342 A HISTOKT OF THE PEECHERON HORSE 



and mated to stallions whose individuality and 

 breeding were such as to warrant confidence in good 

 results, passed into the hands of men who were in- 

 competent judges either of individual horses or of 

 bloodlines. A large proportion of the new owners 

 were poor caretakers and without knowledge re- 

 garding the feeding and development of purebred 

 horses. Their ignorance damaged the breed. Good 

 Percheron mares were mated to stallions that were 

 unfit to be used. Bad breeding was followed by 

 worse feeding. Feed was low in price, but money 

 was hard to get, and the feed given to horses was 

 looked upon as largely lost. The result was that 

 most Percherons had to survive on pasture, straw, 

 some hay and a very little grain. The best live stock 

 in the world will be dwarfed and injured in confor- 

 mation under such conditions.* 



That Percherons did survive and steadily increase 

 in popularity speaks volumes for the hardiness, 

 adaptability and easy-keeping qualities of the 

 breed. The injury done to intelligent breeding operaT 

 tions had some compensations : it placed Percherons 

 in the hands of hundreds of farmers who bought 

 them at low prices and became cognizant of their 

 many sterling qualities by actual experience under 

 adverse conditions. 



Oaklawn Farm. — Under Mr. Dunham's capable 

 management Oaklawn Farm continued its leadership 



*For conclusive results regarding injury to conformation of 

 animals through starvation or semi-starvation rations, see pub- 

 lished reports of work done by Dr. H. J. Waters at the Missouri 

 and Kansas Experiment Stations. 



