24 
THE PERCHERON REVIEW 
to the identity of any animal that I have. I my- 
self might die, and my entire force might be swept 
out of existence, but any stranger could step in 
and take the records and the pedigrees and identify 
every Percheron that I own. The individual 
neck brand is carried on the pedigrees, and on the 
produce cards, and in my record books. It is also 
carried in my memorandum book, so that I can at 
any time distinguish any animal in pasture, barns or 
lots, and determine in a second the registered 
name, number and breeding." 
The system used by Mr. Lane has everything to 
recommend it, and no reasonable objection. The 
brand disfigures the horse less than the present 
P S brand which is used on all Percherons im- 
ported from France. Used as suggested, it gives 
a positive record of every animal which a man may 
breed or own, and does away with all trouble re- 
lating to identification. 
The Percheron Society has not officially recom- 
mended the adoption of such a system, but so many 
breeders have asked for information and assistance 
on this line that I have secured a sample set of the 
branding irons recommended, which are illustrated 
below. The Percheron Society already includes 
brands as part of the description whenever they are 
furnished, and this can be done for any breeders who 
adopt the system suggested. The writer hopes to 
see the general adoption of this system by all careful 
breeders of Percherons. 
[Since the above was published in the Breeder s 
Gazette, Dec, 1912, a considerable number of Per- 
cheron breeders have adopted the system of neck 
branding and include the same in their pedigrees. 
Every man who has tried it is enthusiastic over re- 
sults. It is also a matter of record that Gov. 
Leland Stanford of California used the same system 
on his standard breds, when Palo Alto was in its 
glory.] Wayne Dinsmore. 
Percheron Breeders Should Organize 
More pulling together and less of the "each-one- 
for-himself" method would work wonders among 
Percheron breeders. Percheron business is hin- 
dered more from the lack of proper local organization 
than from a sufficient number of adherents of the 
breed. There are many small breeders who are 
handicapped because few know what they have for 
sale. Buyers are reluctant to look them up if they 
have only one or two colts for sale. Here is where 
the country organization helps the unheard of breed- 
er. Each member of the association chips in and 
that makes the advertising effective yet cheap for 
each one. A list of all animals for sale is kept in the 
hands of the secretary. Buyers can communicate 
with the secretary and find out exactly what breeders 
in the county have for sale, and who has the partic- 
ular kind of an animal that the buyer wants. Few 
people realize, save the buyers themselves, just how 
helpful it is to know that a certain county has a 
definite number of Percherons for sale and who the 
breeders are who have the animals to sell. There is 
only one way of offering this encouragement to the 
buying public and only one way of providing this 
privilege for the producer. That is through county 
Percheron breeders' organizations. 
The first definite step toward organizing Percher- 
on breeders in this country was taken in Tazewell 
County, Illinois, in July, 1913. The same month the 
Delaware County, Ohio, breeders formed a similar 
organization. About one year ago, the McLean 
County, Illinois, Percheron Breeders Association was 
launched. Within the past few months several 
other counties have taken similar steps. 
The successes of these three associations are 
given by their respective secretaries. Mr. Pollock 
of Delaware County, Ohio, says : " We have done con- 
siderable good to the community by publicity through 
the press and by exhibitions at the state fair. We 
have been able to get the small breeders to take one 
or two colts to the fair that otherwise never would 
have been fitted or exhibited. Our association has 
been promoting a futurity for foals at our Delaware 
Pumpkin Show with the idea that we can encourage 
the smallest breeders to take good care of their foals 
the first year, thus assuring a good start toward the 
State Fair Futurity for the next year. We have 
never held a public sale for the reason that practically 
all of our surplus stock has been taken at private 
treaty." 
Secretary Thompson of the McLean County, 
Illinois Association, writes: "Although we have not 
been organized quite one year, we have done a great 
deal of good. We have published a sale list quarter- 
ly, and this has done much toward giving informa- 
tion as to where Percherons for sale are located. 
Our organization has been largely responsible for a 
number of private sales that have been very satis- 
factory. Among these was a ten-year-old mare that 
went to Connecticut for $1000. The same buyer 
made an offer of $3000 for a pair of four-year-old 
mares. A load of young stallions went to Montana, 
among them being a nine-month-old colt for which 
one of our members received $500. Another mem- 
ber sold four weanling fillies for $1175." 
The work of the Tazewell County, Illinois, Associa- 
tion is presented in a separate article. 
Ellis McFarland. 
