496 



Journal of Agriculture. 



[lo Aug., 1910.-. 



advantages of pure blood lines, and there is now legislation in both the- 

 United States and Canada prohibiting the importation of any stud horse 

 that is ineligible for entry in the Clydesdale or Shire Stud Books respec- 

 tively. The Americans were forced to impose this restriction in self- 

 de'fence against the dumping on their shores of horses that, through faulty 

 breeding, were ineligible for entry in the Stud Book, and therefore com- 

 paratively valueless for breeding in their country of origin. It is too much 

 to expect that Australia has not, in the past, shared the same attention as- 

 a dumping ground lor Stud Book rejects. In point of fact, horses that 

 have been ineligible for entry in the Clydesdale Stud Book have been- 

 imported here and advertised widely as " Pure Clydesdales." The evil 

 influences as regards unsoundness of one of such " blown upon " horses is 

 widely existent at the present time, and accounts for a considerable propor- 

 tion of the percentage of rejects for the Government Certificate of Sound- 



PRINCE WILLIAM. 

 Foaled 1883. Champion Shire (London), 18S5 and 1886. 



ness during the last three years; so that, in the matter of the purity of 

 blood lines, the " breeds " here have not only suffered through crossing of 

 breeds, but also becau.se the original imported blood was oftentimes itself 

 impure. 



On the question of the good effect that the Clydesdale Stud Book has- 

 exerted on the breeding by maintaining the standard of quality and in- 

 creasing the number of good qualified horses, the opinions of prominent 

 breeders whose experience ranges over the whole period may be quoted 

 (from Horses of the British Empire') :^ 



Mr. William Montgomery says : — 



Clydesdales are very much improved since the Stud Book started ; thev have- 

 all the size of the old-fashioned Clydesdale, and more quality. They have now 

 much less hair on the legs, and are especially improved in the hind legs, hind feet: 

 and ankles. 



