HORSES FOR FOOD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7567, 20 February 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

HORSES FOR FOOD.

ADVANCES WHICH HIPPOPHAGY HAS MADE. Hippophagy has made aome advance in Paris since 1872, the year following the war with Germany, daring which the eating of horses was practised by the Parisians, so long at least as the city was held in seige. In 1872 5732 horses were slaughtered for food in tbe city of Paris. In 1883, tbe last year for which there are any returns, the number was 13,234. Before 1872, however, and even before the war with Prussia, in fact as far back as 1566, the slaughter of horses for food was duly licensed, although in 1566 there was bat one batcher having the right to cat up and sell the carcases of horses. The licensed horse butchers now number eighty. Thi» fact, taken with the figures that indicate the consumption of horse meat, account for the many low* priced " boullions" about the streets of 'aria. Veterinary experts declare that soup znadu from horse flesh is better than that made from the meat of the ox. That may be a question for gastronomic sharps to discuss, but it is said that the bouillon which smokes in a thousand Paris eating houses smells and tastes so nearly like that made before horses came to their end at the shambles that no man's nose or tongue can tell the difference. Whether this resemblance is due to the similarity in the nature of the beasts, or to the artistic aptness of the cook, is a secret with the proprietor of the shop and the superintendent of hi* kitchen. An enthusiastic advocate of hippophagy maintains that the figures herein related show that the horse has been improved since he has made his appearance at the table. His principal ground for argument in this direction is that one sees fewer raw-boned, broken.down hacks dragging Paris cabs and omnibuses than in former days. This might show that improvement in the average look of the cab horse bad been purchased at the expense of the .people's digestion. But it is also declared that when a horse gives signs of wearing oat, his harness is taken off, and he is ■imply boused where proper food increases his adipose tissue, and where idleness softens his muscles and tendons.