SEDECTION, CARE AND MANAGEMENT 587 



disfigure the animal, but is on the contrary a mark 

 of merit, as it is evidence as to the identity of the 

 breeder and the care used in his breeding opera- 

 tions. 



"Almost all the states have statutes governing 

 brands, providing for legal records of same, and stip- 

 ulating heavy penalties, usually a penitentiary sen- 

 tence, for those who seek to deface or alter brands. 

 Illinois has such statutes, and I see no reason why 

 the Percheron Society of America should not have 

 regulations providing that each breeder may adopt 

 and have registered in the records of the society 

 some specific brand which shall belong to him, and 

 which shall not be infringed upon by any other 

 breeder. John Brown might adopt the maple leaf 

 as his symbol, and use it, with numbers following, 

 to' identify all his horses. In time the breeder of 

 good horses would find the brand to be a valuable 

 tradem.ark, advertising him as the breeder wherever 

 the horses might be used or shown. The careful, 

 conscientious breeder has everything to gain by the 

 adoption of a distinguishing brand to mark animals 

 of his breeding. This, together with individual num- 

 bers for each Percheron, will make errors on the 

 part of grooms impossible, will eliminate doubt or 

 disputes as to the identity of animals, and will give 

 intending purchasers added confidence in purchas- 

 ing from a breeder who follows the system of brand- 

 ing all foals at weaning time in such manner as to 

 give each individual identification numbers which 

 are incorporated in the certificates of pedigree as a 

 part of the description. I have used the plan for 

 years, know it to be successful, and would not 

 think of depending on any other system. Every 

 breeder, for his own protection in dealing Avith 

 employes and for the protection of his estate in 



