The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-05-02
THE INFLUENCE OF A POOR SIRE
improvement In the Types OF Horses
That Are Bred On Our Farms is OF
the Greatest Importance to Every

the importance TO Ever
Farmer.
The fact that the sire is concerned
with SO many more individual on
spring in a given season tina a single
mare, 1t will readily be seen that n,S
influence is muc more extensive &c
improve the horse stock OF a slseN
community through the female Hhe
for instance. would require the use
of SO or more superior mares TO Dc
comDlish the same results as mignl ne
secured by the use OF a single s.di-
lion.
Purity of breeding Ensures prepo-
tencv and since, in the gradlng-up
process the pure-bred parent is usually
the sire. it is essential that he De OF
such a character that the impression
which he stamps upon ms onspIlns
shall be only of the best.
Defects in structure cannot De on
set bv type or breeding Of the highest
degree of excellency. A horse may
be a superior individual in a class
by himself, but he must conform
closely to the specified requirements
of the type with which he should
class.
The Influence of we'll bred sires in
any community can readily be seen by
observing the horses used in the flelds,
on the road and particularly IN the
horse markets Of the cities.
Certain States that have paid at
IG0IlOn 10 CGoIHS "" PAo
duce animals that can almost be told
at a glance by dealers, without know
ing in advance where they came from,
so superior is their quality. Other
States have exactly the reverse repu-
tation and as soon as a lot is an
nounced as coming from such a State,
dealers will desert the sale fing.s# =
Horses coming from such localities
VIII ere farmers are ayerse to paying a
decent service-fee, but prefer to use
scrubs, are Of poor. type, vary widely
in color, form, size, and weight, ana
possess few qualities which lit them
for long and useful service.
Naturally uch 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
as much to feed and care for one Of
these miserable scrubs as it does to
feed and car for a pure-bred.
So important has been the influence
of scrub sires in some States, that the
legislatures have been prevailed upon
to pass laws to improve the situation.
Wisconsin was the first to pass q
law Of this kind. When it was before
the legislature it was disclosed that
there were 1874 stations known as
grades used for public service in the
State, while there were but 1886
III S-OI III 0IIIOI ia y
OF the alleged grade stations,
1876 were Of unknown breeding and
"a mixed breediro and considering
the fact that many owners failed to
take out licenses for their horses, it
was assume that the total number of
these scrub stations in this State
alone, reached 1000.
The Wisconsin law compels stallion
owns to furnish redigrees and OBJ
tain licenses for their horses before
they a be used for public service.
Minnesota has an excellent law based
on the Wisconsin measure. The Iowa
law provides that pure-bred stations
must be licensed, and makes the
owner Of each non-registered stallion
declare his horse a grade on hand
bills and all other advertising matter.
Pennsylvania and Utah have adopted
similar laws.
Canada has verv good avs for the
protection Of breeders, and the
French government, for over 100
years, have maintained stables of
sound, p~ure-bred stations
for greeding
The best stations in France are an
nually chosen for use in these studs
and since 1855 all stations not COM
ing in special classes have been ex- |
cluded fro~ public service. Bonuse
are paid stallion owners to induce
them to keep their animals in the
country for use by owners Of mares.
The Belgium government maintains
a great horse-breeding establishment
and aids the registration society by an
annual gift of $4,000 and appropriates
over $4,000 a year to the
breeding of good horses. Germany,
has fine horses, also encourages
industry by large cash premiums,
and grade" sires have no standing
among the farmers of that country.
What is needed in this country is
the uniform law defining standards in
every State and liberal appropriations
from the Federal treasury to en-
courage and promote the breeding Of
good horses. The government has
established a small breeding farm in
Colorado, for the Of improve
ing types of the animals used in the
army, but what is most needed is the
Improvement in the types of horses
hat are bred on the farms.