32 THE BREEDING PROBLEM. 



occurs irrespective of the value or nature of the quality. It seems 

 that particular soils are favorable to its develoj^ment and growth, and 

 this often when there is no similarity of tendency in the soil in wliich 

 the peculiarity starts or grows. Thus the hea^■y shoulders and hind- 

 quarters of Hambletonian come from the Bellfounder cross; it is 

 a peculiarity entirely foreign to the Abdallah family, yet its devt-lop- 

 ment in the case of Haiubletonian and some of his sons far surpasses 

 the same development in Brown's Bellfounder or any of his stock. 

 The representatives of the Bellfounder family, wherever found, so far 

 as any of that stock exist, show their resemblance in part to that 

 feature of their original, l)ut in no case to the extent found in Ham- 

 bletonian and some of his sons. The germ came from the Bellfounder, 

 but it greatly jDrogressed in the soil of Abdallah and Messenger, 

 where none of it previously existed. It can hardly be supposed any 

 one will be found who will claim that this is an anatomical structure 

 as exhibited in its largest proportions, that is favorable to speed, 

 although one of great strength. Likewise, often a mare will be found 

 to produce colts with a certain quality not visible in herself — as speed, 

 or a peculiarity of gait — a good or bad quality, and this quality, thus 

 originating from an unknown cause, Avill develop and increase in the 

 offspring of such colts. Thus sometimes very valual^le traits originate, 

 and also seiious defects, which are very difficult to eradicate. One 

 of the distinguished sons of Hambletonian exliibits a narrowness 

 of foot, particularly at the heel, which to the most casvial observer 

 must be regarded as objectionable. The same peculiarity is exhibited 

 in all of his offspring that have come under my observation. On 

 inquiry, I am informed that his dam, one of the most distinguished 

 trotters this country ever produced, went lame from the same cause. 

 Hambletonian and his family general!}'" have very superior feet. 



The pacing gait in the Cadmus family began with Iron's Cadmus, 

 and seems to have been derived from his dam. Cadmus, the sire, had 

 no more pacing blood in him than American Eclipse, his sire; yet the 

 pacing tendency of all the descendants of Iron's Cadmus shows that 

 in him it started and became j^art of the blood, bone, or brain, or 

 wheresoever the quality rests — of which more hereafter. . Thus, also, 

 the quitting characteristics of some of the Clays, from Avhich the rep- 

 utation of a famih^, otherwise one of the best, has suffered so much, 

 evidently came from siich a source. It has l>een generally regarded 

 as coming from the low breeding of the Surrey mare, the dam of 

 Henry Clay, and that it consists of a lack of breeding — a want of 



