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TO ENCOURAGE HORSE BREEDING Government to Place Stallions iu Selected Localities with Free Service to Approved Farm Mares. Washington. D. . Mav s.— The Department of Agriculture recently issued tlie following statement: "In order to eni-nmagc the production of horses suitable for cavalry and light artillery uses, the Department of Agriculture, in eo ..iterating with the War Department, has placed in selected localities good, sound stallions of protier ty| e and offered mare owners special inducements to make use of them. This plan, made possible by a provision of Congress in 1013. gtCW oat of the difficulty the government has had in securing a sufficient number of army remounts. Light horse stock had deterior ated. due to the curtailed demand as a result of the growing popularity of motor vehicles and farmers had turned their attention to improving the heavier draft horse. "The plan consists primarily in placing stallions of merit, registered in the proper stud books and belonging to the thoroughbred. American saddle, standard bred and Morgan breeds, in suitable localities in Vermont. New Hampshire, Virginia. West Virginia. Kentucky and Tennessee. Mare owners may breed to these stallions on the following terms: The owner of the mare agrees in writing at the time of breed iug to give the government an option on the resulting colt as a three-year-old at a stated price, which so far has been 50. No service fee is charged unless the owner of the colt wishes to be released from the option, in which case it is 5. "This means that nractieally no money is invested in service fees. If the colt is purchased by the government, no fee is charged nor is there any cl.arge if the colt is offered to the government and purchase refused baCMM it does not qualify. The breeder d« es not have to nay a service fee on a colt which dies, which is" deformed or which is seriously injured. Only sound mares that approach either ■ cavalrv or a light artillery tym- are used. Records taken June 30. 1917. show that 3.0S9 colts have been produced since this plan was put in o|ieration at the beginning of the breeding season in 1913. "The plan has a numlier of advantages both to the government and farmers. The broodmares are usually farm work animals which generally pay for their feed by doing farm work, and the colts are brought up to birth without cost. High-class stallions are available for the mare owners use. Community breeding, which is of inestimable value is encouraged. The object of the remount breeding work is to select for and breed sound horses with quality, stamina and endurance which conform to the armys needs, and such animals will also lie useful for general farm work, especially in moun tainoiis sections."
