THE SHIRE 



131 



brought to America from England. Since then the number has 

 greatly decreased. 



The use of the Shire in crossing on large mares is to be com- 

 mended, if the stallion used presents quality of a proper sort, with 

 a typical Shire conformation. In such crossing the chief objection 

 will rest against the probable transmission of the hairy leg. 



The distribution of the Shire is general in English-speaking 

 countries. In England it is the really great draft breed. In 

 America the breed has been best known in Illinois, Indiana, 

 Ohio, and the states of the upper Mississippi Valley, especially 

 in the so-called corn belt. Shires have been exported from 

 England to the continent of Europe, especially Germany, and 

 to the Argentine Re- 

 public in South Am- 

 erica and to Australia. 



Organizations to 

 promote the Shire 

 breed are not old. The 

 English Cart Horse 

 Society was organ- 

 ized in 1878, essen- 

 tially to promote this 

 breed, but in 1884 it 

 changed its title to that of the Shire Horse Society. Up to 

 January 1, 1905, this society has published over twenty volumes 

 of studbooks, has registered many thousand animals, and has 

 a very large and influential membership. The American Shire 

 Association was organized in 1885 and has a comparatively small 

 membership; and up to January 1, 1905, has published four 

 volumes of studbooks. 



The demand for the Shire in the city horse market is always 

 good. The heavy weight of this breed, or of good grade 

 progeny, makes it in active demand at all times for the heavy 

 draft trade of cities. Very high prices have been paid for 

 drafters of Shire breeding. In 1904 a grade Shire gelding of 

 remarkable size and quality was sold on the Chicago horse 

 market for $865, up to that time the highest price on record 

 in this market for a draft gelding. 



Fig. 48. Placing awards on Shires at the Royal 

 Show, England. Photograph by author 



