138 BOAKD OF AGKICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



the horses in his stable are made as comfortable and put to 

 as few inconveniences as possible. The health of a horse 

 and the use of a horse depend on how he is fed. We have 

 horses who do not seem to need a mash, but no doubt, in the 

 opinion of most of us, if a horse is turned out to grass a 

 little while before the flies come, it tones and freshens up 

 his digestion, and he lasts longer. 



The Chair. Dr. Twitchell, we would like to hear from 

 you. 



•Dr. Twitchell. Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, I 

 have sat here for an hour or more, and have been most 

 intensely interested ; and })ersonally I want to thank Mr. 

 Smith, for, while he has shown us all where his natural love 

 and fancy would be, he has given us at the same time a 

 most clear, fair and discriminating setting forth of the essen- 

 tial ({ualities of all the types he has presented ; but, gentle- 

 men, 1 think I am in the same condition of mind as you. 

 We have not seen our old horse yet. There is one class of 

 horses you want, Mr. Smith, before 3'ou show your pictures 

 in Maine. You have not shown us one t)f our western 

 chunks. 



Some years ago I attended fairs in this State and saw 

 horses l>eincr bred, and since then I have known a little 

 something, but not so nuich as to what you are doing now. 

 But if 1 were home in the State of Maine to-day I should 

 say we might take hold of the work along the lines Mr. 

 Smith has set forth, because the State of Maine is cursed by 

 the western chunk. It is the heaviest burden Ave have upon 

 us. I don't know whether it applies to you, but I mean 

 the poor little low-headed, coarse-framed, slow-motioned 

 western horse that represents nothing adapted to New Eng- 

 land life, or that of New England agriculture. If you have 

 such, go home and knock them in the head to-night. To 

 be behind a horse like "Brilliant" you will be a better man, 

 your head will be in the air, and 3'ou will be filled with the 

 thrill of life that always comes in driving a good horse. 

 You get behind a western chunk, and where are you? 



I tell vou there is an application in this thought of tre- 

 mendous import. If we burden our farms with that class 



