The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-07
1S5, 400 or more than one hundred
dollars each.
Horse Population Increasing.

1s5. 800 or more than one hundred
dollars each.
Horse Population Increasing.
A study of the market for horses at
Kansas City and other important CEN
ters of distribution reveals a situa-
ton encouraging to producers. Not
withstanding the fact that the horse
population in the United States is
larger than ever before and the use
of the automobile is on the increase
there is a strong demand for good
horses. Moreover, top notch prices
are being paid for the best grades of
animals.
Southerners, a class of horses
which is becoming less numerous in
Kansas and other corn belt states each
year are at present a feature Of the
market.
have been selling at prices ranging
from $25 for the smallest plain ponies
to $165 for the better grades which
are on the order of drivers and sad
dlers. The demand for these horses
comes from the southern cotton states
and according to the market cores
pondent of the Kansas Farmer has
been exceptionally good within the last
few months on account of high prices
planters have received for cotton. The
Kansas farmers are usually more will
ing to dispose of these light horses
than any other grade.
Kansas Horses to Other States.
kansas horses go into many diff
ferent states,'' says the expert for the
Kansas Farmer. principal demand
for them is coming now from Georgia,
Tennessee, the Carolinas, Alabama,
foregoing take southerners. Massa-
chusetts, New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania and Illinois buy heavy
grades. Colorado and California were
formerly heavy purchasers, but are
, taking very few now. Many of the
horses sold to Pennsylvania are thin
feeders, which go to Lancaster county.
one of the leading horse feeding dis
tricts of the United States.
"A majority of the drafters and
east are shipped by express on pas
senger trains. 1t costs $400 to send a
car of % horses by express to Boston
or New York. The express rate on a
car to Philadelphia is 1915. After
adding to the purchase price at Kan
sas city the cost Of shipment. the buy
ers' expenses, and allowing for pro-
fits and fatalities, Kansas horses are
mighty expensive to eastern users"
Fat Horses Bring Big Prices.
An interesting point in connection
with the market prices is the spread
mails. Work horses in good flesh
the fatter the better-are bringing
! from $25 to $50 per head more than
horses Of the same breed and age that
are thin and with q glossy coat of
hair.
Kansas farmers are raising horses
of better quality than ever before.
Much stress is being put on the pro-
ducing of good draft horses. Kansas
! is one of the six great draft horse CEN
ters of the country in the corn belt
states.
| Interesting Sale at Manhattan.
The equines Of the Sunf1ower state
are held in high esteem at the mar
kets of Kansas City, Chicago and 9TH
er points. But there is still much room
for Improvement. Horse buyers pre-
fer to pay high prices for superior an
imals rather than to purchase scrub
horses for a mere song.
| A big horse sale held at the Kansas
State Agricultural college January 81,
by Lee Brothers of Harveyville. was
an eyeopener for Kansas farmers and
others. Farmers came from every di-
rection in automobiles to purchase the
forty registered Percherons that were
offered for sale. The highest price
paid for a stallion was $1.275, and the
top price for mares was $3.50. F.LS.