Report of Missouri Farmers' Week. 449 



Horse buyers and dealers of our city market did a rushing 

 business for three years in this sort of trade. They were making 

 money out of it at turning them over to the EngUsh government at 

 $125 per head and purchased nearly everything offered, for the few 

 "rejects" they had, they could afford to give away. It was a 

 peculiar experience in the history of the American horse, but provi- 

 dential, for it made an outlet for our "no-account-sort." 



Being rid of our little stuff, Missourians in many localities im- 

 proved the opportunity by investing the money secured for these 

 little horses in draft horse blood. In two or three localities im- 

 porters sprung up and importations were brought into the State. 

 In, other localities, dealers sprung up who secured their supplie 

 from other importers on order. Horse companies were formed in 

 rural districts and here and there a fine big draft horse would be 

 placed, purchased by a local company of farmers. The result the 

 following year or two was a most remarkable change in the type of 

 foals that appeared in the pasture on many of our Missouri farms. 

 It was a surprise to the farmers themselves and they were offered 

 for these foals at weaning time more money than they could get 

 .or would ask for the dam of the foal. This was the first move of 

 progress with the draft horse in this State. About that time. 

 Dean Mumf ord, who was in charge of the animal husbandry depart- 

 ment then, managed in, some way to get a liberally condensed ap- 

 propriation from the State — I don't know how, or much about it, 

 except that I know he had to go begging over the country to find 

 a few draft mares that would fit the amount he had on hand to 

 pay for them. Anyway, he did mighty well with what he had 

 or the amount furnished him to purchase with. With these few 

 mares he began, an educational demonstration of quick profits to 

 the Missouri farmer in the production of the draft horse. He gave 

 lectures over the State in the interest of the draft horse and ex- 

 tended an invitation to farmers to visit the Agricultural College 

 and see Missouri's draft mares at the experiment station. 



I remember my first trip to the college or experiment farm. I 

 had heard Professor Mumford talk about the fine draft mares 

 there and extend his invitation to visit the farm, and I wanted to 

 see what he was doing there. He showed me the mares and I think 

 a foal or two, and I admired them very much and was glad to 

 know that the State of Missouri was doing something in this line. 

 But when I asked him to see the sire of the foals, I was greatly 



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