The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1915-06-10
NORTH. DAKOTA HORSES EXCEL
F.. A. Burton,
County Auditor.

oAOoGiy III uCLldllu UcCduSc Vi
their proven superiority; that the
war is taking many. of the light
er weight ones, and that we should
give special attention to breeding
heavier draft horses, is the opin-
ion of an experienced hQrseman-
U. L. Burdick, of Williston, N. u.
in a letter to Commissioners of
Agriculture, R. M. Flint, as fol-
lows:
During the last four or five
years almost every public speaker
who addressed farmers gather
ing, has emphasized the import
ance of cattle raising in North
Dakota, and to this end almost
every agency in tire state, has
combined to assist in starting
anew the cattle industry of the
state.
While this is a good thing, it
seems to me, from my long ex-
perience in North Dakota that
one of the most important in
dustries, and the one which can
be carried on with the least ex-
pense, at the greatest profit, has
been overlooked, and that not en-
ough emphasis has been i'm the
past or is now placed upon the
horse industry of this state.
believe it is admitted by every
one that the natural conditions of
North Dakota, there is no place
where better horses can be raised
than on the plains of North Da-
kota. l have not time to state
statistics on this point, but vii.
state generally, and it can be prov
en- that horses reared in North
Dakota and also in the Northern
states when put to a test in east
ern cities outlive the horses rails
ed in the central and eastern
sections in a marked degree. The
world will probably never produce
a horse with greater stamina
than those raised in the rigorous
climates Of North Dakota and
Montana.
I believe however, in giving the
incentive to the increased produc-
ton of horses in North Dakota
that we should take care that the
the best class of horses in pro-
duced. Nearly all the large
ranches in this state have been
broken up by the coming of set
tiers, and horses are to be rails
ed in small units, and from an
economic standpoint farmers
must start with the mares which
they have. They cannot afford
to dispose of them and buy better
stuff. Their only salvation is,
then, to start with the very best
sires they can obtain in their
community. 1t does not make a
great deal of difference what breed
of draft horse is used as a sire.
That is a matter Of personal pre-
ference. But ilasmuch as the
Percheron predominates so strong
ly in North Dakota. believe that
communities having the Perch
eron in a greater number should
continue that line and develope u
distinct breed in that particular
locality.
The European War is draining.
the country of the smaller horses,
and is doing the breeders of the
Of the Western states a great
service in that repect. But while
the small horse is in demand dur
ing this war, breeders should not
be deluded by keeping on breeding
this class of horses. When this
war is settled there will probably
be no more wars for sometime
for at least, 100 years, hence the
demand for war horses in the
years to come will be very slight.
When the war is over there will
be greater demand for the good
big draft horse than has ever
known before, and I predict that
those who stick to the good horse
will be fully vindicated, and fully
paid for their efforts in behalf of
the horse.
R. M. Flint