BREEDING. 285 



throughout the land. How far it succeeds in its so-called 

 purpose, the public markets daily testify. Wretched blood 

 stock is everywhere to be found, and when not absolutely 

 what could be called wretched, it is at all events decidedly 

 poor. A number of the foals born never return the first 

 expenses of their existence, much less of their education. 

 Their worthlessness is soon discovered, and after awhile 

 they are to be met with in riding-schools and job stables, 

 between the shafts of cabs and carts, and engaged in a 

 variety of other work for which they were never meant — 

 their very fitness for such demeaning labour proving at 

 once their utter lack of value for higher callings, and 

 testifying the hollow ignorance of those who, from blind 

 prejudice, or some other inexplicable cause, tend to per- 

 petuate this pitiable waste and degradation. 



So-called " blood stock " is fast contaminating the pure 

 native breed of the country. There is, every season, a glut 

 of worthless bloods ; the refuse of the stud farm is sold 

 away to the highest bidder, and he in his turn seeks to 

 make temporary profit out of it, with the result of im- 

 poverishing and deteriorating such chances of good things 

 as he may happen to have among his stock. Thus it goes 

 on from one year to another, and looks, by its continuance, 

 as though it were meant to go on to the very end of time. 



My advice to would-be breeders of racers is, to discard 

 as sires and matrons all animals that have been trained for 

 the turf; carefully select those of good blood, pedigree, 

 and qualifications ; reserve the best of their progeny, when 

 brought forth, and breed from these again, ere ever they 



