1891.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 191 



cold blood in the dam. It will show itself to your disap- 

 pointment, and you know not where. There are some 

 things that we cannot control in breeding ; there are some 

 things which we do not appreciate ; there are some things 

 for us yet to reach after. One of the uncertain things is 

 that, in mingling bloods, in bringing horses together which 

 are cross-bred, we cannot tell which is to control, and 

 whether in the union the best results can be attained. But 

 I will give this rule as a safe one to follow. When you have 

 bred a brood mare to a horse, and have got a colt which 

 pleases your fancy and which promises to be of value, 

 follow that breeding year after year, and every colt will 

 increase in value. Hold to that coupling just as long as it 

 is possible for you to bring those two animals together. I 

 think in doing this we shall find that there is success in our 

 work. 



Gentlemen, if you have not put into the hands of your 

 children and carefully read yourselves that little volume 

 called " Black Beauty," I advise you to procure a copy and 

 read it carefully. I tell you that when you go into your 

 stable the next morning and put your hand on the head of 

 your horse, you will feel that you must give him better care 

 and more kindly attention. You will feel that a horse is 

 an animal worthy of your respect. 



In New England, where so much capital has been invested 

 in horses, and so many valuable animals have been brought 

 in for sires, it is time we had legislation prohibiting the use 

 of unsound stallions. If you have not such legislation, as I 

 hope you have, you ought to have it, for the protection of 

 fanners who, in the pressure of many duties, are unable to 

 give the time necessary for the thorough study and apprecia- 

 tion of this question. I maintain that we should prohibit 

 by legislation the use of sires which are unsound, because 

 the margin of profit to-day will not admit of chances being 

 taken. 



I was glad to hear one thought that was expressed by the 

 speaker, that we should never break a colt. Why, gentle- 

 men, you can never break up anything; you break down. 

 In breeding, your aim should be to build up, to educate, 

 to perfect. Nature gives us what? Nature gives us flesh, 



