Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-10-04

nv which the farmer can obtain to desirs
BE aivsntage, his mares and the use o
sires-whethsr by beginning with tn,
common mare and grading up. or by pur
chasing mares already possessing thi!
requisite blood, and all considered with {
view to the best economy Of time anG
money.
On resuming the discussion. Mr.. Curtis
said that he did not think the breeding OF
trotting horses that would bring $1,000 or
1880 apiece ought to be encouraged
among farmers. For it was to be said not
only that the breeding of fast horses was
demoralizing, but also that the market
for such fancy was restricted. Farmers
would do better to breed class Of horses
adapted for general use, and which may
be depended upon to command sale at
all times. He thought, he certainly hoped
that the Juror for fast trotters had reached
its climax. Let the farmers devote their
energies to breeding good serviceable
horses-hOrses of easy, natural action. and
calculated to endure.
Mr.. l.. Clark, of Orange county, replied
to Mr.. Curtis with considerable spirit, hold
ing that neither the raising nor the owning
of trotting stock was demoralizing. He
thought that the man who preferred to ride
behind fast horse was better man, as a
general thing, than he whose taste led him
to Jog along behind plug.
Mr.. +. Bowen, superintendent of the
Thorndale farm. said that many years ago
there was imported to this country from
Yorkshire what was known as the Ceve-
land coach horse. He weighed about
1900. stood sixteen hands high, and could
60 the mile, double, in four or five min
utes. He considered this horse admirably
adapted for a family. road or coach horse.
or for the horse cars. He disapproved of
any thoroughbred blood when car service
was designed for the horse The thor
oughbred was high strung. nervous, and
not adapted for the collar. The shoulder
of the thoroughbred is not upright enough
for collar. As for fast horses, he had
known families Of farmers ruined in at
tempts to breed them.
MIR. Kellogg thought that farmers might
become demoralized through raising fast
stock, not so much in q moral As bust
ness sense. 1t takes considerable time to
properly care for and train valuable stock,
and in attending to it farmer may let the
other departments of his farm suffer.
Still, If farmer decides to raise stock he
ought to raise something that will pay
him, and no farmer can afford to raise
common horses that will bring. say $3.50
and that is all the car companies will pay
and then not get his money until the
horse is six years old. He thought that
trotting stock was equally as good for SER
vice as common horse. It had been
said that thoroughbreds were unsuitable
for the collar; some are and some are
not. He himself had hauled wood with a
thoroughbred without any trouble. The
horse did his business well and worked
without fault in the collar
MIR. Bowen replied that as a general
rule the common run of farm hands could
do nothing with thoroughbreds on the
road or working them about the farm.
Such horses were very nervous naturally,
and inexperienced drivers soon spoil
them.
Mr.. Kellogg replied that bad temper
and nervousness was to be found in all
breeds. Some thoroughbreds had the bes,
OF tempers. The American Star breed
for example, would stand as much no