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Show FARMERS SHOULD RAISE ' WELL-BRED HORSES FOB INCREASED IN-CREASED EUROPEAN DEMAND During the next decade there will probably be an Increased demand for American horses In the countries now engaged In the European war. The, demand may even continue much longer, as not only will horses be needed for armies, but when peace Is restored more will be needed, for agriculture. ag-riculture. Already European agents are said to be endeavoring to purchase pur-chase horses in this country and Can ada, and there Is an Increased Interest Inter-est In many sections la horse breeding. breed-ing. To meet this' increased European demand, American farmer may veil endeavor to raise well bred horses, but the department does not advise tbem to purchase a s'urplus of horses merely for breeding purposes. It merely advises that ordinary farm work should be done whenever possible possi-ble by good mares, which should be it bred to good stallions.. It also dor sires to emphasize thetfact Hhat only horses ot high quality may be profit abjy raised today. Inferior horses are. a diug on the market, and their production pro-duction Is to bo discouraged as much as the production of good horses should be encouraged. The United States has previously been drawn on to supply European countries at war. In the Boer war over 100,000 horses were bought here by the British government. It may be doubted whether' foreign government govern-ment could now obtain a similar supply sup-ply In this country, except at excessive exces-sive cost. However, If farmers take-pains take-pains to utilize their good mares dur W this winter to breed them to good stallions, In the course ot Boveral years (tlmo enough for the foals to develop) America will bo better able to meet tho European demand. It Is natural that European countries coun-tries Bhould look to the United States for horses, as next to Russia It has moro ot these animals than any other country In the world. Tho United States and Russia possess 58 per cent of tho world supply. Strange to say, however, there wero no horses originally on our continent and the presont supply comes from stock brought over from Europe Canada's supply Is small compared tq our own. Our own army furnishes a desirable market for wellbred horses, there being be-ing under the remount system at least 5,000 horses required annually to supply sup-ply both the army and the national guard. There aro now about 20.00Q horses In our regular army on a, peace baBls. In war, many more would ho required before the first engagement. There is, therefore, a steady market for good horses independent inde-pendent of the European demand. Even tho Invasion ot motor power, which has reduced the number of horses on our streets, has not influenced influ-enced this 'demand. In fact, the price of horses has advanced along with, other commodities during recent years. The Bureau ot Animal Industry of tho Department of Agriculture stands ready to aid any farmer desiring xo breed high class horses. Ab the day of the large horse ranch Is practically practical-ly gone, any increased demand will have to bo met by the farmer. Thero nro certain localities more suited to horse breeding than others nnd places plac-es where certain breeds do better. Such details may be obtained for tho asking. Even in tho South, where mules aro bred In preference to horses, hors-es, an increased production of first class animals should find a ready roar- ket .abroad, although tho mule h not H tied' onHhe Continent to the extent H thai it is used here. Department of H Agriculture. IH |