observations on growing and feeding cattle in this country would be of inestimable practical value. For several years Mr. Mc Jannet, Stirlingshire, has urged the advisability of using the weigh-bridge to determine the actual weight of cattle, whether fat or stores, purchased or sold. Experienced practical men carefully handling fat beasts frequently under, or over, estimate their weight and consequently their value to the extent occasionally of three and even five per cent. The appearance of store beasts is even more deceptive. Graziers buying by eye and hand several lots of young cattle, and weighing them on reaching home, are sometimes surprised, and not a little annoyed, to find that they have paid from say three shillings to four shillings and ninepence per stone of fourteen pounds live weight for animals of very similar quality and capabilities. In estimating the value of his fat cattle by handling or even by measurement the feeder frequently is at fault; he accordingly sometimes refuses an offer which he should have closed with, or more frequently takes several pounds per head less than the weight of his animals would have justified his accepting. The weigh-bridge prevents such losses. It can be put up for about five pounds and on a feeding farm of a hundred acres should more than pay itself in a year. Very wisely the Board of Agriculture has appended to the "Market and Fairs Act" clauses enjoining that at all principal centres of the cattle trade after 1st January, 1892, weigh-bridges shall be fixed, and official statistics published of the live weights and prices of all classes of stock.

FINLAY DUN.

Author of "The Cow and Calf," "The Sheep and the Lamb," "Farming to Profit in Modern Times," "Cattle: Their Management in Dairy, Field, and Stall," "The Botfly of the Ox, Its Destruction,” etc.

THERE has been more improvement made in agricultural horses in Britain within the last two decades than for a century previously. This improved state of the equine race may be chiefly attributed to three things. 1. Many agricultural shows have given breeders chances to exhibit for premiums offered to the best animals. 2. To the Cart Horse Stud Book, which is even now doing great good, giving breeders a key to all the best blood in existence. 3. Briskness in trade, which improves the demand for working horses, more particularly the sort known as dray horses. Prices realised have been so satisfactory that farmers have put new spirit and energy into the work of horse raising. There are three representative breeds of cart horses-Shires and Suffolks in England, and Clydesdales in Scotland.

SHIRE HORSES stand first in value not only at home but in all horse-breeding districts on the globe where heavy draught horses are used to any extent. Their immense size, power and handsome appearance justly place them at the head of the equine race for laborious work. Before the breed was improved Shires were too

slow about their work, carrying overmuch lumber, but the improved breeds have all the power of the former race, with great activity and powers of endurance. Farmers find a good sale for their best horses among such firms as railway companies, brewers and carriers of heavy goods; horses for such work must be sufficiently powerful to move heavy loads. Weight must be opposed to weight, or such ponderous loads would never be put into motion. Powerful shoulders, short backs, well developed loins, with tolerably long hind quarters, and well ribbed up, roundish barrels should be supported by big buttocks and forearms, and flat bony legs. The feet must be sound beyond doubt, lest heavy work upon paving stones cause one or other lamenesses to which the complicated structure of the feet renders them so prone. Breeding high-class Shire horses is becoming more popular employment year by year, and that not only by farmers but by country gentlemen.

SUFFOLK HORSES are highly esteemed in the eastern counties, and justly so, for the work for which they are mostly used. Land in those districts is generally of a light nature, so the active Suffolk breed gets over the ploughing, carting and other work far more rapidly than could the more powerful Shires of the Midlands. Suffolk horses are upstanding, clean legged, active, good tempered, steady workers, with robust constitutions. Indeed they possess many qualities of the light horses from which they originate, with the power of the waggon horse. They are excellent slaves for cultivating land, and most useful for light town work. There is one fault in Suffolks, viz., lack of bone in the legs, and between knee and pastern the bone is too round. No legs thus constructed will endure hard road work so well as the flat legs so developed in Shires. Albeit for such work

as is found on farms in the eastern counties, the native home of this famous breed, no horses in existence can be found to surpass them in usefulness.

CLYDESDALE HORSES are the pride of Scotland, and are greatly in demand in foreign lands. They are in Scotland what Shires are in England. They are grandlooking animals, quick about their work, and unsurpassed for agricultural work on the banks of the Clyde, where farmers are justly proud of their teams, and make high prices of their best horses when at maturity. The chief fault of the breed is lack of carcase, which subtracts from their endurance. The fault is not seen in all Clydesdales, but there is no doubt about its existence in many of them. They are much used for dray work, but where very heavy loads have to be moved, they have to give place to the more powerful Shires of England. I know full well that there is great jealousy between English and Scotch breeders, but as I have bred and worked the different breeds under my own especial care, I can speak without fear of correction. I do not for one moment desire to disparage either sort, for each are near perfection for the work which is mostly required of them.

BREEDING HORSES may be profitably conducted on most farms in the kingdom where there is sufficient range of pasturage. High-class land is not needed. So long as foals are well cared for during the first year, there need be little expense or trouble afterwards. Sound sires of proper stamp mated with corresponding mares are pretty sure to produce good stock; still, there is scarcely a lameness to which the horse is subject but is hereditary, notably so curbs, spavins, sidebones, contracted feet, and defects in the wind. It is wise if practicable to look further back than to the dam and sire, as defects might not be developed in the first

The

generation, yet be shown in the second or third. greatest difficulty about breeding horses to a profit is avoiding lameness and disease, and this is so with nags as well as cart horses. Judgment is needed in mating horses. As near perfect make as possible should be looked for in both sire and dam, and good make be held in preference to size, although the larger horses are the better, so long as they be of good stamp. Mares ought not to be bred from until they are four years old, although sires may be used a year or two earlier. The less brood mares show signs of hard work the better, and breeding should cease as soon as any decline in the constitution is observed. Finally horse breeding is not work for "prenticed " hands, but if conducted in a proper manner proves both interesting and remunerative, for there seems no limit to the demands for good cart horses, either at home or abroad; but second-rate, or unsound ones, are not much use. Indeed, profits go with quality and not with quantity.

JOHN WALKER.