PROGRESS EN BREEDING. 



361 



infirmities likely to be inherited by their progeny ; but their 

 number is not so great as might be imagiried, and to individual- 

 ize them would be impolitic. It must be understood, there are 

 many other stallions, in all probability more than a similar 

 number, of inferior character, whose services are confined to 

 rural districts, where they are patronized by farmers, which are 

 not included in this estimate, numbers of which would not pass 



lowed fco perpetuate their species among any classes ; but they 

 are seldom advertised beyond their respective localities, and are 

 still more rarely the progenitors of thoroughbred stock. From 

 the number of stallions already enumerated, about half the 

 foals of the year are the ofispring of thirty sires, favorites on 

 account of their superior lineage, their successful j)erformances 

 on the turf, or honorable distinction in the stud. 



" The following table supports proof of the progress made 

 in the speculation of breeding, by giving the number of races 

 won by the stock of fourteen horses of celebrity, in the years 

 1825 and 1852," the interval being a trifle more than a quarter 

 of a century. 



1825. 



Comus, 

 FUho da Puta, 

 Phantom, . 

 Ardrossan, . 

 Catton, , 

 Rubens, 

 Whalebone, 

 Whisker, 

 Blacklock. 

 Bourbon, . 

 Partisan, 

 Soothsayer, 

 Walton, 

 Octavian, . 



" Thus we find, that in the former years there were 168, and 

 in the latter 232 winners, the progeny of an equal number of 

 horses. Surely this aifords an argument in favor of the stout- 

 ness and constitution of horses of modern days." 



