Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-08
Horses-Hew 10 Improve yoar
.a 0tOck.

disposstioa among western fArmers
TO breed better strains Of stock,
They see every year moro plainly
the advantages gained by giving
new and improved strains OF blood
to their herds. In Iowa this dispo-
sition has found expression and sp.
plication for . number Of years
mainly in the improvement Of cattle
and hogs. Now It IL extending to
horses, and with results equally salts
factory. In answer to inquiries from
many farmers a. TO the best breeds
for this State a correspondent OF
losca Fine. Stock Gasette writes:
The desire 10 raise valuable stock
is increased In proportion to the In.
crease Of profht to be derived from
them. This is not Ia consequence OF
caprice, but IL attributable to the
fact that II is cheaper TO raise and
keep good horse than . poor one.
The prime cost ie only the difference
to be considered. The price Of stable
room, keep and care, Is Identical, but
the wear and tear is infinitely less
In the sound, able, careful snimal,
than In the broken-down plug. The
value3and excellence of the work
horse consists In the action, power
to move or carry weight, and ability
TO endure fatigue, to come again to
work, day after day, week after
week, year after year, with undin-
inished vigor. The horse that can
plow an acre while another Is plow.
ing one-half an acre, or that can car
ry load of passengers or grain ten
miles while another is going five,
independent of all considerations OF
pleasure and fancy, IL absolutely
worth twice as much to the owner
a. the other. Now the question for
the farmers is simply this: BY
what means 10 this to be obtained I?
The answer is, by getting the great.
est possible amount Of pure blood
compatible with size, weight and
power, according to the purpose for
which he intends to raise the stock,
into the animals he breeds.
The blood should always be on the
sire's side, and for the farmers pur-
pose the horse should be Of medium
height, say fifteen and half hands
high, Weighing from 1860 to 1900
pounds never over the last weight),
lShort back, wen rIbbed up. He
should have high withers, broad
loins and chest, q straight rump,
clear bright, well placed eye, broad
nostrils aud small ear, and the more
action of the trotter the better.
From such q horse, and from q well
chosen mare, sound, healthy and
we'll limbed, he may be certain (acci-
dents set aside) Of raising an animal
that would be creditable 10 him M a
stock breeder and profitable TO him
In pecuniary sense.
The farmer who breeds TO lunk
head or plug stallion instead OF .
fine blooded one thereby saving from
$5 to $40 in the service, Is not posted
upon the subject. He loses the time
and use of the mare In each case
alike, and while In the first case he
raises q miserable, scrawny scalawag
Of q colt worth anywhere from ten
to twenty-five dollars, he IN the latter
case stands the chance OF raising q
"trotter worth from one TO six
hundred dollars, and with the same
amount Of labor and expense, saving
the mere difference paid for the SER
vices Of the horse.
At the last State Fair held at Ke0-
kuk there were exhibited three classes
Of horses for the sweepstakes for the
best herd Of horses, to-wit: The
Norman Percherons, the thorough
bred, and the Bashaws and Hamble-
tonIans combined, and the premium
was awarded to the last breed, on
the ground, that while the Normans
were too large and unwieldy, the
thoroughbreds too fne and spirited,
the others combined all the qualities
that 20 TO make such an animal a.
I have described above. ] am
aware that there are many who will
disagree with me upon this subject,
and will breed their small mares 10
these large stallions, but ! predict
that In LEES than FIVE years time they
will zee their error.
81. Louis.
/ Now that we are In the midst Of a
struggle for railroad connection d.
feet direct with the "future great