Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-05-14
ILLINOIS LEADING
FOR PERCHERONS
Census Gives State Second
Place Also IN Number and
Value of All Breeds.

Draft horse breeding is conferred IN
the big six corn belt states-Ohio, In.
diana, Illinois. Iowa, Nebraska, and
Kansas. These are likewise the lead
ing Percheron states, contributing
more than ~ per cen: Of the Perch
erons bred in America.
Illinois ranks first in the production
OF Perchercns. The 1910 census gives
the state the second place in number
and value OF horses. The total num-
be- for the state is 1,452.SS7 head. The
to-al value is S163. 363,400.
Illinois and Iowa stand in marked
contrast In enc particular Most of
the PercheTcns in Illinois are punched
in relatively few counties. while in
Iowa they are distributed over prac-
tically the entire state No county
contributed over - per cent Of those
bred in IVA. while IN Illinois the
leading county, Mclean, furnished
l5.S per cent Of all those bred in the
state.
The wide distribution OF Pe-cheron
mares means a more general demand
for the best Percheron s'res. say ex-
perts. The number CT men who own
and are breeding Percherons, now in
excess Of 5000 active breeds. will in
evitably hasten the production OF bet
ter PercherCns than have heretofore
been bred IN America. American farm
ers are eyceiled by none IN the world
II Intelligence and skill in their live
stock breeding operations. ard the
work Ct so many keen minds cannot
fail 10 bring wonderful improve
Inent in the breed within the next few
years. Careful selection of the best is
now posglb g. although difficulty viii!
still be encountered en- account Of the
area which must ha covered in max
ing selections.
Ten thousand Ee~c7 hundred and
fifty-elght American bred Percherons
were recorded between Avg. l. 1910,
and May !, 1912. Of which 2.Ts6. o.
25.S per cent. were bred in Illiouis.
Percheron breeding is beng Carr,ea ~
IN so CIT Of the i02 Counties in the
state.
Mclean. La Sale. Livingston. Iro-
quoIs. farewell. AMI VIII are the frs:
six counties. They rank IN the order
named and c-1tr.tu'el - per cent %
th9 total. They constitute a single
sclA group. in which tho breeding o.
goo5 draft horses has been persistent
" fcllcved fer mere than forty years.
From these couEt'es ihc breeding OF
gc7d Pcrchercns has gradually spread.
Tho northern half 81 the state has
made mere rarid progress than tho
eo"' born. althov-h scue Of the south-
o,.5 C unties. notably Greene ana San
Fanc1. have made remarkable pro
rires IN the last six years.
IS lCctCn r~un'v appears t. Be the
o-lr caa vsth a PerchcrCa breeders
rssc~!stlca. formed for mutual bancf'
in To- production ari diTtribu'ioI OF
gcod horses. Tho membership Isl OF
Tho Pcrchcrcn society OF America gave
Illinois first place IN number cf breed
ere Oct. II. 1911. with as members
The popularity os Perchcrons n Ii
linc's Is Indicated b. the fac. that on
OF the 3.6io pure bred draft stations
stand ag for service IN 1911. .,42l. OF
IS rer cent were PercheTors. These
hgur'. were s"ppied bv Secretary
Dickinson CT the illcis State Stallion
bccrd.
Comparison OF The total number OF
horses with the total number o. par,
bred draft stations shows there Is but
one pure bred draft stallion per 39S
horses. This means but I've such
slres per 1000 hcrses. Experience,
hcrsemen know that this is not hal
es raeny as is needed % permit every
farmer to have ready access to gooC
sire
Next TO Illinois and Iowa are Ohio
Kansas. Nebraska. and Indiana. To
pether they hare bred 22.s per cent o
the animals Minnesota and Wiscon
sin follow closely, and Missouri takes
an unexpectedly high rank. stand rs
ninth. This Is due 10 he rapid de
velopment OF draft horse breeding II
the north half Ct the state. wher,
conditions are similar TO those pre-
val.ing in the big six. or the corn bel
I states.