The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1912-11-21


7 and advantage of stock rails
ing.
The breeding of good horses is
not a difficult matter, yet few South
err farmers seem to think of making
this branch a side issue to farm pro-
Tuction.
Geo, Fl. Dacy, in Farm and Fire
side has an article which may give
some new, valuable ideas to num-
Der Of farmers; under the head of
''TbeTe is a reason for improving
the farm colt crop" the writer says:
What the scrub COW is to the dairy
farm the runty, understood foal of
mOngrel breeding is to the general
farm. Just as the Ioafer COW preys
on the profits Of the dairy barn, the
scrub or plug colt develops into an
animal who verges on the consump-
ton Of a maximum of feed as re-
lated to the minimum amount of
work which he willingly performs.
The solution of the bOarder-cow
problem was comparatively easy, as
it hinged around the efficient use of
the BabcOck test and the scales. The
maintenance of good brood-mares,
instead Of geldings, and the service
of high-class, pure-bred stallion
spells defeat and rout to scrub-hOrse
stock.
The average farmer accords too
little attention to the breeding of
utility farm horses. Under careful
mana cement the annual colt crop
could be developed into one of the
most profitable side-lines on the gen
eral farm. Where pair of brood
mares are intelligently handled, they
will perform just as much work as
a span of sgeldings, and, at the same
time, they will annually produce a
colt apiece. In consequence, the
cOuntryman derives a double income
from his Work-animals; their work
more than pays for their efficient
maintenance, and the fOals that they
produce may be either sold as year
lings or raised and disposed Of as
mature animals, or they may be re-
tanned as reserves on the home farm
Nom which to recruit the future
work stock.
The original price of the grade or
pure-bred mares will be considerably
higher than that of geldings or scrub
work animals, but the first couple of
crops Of colts will usually balance
this difference. Hard labor will not
injure the brOOd-mares where care
and discretion are exercised to
gradually accustOm them to heavy
work where they are well-fed and
decentIy treated. It is always the
healthy, Well-fed horse that exhibits
the greatest endurance and hardi-
hood in the harness. A poorly n0ur-
ished animal cannot perform efTi7
cient work for twelve months in the
year. For a time the. animal may
work on it's nerve, but finally it's
constitution will be undermined as a
result of continued drain on its
reserve energy.
The exercise that the bro0d-mare
derives from daily work in the har-
ness keeps her in the pink of condi-
ton with the result that she beSets
healthy, vigorous foals. In the Eu-
ropean countries Ofttimes the mare
has been unlocked from the cart
just in time to foal; in a remarkably
short time she will be back in the
harness. There are several CORN
belt farmers operating places that
vary in size from one hundred and
sixty to three hundred acres who fol
low the plan Of maintaining one or
two teams of mules, while the rest
of their woTk-stock consists of good
grade of mares of the P6rCheron
breed. The mules are available for
labor the year around, while the