524 HISTORY OF THE 



published for the service of breeders and trainers, 

 who have both read and reflected on their contents. 

 The breeder, taught by practical knowledge the 

 bad eflfects of a humid atmosphere, and rank and 

 succulent food, now provides warm sheds, small 

 paddocks on a dry upland soil, and, as we shall 

 presently show, plenty of corn for his young rac- 

 ing stock. 



Having fixed on a dry, healthy situation, such 

 as, for instance, the neighbourhood of Downs, and 

 provided every convenience and accommodation 

 for the mares and young stock, together with loose 

 boxes, and a small exercise ground, well secured 

 with a high and impervious fence for the stallions, 

 the breeder's next care is to purchase brood mares 

 and entire horses, particularly the latter, as expe- 

 rience has long confirmed the truth of the suppo- 

 sition, that in breeding a racer in his highest form 

 and excellence, the stallion is of more import- 

 ance than the mare. On consulting the racing 

 calendar for the last fifty years, it will be seen that 

 the produce of the highest bred and most success- 

 ful mares by inferior stallions, has turned out 

 comparatively worthless, while all our most cele- 

 brated winners have been got by the best entire 

 horses. The breeder must, therefore, readily see 

 from this, that it is the worst possible economy 

 to purchase cheap stallions ; and he should never 

 grudge paying the difference between the price of 

 a first-rate sire and an inferior one. Above all 



