476 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



coupled with mares adapted to him, and when his union to a three- 

 quarter thoroughbred produced a Maude S., then it would seem to 

 follow logically: first, that thoroughbred blood in a trotting pedi- 

 gree, when properly controlled, is a valuable factor; and, second, 

 that inbreeding would seem to intensify a trotting sire's power of 

 controlling speed and action. Now, there was a family of horses 

 purer and better gaited than that from which Harold sprung, and 

 if the same system of inbreeding should be followed in that family, 

 a sire might result that would have greater controlling power over 

 his progeny. The family referred to was that of Ethan Allen, 

 than whom a better gaited trotter has never been known. But 

 Ethan Allen was more than a trotter, he was a great roadster, ex- 

 tremely handsome, and of a disposition and intelligence never ex- 

 celled. The conclusion of the whole matter was that Mr. Lafon 

 decided to procure a horse as closely inbred to Ethan Allen as safe- 

 ty would permit, but I will give the rest of his story in his own 

 words. 



"During the years 1882-3-4 I was in Mexico and Central 

 America building railroads. 



It must have been some time during the spring or early sum- 

 mer of 1883 that I saw an announcement, probably in the "Breeder 

 and Sportsman," a San Francisco publication that had shortly be- 

 fore been launched by that prince of horsemen, Joseph Cairn Simp- 

 son, to the effect that General William T. Withers had purchased 

 Woodward's Ethan Allen, Jr., for use as a private stallion at his 

 famous Fairlawn Farm. Here was a possible chance to get 

 what I wanted. I had long known Gen. Withers by reputation, and 

 the character generally accorded him for integrity and fair dealing 

 was of the highest order. The horse was in "the sere and yellow 

 leaf," but I cared little for that, for I much preferred a sire of ex- 

 treme age to one of extreme youth. The writings of the Rev. W. 

 H. Murray, sometimes called Adirondack Murray, had put me on 

 to that. 



I wrote Gen. Withers, telling him what I wanted, saying that 

 Woodward's Ethan Allen, Jr., would suit for the sire, asking if he 

 had an Ethan Allen mare that was well bred on her dam's side, 

 and if he had not would he get one, and for terms. In due time, 

 six weeks or two months later, the reply came. It lies before me 

 now. It is addressed to Champurvis, Central America, and dated 

 Lexington, Ky., August 13, 1883. He had no Ethan Allen mare 

 and could not get a good one that he had any degree of confidence in 

 being so bred, but he had three mares that carried more or less 



