THE TROTTER OX THE FARM. 297 



hereditary or individual unsoundness. A plug decorated 

 with ringbones, spavins, splints, and curbs, not fast 

 enough to get out of his own way — in short an utterly- 

 worthless brute — may be as eligible as the best individual 

 horse and the highest bred one in the land. And that is 

 where I think the principal evil of the standard lies. Go 

 to a fair of any of our county agricultural societies with 

 the following test : Let three gentlemen exhibit three dif- 

 ferent stallions : No. i — a good individual, fast, sound 

 and standard ; No. 2 — a flat sided scrub, fit for no duty 

 that a horse was ever intended for, but standard and hav- 

 ing a "number" ; No. 3 — a grand individual, fast, high- 

 bred, sound, but just outside the standard. Then will 

 appear the numerous individual of the genius standard 

 crank, with his lofty-wise-acre-I-know-it-all sir, asking 

 the standard "number" of each. The two having that ap- 

 pendage, are then, in his estimation, equal. One is stand- 

 ard with a number, and the other has a number and is 

 standard, so both are equally good to breed to. But the 

 one without a number is absolutely worthless in the opin- 

 ion of the theorist, although in reality capable of making 

 himself standard by his own performances, and not de- 

 pending on the departed greatness of his ancestors for that 

 distinction. That is the fictitious view of the standard, 

 the evil of the. standard and the place where good judg- 

 ment must step in and do its duty. 



Ohio, my native state, and where is there a Buckeye 

 not proud of the dear old commonwealth — is by nature 

 most favorably adapted for breeding the trotter. The 

 temperature is perfect for his full development and 

 health ; blessed with an abundance of sweet and nutritious 

 grasses, and crystal water. It has the native foundation 

 for greatness in its equine production, being the original 



