368 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[October, 
TROTTING 
The shortest time in which a horse can trot 
one mile has been the subject of many trials, 
and for aught that now appears we are nearly 
as far from a solution as when " two-forty " time 
was made in 1824, and remained for ten years 
unsurpassed. It was not until 1339 that a mile 
was trotted by any horse in less time than two 
minutes and thirty seconds. Then Dutchman 
trotted in two minutes and twenty-eight seconds. 
From this time twenty years passed before the 
mile was made in less than 2 min. 20 seconds, 
Flora Temple going over the course at Kalama- 
zoo, to harness, in 2 min. 19 3 |., sec. This aston- 
ished the world and all lovers of the horse, as 
it indicated positive improvement, either in the 
horse, in our management of him, or in both. 
This time of the beautiful mare, often called 
the Queen of the Turf, has never been beaten 
except by the noble horse whose portrait we 
give above, and until 18G5 Flora may be said to 
have been without a rival. That year Dexter 
trotted on Long Island, under saddle, in 2 min. 
18'| 2 sec, the next year at Buffalo, in 2m. 18sec. 
In 18G7, he trotted against Ethan Allen assisted 
by a running mate, the latter winning the three 
heats, Ethan trotting in 2m. 15sec, 2m. lGsec.,and 
2m.l9sec, and Dexter, unaided, in 2m. 17sec.,2m. 
18sec., and 2m. 21sec. Thus this wonderful horse 
surpassed his best previous time. Alone, Ethan 
never approached Flora's time. After this, the 
same year, Dexter trotted at Boston, in 2m. 
19sec, and subsequently against time at Buffalo, 
winning $1,000, by beating his Boston time. The 
winning of this trot, in which he accomplished 
the mile in 2m. 17'|4 sec, was the occasion of his 
sale to his present owner, Mr. Robert Bonner. 
It is worthy also of notice that the Buffalo track 
was 27 feet over a mile long. The sporting 
public witnessed the retirement of this horse, 
whose unprecedented power and speed gave 
such promise of a brilliant career, with great re- 
gret. In Mr. Bonner's hands he has had the 
best of care, and though horsemen were pre- 
pared to hear of great speed when his powers 
should again be tested, yet the announcement 
of his having trotted a mile in 2 min. 14 sec. 
taxed the credulity of almost every one. How- 
ever, the fact is established by good evidence, 
and his sanguine trainer promises even better 
results before long. This trial of speed was 
made to gratify two well-known turfmen who 
happened to be present while he was trotted by 
his trainer. A running horse was made to join 
him during the astonishing performance, to ex- 
cite his ambiti^i, and induce him to do his best. 
Dexter is a gelding, and was foaled in Orange 
County, N. Y., in 1857 ; his dam is half sister 
to Mr. Bonner's famous gray mare, Peerless, 
and has in her veins some of the choicest Eng- 
lish blood. His sire is Rysdyk's Hambletonian, 
in whom flows the famous Messenger blood. 
His color is brown, and his hight 15 hands l'|j 
inches. He was first trotted at 7 years old, a 
fact which has great significance, and which we 
doubt not will tend to keep colts and fillies of 
tender years off the track, and check at least 
one marked barbarity of the race course. 
Keeping Squashes. 
Every one who grows squashes will have at 
least the Boston Marrow and the Hubbard. 
These may be taken as the types of autumn and 
winter squashes. The Hubbard is only in per- 
fection when it has been kept into late winter 
or early spring, and by proper management the 
Marrow — in some points not excelled by any 
other variety — may have its season veiy much 
prolonged. Mr. Gregory, of Marblehead, Mass., 
well known as an authority on the subject of 
squashes, through his hand-book on the subject, 
(see our book list), directs that the squashes 
should be cut upon the approach of frost, and, 
if possible, have two days' sun to sear the cut 
stems; they are then to be handled as carefully 
as eggs, and each one laid down on a spring 
wagon and taken to winter quarters. The 
squashes are to be kept at a low temperature 
without freezing, and in a dry place. Mr. G. 
gives a plan of the house in which he stores 
his squashes for winter. They are laid upon 
bins arranged one above another, and the house 
is provided with a stove, in which a fire is made 
whenever there is danger of freezing. A dry 
cellar will answer for storing winter squashes, 
if the above named conditions are observed. 
