The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-09

Appeal to Intelligence of Farmers
Timely Advice as to the Proper
Course to Pursue.
FfrSSsS
A paper was recently read by S. D. Thcmp
son before a convention of horsemen in Chi
eago, and published in full In the Breeders
Gazette, Which contains some sound advice
in regard to the breeding of horses. The
arguments OF Mr.. Thompson are in favor of
the Peroheron and there is no doubt that
much of what he says regarding the superior
ity of that breed over other horses of the
heavier class Is true. There is more grace
fu! action in the Percheron than in almost
any ether Of the draft species. Mr.. Thompson
clearly understands the needs OF the trade,
and he aI'pSals to farmers from the practical
size end along common sense lines. The
following are some extracts from his excel
lent paper:
1t is ertain that very few farmers can afiod
TO breed two classes CT horses, one to use
and another 10 SELL and pract caly the ia m
er Will find il most profitable to raise horses
that while they do the work Of the farm we'll
can at any time be sold at Iemunerative
prices. In other words, he should direct his
breeding into the channel that will produce
the gr, 2test proportion of salable hors s; r
after ALL that must be the chief considera-
ton. And here he will do wei! to remember
that the demand is constantly increasing for
heavier horses than the market affords.
The demand for greater size is apparent in
the horses that are used in all the great cities
hy the omnibus, baggage and express wagons,
the heavy truck and the dray and there Is
absolutely no demand for small horses I'M
less the pcssessors of extrGord nay speed No
matter how many of such horses man may
rave on hand how cheap he may offer tn m
lie cannot find purchasers. On the contrary
The farmer who has the good judgment to
raise horses weighing from 1,400 to 1850
pounds. of fair average quality, has no diff
DriceS
The general farmer must raise horses that
he can sell. He must do the work OF the
farm mainly with the mares, that, while ler-
forming their labor satisfactorily, will each
year produce colts which at four or five wears
old will be salable horses. He must keep
such brood mares as wheE coupled with good
stations VIII invariably produce horses that
viii answer the demands of commerce. Til re
ought to be no practical difficulty in doing
TINS II the mares be quite large, with
cash OF good blood, they may be coupled with
well-bred large trottiug stallion or coach
horse with considerable degree OF certainty
that the produce will be good coach or car
rage horse. But as a general rule the farm
sts OF this country. with their miscellaneous
Dred mares, VIII be more successful IL they
cOnfno their breeding to draft horses With
good Percheron draft horses for sres 70 per
cent OF the foals will make good horses that
In fair flesh will weigh 1000 pounds or over
q; maturity, and such horses unless serious
ly detective will always sell at good prices
II VIII cost a little more at the outset for
the service of the stallion. be cause good
Perchoron stations such as have described
cannot be kept at less than SO service fee
Rut this small additional outlay is scarcely
worth taking into account when il males all
the difference there is between colt that
Will sell readily at FIVE years old for $3.50 or
more and one that cannot be sold at all
Ihat the Percheron is to Je preferred %
the sluggish and lymphatic drsft horses of
Northern Europe there cannot be a doubt
The infusion Of warm blood through their
oriental thn =
staying powers of the Thoroughbred while
the very consanguinity OF their bresding fer
the past century has Sc thoroughly intensi-
ned the good Qualities inherited from Arab
ancestry that they are more potent as sir,s
than any other draft breed. Of all the
heavy breeds the Percheron is the nearest 70
the blooded shape and qualities. to which he
adds size and vigor THAI does not degen-
crate.
! believe that better results can be OBJ
tanned by crossing the Percheron upon our
native mares than can be OBJ alned from any
other breed. This has been shown by the
evidence OF the accumulated knowledge Of
years OF experience of those who probably
furnish 10000 horses annually 20 tie people
who wear them out
The Sants of our people are peculiar 10
themselves. as ma country is EXACTLY Ike
ours The rapidly with which everything
come Amercanized. TIE civilization which
We Americans are building no on our conf
nent is sech as the world never saw befLre
There is not slow pulse in America. That
everything, to succeed, must adjust itself to
this h:gh-pressure PRINCIPLE no one will deoy:
therefore, IN prosecuting cur research for IN
formation II IS indispensable that We keep
our peculiar methods in view and the nat
ural conclusion will be that the breed of
horses that can most readily approximate our
ways is the one that will ultimately succeed i:
whereas the lymphat:c, sluggish or inactive
breed will surely fail. The British breads
are. perhaps. suited to the British wsv of
doing things; but, as I remarked before
Il & NOT slow pulse II m American
and 1t is to the quick, active Percheron we
must look TO meet the requirements of our
people. Not the Percheron in name alone
but to those whose breeding and pedigree can
be substantiated.
To finish l want to say 70 you that there
is going to be horse famine; horses vii!
soon be bringing long prices and those that
nave them Will reap The benefit. Now is The
time to breed, and l cannot urge upo, tie
breeding his mares to a good draft stallion
II he would produce good, salable colts and
1t is my firm conviction that better resu +
can be obtained from the use of the Perch
produce will not only have size bone and
muscle, but what is just as essential. will
preserve tie style, spirit and action OF the
pure-bred.
There are assuredly words Of wisdom and
OF much import to the farmers of Minnesota
and of the Nor Invest generally who are lust
now casting about for pointers as to the
breeding of horsts Every intelligent farmer
is familiar with the qualities and merits Of
the Percheron, and the opinion of an expert
on the general subject of the horse trade ia
worthy OF ready acceptance. Furthermore
such advice is especially timely.
WHEAT WAS HIGHER.