A PERIOD OF PROPOUND DEPRESSION 355 



traded their horses for land so rapidly that they 

 raised but few after 1893 and were virtually out of 

 business by 1899. The Winter & Hunger stud was 

 scattered to the four-winds by private sales in 1894, 

 '95 and '96, winding up entirely in 1899. Geo. S. 

 Hanna's stud was dispersed, largely by trades for 

 farm land, in 1892, '93 and '94, and the mares were 

 widely scattered. Jesse M. Stetson succeeded to 

 most of the Percherons owned by Dr. Ezra Stetson 

 on his death about 1895, but Jesse M. himself died 

 about 4 years later and most of the stock was scat- 

 tered all over the United States by sales held by the 

 estate in 1899, 1900 and 1901. 



John and Mat Huston of Blandinsville, 111., began 

 breeding Percherons early in the '70 's, but did not 

 breed many until after making heavy importations 

 late in the '80 's. They kept on during the depression 

 and raised 20 stallions and 24 mares during this 

 period. Their stock was unusually high-class in 

 character, because of the selection of extr'a good sires 

 and dams. Plein-D 'Avenir 11287 (7361), Figaro 

 5961 (7708) and Forfait 16873 (28578) were a trio 

 of exceptional sires. A large proportion of the colts 

 bred by the Hustons went into use on purebred 

 mares, which is significant of their high-class type 

 and character. John Huston considered Plein- 

 D 'Avenir the greatest Percheron he ever saw, indi- 

 vidually and as a sire, and while his opinion may 

 be considered somewhat biased, it is certain that he 

 was an extremely massive, heavy-boned sire, weigh- 

 ing more than 2,200 pounds, and a getter of high- 



