SELECTION'S IN BREEDING. 27 



A horse may also excel as the progenitor of a family of trotting 

 descendants -whose own immediate produce are not so noted in the 

 €xlubition of speed as in the production of fast performers. The 

 case of Hambletonian and his own sons aifords an illustration of this 

 point that is most satisfactory and instructive. The best records 

 attained by any of his own produce are as follows: Dexter, 3:17:^; 

 Nettie, 2:18; Gazelle, 2:21; Jay Gould, 2:21^; Bella, 2:22; Geo. 

 TVilkes, 2:22; Young Bruno, 2:22f; Lady Banker, 2:23; Jas. Howell, 

 Jr., 2:24; and Mattie, 2:24; only ten with records better than 2:25, 

 out of about thirteen hundred and twenty-five sons and daughters. 

 Volunteer, his son, out of a produce that does not, perhaps, equal one- 

 half the number credited to Hambletonian, has twelve performers who 

 have made records of 2:25 and better, viz.: Gloster, 2:17; Bodine, 

 •2:19^; Huntress, 2:20f; Powers, 2:21^; Amy, 2:22^; St. Julien, 

 2:22i; Trio, 2:23^; VV. H. Allen, 2:23^; Frank Wood, 2:24; Carrie, 

 ^:24^; Alley, 2:244-; and Driver, 2:25. Alexander's Abdallah, another 

 son, produced Goldsmith Maid, that has a record of 2:14; Rosalind, 

 2:21f ; Thorndale, 2:22^; and Almont, who produced Allie West, that 

 at the age of five years had a record of 2:25. 



But if we take into the account the descendants of each sire to the 

 third and fourth generation, Hambletonian stands immeasurably supe- 

 rior to Volunteer and all other stallions. We believe Volunteer has 

 not more than a single descendant, except his o^wti immediate get, that 

 has a record of better than 2:30, while the old horse has at least ninety- 

 five descendants, in the male line a/one, that appear in the 2:30 list, 

 and almost every week adds to the number. Judged by the records, 

 therefore, Volunteer stands as the greatest sire of trotters, while, as the 

 progenitor of a family of trotting horses^ his sire, Hambletonian, was 

 very greatly his superior. For all this the great stallion of the family 

 may at some day be found among the sons of Volunteer. The dam 

 has much to do \\dth that question. So universally is this matter 

 understood that the breeder will be deemed a fortunate man who shall 

 produce an animal having the far reaching influence and enduring 

 excellence of Hambletonian, although he never trotted a mile in 2:30, 

 •or gave evidence that he was certainly capable of so doing. 



In breedino; trotters, we must have reg-ard to the readv trotting: 

 action, as well as to the lasting and improving capacity. A trotting 

 family must not require that the first elements of their trotting gait 

 shall be tauo-ht them ; the v must have it alreadv b v nature and inherit- 

 ance; but, in addition to this, they must, in order that they, attain 



