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BREEDERS URGED TO RAISE HORSES Demands for War Purposes Will No Doubt Be Heavy Within Short Time. The New. York State Association of Horsemen is urging upon every breeder, farmer and horse owner o the state the importance of raising horses. Not only do armies in the field require vast "numbers of horses, but the increased activity in, all industries, especially agriculture, will bring about a demand for the horse unprecedented in recent years. It is also pointed out that the increased cost of automobile maintenance and the possibility of an ultimate restriction in the use of gasoline for pleasure purposes may return the horse to his old-time popularity qn the road. The horsemen anticipate a brisk demand for animals from Europe when the nations resume peaceful pursuits after the carnage. There is an appalling shortage of horses in the old world. That is a fact known through the shipments of over 1,000,-000 animals from this country to the nrmiex of France, England, Italy and Belgium. It applies likewise to Russia, where a . general purpose horse now commands between 00 and Q0. The announcement that "no .provision would be made for cavalry in the first draft army, together with the absence of any recent entensive use of cavalry on the western front in Europe, has given rise to a belief that the horse js no longer ah integral factor in modern fighting. The impression is erroneous. While conditions in the west have not permitted the use of mounted troops, the armies are retaining their .cavalry quotas. The little Belgian army has its two cavalry divisions ready to support its infantry. Cavalry Still Playing Important Part. In the east cavalry is playing an imporbint role and has done so from the first invasion. The success of the airplane for reconnaissance has not supplanted the value of the mounted scout. Major-General Sir David Henderson, commanding the Royal British Flying Corps in France says: "The importance of cavalry reconnaissance is impaired in no way by the introduction of the airplane." But laying aside the question of cavalry, there remains a sufficient task for horses with every army. They still haul the guns and much of the stores and provisions. The last stretch between the supply : depots and trenches must be covered by horses, for motor trucks cannot negotiate the shell -torn terrian. The pack horse and mule bear the burden. The war department has already authorized the purchase of 250,000 horses, of which nearly 100,000 have been secured. It is estimated that some 400,000 horses will be in service by the time the army has? reached 1,000,000 men. At the opening of the war the British veterinary corps mustered 425 -men. It now enrolls over 25,000, indicating the system devised for the care of animals at the front. While it is admitted that the prices now offered by the government for army horses are ridiculously low, the State Horsemen urge every patriotic breeder to produce at least one colt the coming year.
