286 THE HOK8E. 



now be my object to apply these views practically by selecting 

 particular instances. 



In choosing the particular blood which will suit any given 

 mare, 7ny impression always would be, that it is desirable to iix 

 upon the best strain in her pedigree, if not already twice bred 

 in-and-in, and then to put to her the best stallion available of 

 that blood. In some cases, of course, it will happen that the 

 second best strain will answer better, because there happens to 

 be a better horse of that blood to be had than of the superior 

 strain, which would otherwise be preferred. If, on the other 

 hand, the mare has already been in-bred to the extent of two de- 

 grees, then a cross will be advisable ; but I am much inclined 

 to believe, from the success of certain well-known cases, that 

 even then a cross into blood already existing in the mare, but 

 not recently in-bred nor used more than once, will sometimes 

 answer. Upon these principles I should, therefore, look for suc- 

 cess ; and if the series of tables I have herewith given are care- 

 fully studied, it will be seen that the production of good Avinners 

 has so often followed this practice as to make its adoption ex- 

 ceedingly tempting. It is surprising to me that this very com- 

 mon occurrence of in-breeding among our best modern horses 

 has so generally escaped observation, and the only way in 

 which I can explain it is by supposing, that having frequently 

 been through the grandam on either side it has been lost sight 

 of, because the knowledge of the sire's and grandsire's blood is 

 generally the extent to which the inquiry goes. Thus, we tind 

 the most recent writer on the subject, who assumes the name of 

 " Craven," asserting, at page 121 of "The Horse" — -." There is no 

 proximity of relationship in the genealogy of the Flying Dutch- 

 man, Touchstone, Melbourne, Epirus, Alarm, Bay Middleton, 

 Hero, Orlando, Irish Birdcatcher, Cossack, Harkaway, Tearaway, 

 Lothario, or others of celebrity." Now, of these the Flying 

 Dutchman is the produce of second cousins ; Bay Middleton, his 

 sire, being also in-bred to Williamson's Ditto and Walton, own 

 brothers ; and Orlando, containing in his pedigree Selim twice 

 over, and Castrel, his brother, in addition. Melbourne also is 

 the produce of third cousins, both his sire and dam being de- 

 scended from Highflyer. But if to these four, which he has 

 specially named, be added the numerous "others of celebrity" 



