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202 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMER. 



THE GRAZIER 



The opinion appears to be coming general, 

 that the English horse cannot be farther im- 

 proved by a cross with the Arabian. If ran- 

 ning qualities are to be the test of value, the 

 following article from the London News would 

 ieem to show that an English mare of not re- 

 markable qualities was able to beat in a race 

 some of the best Arab horges in Egypt. 



From the London News. 



"Fair Nell," the Irish Mare that Beat 

 THK Pacha's Arab. — A short time since, some 

 sensation was created by a paragraph which 

 went the rounds of the press, stating that an 

 English mare, in a race of eight miles, had 

 beaten the best Arab in Egypt, by a full mile, 

 doing the distance in 18^ minutes, and pulling 

 up tresh. On inquiry, it was found that the 

 Arab was the property of Haleem Facha, a son 

 of Abbas Pacha, who, it will be remembered, 

 about three years ago, challenged the Jockey 

 Club to run any number of Euglish horses 

 against his Arabs, for any sum not less than ten 

 thousand poun^ sterling. The Jockey Club, 

 which makes rules for racing, and by its stewards 

 fixes the weights of certain matches and handi- 

 caps, does not own or run horses in its Club 

 capacity, and declined to take up the challenge. 

 It was said that Abbas Pacha would not accept 

 a challenge from any private individual; and 

 the reputation of his stud (which had been col- 

 lected at an unlimited expense, with the power 

 of despotism,) was so high that the owners of 

 good horses were afraid of risking their reputa- 

 tion in a foreign country, over a long course of 

 sand and gravel. , 



However, the other day a party of Cairo 

 merchants made up the match above referred to, 

 for about £400, and won it so easily that they 

 now find it impossible to make another. We 

 learn through private sources that El Hami 

 Pacha, the youngest son of Abbas Pacha, who 

 inherited his studs, not less than 300 in number, 

 still fancies that he could find a horse that in a 

 twenty-mile race would beat the European 

 mare; but, although quite young, he is so indo- 

 lent that he seldom leaves his harem; and it is 

 doubtful if he will take the trouble to make the 

 necessary preliminaries for a race. About the 

 result there can be no manner of doubt. No 

 Arab in the world can go through a day's racing 

 with our best thorough-bred steeple-chasers and 

 hunters — not even the stock of Disraeli's Star 

 of the Desert, jockeyed by, Sidonia. 



Fair Nell is supposed to be thorough-bred; 

 her sire, according to the best information, was 

 the celebrated Irish horse Freney, to whom she 

 bears a strong resemblance, both in appear- 

 ance and temper, but she is not in the stud book. 

 She is a beautiful light bay, with black legs, 

 standing fifteen hands one inch and a half high, 

 with a game, determined head, very lengthy, 

 with beautiful shoulders, arms and fore legs, back 

 and hind quarters, with very powerful thighs. 

 She is a delightful mare to sit when going; her 



stride is great, strong and elastic, and from her 

 form, she gives the feeling of "plenty before 

 you." She is a hard puller, with a good mouth, 

 graceful and easy even when plunging most vio- 

 lently. In hunting, she rushed at her fenses at 

 a terrible pace, but never made a mistake. As 

 a hack, she was most luxurious, but at times it 

 was a real work of danger to cross a crowded 

 road with her. In the stable she was perfectly 

 quiet. She was purchased in Ireland, by a well 

 known old Irish steeple-chase rider and groom, 

 Andy Rogers, for a gentleman of Bath, who 

 found her too spirited and uncomfortable for a 

 hunter, and seat her to be sold at Hetbrington's 

 stables in the Edgeware road. Not finding a 

 purchaser, she was put up at Tattersall's, where 

 she was set down by the crowd asa"raking Irish 

 devil," and found no favor. 



Alter being withdrawn, Mr. Edmund Tatter- 

 sall, the junior partner of the firm, was so 

 struck with her shape and beauty that, against 

 the advice of his friends, he bought her as a park 

 and cover hack. She often carried him sixteen 

 miles within the hour, iscluding stoppages, to 

 meet, and back again in the evening, at the same 

 rate, without showiag the least fatigue; and was 

 perfectly pleasant as long as ridden alone, and 

 with Sue hands. Although more than once of- 

 fered on loan to racing men, by her owner, who 

 felt sure she must win a long race over deep 

 ground, no one ventured to try her; a mistake 

 evidently; for it turns out, that, on her trial in 

 Egypt, before the race, she did five miles in ten 

 minutes and a half. 



Eventually, Mr. Hethrington applied to Mr. 

 Tattersall, to purchase Fair Nell back for the 

 merchants of Cairo. She was in low condition 

 when she was shipped, yet ran and won her race 

 within two months from the time of landing. 



At various times, our Indian Uenerals and 

 Governors have imported the best Arab blood 

 they could procure. Among these the Wels 

 lesley Arabian was one of the most celebrated. 

 Our sovereigns have received presents from Ara- 

 bian and Egyptian Princes, which have been 

 crossed with the best blood of the Hampton 

 Court stud, but nothing brilliant ever came of 

 the cross, although we have Iieard of some fair 

 hunters, and astonishing ponies. Of course it 

 will not pay to breed small hacks or ponies, 

 which, if ugly or blemished, cannot be sold for 

 omnibus work. 



«•* 



Cattle Breeding. 



It is stated in the London Quarterly Review 

 that the effect of Sir Robert Peel's tariff in 

 abolishing the duty on the introduction of live 

 stock into England in 1844, was to revolutionize 

 the character of Dutch and Danish farming. 

 Before that event the pastures of the two coun- 

 tries were chiefly devoted to dairy purposes; 

 but immediately p.fter, "the farmers began to 

 breed stock, and consequently turnips and 

 mangel-wurtz*] have been creeping over fields, 

 where once the dairy-maid carried the milking 

 pail." The Jutland beef is described as being 

 especially savory, and some of the animals sent 

 to England by the Danes are acknowledged to 



