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MAY BE HELPFUL TO SPORT at R. DULANYS APPOINTMENT TO HORSE BREEDING COMMITTEE SO CONSIDERED. Importance of Breeding for Army Remounts May Receive More Careful Ccn-ideration in Consequence. Ry Ed Cede-. New York. February 0. — With the announcement, made last week, that H. Banter Dulany, a member of the National Steeplechase and Hunt. Association, had been appointed a member of the Advisory Committee on Horse Breeding for the One* eminent, comes the hope that this duly qualified judge of thoroughbre-ds may lie able to make his presence- felt in aid of the industry, which is so greatly needed throughout the country, in view of the dearth of such horses as are required for remounts for the army, and of which the country has been relieved by the different nations at war. It is to be hoped that his presence on the committee will warrant the government awakening to the fact that the appropriation made for the purpose of governmental horse breeding is totally inadequate and, fuithermore, that the prices paid to breeders are far too low to warrant farmers and others in giving the necessary time to the raising of such animals. The Jockey Club Breeding Bureau has been eloiug wonderful work in its api ortionment to different states of thoroughbred stallions, which stand in various well-known studs at fees which are within the range of anyone with mares which would be suitable to propagate the breed and aid in c-onserv ing to the country that number of hulf-brods and others which are so needed for various purposes. Should Government Promote? England, which has long been considered the mother country of the thoroughbred, is at present much concerned with the future of the horse, ami various publications have articles touching on the subject. One of these, in the Live Stock Journal, by B. A. Lance, appears most interesting, being commented upon by "Vigilant" in the London Sportsman as follows: "Among other matters discussed by the writer is the question as to whether the government will take over horse- breeding, as far as concerns the provision of horses for military purposes. The problem of supplying a sufficiency of artillery and other light-draught horses to meet national requirements in the future, the writer rightly says, is a grave-one, and he pertinently asks, Which department of state is the one to which breeders of light ln rse-s must look for a definite pronouncement of future policy in reamed to this important branch of our national resources.- "There is no doubt, as Mr. Lan c- says, a strong impression among breeders of half-breds that, although the I.oarel of Agriculture is responsible for the grants to Kings Premium stallions, and also for half of the service fee of 0 a mare the- other half being chargeable to the mares owner, the board officials hold that if the war department rc-quires light horses for the army it is the war office that should make it worth the farmers while to breed them. "The war department, on the other hands." says the writer of the- letter to our contemporary." appears to adopt the attitude- that it is the duty of the Board of Agriculture to see that the stock of horses maintained iu the country is sufficient and suitable for its needs, both peace- and war. and that if it is necessary to subsidize- the- production of any parti-ular class of horse the board should provide the money and see that it is wisely spe-nt." Where Influential Men Help Racing. Thus, he peeiuts out. light-horse- breeding seems to be- in danger of falling between two departmental stools, but adds that with two such eminently practical men as Lord Derby at the war office and Mr. Prothero at the Board of Agriculture it may confidently be- anticipated that if any uncertainty exists as tei the responsibility of either department it will lie promptly re-enov -d. and that they will combine to put the industry on a sound footing. Mr. Lance further suggests that the- war office-should assist the Board of Agriculture- by paying more inou-y for- remounts ami buying them in the autumn of their fourth ye-ar. bartend of when they en five, and that a higher average price than that hitherto obtaining shoulil be paid for the horses. "I would go farther than this, for it would be- of great assistance to farmers and breeders generally were-the remount officers to Inspect the young stack in the autumn of their three--year-old season anil elis-enri nil horses deemed unsuitable for the armys regain meats," mid Mr. Lame- to "Vigilant." "Such a Baaa weald do away with the nocossity of keeping unsuitable animals fox- another whole year, as the ir breeders would then be able to break them to harness and sell them much sooner. Mr. Lance-. I notice-, is a fervent admirer of the Per-Cheran for crossing with thoroughbred sires for the production of army horses, ami from several years rleec contact with tie- Percharea and its erossea he claims that there are no animals bred in the Catted Kingdom of equal weight and power that have its activity and weU-bnlnnced trot."
