316 A HISTORY OF THE PEECHERON HORSE 



John Lenhart, Clarksville, la., the Humberts of 

 Coming, la., and M. L. Ayres, Shenandoah, la., all 

 made a beginning in Percheron breeding in the late 

 '80 's, but had no more than made a fair start by 

 the end of the epoch we are considering. 



Further Consideration of Illinois. — Lest it be 

 thought that Illinois is receiving undue attention, it 

 must again be noted that more than one-third of all 

 of the breeders in the United States up to 1890 were 

 located in that state. We have now to deal with 

 the operations of men who although not among the 

 leaders in the state were nevertheless men of influ- 

 ence in Percheron affairs. 



Leander J. McCormick, for many years in active 

 charge of the McCormick reaper interests, retired 

 from active business about 1885. He shortly after- 

 ward purchased 250 acres near Lake Forest, 111., a 

 short distance north of Chicago. He soon added 

 200 acres more and set out to develop a stock-farm. 

 Jersey and Brown Swiss cattle were imported. Per- 

 cherons were selected as the breed of horses best 

 suited to Mr. McCormick 's ideas of American needs, 

 and the stud was founded by direct importations. 



Accompanied by his son, R. Hall McCormick, who 

 had inherited a love for good horses, L. J. McCor- 

 mick went to France in 1887. Eighteen animals were 

 selected. Martignac (10437) was chosen as the best 

 two-year-old obtainable in the Perche, and was 

 bought from M. Tacheau at a very long price. He 

 was upon importation renamed Reaper 8076 (Mar- 

 tignac 10437) and so appears in the Percheron rec- 



