46 THE BREEDINC^ PROBLEM. 



popularity of his family, and particularly of the blood of Abdallah, 

 has caused much objectionable interbreeding of recent years, is 

 unquestionable. I think no half brothers or sisters should in any 

 case be interbred — no dauohter of Hambletonian with a son of that 

 horse — while one remove further may be regarded as far enough and be 

 looked to for valuable results. Messenger Duroc and Elniokerbocker 

 were from granddaughters of Abdallah, and Florida was from a 

 daughter of Volunteer, all large and valuable stallions, wliile Kling 

 Philip, by Jay Gould, from a daughter of Hambletonion, showed 

 speed and a concentration of the trotting quality as might be expected 

 up to a certain degree, but in being far smaller than either of his 

 parents, he bore testimony to the correctness of the principles here 

 maintained. 



I bought in New York a most promising colt by Florida, first dam 

 by Volunteer, second dam by Daniel Webster, son of Long Island 

 Blackhawk, third dam by Abdallah. He was a very beautiful colt and 

 exhibited great excellence in temper and trotting quality, but that he 

 was too closely in-bred both to Volunteer and Abdallah was apparent. 

 His sire and dam were both of great substance and strong in bone 

 and joint. His bone was far too light and his joints were not satisfac- 

 tory. He died from typhoid fever; and his full sister, lacking in the 

 vigor and perfection of either her sire or dam, is also dead, before 

 either reached the age of three years. Although fine in every point 

 of good breeding, they each manifested a delicacy of constitution not 

 exhibited by either sire or dam. 



A stallion too closely in-bred may be a valuable breeder, and may 

 show great vital energy and be successful in his outcrosses, but it will 

 affect his own size, and perhaps many other qualities, when the influ- 

 ences of such in-breeding are not so perceptible. Lakeland Abdallah 

 and Harold are both good breeding stallions and their outcrosses are 

 often large, although their own lack of size bears evidence to the truth 

 that they were too closely in-bred. 



An incident recently came before me, which forcibly illustrates what 

 I have frequently seen, and which is valuable as conveying its own 

 lesson. A paper was shown me containing the alleged pedigree and 

 produce of a mare called Miss Elliott, bred in the State of Iowa. She 

 was granddaughter of the mare known as the Elliott mare, dam of 

 Tramp, that wa,s alleged to be by Abdallah, but the fact has been 

 disputed. The pedigree was exhibited as showing many crosses of 

 Messenger blood, which would be the case if the Elliott mare was by 



