THE GREAT EXPANSION OF THE '80 'S 255 



to continue raising the market value by each subse- 

 quent cross." 



Ellwood Green, — It is doubtful whether the history 

 of any breed furnishes a parallel to the spectacular 

 career of W. L. Ellwood in Percherons. Backed by 

 his father, I. L. Ellwood, a wealthy manufacturer 

 of barbed wire, W. L. Ellwood began his operations 

 in 1881 by importing a few Percherons. A few more 

 were brought over in 1882, 1883, 1884 and 1885, but 

 in 1886 he began in earnest by importing 164 stal- 

 lions and 100 mares. His heavy importations con- 

 tinued during the next four years. He never hesi- 

 tated at price in his efforts to obtain the best horses 

 the Perche possessed. The firm, consisting of W. L. 

 Ellwood and his father, who gave little attention to 

 the horse business, acquired about 4,000 acres of 

 land near DeKalb, HI. This was divided into six 

 large, well-equipped farms, which were first oper- 

 ated with grade Percheron mares. These were later 

 replaced by purebreds. Excellent sale bams and 

 offices were built in DeKalb, and a thoroughgoing 

 business organization was developed to handle the 

 farm operations, and the breeding, importation and 

 sale of Percherons. 



Mr. Ellwood decided at an early date that Perche- 

 rons were the most desirable for American condi- 

 tions. In one of his early catalogs he said: "I am 

 sincere in my belief that it has been fully demon- 

 strated that for individual merit, and powers of 

 transmitting same to his progeny, the Percheron 

 shows a purity of breeding that is unapproachable, 



