concerned, by the statisticians of the
United States department of agriculture.
In 1892 the average value of farm
horse in the United States was S65.0l =.
and of mule 5000; in 1893 the average
farm horse is worth only SCI %, and the
mule S70.6S. Here is depreciation of
1919 IN horses and S4.S7 in mules. Not
withstanding the fact that there are
nd
mules on the farms this year than last,
the total value of the horses and mules
has deprecated more than S25 100000.
This is very hard indeed on the farmers.
Though they have to feed more than
700,0 900 more horses and mules than the
year before, the stock in the market is
not worth as much as it was the year be-
fore by more than So, 100000. That
sum does not really represent the loss,
fJr the horses are eating all the while,
and source of continual expense. Had
this increase in the number of horses
been entirely of those that were well
bred, the value of the farm horses would
probably have appreciated instead of de-
creased, and the books would have shown
a profit instead of a loss.
A well-bred horse costs no more in
food and attention than common one
and he is a very much better investment
y horse of common breeding is sure tC
be common and unnteresting horse
but one with crossing of good strain;
of blood is apt to be very interesting
In such horse there are attractive pos
sibilites, similar to those that invest {
lottery ticket with charm. Who cares
to watch the development of spindle
legs of a sucking colt when it is wei
known that the mature horse will only
be fit to draw cart? But what a diff
ference when you look upon the awk
ward youngster and recognize no reason
why 1t should not lower the record o
Salvador or Nancy Hanks. Failing il
such high deeds, either runner or trot
ter would be just as serviceable in car
as the cold-bred colt for whom Their
was never any high ambition.
The facts gathered by the statisti
clans, and the prospects for change
motive power for transportation and TO
farming, appear to indicate clearly tina
in the future there will be less and les
profit in breeding other than from goo
strains of equine blood Harperr
! Weekly.