A Military Proposition 203 



FROM ENGLAND. FROM FRANCE. 



War Craft 1878 Bracconier 1873 



Cade , 1887 Viennois 1883 



Hengist 1867 Salvator 1872 



His Majesty 1870 Zutzen 1874 



Kaiser 1870 Energique 1889 



Lara 1881 Consul 1866 



Christmas Carol 1862 Boiand 1870 



Marshal Scott 1876 Le Sarrazin 1865 



Melbourne 1885 Le Nord 1887 



Merry Sunshine 1870 Montanvert 1890 



Owen 1873 Peut Etre 1871 



Roehampton '. 1873 Radieux 1881 



Paganini 1870 Roitelet 1884 



Pennistone 1889 



Typheus 1865 



Faugh-a-Ballagh 1879 



Idle Boy 1891 



There are an average of 800 male foals emasculated every year in America by the 

 breeders of thoroughbreds, many of which could be sold to the government for breed- 

 ing purposes if government studs, similar to those of Russia and Hungary, were estab- 

 lished m this country. The government of Russia believes firmly in the racing tests, 

 and there are thirty-two race courses on which are given 220 days of racing in each 

 year. The returns for 1890 gave a total of 1200 flat races and 265 steeplechases run 

 during the year. The total amount of purses and stakes distributed during the year 

 was 1,515,000 roubles, equivalent in American money to about $800,000. 



Now, if such achievements can be made in a half-barbarous country like Russia, 

 why not in an enlightened nation like our own? The Federal government has an 

 abundance of land that is available for no purposes other than pasturage; and it could 

 easily purchase suitable stallions and mares for stocking those lands. In many cases 

 a revenue could be derived by leasing the services of some of the sires to private par- 

 ties for a limited number of mares, which would materially aid in rendering the system 

 self-supporting. Of course, the main requisite in the selection of sires and mares is 

 soundness and nothing but soundness; and the chief object in selecting the thorough- 

 bred sires is to imbue the limbs, the lungs, the nerves and the general constitution with 

 that great prerequisite, thus permanently enhancing its capabilities. It is to be hoped 

 that our army will never again be found in a predicament similar to that which con- 

 fronted it in 1861. With this end in view I should recommend the establishment of 

 government stud farms as follows : 



Texas Two farms, one for breeding heavy dragoon horses and the other for breed- 

 ing mules for transportation purposes. 



Missouri Two farms similar to those proposed for Texas. 



Idaho Two farms, each for breeding light cavalry horses, with an experimental 

 mating of Indian pony mares with small and comoactly built thoroughbred sires, not 

 exceeding fifteen hands high. 



Washington (East of the Cascade mountains.) Two farms, one for light cavalry 

 horses and one for artillery horses. 



Oregon Two farms, one east of the Cascade range and one south of the Cali- 

 pooya mountains, both for artillery horses, to be bred from the union of heavy-work 

 mares with large and well-made thoroughbred sires. 



