58 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



and consisted of one open two-horse wagon running twice a 

 week. Besides this there were only four stages which ran 

 into Boston at that time. 



It will thus be seen that the social conditions of the last 

 century were not favorable to the improvement of the horse, 

 certainly not to increase his speed, now considered indispen- 

 sable. Fast trotting was scarcely known at the time of the 

 old " Justin Morgan," foaled in 1793, nor was speed estimated 

 as of special money-value till the invention of the modern 

 light buggy and the improvement of roads ; but this quality 

 has now come to be essential to the comfort and convenience 

 of all classes of people. In this respect there can be no 

 question that a great increase has been attained by careful 

 breeding, especially within the last thirty years, while much 

 greater attention has been paid to style, action, temper, form, 

 constitution and endurance, so that the aggregate money- 

 value of our horses has been enhanced by the higher general 

 average of intrinsic good qualities. 



MORGANS AND BLACKHAWK8. 



These improvements are largely due, no doubt, to the fre- 

 quent importation and infusion of thoroughbred blood into 

 our stock. In some sections of the country, at the South and 

 the Southwest, they may be said to be almost wholly due to this 

 source. But in the New England Slates, and to no small ex- 

 tent in the Middle and Western States, they are due to the in- 

 fluence of two great classes of horses, both very celebrated 

 roadsters, known as the Morgans and the Blackhawks, the for- 

 mer deriving their origin from the old "Justin Morgan," re- 

 markable for compactness of form, strength and docility, 

 and unsurpassed for general utility ; the latter excellent as 

 roadsters, of a high and nervous style of action, wonderfully 

 elastic step, and a symmetrical and muscular form. These 

 two families of horses have added many millions of dollars to 

 the value of the stock of this country. They infused a new 

 spirit into the whole business of horse-breeding, and gave us 

 such a reputation for great success in this direction as to lead 

 Professor Low, of Scotland, in his "History of Domestic An- 

 imals," to say of us: "They prefer the trot to the paces 

 more admired in the old continent, and having directed atten- 



