390 AGRICULTURE AND THE HORSE. 



Breed in-and-in as much as you like, if you have 

 exactly what you want on both sides. I never knew 

 a good family of cattle, or a good flock of sheep, to be 

 reached in any other way. If you want a good family 

 of animals of any description around you, begin right, 

 and then stay at home. It does no good to wander all 

 over creation, introducing experiments into your sta- 

 bles, and confusion with the experiments. But remem- 

 ber, that if you expect to reap the advantages of close 

 breeding, and hope to perpetuate the good qualities 

 which you already possess, you must feed well, and take 

 good care. Starvation and improvement do not go 

 together. This rule holds good with regard to cattle 

 and sheep; and that it holds good, also, with regard 

 to horses, those familiar with the families of Selim and 

 Touchstone and Defence and Bubens will readily ac- 

 knowledge. For myself, I turn to my AYhite Mare 

 and Blue Jacket, with their colts Sorrel Jim and Billy, 

 as an encouragement to the breeders of trotters. How 

 I should like to see a colt from Bonner s Pocahontas 

 and Daniel Lambert ! 



Never breed from an immature horse. Weakness 

 and unsoundness are pretty sure to follow. The value 

 of a horse consists in the perfection of all his faculties 

 and organs, — his bones, muscles, sinews, brains. He 

 cannot transmit these with any certainty until he has 

 them himself Young horses are always doubtful sires. 

 Old horses, if good themselves, have seldom any reason 

 to be ashamed of their offspring. Ethan Allen ruined 



