220 



NEW ENGLAND FARIMER. 



JMay 



The only other mention of this horse which 

 we find in this work is an incidental allusion in 

 the following paragraph: — "I have often won- 

 dered that among the many importations of 

 stock by our spirited and enterprising breed- 

 ers, who are doing so much for the improve- 

 ment of horses and cattle in America, no one 

 has thought of importing some fine, roomy, six- 

 teen hands, half or two-third parts bred mares 

 by highly reputed sires. I am satisfied that 

 such mares judiciously bred to the strongest 

 and most powerful of our American or import- 

 ed stallions, — such horses as Consternation is 

 reported to be, or as Boston is, — would do more 

 to improve the stock of the United States, in 

 size and substance, without loss of speed or 

 blood, than any other plan of breeding can 

 effect." 



In the Transactions of the New York State 

 Agricultural Society for 18-io, we find the fol- 

 lowing statement, but no further description 

 of the horse: — "For the best stallion, four 

 years old and upwards, the first premium, $20, 

 was awarded to the imported horse 'Conster- 

 nation,' belonging to C. T. Abbott, of Oneida, 

 county, N. Y." 



In the Transactions for 1849, we find the re- 

 mark, by the awarding committee, that "the 

 horse Consternation, owned by J. B. Burnett, 

 of Syracuse, was shown, but having received 

 the first premium in 18J:5, a certificate is 

 awarded him as the best horse on the ground." 



In 1851, a diploma was given him by this 

 society. 



In 1852, the committee of the New York 

 State Society on Thorough-bred Horses, of 

 which Thos. Motley, Jr., of West Roxbury, 

 Mass., was chairman, say: — "A thorough- 

 bred stallion. Consternation, owned by J. B. 

 Burnett, Esq., of Syracuse, eleven years old, 

 was in the opinion of your committee a very 

 superior animal, and to say the best horse ex- 

 hibited would indeed be faint praise. His 

 pedigree as shown to your committee, was not 

 only jjerfect but brilliant, and his stock, of 

 which quite a number was shown, is a suffi- 

 cient guarantee of his character as a 'getter' 

 of superior stock. Having taken the first pre- 

 mium heretofore, excludes him from receiving 

 a premium." 



We have also examined the series of articles 

 written for the Turf, Field and Farm, but with- 

 out finding any allusion to "this horse. Proba- 



bly Consternation was not distinguished as a 

 racer, and therefore little notice has been taken 

 of him in our American horse books, which 

 are largely confined to animals that have ac- 

 quired a turf reputation. Enough, however, 

 has been said, we hope, to provoke some one 

 who can do so to furnish a more satisfactory 

 history of this horse. 



For the yew England Farmer. 

 "AID TO SPECIAL EDUCATION." 



In an article in the Farmer of Feb. 22, with 

 the above title, "J. B." objects to any grant 

 in aid of the Agricultural College, on the 

 ground that "it is a specialty ; that the whole 

 community is to be taxed for the benefit of a 

 class ; that only within certain limits the pros- 

 perity of agriculture implies the prosperity of 

 the State ;" and that the only encouragement 

 and assistance farmers need should come from 

 their own resources, and from the stimulation 

 to be derived from the general prosperity of 

 other pursuits. 



In the eastern part of the State, where the 

 consumers of the products of the soil far out- 

 number the tillers thereof, and maintain a 

 great preponderance in business, in wealth, in 

 position and influence, there may be those who 

 regard agriculture merely as one of the many 

 specialties of her citizens, and farmers, as 

 one of the useful classes to \vhom a higher ed- 

 ucation would be beneficial, would elevate 

 their avocation, and, in time, would redound 

 to the honor of the Commonwealth, upon the 

 principle that the good of the individual is the 

 good of the community ; but who hold that the 

 number of farmers Is so small, and the amount 

 they produce for the subsistence, or contribute 

 to the business of the community so trifling 

 that any legislation in their behalf, would 

 evince a spirit of favoritism unjust to other 

 classes of citizens. Only keep commerce ac- 

 tive, and the factories and workshops fully 

 employed, and agriculture will follow in their 

 wake, and take care of itself. 



But suppose this view of the subject were 

 extended beyond a thirty mile radius of "the 

 hub," so as to Include the whole State, or 

 what is better, the United States, what is the 

 effect of their reasoning ? The grand old max- 

 im that agriculture is the basis of commerce, 

 manufactures, and the industrial arts, would 

 be aimlhilated by it ; and the wealth now be- 

 ing gathered from fertile soils, and which can 

 be increased for generations to come, dwindles 

 into insignificance beside the riches to be de- 

 rived from other resources. No longer could 

 any of the products of the soil be crowned 

 king. A bountiful crop of wheat or corn, 

 giving a large surplus for shipment, would be 

 about the same to the countr}' as a meagre 

 crop. Two million bales of cotton would be 

 rated about the same as five, for only "within 



