OF SCOTLAND.

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siders most suitable, eithe?for his own labour or for sale,without much regard to any specific breed. The form andthe size are the only objects of selection, and it is too gene-rally the practice to confine this selection to the male, andto breed from females every way objectionable, and oftendeemed of no value for any other purpose. For these rea-sons, it is impossible to discriminate the horses of the culti-vated counties of Scotland by appropriate appellations. Inthe Highland districts, however, where horses arc but lit-tle more domesticated than cattle, and in a few other si-tuations where there has been little intercourse with stran-gers, the breeds are evidently different from those of the lowcountry.

Another circumstance, which has contributed to abolishthe distinction of breeds in the arable districts of Scotland ,is the small number of horses reared by any one individual.Cattle and sheep are bred according to a regular system, asthe principal, and in many situations, as the only source ofprofit; but the breeding of horses, even in those districtswhere the greatest number is reared, is generally consideredas nothing more than an incidental or occasional branch ofhusbandry. This circumstance, which serves to account forthe intermixture of different races, has also prevented any re-gular course of feeding and management from being general-ly adopted,—every individual being in a great measure deter-mined, in respect to the treatment of his breeding mares andyoung horses, by the circumstances of his situation.

The prices of horses, however, have of late become so high,that much attention is now paid to the improvement of thisnoble animal. In no country are there horses better adapt-ed to all the purposes of the husbandman than in Scotland ;the same labour is nowhere performed at less expence; andin attention to the health and comfort of his horses, theScotch farmer is not exceeded by his brethren in any partof the island.

It is not the object of this division of the Chapter to