ABDALLAH. 175 



ton, 2:18 ; Mountain Boy, 2:20f ; Jay Gould, 2:2U ; Nettie, 2:18; 



Startle, ^ Joe Elliot, a trotter equal in merits, perhaps to the 



best, and if left as a stallion would, in my opinion, have probably stood 

 as a bright star in the firmament. 



It may be useful here to inquire, in what instance has the blood of 

 either of these families, alone and unmixed by the other, accomplished 

 such results? Where has Abdallah, unaided by the Bellfounder cross^ 

 a single descendant that ever trotted below 2:20? Where has Amor- 

 ican Star more than a single son that has ever produced a trotter equal to 

 2:22? And where has the combined Star and Messenger of any branch 

 attained a speed of 2:20, except in close connection with the Bell- 

 founder cross? This Star blood, indeed, would have little ground to 

 stand upon as a fast trotting family deprived of the fame they have 

 attained through the produce of Hambletonian; nor, it is true, can 

 any such supei'iority be claimed for the Bellfounder blood unaided 

 by that of Messenger. It is the combination, in proper relation 

 and degree, that gives the greatest exhibited superiority. 



If such be the progress attained by the magical combination of 

 these famous and all-powerful bloods, what shall be the lesson drawn 

 from the results with regard to the future employment and preservation 

 of all the essential ingredients that entered into our past successes? 

 If neither of these elements, separate and alone, would have led us- 

 to our present grand eminence in breeding, and we have attained 

 that point only as the result of the magical combination, what shall 

 be the consequence if, disregarding the lessons of both the past and 

 the present, we choose to discard one star of the grand constellation? 

 We can accomplish this end, whether desirable or undesirable, in 

 several ways. We can do it by — so far as possible in our breeding- 

 eflPorts — selecting our crosses in such manner as to weaken that blood 

 which is the least powerful, either from arithmetical proportion or 

 secondary stamina, by crossing toward that element which, in the 

 given combination, preponderates over it, either in quantity or force, 

 thus diluting its quality and controlling power; or we can do it by so 

 breeding that it shall encounter elements uncongenial to itself, and 

 thus, from its own lack of sympathy or affinity, compel it to stand an 

 obstinate and imyielding element in the way of all fusing or affiliation 

 between the various elements that enter into the combination. We 

 have already treated this Bellfounder element in each of these ways^ 

 and the result should teach \is one important lesson as to the manner 

 in which we may derive the greatest profit from its superior qualities, 

 or otherwise lose them altogether. 



