The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-09-21
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American Horses.

Vermont has long been celebrated
for its trotting horses, and the Morgan
breed is so identified with that State
that the name is almost synonymous
for horses raised there. In New York,
however, the greatest attention is paid
to this business. The single county of
Orange has over one hundred breeding
establishments some of which are very
extensive. Charles Backman's, for in
stance, includes six hundred acres,
where are collected upward of one hun
dred and fifty horses, of all ages, many
of which are of the finest trotting lin
cage. In the rear of the immense sta
bles of this equine village are yards,
exercising grounds, and mile track
for training the young animals. The
whole business is as completely equip
ped as q commercial establishment in
large city, and the owner calculates
with almost equal certainty upon the
profits of his enterprise. Millions Of
dollars are also invested on stock farms
all along the Hudson river in the breed
ing of trotting horses. There are sim
liar breeding establishments in Iowa
and other western States. For the
last thirty to forty years, the value of
trotting horses has increased even fas-
ter than their numbers and speed, the
rate being at least 100 per cent every
decade. In 1858, Flora Temple was
sold for $4,000; in 1862, the California
damsel for Sl1 900; in 1866, Young
Pocahontas for $1,000; and in 1867,
Dexter, which in that year surpassed
all previous speed trotting mile in 2
minutes II IA seconds-sold for $33,
900. 1t is now no unusual thing for
fast trotting horses and fine stock horses
of the best trotting blood to sell for
from ten to twenty thousand dollars.
This.shows the immense popularity of
the American breed of trotting horses,
and the amount of wealth they repre-
sent. The founder of this breed seems
to have been Messenger, whose lineage
is traceable back to some of the finest
Arabian blood in England. He was
imported into New York in 1888, and
was of superb form and extraordinary
power and spirit. His form, with the
remarkable vitality and endurance of
his race, has endowed his progeny
which has been persistently used and
trained to trotting-with extraordinary
courage and endurance. So great has
been the impress of his wonderful STAN
ina and splendid form upon American
horses that his value to the country
may be estimated at millions of dollars.
His stock has been bred in-and-in to an
unprecedented degree, without any of
the disastrous effects generally feared
from imbreeding. This success has led
many to think that where sire and dam
are affected with no disease, imbreeding
may be resorted to with safety, the
only effect, being to intensity in the pro-
geny the characteristics common to both
parents.
In this connection, few words in
reference to very remarkable auction
sale of horses which took place in July
last at Tattersall's, London, will not be
out of place The animals offered be-
1onged to the stock of the late Mr.. Blen-
kiron, of Middle Park, near London,
who was one of the most scientific and
successful stock raisers in the world
Many of the nobility and the most
noted horse breeders and fanciers of
Europe were present.
At the appearance of Blair Athol,
the finest stallion in the world, the cry
of Hats off, was raised, and the whole
assemblage uncovered in honor of
horse
The sale of this stallion was the
great event of the entire auction, and
the bidding was of nation against ma
ton. Started at 1000 guineas, the Of
fers rose, amidst intense excitement,
until, on the bid of the New Stud Com
pany, Blair Athol was knocked down
at 1880 guineas, or the monstrous
sum, in American currency, of $65, 625.
This was the largest sum ever paid for
a horse, and by the side of it the prices
paid here in America for such horses as
Dexter, however much critisied, sink
into insignfcance. The famous Glad
iateur, the triumph of the French turf,
was sold to a private buyer at $35, 900.
Mandrake, who brought SIC, 500, comes
to America. The twelve stations re-
allied altogether $ls2,2sO, an average
of SIS, 100 each, while the entire stud,
comprising, besides these, 1913 mares
with foals and SO colts, brought the
astounding and unprecedented sum of
102,370 guineas, or $685., 440-over half
a million dollars in four days sale.
The enormous prices which these an
imals brought are simply an index, says
the EVENING MAIL, of the Importance
which is being put upon horse breeding
as branch of national industry. There
was much criticism on the price paid
for Blair Athol, but it was stated, in
defence of that extreme valuation, that
he has earned during his career as a
stallion the immense sum of 1900 n
guineas all told, or at the rate of ~, ~
900 year. 1t is of the utmost 9io'
lance to country, from the ni.po'-
dustrial point of view, the, i,u'I'. III
flesh should be Of the BIZ .bost 30 o,, nJia
and experience seems 20 e horo q oSnn
inc of these fancv lined by the breed
So ohsnrdlv i" wy .lorses, in themselves
, ~ - 70 .ued, as sircs. How
much n1 Is owe, owed in this country to the
w, gan ole ID, or that of half dozen
1;ae. nov ID progenitors, it would be
u.hat 20 estimate justly. No matter
n mna' may be the increase of other
=; 10 is OF transportation by the extern
on of railroad lines, there raust be
m 'Jre and more demand for holsefcsh,
and that of the best gu atty: and per-
haps, in this light, the high prices paid
for the English stallion S we have named,
are not, after all, rs extrava CANT as
might at first Sigh t be thought, even
from the rigidly &c onomic poiut of view.
STORING Por AToEs-As the time
has arrived for potatoes to be harvest
ed, wish to Say to those who have
them to harvest, to put them in barrels,
as the best mode o: disposing of them.
'Ihnrn