Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-01-02
MORGAN HORSE STATION.
Outline OF Governments t6on e
0estoeo Famous Breed.

Restore Famous Breed.
The buildings on the 400 acres OF iand
which were given to the national govern
,,,enf bv Joseph Batteli for the use oil the
government in the perpetustion OF the
breeding of Q more perfect type OF MOI
gan horse, are now almost compieted- i.
The farm is under the direction OF FREQ
Hammond and consists of 800 acres OF
farm land and 100 acres OF woodland stu
ated along the bank Of the Otter river,
lust below MiddIebury- The farm build
ings will eventually contain every mod
ern improvement, and all are now hghted
by electricity, being connected WIN the
system at MiddIebury, mile south oil tne
farm.
The Jet black stallion, Gen. Gates, has
been chosen to head the stud. Inis AMI
NAL Was purchased from Mr.. Batfeil ana
will be available for service 70 Limited
number of mares that must first be
approved by Mr.. Hammond, the superin
tendent. and the owner OF the mare must
before service give the department. an op.
ton on the foal at weaving time, At q
price to be mutually agreed upon. ms
is not done as a incorporating scheme Of
the department. but as a necessity, in or
der to retain the best that are bred at the
farm. and in view of the limited number
OF mares in the stud, the department
should be able to command the best foais
which outsiders may obtain by breeding
to the government stations.
Just what will be done with the sur
plus stock that Is suitable for breeding
purpo es it is not as yet ascertained. III
is probable that additional legislation
will have to be secured by Congress be-
fore anything is done No doubt q salts
afc,ory pan will be adopted which VIII
enable owners of horses to improve their
stock on fair terms. IL IL planned that
no animal shall leave the farm for breed
ing purposes except those Of high de-
gree of excellence.
The Agricultural Department in 1905
decided to undertake the development OF
a breed of carriage horses on an American
foundation an interesting and impor-
tant problem for solution. IL successful,
IL will show that we can develop our own
stock OF horses in this country; il viii
make light horse breeding less OF lottery
than at present, and will at the same
time provide breeding animals which can
be used to advantage on the lighter horses
of the country.
Believing that the Morgan Characters
ties were too valuable to the whole horse
breeding industry to be lost, the Bureau
of Animal Industry of the Department of
Agriculture last year purchased stud to
be established in cooperation with the
Vermont experiment station TO revive the
interest ia the Morgan breed The type
selected is that OF the old Morgan with
the addition Of SIZE and speed With in
creased size, the Morgan horse will an
swer the requirements of the market for
light horse and will be very profitable
horse for the farmers TO raise.
Nine mares and two filliess were pur-
chased in June, 1906. OF these animals,
all but two were procured in Vermont;
the remaining two were got from Ken
tncky. Most OF these mares were by such
sires as Gen. Gates, Bob Morgan, Young
Ethan Alien, Denning Allen, Rocky
Mountain and Gillig. The stallion, Gen.
Gates, was bought from Mr.. Battell, and
is a full brother to Lord Clinton, whose
trotting race record OF 2s0sa was the
fastest gelding record at the time. Some
of the Vermont mares were IN foal at the
time OF sale. Those not in foal were
bred TO the stations, Gen. Gates, Frank
Allen and Rex.
The mares were bought by a board,
consisting of Cassius Peck OF the Yer
mont experiment station, Prof. Curtis of
the Iowa experiment station and George
NJ. Rommeli, animal husbandman of the
Bureau of Animal Industry of the nation
al government.
This stock has all been transferred TO the
fine farm nj Weybridge, which Joseph
Battell has donated the government. Mr..
Batteli is known all over the country as
an enthusiast on the subject OF Morgan
breeding and the idea of a government
farm for the exclusive breeding OF the Nor
gan type has been gradually developed.
Mr.. Battell's idea at first was to rent
part of the Weybridge farm, but he ulfi-
mateiy decided TO give the farm outright.
Senator Proctor interested himself in the
the matter, and the Vermont legislature
enacted a special law allowing Mr.. BaftelI
TO pass the title of the property to the
government of 400 acres of land.
Mr.. Battell for many years has been
potent factor in the development of the
best interests of Addison county. He has
vast ownings of mountain and woodland
and one of his most praiseworthy ideas is
the preservation OF the forests of the
state. In addition to the gift OF the
farm. he has made a tentative proposition
to give TO the government in the interests
OF forestry a great tract of land situated
in Addison and Washington counties AZ a
forest preserve.