Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-05-05
THE INFLUENCE OF A POOR SIRE
Improvement in the Types of Horses That Are Bred Our
Farms Is of the Greatest importance to Every Farmer

The fact that the sire is concerned with
so many more individual offspring in a
given season than n single mare, it will
readily be seen that his influence is
much more extensive. To improve the
horse stock of given community through
the female line, for instance, would re-
quire the use of so or more superior
mares to accomplish the same results
as might be secured by the use of a sin
gle stallion
Purity of breeding insures prepotency
and since, in the grading-up process the
pure-bred parent is usually the sire, it is
essential that he be of such a character
that the impression which he stamps up
on his offspring shall be only of the best.
Defects in structure cannot be offset
by type or breeding of the highest de-
gree of excellency. A horse may be a
superior individual in a class by him
self, but he must conform closely to the
specified requirements of the type with
which he should class.
The influence of well bred sires in any
community can readily be seen by OBJ
serving the horses used in the fields, on
the road and particularly in the horse
markets of the cities.
Certain states that have paid attention
to horse breeding, now produce animals
that can almost be told at a glance by
dealers, without knowing in advance
where they came from, so superior is
their quality Other states have exactly
the reverse reputation anu as soon as a
lot is announced as coming from such
a state, dealers will resort the sale ring.
Horses coming from such localities
where farmers are averse to paying a de-
cent service-fee, but prefer to use scrubs.
are of poor type, vary widely in color,
form, size, and weight and possess few
qualities which fit them for long and
useful service.
Naturally such horses do not pay. They
bring the lowest prices In the market,
their life of usefulness. is short, they
are not pleasing to the eye. often vicious
and untractable and most important of
all is, it costs just as much to feed and
| care for one of these miserable scrubs
as it does to feed and care for a pure
bred.
So important has been the influence of
scrub sires in some states that the leg
islatures have been prevailed upon to
pass laws to improve the situation.
Wisconsin was the first to pass a law
of this kind. When it was before the leg
| islature is was disclosed that there were
| 1874 stations known as grades" used
for public service in the state, while
there were but 1886 pure-bred stations
in service
OF the alleged ''grade" stations, 1856
were of unknown breeding and "a mixed
breeding, and considering the fact that
many owners failed to take out licenses
for their horses, it was assumed that the
total number of these scrub stations in
this state alone, reached 1000.
The Wisconsin law compels stallion
owners to furnish pedigrees and obtain
licenses for their horses before they
can be used for public service. Minneso-
ia has an excellent law based on the Wis.,
consin measure. The Iowa law provides
that pure-bred stations must be licensed,
and makes the owner of each non-regis-
tered stallion declare his horse grade"
on hand-bills and all other advertising
matter. Pennsylvania and Utah have
adopted similar laws.
Canada has very good laws for the
protection of breeders, and the French
government, for over 100 years, have
maintained stables of selected, sound,
pure-bred stations for breeding pur-
poses.