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ways, have mostly passed away, and the descendants of the stately teams are now de- 
voted chiefly to agricultural uses, and the drays and wagons in the cities. It is doubt- 
ful if a better class of heavy draught-horses than they have ever existed. It isclaimed 
by some writers that the Conestoga has been bred to his high degree of excellence by 
crosses of the thoroughbred English horse, but without sufficient evidence of the fact, 
as for the last seventy years he has developed no trait of the blood-horse in his compo- 
sition, and in his characteristics has adhered solely to the type of his original progen- 
itors. 
Other foreign breeds of the draught-horse of decided excellence have in later years 
been introduced among us, and are much approved. Among these may be named, in 
the order of introduction, the Clydesdale. This horse is of Scottish descent, of the 
largest size, seventeen to eighteen hands high, with a ponderous body, stout limbs, 
hairy at the fetlocks, of high and noble carriage, and unsurpassed in weight -and 
strength. They occasionally reach a weight of seventeen, even eighteen hundred 
pounds. They were first introduced by the Scottish farmers into Upper Canada, 
where they have’ been bred in considerable numbers and are still annually imported. 
There have been also some direct importations from Scotland to the United States. 
Many of the Canadian importations have found their way into several of our States, 
where, for heavy agricultural and other draught, they serve a valuable purpose. 
The Suffolk Punch, so called, is a draught-horse of English breeding and descent. Heis 
of large size, but smaller in bulk and stature than the Clydesdale, somewhat similar in 
style of body and limb, but without the hairy fetlock. A few of them have been 
imported into Canada and the United States, but have not yet acquired the popn- 
larity of the Clydes, although of decided excellence and a model of their kind. 
There are two other classes of draught-horse introduced into cur country, somewhat 
similar in character and probable descent,and may be classed in nearly a parallel cate- 
gory. 
The Normans may first be named as earliest in importation. They are natives of 
France, not of like style altogether with the draught-horses already named, as they em- 
body more speed in action, with great strength of limb and power of locomotion. 
They are largely worked in the heavy diligence traveling-carriages of France, which they 
move at five to eight miles an hour on the roads, holding a good trotting gait. They are 
also usedfor drawing heavy loads in the cities and towns and in agricu!turallabor. Their 
usnal size is sixteen to seventeen hands in height, compact in body, symmetrical in 
shape, clean in limb, hardy in exercise, and enduring in labor. The stallions have been 
of decided service in crossing with our mares of “all work,” as well as in breeding 
with mares of their own kind; for the mixed uses to which they may be applied are a 
valuable addition to the horse-stock of the country. 
Next to and partially associated with the Normans, may be named the Percherons. As 
a rule, they are somewhat larger in size. They are alsonatives of France, and applicable 
tothe same uses as the Normans, and of equally good shape, style, and appearance. They 
have been considerably imported into several of our States, of late years, and received 
with approbation among those who need a beast of their kind. They may be pronounced 
a decided acquisition, and it is to be hoped that the enterprise of their importers may 
be liberally rewarded. From the numbers of both sexes now here, a healthful production 
ef their kind, both in general excellence and purity of blood, may be anticipated. 
Nor in our horse category should the lesser, and even diminutive Pony be overlooked. 
For a century or more past they have been imported into the United States, of ditfer- 
ent character and style, from the Welsh and English pony of twelve to thirteen hands, 
down to the diminutive little Shetland from the northern isles of Scotland, of three 
feet or less in stature. They are usually symmetrical in shape and appearance, of 
wonderful strength, docility, hardiness,and endurance. Although of little use as labor- 
ing beasts, they minister largely to the pleasure of our families, are the delights of our 
children, and worthy of attention and propagation as innocent promoters of luxury and 
enjoyment. Under proper care and attention they thrive as well in America as in the 
countries from which they came to us. 
THE ASS. 
This usefal and indispensable aaimal—asefal in male-breeding a3 well as im the 
propagation of his own species—is among the most important items of our farm- 
stock, and worthy of a discriminating notice. On the eastern continent their utility 
is of as ancient date as that of the horse, and among many nations and peoples their 
labor is indispensable. They were early brought into our American colonies, and from 
their first introduction until some years of the present century were widely used in the 
Atlantic, Northern, and Middle States for the propagation of mules for the West Indies 
and our southern domestic markets, Since about the year 1820, mule breeding and 
rearing in the Eastern States being superseded by the cheaper facilities for producing 
them in several of the more western States, the ass has ceased to be either an article 
of breeding or commerce where they were first imported, and is now rarely known 
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