NEW ENGLAND HORSES. 91 



tion. I spoke of the Shorthorn, because that is less adapted to 

 the New England climate and soil than any other animal I know 

 of. I do not know an animal, in the whole range of the animal 

 economy of the farm, that is really less adapted, as a thorough- 

 bred animal, with all his improved points, to New England 

 pasturage, New England winters and New England soil, than 

 the Shorthorn. I use him as an illustration on that account. 

 The New England farmer has produced this entirely artificial 

 animal here by care and judicious breeding, not only with benefit 

 to himself, but also with benefit to those outside of New 

 England. 



So of our horses. I have often said that we have done more 

 to improve the breed of horses by the introduction of New Eng- 

 land bred horses into the horse family of the United States than 

 any other people on the earth. The horses of New England 

 have their peculiarities and characteristics, the result of the 

 sharp climate in which they live, the peculiarly rich, sweet pas- 

 tures over which they roam, the cold spring water which they 

 drink, and the geological condition of the soil on which they 

 grow, all tending, not to make a large, heavy, flabby sort of 

 luxuriant animal growth, but a sharp, hard, clean-boned, wiry 

 animal ; and the constitutional vigor of that animal bred here 

 in New England, I say, has done more to improve the quality of 

 horses in America than the introduction of any foreign blood, 

 per sc, that I know of; so that every man who comes from Ken- 

 tucky, north, or from Ohio or Pennsylvania, east, in search of a 

 horse that will improve the breeds of horses in his own section, 

 selects what is known practically as a New England horse, and 

 that is what would be known specifically as a Morgan horse, 

 bred in Vermont and improved there. I say, then, in this busi- 

 ness of raising horses, we have been enabled, by the advantages 

 of our climate, with care and intelligence, to produce a breeding 

 animal of the horse kind here, which is valuable to ourselves, 

 and almost invaluable to those who would improve the stock of 

 horses outside of New England. 



The same thing holds good with regard to sheep. It is an 

 extraordinary fact, that here in New England we can raise what 

 I have always said, and say still, is the American sheep ; call it 

 the " improved American sheep," if you have a mind to, and 

 laugh at it ; call it the " improved American merino," if you 



