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PROSPEROUS TIMES FOR BREEDERS. Thousands of Horses Needed for Army Encouragement of Racing in Plans to Secure Proper Type. San Francisco, Cal., August 16. The horse, mans best friend, is going to be asked to do his "bit" in this war for humanity and the democracy of the world. Like his master, he has duties to perform that cannot be accomplished by machinery or money. Lovers of the horse will regret the death toll that will take place once they get to the battle front and it is up to the breeders of tin United States to keep active in filling up tlie gaps. Out here in the west, a campaign to secure horses for the light and heavy artillery and cavalry has just been completed. A deal of difficulty was experenced in filling the contracts for 2,300 horses. Reports of the captains in the quartermasters corps, who made the inspections, are to tlie effect that close to 50 per cent, of tlie horses submitted were rejected. A big percentage of the ones selected had thoroughbred or standard-bred blood in them. Many had seen service on race tracks. As the work goes on in securing more horses, the fact will come to light that the encouragement of raeing would be a wonderful thing in assisting the government in getting the right type of horse for tlie service. The breeders in California will probably take up this point and launch a campaign to put tlie Golden State back on the map. The argument will be made that in the days gone by when racing flourished it would have been no task at all to round up available mounts for the cavalry and horses for tlie artillery regiments, while now the officers have to comb the country to fill the orders. Will Offer Premiums for Proper Type. . In order to aid the government in tlie selection of horses- the California State Agricultural Society will offer premiums for the type of horses for army purposes when the state fair race meeting is given on September 8 to 15. An effort will be made to get army officials to judge the horses shown so that the breeders and farmers will get an idea of the right sort of a horse that the government wants. This suggestion was made by Captain S. Cliristenson, a local horseman who was recently commissioned in the quartermasters corps and is at present engaged in inspecting horses. The value of good breeding will probably come to the attention of the general public in this way. The government is going to put a new system into effect in the near future in securing horses for the army. Instead of the old contract system which gave the middle man sucli an opportunity to make profit, there will be an open market with guarantee a carload of twenty horses and an officers of the quartermasters corps. Out in tlie AVest a board of inspection with Captain J. S. Hunt, chairman, and Captain S. Cliristenson and Captain Stanley Koch as members, has been formed and they will make the rounds. Headquarters will bo at Sacrjimento, Cal., and all that is needed, to have a chance to sell is to guarantee a carload of twenty horses and an officer will be sent for inspections There are three remount stations in the country, where the vast army of horses for war purposes will be recruited. They are Fort Royal, Va.; Fort Keough, Mont.; and Fort Reno, Okla. Thousands of horses will be needed anil horse owners look to be in for the most prosperous time in the history of the breeding industry in this country.
