68 [Assembly 



fully studied, in her turf and stud horses, that all the fame and 

 value of the English horse stock is owing. 



No description of stock can or Avill pay the farmer equally well 

 with good horses^ but inferior bred animals will never pay. No 

 half, or three fourth, or spurious bred sire, should be allowed in 

 any district. Agriculturists and stock- raisers ought to encourage 

 only thorough-bred stud horses ; and since these, in this, as well 

 as other States, are so few — not one for one hundred that there 

 ought to be — associations should be formed for the selection and 

 importation of foreign stud horses, to be stationed in as many 

 localities as possible. No enterprise would yield a better return 

 on the money invested, and it would at the same time result in no 

 common State and national advantages. The turf and the raising 

 of blood, or thorough-bred horses are essentially means to an 

 important end, inasmuch that hence is fostered the systematised 

 breeding of that class of horses alone fitted to improve and keep 

 up the superiority of the general breeds j for to do this requires 

 that a certain amount of the attributes of the higher or purer 

 breeds be blended. The beneficial effects of blood— of a superior 

 race engrafted on an inferior — proves extraordinary. The heavy 

 crest, long forehand, straight or upright shoulders, clumsy head 

 and roman nose, coarse legs, &c., disappear, and elegance of form, 

 increased powers of action, and higher capacities of endurance 

 are bestowed. This country, originally drawing her stock mainly 

 from Europe, and particularly from England, had well laid the 

 earlier foundation of her breeds, and to some extent has continued 

 to maintain the same, both by judicious importations and by 

 breeding many fine thorough-bred horses. But the rapid and 

 large development of agriculture, joined to the also increased 

 demand for horses in the cities, has left the raising of superior 

 animals, as stud horses, quite incommensurate with the occasion 

 for them, and this has led to unregulated and injudicious breed- 

 ing. Very disqualified and unfit sires have been employed, in 

 consequence of no adequate numbers of thorough-bred horses 

 being attainable, or having been supplied, either by importation 

 or breeding, for the turf The injury to horse stock from this 

 cause has been very marked and great ; and it is a growing evil, 

 which every consideration unites in urging should be corrected. 



