Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-07-23
THE FARM HORSE.
1s the Average Horse of the Central
West Too Light For Farm Labor!


Three years in succession the farmers
OF the corn belt have passed through
unusual difficulties in putting in their
crops, this being due to heavy precipl-
tatiOns during the seeding and planting
months. In at least three ways this has
operated against the interests of farm
ers. In the first place, on account OF
the soil being wet the seeding Of crops
has been delayed; in the second place,
on account of the. wetness of the soil
tillage operations have been carried on
with extreme difficulty, while lastly the
season for sowing and planting has
been so short as to draw upon the
man and horse forces for labor to an
extent that, could scarcely be supplied.
These unusual conditions have taught
us that the average farm horse of the
central west is not heavy enough for
the work that he is called upon to per-
form.
We are well aware of the fact that
many men are strong advocates of the
1,200 or 1900 pound horse, claiming
that such an animal for all round util-
ity on the farm will give more salts
factory service than one that is heavier.
While we admit that there are cases
where the 1900 or 1900 pound horse
is very handy animal, yet in our opin-
ion it would add much to the wealth
of the corn belt if the average horse
weighed 1,40O or 1900 pounds and COM
bined with this weight his present
quality.
We will go further and say that there
is an important place for the 1000 and
LOO pound horse to be used in farm
work. Who among our light horse adj
vOcates has not wished for little more
weight many times in the spring? We
have in mind few individuals whose
horses weigh on an average about
1,5OO pounds and these passed through
the spring work with a much greater
degree of ease than the 1900 pound
animals.
We talk about our lighter horse be-
ing useful when we put him on the
road, but in the corn belt if we COM
pare the amount of reading that is to
be done with the abundance Of labor
on the farm we will find that the for
mer is insignificant compared with the
latter and that we should equip our
selves with horses suited to farm la
Dor and allow the road work to be
matter Of secondary consideration.
/.
among our readers who still hold their
opinion that the 1000 pound horse is
more useful, but we venture to assert
that these individuals are not putting
the plows down and doing the good
work with the disks and harroWS that
their neighbors are who own and op-
crate heavier horses. 1t is true that
something depends upon the character
of a soil, but as much Of the soil in
the corn belt is comparatively close in
texture and works with degree of
difficulty we believe that we are en-
tirely within the lines of safety when
we strongly advocate breeding up for
use on the farm equines of greater
scale
Instead of breeding the farm mare
to a road horse in order to raise work
ers it will be much more profitable in
the long run to breed to stations be-
longing to some Of our heavier breeds.
The offspring in this case will not only
be much more valuable if placed on the
market, but will be of greater utility
if kept on the farm. If you have never
made any comparison please note the
difference between four 1000 pound
horses when hitched on disk and the
same number Of 1900 Founders In
the case of the lighter team you will
find the driver adjusting his lever so
that the disk will not .bite" quite so
hard, while in the case of the heavy
team there is no need of any such adj
justment. 1t follows that the seed bed
in the latter case will be prepared in a
much better manner than in the for
mer.-Iowa Homestead.