The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-08-15

VuSNs tnul can nc cltcu as extraordinarily
successful examples from this system of
breeding and we cannot believe that the
average prices we now obtain for our
horses. as low as Col Stowcll has rated
them As an instance take the stock of
the Young Ethan Allen horse of Mr..
Henry Dclong in Cornwall, as one of the
class Of small stations, and no one knows
better than the Col. that if he will aver
age all the stock sold from the horse that
were over four years, that the average
prices would be quite as high as he rates
the class of horses he proposes to substi-
tuto for them, j. G., from three to five hun
dred dollars
Do those who pay high prices for driv-
lug horses generally prefer those of 16
hands ? we think not indeed we are of
the opinion, that those of medium height,
say about ID hands, Tor about the height
Of our Vermont horses, are in better ie-
quest, and bring better prices on the
average than those of Ii hands And
we think that the record will show very
considerably, that those who have gone
to the front and staid there for any length
of time on the trotting track have been
horses Of about that height Or less. Dexter
is only about one inch over. Goldsmith
Maid is about 10, Thos. Jefferson and
Lambert about the same Ninon or Young
Pochahontas THAT has been reported as
beating Dexter in three straight heats
last season in private triaD still smaller,
Nonesuch is barely o hands, while Ethan
Allen Whose time in either of three heats
beside a running mate, has never been
equalled in public, by any horse for even
a single heat) is smaller still. Flora Tenn
pie and Hotspur are below the average
height, as well as very large number of
horses of lesser note
OF the horses Of larger size that have
recorded good time and made themselves
famous, very few of them have been able
to withstand the wear on the track that
would enable them to be trotted often in
close races Or be for many years able to
keep their places at the front, and preserve
their soundness, and probably a much
larger proportion of medium sized horses
have been withdrawn from the trotting
track in a sounder condition than of those
above medium sized
We think the computation of the cost
of keeping our smaller horses not fair
one when he makes no distinction between
the cost Of raising them, and the rangy
d hand horse Our smaller horses can
not in the nature of things cost so much
to raise, and they will at much earlier
age begin to safely earn a part of their
living, and from their more willing, tracta-
bic dispositions, and greater intelligence,
be more sure to come out safely broken
than the high bred and rangy horses he
proposes to substitute in their stead Tn.
der this head we think the Coils. picture
OF selling ! yrs. ods of these rangy slow
maturing horses at renumerative prices,
more vivid in his Imagination, than we
shall ever realize in the future. Our
Morgans proveribally mature much earli-
er than any other good horses, and they
have rarely been salcable before older
than four years. and as the coarser horse
natures so much slower, and has to be
used during his period of growing with so
much greater care, that much larger
prices will have TO be obtained to realize
equally as large profits. The history of
the Hambetonians in Vermont is proof
Of the fact that coarse horses mature
slowl y, and cannot safely be put to any
but very light services until their loose
joints become matured and settled to.
gether, and unless they were compacted
and settled together by an infusion of
Morgan blood, they have not been ready
Tor market or service at near as early an
age as our Morgans, and the expense Of
keeping between 3 and 6 years while the
Morgan is earning his living will require
large margin to be deducted from the
profits Of the coarse horse
Again We do not think Col Stowell is
warranted By the facts in stating that we
have no longer demand for our horses
because they are small. We sincerely be-
Iieye that We are receiving as good an
average price for our horses as they are
elsewhere. If We are mistaken in this, :
it is because we have permitted our best
horses to be always bought up, and taken
away to improve those Of some other
sections, until they have improved theirs
by such an infusion of our own blood, as
to make them of better average quality.
In short to so NIorganize them, as to make
them better Morgans than we have left.
If this is the case, let us take warning
and preserve our best breeding blood in
the future, and if necessary procure some
Of the very best we have sold and return
it TO its old home, and hereafter instead
Of bartering our "birthright for mess
ofpotrage' retain our very best stations
and mares at home nj whatever cost /
Vermont retained her supremacy in sheep,
not by selling her Golden Fleece, Sweep
stakes, Gold Drops, or Green Mountain,
although their owners were tempted by
fabulous prices, but by retaining them for
use and improvement at home. 50 if
She would maintain her supremacy in
horses, She must retain her best stations
and mares for her own breeders. 1t is
the system of selling her best, and breed
ing from those inferior that needs reform
ing, not an infusion Of better blood, for
truly there is no better blood, nor better
horses for gentlemen's drivers. or for all
work than Vermont Morgans.
Boston AND MAINE RMLRoAD.-We I
learn that the Directors and Supcrinten-
dent Merritt Of the Boston and Maine
Railroad have gone over the several lines
surveyed by the engineer for the extern
sion OF the Boston and Maine Railroad
from South Berwick to Portland to de-
termine which is the most feasible route
Acting under the unanimous vote of the !
stockholders, it is expected that the road