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VIEW OF THE CONDITION OF AGRICULTURE IN OHIO.

In accordance with the law requiring a report upon the general condition of agriculture, a circular embracing a series of queries was addressed to every agricultural society in the State. It is to be regretted that answers to these queries were received from less than half the number of societies to which they had been addressed, and in many cases there were no replies to more than three-fourths of the questions propounded. From this limited data the following general view was compiled:

The following were the queries on the subject of

HORSES.

"Has any improvement been made in the breeds of horses in your county within the past five years?

"Is any considerable attention paid to horse-breeding?

"What breeds are most esteemed in your county?

"What strains are considered the best for draft?--farm purposes generally? -roadsters ?

"What is the general price of a good horse ?"

The interest the people of Ohio take in the improvement of horses has materially increased within the last few years. There are not half a dozen counties in which this is not true. The necessity for clearing land and for the use of oxen is, to a great extent, over, and the spirit of improvement in agriculture, gradually extending to every branch of labor, seemed first to concentrate upon the improvement of the horse. The possession of a good horse, one that is elegant, powerful, trusty and intelligent, is what almost every person is likely to gratify himself in, before building a fine house, or making other improvements necessary to his comfort or convenience. Not only is this true of farmers and professional men who have wealth, but it is true of young men, and of thousands who own little else.

While we are breeding better horses than formerly, we are also breeding more of them. The demand for good ones for foreign markets takes a few every year; the increase of our city population makes a large number necessary to do its work; the increase in the use of machinery on the farm in place of human muscle, the greater amount of land cultivated and the disuse of the ox, makes it necessary that horses should be used more than ever. War, too, has increased the demand for them so it is not likely that there will be any decrease in the number of horses bred at present.

BREEDS. The breeds of horses most commonly sought in this State have been the Morgan, Bellfounder, Messenger, Hiatoga, Black Hawk, Flemish draft horse, with a few of the Norman, Cleveland Bay, English draft and Thoroughbred. To these might be added a multitude of horses of no particular blood, but a mixture of almost every thing, and from which, after all, a large share of our horse stock is raised. It may safely be said, that whatever breed of horses has been introduced into this State, the tendency has been to amalgamate it with whatever was previously possessed. We cross the new breeds on every thing we have, from the scrub mare to our best farm or carriage horses. We have not, as ye, bred with a definite end in view; nor kept the strains of blood separate, and for the distinct purpose for which they are by nature best fitted. Whether the result of this amalgamation will in the end result in improvement is very doubtful; and of late years our best stock breeders have, to a certain extent, discarded this general amalgamation for a more definite policy.

DRAFT HORSES.-Most of the draft horses of Ohio have originated from the Flemish draft horses, or the Pennsylvania, as they are sometimes called. He is of smaller size than the English or Scotch draft horse, but honest, stronglimbed, enduring, rather slow, but well adapted to use on drays, and, slightly modified by the infusion of warmer blood, well fitted for the use of our express companies. In many sections of the State they are extensively used for farming purposes. In addition to these, there has been introduced within a few years, for improving this breed, the Norman Horse, the Cleveland Bay, and the English Draft Horse; and we may predict good results from their cross on our best draft mares, though as yet they have not been extensively introduced. What is most to be feared is their cross cn small and spirited mares; any improvement from such a course cannot be expected.

FARM HORSES.-Horses for general purposes, which will answer for the farm, the road, the carriage and the saddle, are those in which most improvement is desirable. But few men can afford to own a horse for a special use. The farmer makes the one that draws his plow and carriage, do his teaming, and when necessary, act the part of a draft horse or roadster. We have many good farm horses in Ohio, the blood of which is almost as uncertain as the source of a pail of water taken at random from the sea. There are hundreds of stallion. kept in Ohio, with local names and mixed blood, very highly valued for horses of all work. We also use for general purposes horses of every description, from the Pennsylvania draft horse to the half thorough-bred. The rule, "every horse in his place," has never been adopted by the majority of farmers. In answer to the inquiry, addressed to the Presidents of the County Agricultural Societies of this State, "What breeds of horses are considered best for farm purposes in your county?" such answers have been returned as would indicate that as yet no particular breed has the preference over all others. A few prefer the Morgans; some the Bellfounders, Messengers, Highlanders, French cross, etc.; but it is doubtful if, when these names are given, this blood is indicated more than some others, so great has been their amalgamation with other strains. The same may

bes aid of Roadsters, though, to some extent, we designate certain breeds as better roadsters than others; as the Morgans, Bellfounders, Hiatogas, Bluchers, and half Thorough-bred. The reason of this is, that a good roadster is also considered a good horse for general purposes, but a good farm horse may not be a first-rate roadster. The general introduction of the Morgan and Black Hawk horse into the State within the last few years, has given us a class of roadster horses of high order, especially when crossed on mares of fair size and good movement; and though the general complaint against the Morgan is his small size, yet we have some excellent farm horses resulting from crossing them on our best farm

mares.

In improving the horses of Ohio, what we most need is a definite purpose, as the production of a draft horse, farm horse, or roadster, and not miscellaneous breeding. True, the latter system sometimes brings good results, but the former, rightly carried out, always. There is no luck about it. We may if we choose breed horses and predict results with almost as much certainty as the chemist predicts the result of certain experiments he makes in his laboratory.

Another fault of too many of our farmers is breeding from scrub and brokendown mares. There are hundreds of persons in the State who only keep a horse that will answer to "go to mill and chore about" with; and almost always these are allowed to breed. No matter how good the stallion may be, such a mare will never bring a good colt. It will be safe to say that half of the colts raised in the State are from inferior mares that ought not to breed at all. Many farmers who have a good brood mare do not allow her to breed, because they do not wish to stock their farm with horses, or because they desire the animal for work. Very many times the question is discussed as to the relative influence of the sire or dam on the produce, and the difference of opinion on this subject arises mostly from predetermined notions. The man who breeds a thoroughbred horse is almost the only one who looks thoroughly to both sire and dam for the best results, and knows that without care in the selection of the latter the services of the former are not to the fullest extent available. The want of appreciating the value of the mare has retarded progress in the improvement of horses, and produced much loss to the State. The best mares find almost as ready a sale as horses, are worth nearly as much for any kind of labor, and are rarely bred from; while the long-legged filly that cannot be sold, and perhaps cannot do a good day's work, is made to pay her way by raising a colt. There is little doubt but the farmer who will incur a liberal outlay in procuring one of the best brood mares in the country-one whose sire and dam for at least three generations have shown themselves to possess desirable qualities, and then by the use of the best horses-will, if he perseveres in a definite and reasonable course of breeding, open a rich mine of wealth. Numerous instances might be adduced to verify this statement. Why should not the mare exert as great an influence on the colt as the horse? The opinions of the best breeders are that she does.

For breeding mares from which to raise horses for general purposes, those of good size, roomy, healthy, strong in the back, with large vital organs and good

muscles, should always be selected. It is also important that they be of good disposition and not unruly. "Like produces like" almost universally. The mare that jumps is quite sure to learn her colt the same habit before it is taken from her side, or transmit to it her own trait. The Arabs had a law that no stallion should be used for service unless first examined by competent judges and declared to possess desirable traits. Such a rule applied to our mares would improve the horse flesh in the State fifty per cent. in ten years.

Of stallions, the improvement in Ohio by the importation of thoroughbred and others possessing desirable traits, there has been marked improvement within a few years, so that any farmer possessing a good brood mare will not find it difficult to secure the services of a suitable horse from which to breed. The tendency now among our best breeders is to secure as large a proportion of the blood of the thoroughbred horse as possible, of which this State may boast of several of high merit.

There is no doubt that an excellent class of roadsters, saddle and carriage horses and farm horses may be raised from a cross of the thoroughbred stallion on suitable brood mares. To perform those feats of which the blood horse is capable, in the race, great perfection of organization, both in mechanical construction and vital endowment, is absolutely necessary. These have been secured by a thorough course of breeding in a line for many generations. Horses thus bred impress their own character upon their offspring much more certainly than those of mixed blood.

The great popularity of the Morgan horse during the last five years has, to a certain extent, reduced the size of our horses more than is desirable; to remedy this defect, a few of our farmers are going to an opposite extreme, and breeding from small mares crossed on large stallions. The result of this cross will prove unsatisfactory, by the production of ill-shaped, slab sided, loose jointed animals, with neither beauty nor power.

VALUE OF HORSES IN OHIO.-It will be safe to set down the value of good horses at the age of four and five years, sound and well trained, in Ohio, at $100. Of course there are thousands that can be bought for much less, but they are those bred from inferior mares. In those counties where care in breeding has been taken, the average value is much higher than $100; while in those where no care has been bestowed, the price is much less. In every county in Ohio the price of a horse is determined by his goodness, and this invariably is determined by the care bestowed in breeding him. At present prices there is as much and probably more profit in breeding horses than cattle. It is not likely, however, that a more extensive breeding of horses in the State would be profitable, unless at the same time corresponding improvement be made. For good animals. paying prices may always be expected; none others can be raised without loss. The climate of the State is well adapted to them, and there is no reason why, if we breed the best, we may not create a foreign demand which shall prove remunerative.

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