86 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



horse considered of special money value till the invention of the 

 modern light buggy and the improvement of roads. This qual- 

 ity has now become, to a great extent, essential to the comfort 

 and convenience of nearly all classes of societ}^, and lias its 

 money value accordingly. The wants of the community have 

 changed even within the last few years, especially since railroad 

 travel has become so universal. Men accustomed to a speed 

 of from twenty to thirty miles an hour in the cars, cannot easily 

 content themselves with the old and common gait of five or six 

 miles an hour, and the majority of people now want a horse to 

 go off easily at the rate of eight, ten, or even twelve miles an 

 hour, and the horses that do it are now very common, whereas 

 formerly they w^ere only the exception to the general rate of 

 speed. A demand very soon creates a supply and the farmer 

 who breeds horses knows his own interest well enough to study 

 the tastes of the community, and to breed accordingly. In 

 point of speed, therefore, there can be no question, tliat a very 

 great increase has been attained by careful breeding, particularly 

 within the last twenty years. But speed is only one of many 

 qualities which are essential to a good roadster, and no agricul- 

 tural society would accomplish its object by encouraging that, 

 to the extent of practically overlooking others equally essential. 

 It was, therefore, strongly urged upon the judges of horses in 

 this division, at the State Fair, to have special reference to gen- 

 eral good qualities, such as style, action, size, temper, form, 

 constitution, and enduring properties, as well as the speed of 

 the animals. 



With the exception of an increase of speed, it may well be 

 doubted whether there has been any real improvement in our 

 horses within the last twenty years. More care and pains are 

 taken in keeping and training them, perhaps, and undoubtedly 

 a larger number of good horses are found now ; but for docility, 

 power and strength of endurance and general good qualities, it 

 is not probable that any great improvement has been effected. 

 The aggregate money value has been greatly increased, because 

 the number of fast horses has increased and speed will command 

 its value ; but the tendency has been to congregate the best 

 horses in cities and to draw them from tlie country. Few 

 farmers want to keep a horse for farm and family purposes, that 

 will bring from two or three to five hundred dollars. 



