228 THE HORSR. 



in 1856, thus distributed ;— in l^ew York, twenty-one ; Canada, 

 six ; Wisconsin, six ; California, four ; Ohio, four ; Massachu- 

 setts, three; Kentucky, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Ver- 

 mont and Virginia, each two ; and Alabama, Connecticut, Illi- 

 nois, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Kliode 

 Island, and Tennessee, each one. There is, I believe, also a trot- 

 ting course at Bangor, in Maine, although no report of it has 

 found its way into the Kegister. 



The above summary will serve also to show in what portions 

 of the United States trotting is taking the greatest hold on the 

 popular taste ; in the far West, mainly, and California, next to 

 New York, and in Canada scarcely less than in the States, where 

 it is most popular. 



Beside the regular courses, it has also become a feature in 

 most of the Agricultural Societies to have a trotting track in 

 connection with their exhibitions, and on several of them purses 

 have been given to the fastest, as well as to the finest ani- 

 mals. 



Flora Temple started this year eleven times. She won nine 

 purses and nine matches, beating Lancet four times in harness, 

 her best time against him— 2.30^—2.30— 2.29 ;— Tacony three 

 times in harness, against his saddle, distancing him the last 

 match in the unequalled time of 2.24^. Chicago Jack, in 

 harness against his saddle ; and Ethan Allen, who was be- 

 lieved to be the fastest bit of horse-flesh going, and able to 

 take down any thing — at least by his owners and by Eastern 

 sportsmen generally, with the greatest possible ease, at the Agri- 

 cultural Fair at Boston, in 2.32^—2.36^. 



On the other hand, she was twice beaten by Lancet, he going 

 under the saddle, she in harness, in 2.28 — 2.28 — 2.25^ ; and the 

 second time in 2.29—2.29—2.30. 



This last was considered by many persons to be the mare's 

 greatest performance, as the course was very deep in mud, 

 and the match was done in the teeth of a gale of wind 

 and torrents of rain, to face which was in itself deemed an 

 achievement. 



Lancet started ten times ; six times as Lancet, five as Know- 

 Nothing ; — a shuffling absurdity this cliange of names, which 

 cannot be too strongly reprobated ! 



