ThK Dl.'AKT IjKKEUS OF ( iKKAT UjOTAlA' 



97 



I'asliiouable breeding are raised in ])ractieally every county of 

 Scotland. Clydesdale improvement and distribution in Scotland 

 lias been made possible by a few men who have been breeders not 

 only in a large way, but have either owned or bred and developed 

 most of the champion stallions and mares of the breed. These 

 men, who are also dealers, buy many of the best Clydesdale stal- 

 lion colts as weanlings. Stallions of all ages are kept on these 

 large estates in sufficient nnmbers to supply the export trade, but 

 the best trade, which is peculiar to Scotland, is the business of 

 leasing stallions. Companies or associations are formed by the 



Fig. 37. Clydesdale Stallion. Ciaitjstoxe, CiiAMriox at In- 

 diana AXD Illinois State Faiks, l!)14. Owned by Leitch & 



Sons 



[I'holn hit llihtrhrniul, Chicaiio, III.} 



farmers in most towusliips in Scothmd, not to buy stallions but 

 to rent them for the season. Fsually one hundred mares are 

 guaranteed at from $25 to $50 each, and competition is keen for 

 some stallions of exceptional merit and breeding. Tu this way 

 lu-eeding stock is evenly distributed, Clydesdale breeding encour- 

 aged, and uniformity in type maintained. 



For the past twenty years the efforts of the Scotch breeder 

 have been mainly directed to improve the hocks, feet, length of 

 pastern, quality of bone, feather and action. To obtain these 

 7 



