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

lne >ouse ot Dcgeneracy GOOD ktOfSeSs
ana Kennedy for the EVIL.
OF late the columns of Wilkes Spirit Of the
Imaes, the Iatt, 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 the present. 1t is equally true that
time never existed when there was such boun.
tiful supply of Shrubs or dun9htHs. 1t has been
found that the east, as 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 we'll 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 Of the Times, may be
traced to breeding down to inferior horses"
We have bred together promiscuously every
breed under the sun. The heterogeneous mass of
incongruities, from the diminutive Shetland pony
to the massive Conastoga, have been united to-
gether IL single horse, The consequence fol.
lows, that the produce are not one thing or the
other Some insignificant, worthless breeds have
corrupted their superiOrs and degenerated their
offspring. The good have been adulterated with
base metal, and the whole has become debased
The time has when they should be cleansed
Of al! those Impurities, and bred up TO a distinct
class. Something j. due to the discovery in the
arr OF breeding, and the spirit OF improvement
abroad III the land, to make an effort to bring
this man!icstly deteriorated class up TO the pro.
gro,> Of the times, The old famous road horse
equ, TO his seyenty-tive miles day and rtgeat
has disappeared Tor 4 miserable substitute, scarce
~ equal to half the distance. The material is on
hand to breed = dstinc, clas. Of feet-footed car.
riage horses, fit to carry statesmen or heroes in
the day OF triumph. The horse that could 10
his one hundred mile, in one day would honor
the highest dignit4rie. OF state and prove
Eclipse gave reuown to the names of their own.
ers and reflected credit upon their families III
the domestic circle.
Many an officer Ia, come out OF battle a hero
from tie boldness and activity OF his furious
charger. The fearless career OF the uable -teed
in the smoke Of battle has been taken for the
genius and activity OF .he man who has been
horse /. is economy 10 raise Ae bcs. FOR practical
pursuits when it cost, no more than the worth.
les bru,e, and radical change is demanded at
on III the present method Of breeding Those
VIII have been unfortunate as TO preserve the
bred through their progeny OF such wonderful
performers As Fanny jerks, Fanny Murray and
Lady Kate, that have done their one humid red
mile, in less than ten hours, must breed them to
the descendant, OF Trustee, Margrave, Boston
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 from time immemOrial. Ii must, from the
law of nature produce that indomitable energy
that has long existed in the family. The de.
vices originated to pass off spurious bred horses
Tor the high melted racer will he detected in
the degenerate offspring when submitted TO the
test of speed 1t may detract from the good
name OF a worthy breed for the dunghill. only
fit to cart the filth from the stable to claim al.
lance TO 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 M prQportion to tie purity and antiqu,ty If
tie breed 10 0hich hey Jelong. 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 ono generation of
good blood to produce good stock c.
\ Coop Word FOR THE MoLE-Some inter.
esting experiments have recently been made in
the grounds attached to the school of Saint Remv,
France as to the useful qualities of the common
mole. On the ODD of July mole was placed in
apiece of shrubbory, and was 81, IN wornils and
grubs for food In four days hr ate 49, wornils
and 200 grubs. Another mole placed on the
1th OF August in large wooden nox. and in 2
days he ate $40 grubs and S12 ruils. Frsm
time IN no tinoo abln ,ht,, 10,