Show V awo 1 horse clorse aai JIU le shot t aga den impending shrinkage of interest to tip famera aurver AU Over F Pw ared pret by the th united states covart debt of agriculture work stock horses hories and mules is 1 the one class of animals to la which practically ItI every farmer Is concerned whether he Is a stock farmer fanner cotton planter wheat grower groer or cane cane ralser the approaching shortage of good work stock is IB therefore of vital concern on to all farmers says john A 0 williams in charge of horse horsa and mule investigations for the united states state department of Agri agriculture cultum decrease in animals estimates of all horses and mules on farms the first of this year showed it total of head a decline lo 10 a work stock population of 17 per cent since ones 1020 it is practically ce certain that the next five years year will wal show a reduction of the present numbers number by 30 or 40 per cent unless breeding Is I 1 resumed thle this rapid reduction esex pecked to develop into an acute shortage in those states where the animal on farms are the oldest and where bhare fewest colts are coming on as replacements there are more horses 0 over var ten years of age in 10 thor the 1 northeastern and southeastern state than elsewhere the southeastern states hav haio the largest percentage of mules over ten years of age although the average age of horses has increased co considerably n the average value during the past three year has not cot changed much them the present low prices may not be expected to continue indefinitely in fact there Is a 4 definite market demand at present for high class draft geldings geld logs and saddle horses of merit at good prices Infer inferior lor borsch horse of all types type will ain undoubtedly continue to be a drug on the he market make typo type fit demand farmers to in the corn belt where surplus work stock has hall previously been raised should consider the possibility of increasing the production at the types of horses and mules that are suitable to meet the expected demand from the eastern and southern states furthermore says mr williams it itil to important that farmers thoroughly study aoudy the relative advantages of animal and mechanical power for their own conditions in order to convince themselves of the necessity of planning to raise colts for replacement purposes porpoises before the inevitable shortage I 1 in a desirable work stock occur |