13'4 State Board of Agriculture, &c. 



horses, and a great many are animals neither useful nor orna- 

 mental, and pay but a very poor return for the cost of rais- 

 ing and breaking. 



Now I propose to make a claim that will be regarded hj 

 many as very doubtful, and by many more as very absurd. 

 The claim is this : AVhen mares of these families are bred 

 to tirst class Morgan stallions, the average progeny result- 

 ing from this cross is a great improvement oil the mares, 

 or what the foals from the same mares would be if bred to 

 stallions not having the Morgan blood, say of their own 

 kind or blood. I will not here for a moment contend that 

 among these Morgan foals will be found more fast colts, or 

 that any of them would prove to make shorter time than 

 some of the foals in the other case. But wliat I would more 

 especially claim is, that while I do not believe the Morgan 

 blood would lessen the chances for speed in those that would 

 prove fast, it would add vastly to the value of those that 

 would not prove fast, making them more useful, with better dis- 

 positions, better fitted for a variety of uses, and capable of 

 enduring moi'e hard, every day work and service, and worth 

 higher average prices than those not having that blood. I 

 know that on the chances for speed I shall be disputed by 

 many, but upon this point I would remark, that after look- 

 ing the matter over and comparing the results of the cross 

 of Morgan blood, I have not a particle of hesitation in stat- 

 ing that in every case the cross has been made, even upon 

 trotting families, there has been an improvement in the trav- 

 eling or roadster qualities of the offspring, and that the 

 average trotting quality or speed has not been diminished. 

 I have been at some trouble to look up some facts upon 



