The New York herald., 1879-08-25
THE AMERICAN STUD BOOK.
lrrom the PAN Main Gazette. Augustel

The number of horses 'bred in America" entered
for the great of 1881 by Messrs. Lorilard
Keene and Sanford, shows that the Americans mean
mischief and increases the interest OF the history
written in their 'Stud Book" where the origin and
progress of their attempts to breed race of native
thoroughbred horses Is recorded. And the FIRST
volume of that book is for obvious the most
interesting. The compiler Of the book here men,
toned. published in New York. is Mr.. j. H. Wallace
of Muscatine. Iowa. and in the preface of his first
volume he tells the story OF the laborious task he
was induced to undertake. 1t appears that as
early as lS15"-and that is not many
years after the hrst volume OF our own
"Stud Book publshed-"a gentleman of
Philadelphia set to work upon an American '.Stud
Book which appears to have ''endcd in a pros
pectus." In 1929 u Mr. Skinner. of Baltimore. and
in 1888 Mr. Edgar OF North Carolina, after years of
toll. began to publish or defnitivoly published a
prodigious number of pedigrees and upon the basis
of tho more than ten volumes thus presented for
examination Mr.. Wallace. not sparing himself the
pains Of personal inquiry among breeders and
owners, whenever it was practicable. founded his
own first volume, which he seems to have COM
menced about 1857. Such the difficulties he
encountered. however, that it is not surpris-
ing If as many as ten years elapsed before
he proceeded to actual publication, in 1867.
At that date he is able to say that in his
first volume will be found .'all that has been pub.
lished on the pedigreos OF American and imported
horses up to the year 1S40 except what may con-
tanned in the SPIRIT cfe Times previous to that year,
1t is to be remarked that he makes no mention of
'Stud Book" which projected aud begun by
Messrs- Bruce. of Lexington and the publication of
which was delayed by the civil war; but whatever
may have ultimately become of that work. COM
parison Of some pedigrees which are known to have
been contained in it with the corresponding pedi-
grees in Mr.. Walace's book shows either complete
agreement intelligent difference. with an ac.
Acknowledgement that 'this pedigree has been
disputed" and such fact says great deal
in favor Of the compiler's good faith and
diligent investigation. His trustworthiness
is further confirmed by collation. made. in
very many instances. of his pages with those Of
own "Stud Book" published by Messrs. Weatherby,
the deficiencies of the latter being occasionally
pied by him. About seventy different cases have
been compared, and 1t has been found that he has
by no confined himself to q simple transfer.
of pedigrees from the English compilation but
whether they be entitled to be called OF
not. which testify to independent research Out OF
the seventy there but six in which he fats
to confirm the statement of the English Stud Book
concerning horses 'sent to America" but O
those applies to Maid of the Oaks. winner o
our Oaks in 1888, who '.died the passage to
America" and could not, therefore, be properly
included in his list. 1t Is not going too tar ia
assume that he either had good reason for thu
other omissions has rectihed them in [
subsequent volume. Moreover, Whatever probable
y of general trustworthincss to be inferred from
which would sacrifice utility and confuse arrange
ment for the sake OF saving paper and uncommon
claimed for Mr.. wallace's compilation. And the in
clnaion to rely upon 1t IL greatly increased by his
practice OF appending the maine OK MT Edgar to any
that somewhat fanciful and apparently reckless COM
pilcr.
MIR. wallaces first volume. then. shall be here
taken to give faithful account can be OBJ
tanned of the thoroughbred horses. native and JIM
ported. to be found in America from tho earliest
times up to about 1889 1S40. 1t is OF course.
. was to be expected Of an American, complied upon
u new. original and ingenious plan. which has
certain obvious advantages well some
less obvious disadvantages. but cannot be very well
explained or understood without an examination OF
the book itself. glance through the pages IL sui
ciont to show that they contain many names OF
horses and mares said to be thoroughbred and said
found in the Brush '',tud Book" This s neither
more less than likely; and, though it shows
that Messrs. Weatherbys publication may not have
contained everything that it might have contained
in its earliest portions yet comparison OF the Eng
lish and American works increases on the whole the
admiration frequently expressed for the former.
without which neither the latter nor its like. whe-
ther in France or Germany or elsewhere. would in
all probability have come into existence. Mr..
Wallace has two different lsts-one containing the
names of horses and colts, the other Of mares and
fllies tho former numbering about 1881 and the
latter about AGO. less. As regards tho lat
disadvantage of the compiler's arrangement
rs is "' % n,a s: & may as s. hso
published on tho pedigrecs Of American and i'm
ported horses up to the year $780," &c;
under her name; and If you wish to discover the
number Of certain mares progeny from the time
the list with the chance OF missing some for Of
course II you know the names OF all the mares
progeny you % mus. 1 neeessary hmow % now many shc
dates ut which they were foalcd. However that is
OF consequence here. where space occupied for
purposes to which Mr.. WaIace's arrangement lends
itself conveniently ~ can be. Az regards, then,
the very earliest importation of English thorough
breds into America. II appears from Mr.. Wallaces
volume that something like l6O horses and forty
mares were imported before the year 1900 or there
abouts, about seventy of those horses and about
twenty or those mares hayinp been impor,ed
before tho Revolution. or the seventy horses
more than half and of the twenty mares about eight
nine may be put down to tho account Of Virginia.;
but the parts of America to which the different AMI
mails went not always specified. Among the
frequently namcd--arc Lord Fairfax. importer Of
Strawberry 10y Adolphus called the Fairfax roam;
Messrs. Merritt 4 Co. Colonel Hoones-ai Of
Virginia: Governor Sharp, DIR. Hamilton. OF Mary
land and Mr.. Delaney. OF New York. 1t would be
difficult to fix the date Of the earliest importstion
but might safely be put down not later than the
first quarter of the last century Tho most valued
of the very early importstions according to Mr.
Wallace. Fearnought by Regulus. out Of Silvortai.
who was imported In 1764 and died in l776." with
early importations." TrsveIlsr by Crorts Partner
imported into Virginia In 1854, IN described as
second to no other of tho early impcrtations; and
about 1868; Jolly Roger known In England as Roger
OF tho vale). second only to the great Fcarnought
imported some time between 1T4l. the date OF his
birth. and 1772 the date OF his death Medley by ain
crack. known ~ Hearts Medley" imported 17s4l
Messenger. by Msmbrino. the "fathsr of trotters.
and Wild Air. by Cade, imported into New YORK
about 176 together with the Cub mare. OK
the now celebrated Parole but con account OF his
great value ut the stud taken back to Eng
Land" piece OF Information not oasiy. II ~ ALL to
be discovered in Messrs. weatherby's book. or our
early Derby winners the Americans. according TO
Mr.. Wallace. took Doined. the first OF thom all;
Saltrsin, by Eclipse. winner I'M 1888; John Bul. Dy
Fortitudc, winner In 1892; Spread Eagle by Volun-
tccr winner in 1906 Sir Harry. by sir Peter winner
in f798; Archduke by Sir Potter. winner In lI9o and
they afterward took Lapdog. Priam and 1t. Giles.
the winners III 1885, 1880 and 1884. The winners Of
Oaks they do not seem to have greatly sought
for after having unfortunate with Maid Of ths
Oaks; and the of Phenomenon, winner OF the
St. Lcger In 17s3 who .died ut Now York immed-
ately upon landing, 1798," seems to have kept
them away from our 81. Leger winners.