Breeding Business Drivers. 141 



nion defence of our country. Why should we be 

 averse to applying this principle of co-operation of 

 public and private interests to improving our live stock, 

 as well as to breeding wheat or devising better schemes 

 of farm management? In case each problem be found 

 too difficult for the farmer to solve for himself, the 

 commonwealth may properly co-operate with him in 

 order that all may bear the expense and all share in the 

 advantage. 



Wabasha Co., Minn., might be a good field for co- 

 operation in the breeding of driving horses. The farm- 

 ers have the means, their lands are rich, they have to 

 a greater extent than any other county in the State 

 the habit of sending their sons to the agricultural high 

 school at St. Anthony Plark. There is no reason why 

 an association of twenty or even fifty farmers could 

 not be successfully inaugurated in that county. It is 

 less than 100 miles from St. Paul and Minneapolis and 

 about xoo miles from Chicago, with tho.i*- great horsv 

 markets. The whole West is a growing maiket for 

 driving horses and will always have a full purse for 

 those having the proper size, finish and quality. The 

 wealth of this country is increasing rapidly and fine 

 horses are practical necessities and luxuries which peo- 

 ple will pay well to secure. 



Let thirty or more farmers form an association and 

 purchase an average of five mares each. Let the as- 

 sociation purchase ten stallions and have each stallion 

 serve fifteen of the 150 mares and also do service in 

 his neighborhood. Other farmers could easily be in- 

 duced to raise grade colts, possibly giving the asso- 

 ciation an option at a certain price on all colts at a 

 given age, as at one year, at two years and at three 

 years of age. The stallions could be used in rotation, 

 as mentioned for males in other breeds, and their 

 breeding efficiency could thus be compared so that in 

 several years all but the few best male blood lines could 

 be dropped. The mares, being bred successively to 

 several horses, could be compared in their colt-rearing 



