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With regard to Naval Timber, almost all writers wish to let the world know that if their advice were taken, there would be sufficiency of timber for the British Navy of all kinds required, and that the great importance of the whole matter consists in understanding the growing of bent and crooked timber fit for any part of a ship. But this hobby has been long walking on crutches. Sir Robert Seppings long ago recommended the plan of uniting short timbers, which was adopted, by which every kind of compass formed timber that could be required was obtained from straight timber. The whole frame of a ship can be prepared without waiting as formerly for particular pieces of compass or crooked timber, and every part is now equally seasoned by the new system. All that is required is to raise timber of the best and soundest quality, and of the different kinds; for such is now the state of the science of shipbuilding and the mechanical arts, that they can do very well without the advice of writers on Naval Timber.

I might have said much more on the subject of pruning; but as both Mr Matthew's system and my own are now before the public, I have said as much as the public might feel interested in, and as bears chiefly upon the points at issue. Mr Matthew wields the pen with much ease, and will, I apprehend, like a true naval man as well as a naval timber writer, not easily be overcome. But always playing at long bowls will be of little service to the public. Let us therefore at once come to point blank distances, as ships are made to do when well commanded, and show by actual workmanship which of the systems will be of most advantage to the country. Let the trees which have been pruned under my system, and those pruned under Mr Matthew's system, be examined by a body of men qualified to judge, to be mutually chosen: Or, should Mr Matthew have no trees to show pruned under his system, let us both commence our work of pruning together; and let it be a distinct stipulation in the compact, that whatever decision regarding the respective merits of the systems these individuals may come to, that decision shall be laid before the public.

BIGGAR,

September 8. 1831.

ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE BREED OF HORSES. By Mr DICK, Veterinary Surgeon, Edinburgh.

Ir is a daily remark, that the breed of horses is rapidly degenerating, and those who have the best opportunities of observing it, are the most decidedly convinced of the fact. If we inquire at a dealer on returning from any of the great fairs, what kind of show there has been, we are told it has been the worst he has ever seen. But this tale he has perhaps so often repeated, and it corresponds so much with the stock brought from the market, that one is almost led to consider it as one of the tricks of the trade, and to suppose that he can only have brought the worst sorts to our quarter.

But if, not satisfied with the stock produced, we proceed to the great marts ourselves, we find there is indeed a remarkable scarcity of any thing in the shape of a good nag; it matters not for what purpose he is intended, whether for racer, hunter, carriage, hack, or heavy draught, the difficulty of making a good selection for either of these purposes is the same. There may be thousands in the market, but how few in the eye of a judge will be even passable for any purpose. There must therefore be something radically wrong in our breeding system, some cause for the acknowledged degeneration of the stock for which Britain has been so long celebrated.

It will be found on inquiry, that good horses have been becoming gradually scarcer in our fairs for the last twenty years; and we find, that many of what was considered the most useful sort have now entirely disappeared. The breed is quite extinct. Where, for example, do we now find the fine shortlegged handsome cob, whose action and strength enabled him to go any pace, and to carry any weight that could ride? How few of the splendid carriage-horses which were met with fifteen or twenty years ago are now to be seen! Nay, how few of any thing really good is there to be met with!

Let it not be supposed that I mean to advance, that twenty years ago the breeding of horses had arrived at the acme of perfection, that there was then nothing farther to be done,—that nothing could then have been wished in the improvement of

our various breeds;-for, even then, we were far enough from perfection. Yet it is an undeniable fact, that good horses could have been got with a little looking out. But now, where are they?

There appear to have been two causes operating during the time I have mentioned, which have mainly contributed to produce the effects in question. The first, and perhaps the main cause, has been exportation. Since the peace, scarcely a fair has passed which has not been visited by foreigners, who have never failed to take with them the best of the horses and mares found in the market. What the actual number thus taken out of the country may have been I am not prepared to state; but I have the strongest reasons to believe, that the total number since the period to which I have alluded, far exceeds the conception of those who have not attended to the subject.

It may at first sight appear, that this exportation of our horses must add to the wealth of our agricultural community, by the increased price, the consequence of an increased demand, for the produce. Such might have been the case, had the exportation been confined to inferior kinds of stock; but, it unfortunately happens, that, into this market, has been sent the best of these animals; and, as the demand exceeded the supply, and as the best always brought the highest price, the market has been drained, not only of the produce, but also in a great measure of the original stock. And, as my friend Mr Catley says, in writing on this subject, in No. 31. vol. iii. p. 378. of the Veterinarian, “These, it should be remembered, never find their way back again, and this is not like exporting a piece of manufactured goods; for we are here parting with the raw material, and, by so doing, we should recollect that we are not only giving foreigners the means of manufacturing themselves, but are at the same time shortening our own production." But not only has this new and suddenly opened up market drained the country of the best of our strong and useful well-bred horses, but, by the scarcity thus produced, has tended to diminish the numbers in another important manner.

The high price and scarcity of good horses have produced a demand for what was formerly considered a less valuable stock, and as geldings are not to be obtained in sufficient numbers

for the supply of the army, mares are taken to fill up the regiments of cavalry. Mares have also obtained a place in the London market; and, as the best is in all cases likely to meet the readiest customers, another means of draining the best of our stock out of the hands of the breeder has thus been brought into play. While the ports were closed, and the army and London market refused mares, these, as a matter of course, remained in the breeder's hands, and were selected, both from necessity and choice, as the fittest to rear stock; but as many entertain too loose notions in regard to the advantages to be derived from the proper selection of both sire and dam, little attention has been paid to the subject, and any kind of a mare, when rendered useless for every other purpose, has been thought good enough to rear a foal. This laxity of opinion exists more especially in regard to half or three parts bred stock, and also in regard to those of heavy draught. The consequence is now apparent in the general deterioration of the horses both in Scotland, and in the northern counties of England.

The breeders having parted with their best mares, are now under the necessity of employing those which remain. For these, perhaps, they look out for a good horse; but, whatever may be the good qualities of the sire, the produce will, in a greater or less degree, receive the impression of the dam. If she want size, or is defective in her formation, it is a hundred to one if the foal does not exhibit many or most of her defects. The stock, however, is reared, and may, it is thought, turn out a good horse; and certainly we are sometimes agreeably surprised in the progress towards perfection which some bad-like foals make; but, in general, we are disappointed. Yet what is the consequence? The foal is reared: it is sold by the breeder at perhaps half the sum it costs in rearing; it never pays for half the food it has destroyed, and the breeder is continually crying out that breeding does not pay. How much less will it repay him for the risk he runs? For it is not like a bullock, which will sell, even if it has a lame leg, a badlyformed leg or joint. No: if any accident befal it (and to how many accidents and diseases are foals liable?), it is rendered good for nothing. But the loss does not stop with the breeder; the purchaser has his sorrows to commence. He gets

his horse put in condition; he is mounted a few times, but it is found that he is unable to carry his rider either with pleasure or safety—his spindle shanks give way—he knocks the one against the other he cuts-he falls-he is sprained—has curbs or spavins-is washy and delicate-and, in short, more plague than profit. After some time, he is soid at a loss, and, passing from one hand to another, proves to each a similar annoyance.

But the matter is of still more importance in a public point of view; for if we suppose that there is in the country perhaps not less than 1,500,000 horses, and if we suppose that onetenth of these are not worth half what they consume in food, the loss to the community is immense. Say, for example, that an ordinary sized horse costs L. 25 in rearing till he is four years old,—suppose him one of those nondescript kind of beasts to which I have been alluding, and what is then to be got for him? He is dear to any one as a present; but we shall suppose him to bring three-fifths of his cost, and the owner glad to get rid of him. Even at such a loss, what is the total loss to the public on the number of those we have been supposing to be losing stock? Why, it will amount to the enormous sum of L.1,500,000 completely lost to the country, even under the supposition of his then becoming worth his meat. The loss, however, does not stop here; if he passes at four years old from the breeder's hands, still he continues to consume the produce of the country; and it must not be supposed that the consumption is in favour of the farmer, because the unproductiveness of such animals recoils upon him. The purchasers who, in making their bargain, in the expectation of deriving from their new purchase a source of pleasure and recreation, become disgusted with the trouble attending, and the utter worthlessness of, such brutes; and after a few similar experiments, give up the idea of keeping a source of so much annoyance, instead of deriving the pleasure they expected: and thus the steady market is cut off.

There is one fortunate circumstance, however, connected with these mal-formed animals, which is, that from their defective formation they are unable to endure the degree of fatigue to which they are exposed, and hence they are cut off at a premature old age. In one point of view, therefore, the expenses I i

VOL. III. NO. XV.

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