BREEDING. — HOW TO SUCCEED. 87 



experienced was not an agreeable one. A man dislikes 

 to see his property treated in that way, especially if it is 

 property selected with care and at large expense, and of 

 a character not easily to be duplicated. The expense, 

 also, is considerable, and eats into the profits disastrously. 

 I presume my first three colts cost me, when weaned, 

 four hundred dollars each. Even at that price, it paid ; 

 but it lessened the per cent of profit decidedly. Among 

 the conditions of success in breeding, therefore, I 

 place this as a prime one, — local nearness, and easy 

 access to a desirable stock-horse. The cost of his 

 service is of less account, because this is generally 

 settled by the reputation of himself and his get ; and 

 so the breeder shares in the profit of his fame with the 

 owner. But the distance of his stable from yours, 

 which includes transportation, with its attendant cost 

 and risks ; the interruption it brings to your business, 

 &c., — these must be carefully considered by the 

 breeder, or he will find that his profit is gone before the 

 colt is foaled. A distance that he can drive in two days 

 is of no great moment ; but farther than this I should 

 advise no breeder who is breeding on business-principles, 

 for financial profit, to go. To attempt to breed from a 

 stock-horse at a great distance from your stables, is, so 

 far as my experience and observation go, unwise, and 

 likely to result in loss. 



Above all, it is folly to breed inferior stock. Nothing 

 \s to be made from it, as mountains of testimony prove. 

 *' The best or none " should be the motto of the Eastern 

 breeder. 



