Bisbee daily review., 1912-02-25
WOULD HAVE UNCLE SAM
 BECOME HORSE BREEDER

(By Winfield Jones. Special Cores. pondent ot The ReviewD
 WASHINGTON. Feb. 24-One Of the most comprehensive plans that has been advanced for the improve ment of mounts for the United States army has been submitted to stan of tcers by Capt. j. W. Conrad. Jr., 3rd Cavalry. |. $, A. now stationed in the Quartermaster generals department Not only are the breed of horses to be bettered but a provision Is made Tor an adequate supply of good stock -- problem which Is finding very hard solution in army circles.
 Although horses are now command ing higher prices than have been known for many years there Is a great shortage in their production. In order for the government to maintain cav airy and artillery branches of the army in sufficient form it will be nee essary to take mp some systematic plan 10 encourage the breeding of horses Of type suitable for army use.
 During the past year the secretary Of the department of agriculture has co operated with the war department in evolving some plan to enable the army to obtain suitable horses. Through George NJ. Rommel. chief of the animal husbandry division of the department of agriculture and Capt Conrad a plan was worked out for breeding horses it for military ser vice. To carry out the plans, however. congress will have 10 appropriate a sum of S250,G00 for the first year and Sl00.000 a year thereafter.
 Gov, Ponies Disappear
 In speaking of the matter. Capt Con rad states In the United States the type of horse suitable for army pur- poses is now proportionately less num- erous because it is found necessary to the civilians Of the country, and the quartermaster's department is finding it each year more difficult to supply the yearly demands of the mounted branch of a small army.
 Tn the west it is found that a marked change has taken place in re cent years in the sO-Called ''cow-pony.' Twenty years ago cattle ranges IF the west were practically without fences and the COW man found it nee essary to breed and use a type of ac. tive ponies. As the west became set tied and as agriculture was taken uJ the larger pastures are now being broken up into even smaller ones. The yearly round up required riding over immense distances. Today cattle are chased and roped but are driven in to small pastures and pens and quietly handled. The quick COW pony Of the past has given place Io a larger animal. frequently having a cross of draft blood It may be said that the COW pony Of the west has almost dis appeared.
 Exit Virginia Hunters.
 Virginia has long been famous for the Virginia hunter Even the breed ing of this type of horse mas been sad ly affected by the high price of heavy draft horses. and further influenced by the fact that only those hunter-bred horses that attain full size bring hign prices. When the farmer found that all draft colts. in spite of minor blemish- es, brought good prices as 3-year-olds l he at once ceased to breed the hunter type, with it's many misfts and com menced breeding heavy horses. The i disappointment in the hunter bred horse would not have been so great had the breeding of this type been done scientifically. The hunter bred | horse as now raised in Virginia is sired almose entirely by stallions either sent to the country gratis or sold at small prices to individuals | by wealthy people in the north who desire hunters and are looking to the future supply"
 Even more appalling than the pres ent scarcity of horses suitable for mil | itary purposes in this country Is the large number of unsound horses. The general system of breeding horses, | it is said, is responsible for this con dition.
 At present there are about 23,00O,- |