The record-union., 1896-02-03

also necessary lndI the Dreeuef SnOulO
keep up with the most fashionable pro-
ducing blood of the day. Then, again,
much risk is taken in the proper mat
ing of animals. A grandbred horse,
from great family, for which a high
| figure has been paid, is as likely to be
a failure in the stud, unless properly
! crossed, as is one of obscure breeding.
Hence, it is very evident that both in
telligence and study are essential quail
| ties in the makeup Of the manager or
owner who can derive successful re-
turns from this interest. Actuated by
a desire to have the best, our citizens
| have gone further and paid higher
prices for the sires and dams that go 10
make up our celebrated stock farms
than any other class of breeders in the
world and it is upon these farms that
are to be found the very best. The
money invested in thoroughbreds and
stock farms in California exceeds in
amount that put into the same busi-
ness in any other State in the Union.
California has the credit of being the
home of the highest priced stallion in
the world-Ormonde-fo whom $780,
600 was paid by one of our breeders.
Among the principal thoroughbred
stock farms may be mentioned Rancho
Del Paso, Palo Alto, Santa Anita,
Rancho Del Rio, Elmwood, The Mac
donough, The Spreckels, The Burke,
The San Mateo, The Laurelwood, Rose
meade, Antrim and Hope Glen, which
carry total aggregate of one thou
sand brood mares, and are the homes
of such celebrated sires as Sir Modred,
Ormonde, Midlothian, Salvador Tenny,
Darebin, Maxim, Brutus, Islington
(brother to Isinglass), Gano, Grinstead,
Racine, F1ambeau, Surinam, Emperor
of Norfolk, Suwarrow, Creighton, Peel,
Apache Shannon, Argyle, Cyrus,
Mariner, Verano, Duke of Norfolk and
others. 1t is plain to be seen by the
well-informed that the thoroughbred
business in California runs up into the
millions in value, and should be en-
couraged in every way and especially
protected against adverse legislation.
THE EXHIBITION OF 1895.
The interest manifested by the public
in the annual State Fairs held under
the direction of the California State
Agricultural Society is certainly not on
the wane, as judged by the attendance
of both exhibitors and spectators at
the annual fair held in 1895. Each
season seems to bring out a most no
ticeable increase of interest on the
part of the people. The list of exhibit
ors was large, a,pd the character of
exhibits at both Park and Pavilion
showed great care in their selection
and arrangement. There is no denying
the fact that the State Fair of Cali
fornia is essentially an exhibition of
the people 1t is made up through the
exertions fpublic-spirited citizens, who
are alive to the necessities of the age
Through this exhibition our people are
made familiar with home products. and
the home markets are enlightened as to
our capabilities. This exhibition is one
that Californians may well feel proud
of, as no other State in the Union can
make a more general showing of pro-
ducts than Is to be seen at our annual
fairs. Our producers show renewed in
terest each season by their efforts (and
at no little expense} to outdo the pre-
vious year in making known their ca
pabilities to supply the wants of the
consumer.
The inimical feeling made manifest
at times against State exhibitions
comes from those who do not take part
in them, and who are actuated bv
pessimistic prejudice against public en-
terprise in general. It is this class that
harps about the paltry $4,000 appro-
priated annually as aid to this institu-
tion. They evidently do not know, or
certainly do not consider, the use to
which this money is put; in their judg-
ment tits just wasted This appro-
priation is used, like any other bounty.
in rewarding the Industrious and in en-
couraging activity in agricultural pur-
suits. This amount Is trebled by add
ing to 1t from the resources of the insti-
tuition, the whole being used in main
tanning the annual fairs upon a plane
III keeping with the standing of the
State. 1t is this class of fauIt-finders
that hopes to weaken an institution
that has stood the tempest of criticism
and abuse of malcontents for Just
forty-two years, but which is now more
prosperous than ever. If it had been
mismanaged its condition would be the
reverse.
The amount of good this society has
done and is doing for the State offsets a
hundredfold the appropriations made to
it. Its value to the stock interests alone
is beyond calculation. An incident of
corded to show that even the racing de-
partment is of some value to the breed
ing interests of California. William
Boots and son are owners of the Elm
wood Stock Farm, situated in Santa
Clara County, where the elder Boots has
been soil-worker since the pioneer
days. AS an auxiliary to the farm, he
added few thoroughbred mares of the
earlier California types, more as a di-
version of interests than for profit.
After his son grew to manhood this de-
partment of the farm was turned over
to his management. This naturally
made the young man q close student of
blood lines and family lineage in the
thoroughbred world. knowledge thus
gained enabled him, i'll casting about
for a sire, to select one from an ancestry
that would nick with the mares on the
farm. It was from the famous Palo
Alto farm that Charles Boots made Sc
lection of the now well-known sire, imp |
Brutus, a son of Macgregor, one of
Macaroni's best producing sons; the
dam of Brutus is imp. Teardrop, by
Scottish Chief. Brutus, therefore, is a |
descendant from a line of English win
ners on both sides. Up to the time Of |
purchase he was untried as a sire. His
oldest colts are now QS95) but four
years old. The purchase price for this |
now famous sire was but $500 Now |
the Agricultural Society, in it's laudable |
efforts to show off at its annual fairs |
the capabilities of the products of Cali |
fornia, gave this sire a value fifty times |
greater than his purchase price. 1t was |
at the State Fair of 1895 that sons of |
BrutuS broke the then California rec