THE SHIKE. 181 



the early settlement of that state. George E. 

 Brown, who went to some length to trace this 

 migration, told me that he remembered the 

 s-train in the East in an early day and that it 

 was possessed of rare excellence. The general 

 importation of the Shire, nevertheless, does not 

 date back more than thirty-five or forty years 

 and 'there have been times when many more 

 were imported than are coming across the ocean 

 now. 



In his best estate the Shire is a magnificent 

 drafter. He has begotten a vast number of 

 high-priced geldings from -the native^ stock. It 

 is of record that the highest price ever bid for 

 a gelding in the Chicago market $660 was 

 bid for a red-roan of this breeding. Bulk and 

 strength, depth of flank and rib and plenitude 

 of bone are pre-eminently attributes of the 

 Shire. These are qualities which we require in 

 the grading up process and there is no question 

 that many of the best geldings ever got by 

 French stallions 'have been out of mares of 

 English blood. It has been claimed for the 

 breed that grading up may be accomplished to 

 greater size with the Shire more quickly than 

 with any other sort and the writer believes 

 this to be correct. Mares carrying from one to 

 three crosses of Shire blood are now perhaps 

 as valuable stock as may be found on American 

 farms, and their foals command the highest 

 prices, no matter to what breed of drafter the 



