Imperial Valley press., 1913-09-18
Profit in Heavy
Horses is Claimed
From Pacific Rural Press:

need for heavier and better horses is
almost overdone already, but the fol-
lowing coming from Wayne Dinsmore
the secretary of the Percheron Society
Of America, is worth more than sffhi-
lar talk from another person of less
prominence and experience.
For two years past, draft horses
have brought better prices and there
has been a greater demand in proper
ton to supply, then in twenty years.
Number one geldings, weighing
100 pounds or over, of good draft
type, and full age, with well set legs
and durable feet have averaged around
$3.50 per head Pairs have brought
from $3.50 to $500. Good draft horses
bring more in pairs than singly, pro-
vided pairs are well matched.
The chief country demand is for
draft mares, because they can do the
farm work and at the same time, pro-
duce colts. Prices on good draft
mares from 1900 to 1900 pounds range
from $500 to $500 per head. The aver
age for grade mares in foal is from
$3.50 to 1885. These prices are high
enough to leave a satisfactory profit
to the breeder of grade draft geldings
and mares.
The fundamental reason why draft
horse prices are at profitable point
is that the supply is unequal to the de-
mand Less than 20 per cent Of all
the horses reaching Chicago, the
greatest horse market in the world,
weigh over 1900 pounds. About one
fourth of these are No. drafters. In
simple words, only about five per cent
Of all horses reaching the market are
Of approved draft type, weight and
soundness. Another reason: less than
one-fourth Of the horses on the farms
will weigh, at maturity, 1900 pounds
or over, and not more than one-third
Of these are Of first-class breeding
type, conformation and soundness.
The demand is far in excess of the
supply and prices are at a point where
satisfactory returns are sure to accrue
to the breeder.
TIE auto truck will not materially
affect the market for draft horses
Auto trucks are here to stay. They
are extensively used in the city and
viii be more extensively used in the
future, but investigation shows, con
clusively, that in hauls under three
miles, particularly under crowded traf :
fic conditions, the auto truck is less
efficient than the horse. The auto
truck is supplementing rather than
displacing the horse. 1t is more eff
cient than draft horses on long hauls
and straightaway runs to branch
houses, distributing points, suburban
stores and nearby villages. But ex-
perience in Chicago, New York and
other cities proves that on short hauIs,
under three-mile radius, in crowded
traffic, the team is the most efficient.
Eighty per cent Of the traffic in our
large cities is within a three-mile ra-
dius, therefore auto trucks will not ma
terially affect the city market for
draft horses
Not a single state in the union is
producing horses on one-half its farms
Iowa, the leading state, produces hor5-
es on but 42.6 per cent Of its farms.
This means that even in the leading
horse production state more than one
half the farmers must buy horses from
nieghbors who will breed before there
is any surplus for sale off the farms.
Between 1900 and 1910 the popula-
tion Of the United States increased
p per cent During the same time
cattle decreased per cent, hogs z
per cent, sheep IA per cent. Horses in
creased, but only s per cent. Now,
any one acquainted with agricultural
conditions knows that a decrease IN
cattle, sheep and swine means an in
crease in titled land An increased
demand for horses. Our population
has increased more rapidly than ouT
production Of foodstuffs. This, com
bined with the reduction in the produc-
tion Of meat animals, has been one Of
the most important features in in
creasing the high cost of living The
high prices received for farm products
have focused attention upon increased
yield per acre. Land has Increased in
price. To pay satisfactory returns on
investments in farm land, increased
yield per acre is absolutely necessary.
This increased yield per acre can be
obtained only by the liberal use of
farm manure or fertilizers, or both An
increased yield per acre also requires
more thorough plowing, more thor
ough cultivation of farm crops and
higher efficiency in harvesting Wages
have increased, yet help is difficult .o