362 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE 



1899. In tlie next few years he bought some of the 

 best mares W. L. Elhvood imported and also bought 

 the stallion Superior 14042, bred by Ellwood, to use 

 in his stud. He held on throughout the '90 's, despite 

 discouragements, and as might be expected from 

 the high character of his foundation purchases, bred 

 some exceptional colts. He was not a dealer, how- 

 ever, and sold most of the colts at modest prices to 

 a local trade. James M. Fletcher thought so well 

 of the colts that he bought a number of them about 

 1897 or 1898 and paid $1,000 for one which Mr. 

 Sprole had sold to a neighbor. The good done by 

 Mr. Sprole 's operations was far-reaching; he was a 

 man of strict integrity, careful in his breeding opera- 

 tions, and very influential in his district. The Traer 

 district was noted for extra good draft horses dur- 

 ing the late '90 's and the early part of this century. 

 No small share in this is directly attributable to Mr. 

 Sprole 's work. 



L. G. Parker was another Iowa breeder who bred 

 some good horses, near Mason City. Although the 

 number he raised was not large— 33 in this decade — 

 the animals were good and bred on well. He bought 

 Cagliostro 11115 (18849), one of the best sons of Bril- 

 liant 3d, imported with that sire, and used him to 

 . good advantage from 1890 till about 1898. Some of 

 the best things subsequently owned by G. N. Haugen 

 and Martin Tagesen were sired by or descended from 

 him. The Parker stud was dispersed shortly after 



1900, but the stock has done much for Percheron 

 breeders in northern Iowa and adjacent states. 



