Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-10-12
Farm and Draft Horses.

The impetus given to breeding horses
for draft purposes by the importation
of Percheron-N Norman and Clydesdale
horses into the country during the past
ten or fifteen years, has carried the en-
terprise to an extent which, at glance,
is not discerned But in travelling over
the country and observing the number
of such horses and their offspring of va
rious grades, showing unmistakable
marks Of their origin, some idea of the
progress made in disseminating this
class of stock may be obtained. The
superior quality of the draft horses seen
in our larger towns and cities is another
indication of the advance made in this
branch Of stock raising
1t has not been very long since these
horses were very unpopular. Twenty
years ago they were the subject of much
ridicule in every neighborhood where
the few that had then been imported
were to be seen. The famous old Louis
Napoleon" was the butt of the jokes
and gibes of farmers and horse men at
the time "Charley' Fullington brought
him from France, and for some time
thereafter Although the price of ''in-
surance" was but $40, his services the
first year extended to but three cases
outside of the use made of him by his
owners; indeed, it was not until his colts
began to show for themselves that the
value of this animal for breeding pur-
poses was at all appreciated 1t was
uot until then that the value of this
blood as cross with our American
stock, began to be seen; that it was just
the thing to give our horses greater size
as well as stamina, and make them more
serviceable for farm and other heavy
work What revolution has since ia
ken place in the views of farmers on
this subject! The popularity of this
class OF horses has gone on increasing
until the capital invested in the bust
ness aggregates millions of dollars. I'M
portatiOns of Percheron- Norman and
Clydesdale stock are constantly being
made, ard the sales are annually increas-
ing. A single instance will give some
idea of the magnitude to which this in
terest has grown. Mr.. NJ. W. Durham,
of DuPage county, in this State, made
sales during eighteen months preceding
|
sum of 100000.
But Notwithstanding that a great ad-
vance has been made there are thOus-
ands Of small and inferior horses for Or
binary farm work bred from year to
year, vast number of farmers not
seeming to appreciate the benefit deriv-
ed from raising better stock. We have
often pointed out the sacrifices that are
thus made Of time and money in raising
common nondescript horses for farm
purposes We do not intend to repeat
them now, but merely desire to say that
with the light which the past. throws
upon this mrtter it is passing strange
that any farmer can be found so blind
to his pecuniary interests as to persist
in raising inferior, scrub stock. Besides
being better in every way for farm work
there is constant and growing demand
for this class of horses in the cities for
all heavy work. The express compa-
MES, mail service, large mercantile and
manufacturing establishments that do
their own hauling require heavy horses.
Light and leggy animals are not wanted,
but the improved class obtained by
crossing with the draft breeds COM
mands good prices and ready market.
1t is but little while ago that we heard
of the purchase at one time OF thirty Of
this kind Of horses for one of the large
wholesale firms of this city. Poor horse
stock is too improbable for anybody to
raise Western Rurai.