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PLEA TO SPARE THE MARES. Christopher J. Fitzgerald, formerly presiding judge at the New York race racks, writes the New York Sun from London, Out., where he is at present located, as follows: "If the war continues six months longer the horse breeding industry in the t tilted States and Canada will have received a setback that it will take years to overcome. Already many thousands of mares cf a class sadly needed at "home have gone abroad. Up to the present mares and geldings have been taken withuot regard to the future of our horse product, and there is talk here in Canada of a movement to confine the purchase of cavalry remount and gun horses to geldings only. This section of Ontario, already famous for the quality of its half-bred horses, has furnished thousands, of the most desirable animals f t r use in the present war. Major-General Hughes stated publicity at a luncheon here on Wednesday last that the horses bought by Sir Adam Deck in Loudon and contiguous territory were by far the best that had gone abroad. For many years superior thoroughbred horses that had won distinction n tlie race courses in different parts of the United States and England were brought to Canada an-1 crossed with standard bred trotting mares and other matron of a desirable type. Their progeny gave this country a superemiuent position in the horse breeding world. "The Canadian half-bred, thoroughbred sire aiil trotting dam, makes tlie ideal cavalry remount. Willie for the artillery the thoroughbred sire mated with the heavier type of mare gives added lione and the bulk requisite for the handling of weight in soft or marshy ground. Time was when stallions of type necessary to sire such horses could be had foist few hundred dollars each at any race course, but the hindrances from which racing has suffered and tlie consequent curtailment of the breeding interests have sadly thinned the ranks of those who for many years regarded their occupation as most hoiiorabl;. As a consequence there is a decided shortage of the type of horse Youat describes as tlie best for this special purpose, the short coupled, well ribbed. st!Uit Ixtilicd stallion with the sloping shoulders and oblique pasterns. "Such an individual, with a good temper to haoi his other qualifications, would be a treasure in any community where thinking people having the welfare of their country at heart indulge in that most engaging feature of rural life the raising of good horsjeK. The French .mil German governments have fur many years vied witli each other in the excellence of their army horses, and the manner in which the artillery of the former country has been handled since the commencement of hostilities has excited the admiration of tlie world. A gentleman who has just returned from a trio through Kentucky. Tennessee and other southern states, where he bought more than 2.200 horses for the British government, says there were many tine inures among them. lie was only one buyer of many representing the imperial government, and it is naff to conclude that in every portion of the Unite.l States there was no discrimination in favor of niurcs. Washington. Oregon and Montana have furnished their quota, as have Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Illinois. Should war conn- to the United Slates, and in these troublous times there is always a chance of it, where would the authorities turn for an adequate supply of horses for military purposes V The breeding bureau of the Jockey Club has done souie-l thing in New York State, and some gentlemen A prominent in racing, August Belmont, head of the Jockey Club, particularly, have given thoroughbred stallions to be government studs, but the suppy of desirable remount and .artillery horses is very, limited. "It will become more so in .both the United. States and Canada unless the sale for army purposes of aU inire under a certain age, say seven years, is prohibited."
