THE GREAT EXPANSION OP THE '80 's 245 



condition and reducing the cost of their keep. By 

 1887 he had sold many mares to men whom he had 

 interested in Percheron breeding, and he also under- 

 took the experiment of putting some out on lease. 



Results Despite Difficulties. — Despite these re- 

 verses, which eliminated all hope of profit from his 

 Percheron breeding operations, Mr. Dunham perse- 

 vered and made some headway from 1887 on. In 

 1887 he raised 57 colts, in 1888 69, in 1889 51 and in 

 1890 44. A disastrous experiment in feeding silage 

 in 1890 cost him several mares and a large number 

 of colts, leading to the conclusion that silage was 

 dangerous, as the presence of a little mold, harm- 

 less to cattle, was sure death to unborn foals and 

 very dangerous to the mares. In none of these years 

 did he succeed in rearing more than one colt for 

 every three mares; in 1890 he had 192 mares, most 

 of them of breeding age, yet raised only 44 colts. 



Not many of the colts bred at Oaklawn were ex- 

 hibited, and consequently it has been difficult to 

 obtain accurate information regarding them. Many of 

 the best colts were sold as yearlings, and Mr. Dunham 

 had unusual facilities for the selection of other show 

 horses because of his heavy annual importations of 

 the best obtainable in the Perche. The most satis- 

 factory information regarding the estimate placed 

 on the American-bred horses raised at Oaklawn is 

 furnished by the prices paid for them. It must be 

 remembered that purchasers going there had the 

 opportunity of making selectio|is from a large num- 

 ber of high-class imported horps or from the colts 



