The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-03-12
Farm 6arbrn -NousebolD.
HORSE BREEDING.
The Cause Of Degeneracy In Good Horses,
and IL Remedy for the Evil.

and Remedy for the EVIL.
OF late the columns of IVtlkes' Spirit Of Mt
1maes, the 1urt, fIeld and Farm, and other
papers In the same interest, are discussing the
sad degeneracy in good horses such as roadsters,
carriage horses and horses for all work. There
has never been time when horses of the above
class were SO scarce or commanded such high
prices as the present. 1t is equally true that a
time never existed when there was such boun-
tiful supply of scrubs or dunghiUs. 1t has been
found that the east, well as the west, is flood
ed with mongrel breed of horses Of no earthly
account whatever.
There are many farmers who now have on
hand from five to thirty head of young horses,
ranging from one to five years of age, and many
of them will be thrown upon the market this
coming spring. and to say that one in ten of this
class of stock will bring first cost will certainly
allow them fair average; while, on the other
hand, the market for well bred horses never was
better. Good roadsters bring, in Chicago and
eastern markets. from $3.50 to $1,000, and even
more in many cases. The cause Of this state of
affairs, says the Spirit IF tie Times, may be
traced to breeding down to inferior horses
We have bred together promiscuously every
breed under the sun. The Heterogeneous mass of
incongruites, from the diminutiye Shetland pony
to the massive Conastoga, have been united to.
gether IL a single horse, The consequence fol.
lows, that the produce are not one thing or the
other. Some insi ynifcant, worthless breeds have
corrupted their superiors and degcnerated their
offspring. The good have been adulterated with
base metal, and the whole has become debased
The time has come when they should be cleansed
OF al! those .mpuri;ic, and bred up 10 q distinct
class Something j. due TO the discovery in the
art OF breeding, and the spirit OF improvement
abroad III the land, TO make an effort to brin.
this inan.tcst!y detor3rAted class up to the pro.
gre, Of the times, The cid famous road horse,
equal TO his ,eyenty-hvo miles day and ye9eat,
has disappeared Tor miserable substitute, scarce
~ equal 70 hsif the distance. The material is on
hand TO breed di,t.uc. c,as. Of feet.footed car.
r.age horses, fit to carry Statesmen or heroes in
the day OF triumph. The horse that could 30
his one hundred milo, in one day would honor
the highest dicuitsrie. OF state and prove a
treasure to the private citizen. Chillers ana
Eclipse gave reuown to the names Of their own.
ers, and reflected credit upon their families III
the domestic circle.
Many an officer ha. come out OF battle a hero
from tie boldness and activity Of his furions
charger. The fearle-. career OF the nable .teed
in The smoke OF battle HIS been taken for the
genius aud activity OF .he man who has been
promoted for gallant conduct due his faithful!
horse Il is economy raise the best for practical
pursuits when it cost, no more than the worth.
less brute. aud . radical change is demanded a,
on in the present method of breeding Those
WIN have been - unfortunate 10 preserve the
bred through their progeny OF such wonderful
performers a. Fanny jerks, Fanny Murray and
Lady Kate, that have done their one hundred
miles in less than ten hours. must breed them TO
and other. remarkable for their endurance They
would get the form and substance or the
counterpart OF some ancestors. which have all
been celebrated FOR good action and great endur.
ance icom time immemOrial. Il must from the
law Of nature, produce that indomitable energy
vices originated to pass off spurious bred horses
for the high melted racer will be detected in
the degenerate offspring when submitted TO the
ties, of speed 1t may detract from the good
name OF a worthy breed for the dunchil, only
fit to cart the filth from the stable, to claim al.
lance 10 a noble family and impose upon the
public his ill.bred stock. The cheat will! expose
itself no mongrel can compete with we'll bred
horse
The influence of the progenitors over their
stock is n. prQportfon to tie purity and antiqmtyof
tic freed 10 0ttch they jel0Hg The stallion that
has been bred tor ten generations through ances.
tors of unequivocal pedigree, distinguished upon
the turf, ard unsurpassed for excellence in the
stud, would stand ten times the chance over the
stallion that had inherited but one generation of
good blood to produce good stock c.
\ Coop WORD FOR THE MoLE.-Some inter.
estng experiments have recently been made in
the grounds attached to the school of Saint Remy.
France, as to the useful qualities of the common
mole On the Odd of July a mole was placed in
a piece of shrubbery, and was given wornils and
grubs for food. In four days h. ate 432 wornils
and 200 grubs Another mole placed on the
Ith of August in large wooden nox. and in l2
days he ate $40 grubs and $40 rnils, Frsm