The Tamworth Examiner and Working Men's Journal. — 1875-03-06 (Tamworth, Staffordshire, England)

FARMING VERSUS HORSE BREEDING. The Times remarks:—" The truth is that farming in these islands, and especially in England, has in recent times become a highly.developed investment of money. The capacitiea of different lands for different kinds of production have been very preiiisely tested. Capital has been largely employed, and a rapid, as well as a copious, return is expected. Now, it is true that the breeding of hoftee at present prices cannot be called unremunerative, yet it is in many ways less attractive to the farmer, who looks for quick and certain profits, than the production of cattle and sheep. The demand for hunters aid hacks has, no doubt, increased, but the demand for beef sod mutton has increased still more; arid while young horses under the most favourable conditions being a slow return, the profits of beef and mutton are very speedily and Barely reaped. Beef and mutton—especially mutton, which in 12 months or so becomes mature, or at least marketable—pay the farmer better than horse, of any kind, which, except .or raci. g purposes, and these are excluded from consideration, are scarcely saleable till they are three years old, and do not reach their beet price till they are five. The farmer who produces sheep, th retcre. will have turned over his capital four or five times while the breeder of horses will have been making a single profit, and will escape all the risk and trouble the horse breeder has to bear while the young stock is on his hands. It is also i tvious that the 'high farmirg' of modern times, which brings every acre of land under cloes cultivation, leaves less and ;tree 'run' for young Aeck, which do not thrive without plenty of room for exercise. These economical reasons are not to be met with a sin pr offer of hone ahow pares; but it is easier to critici e a remedy so obsolete and inadequate than to an 4 gent any that may be effectual. We fear it must he acknowledgi d its if other things pay British farmers better than the breeding of horses, fewer horses will be bred in England. Bat it might be worth while to inquire whether it is absolutely certain that fewer horses are bred, or that the breed has degenerated. Tbe inadequacy of the supply to meet the demand will not furnish a conclusive answer, for the unexampled growth of wee th and of luxurious living creates a mach larger demand than any normal supply pok.sible in the country can balance. It may be that there are more horses bred than ever, perhaps even better horses, but more peop'e want horses now.a, day.; and thus it is not so easy as it was to mount a ragiinent of cavalry at a week's notion."  Justice Denman replaces Justice llon3 man cn the rota of election judges.  A I,ension of .£2OO per annum has been conferred on Mr. Wood in on idera t io n of his labour, at Ephesus in discovering the rtmple of Di.na, and obtaining for the 13ritash Mllll6l/111 a valuaole oollectiun of sculpture.  SENTKNCK OF DEArn.—At Sligo assizes a tramp. named John JP Laid, pleaded guitty to the murder of a farmer named Ferguson. Prisoner was sentenced to be hanged, and was removed expreabing his malefaction at the fate which had befallen him.