114 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



Chicago horse market, paying ^1300 for them, the highest price 

 paid for such a team up to that time. In the spring of 1910 

 Crouch and Son of Indiana bought a pair of Percheron geldings 

 at auction in Missouri for ^2025, the record price up to the 

 present time for a team of the kind. 



The distribution of the Percheron horse is very widespre;ad. 

 Large numbers have been exported from the Perche to the United 

 States, and in recent years, prior to 1914, a Umited number of 

 these horses were being shipped into Germany, Austria-Hungary, 

 Russia, and Argentina. Since 19 14 quite a number of Percherons 

 have been sliipped to England, where they have stirred up warm 

 controversy, but seem destined to grow in favor. In Canada, 

 especially in the Northwest, this breed is getting a strong foothold ; 

 in fact, George Lane's stud on the Bar U Ranch in Alberta is 

 said to be the largest group of Percherons in the world, number- 

 ing over four hundred head. During nineteen months, ending 

 October 31, 19 18, more than one thousand Percherons were 

 exported from the United States to Canada. 



The distribution of Percherons in the United States is of a 

 national character. Weld estimated that in 1866 there were 

 fully 5000 Percherons in- this country, but no doubt many of 

 these were French drafts of other breeds. Between 185 1 and 

 1883 nearly 4000 Percherons of which a more or less correct 

 record is kept were imported or bred in the United States. 

 These were widely distributed, Illinois having 1834; Ohio, 

 Indiana, and Michigan, 577 ; Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota, 

 424 ; New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, 280 ; and Mis- 

 souri, Kansas, and Nebraska, 186. In the early eighties many 

 were brought over, 2600 being reported as imported or home- 

 bred in 1881, 1882, and 1883. In 1884 more than 2000 of all 

 ages were brought to America from France. In 1890 it is said 

 that there were 593 breeders in this country, and in 1900 this 

 number had increased to 1634, while figures in 1910 are placed at 

 5338. Between 1901 and 19 10 some 31,900 American-bred and 

 10,048 imported Percherons were registered. During the fiscal 

 year ending October 31, 19 17, the Percheron Society of America 

 registered 10,508 horses and transferred 9634 during the next 

 fiscal year. Illinois, which has occupied front rank in Percheron 



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