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BREEDING EXPERIMENT MEETS SUCCESS. F. K. Sturgi:; Highly Elated Over Report on Mares Placed by Jockey Club Throughout State. New York, May 22. — There is no teener student of horse breeding, particularly that branch of the industry which has to do with the production of remounts for the cavalry arm of the servtee, than F. K. Sturgis, who, as chairman of the Breeding P.ureau of the Jockey Club, speaks with particular ■nth rity on the work of that organization in the Empire State, win re stallions of bleed have for many years teen at the service of breeders at a nominal slut! fee. Mr. Sturgis has just received a report SO the mares which had been placed by the Jockey Club with members of tta Cenessee Valley Farmers ami Morse Breeders Association lasi season, ami he was parti. -ill. Uly entliudastic to find that eighteen out of twenty-four mares mated with the breeding bureau sires in the vicinity of Avon, Mount Morris and Genessee had proved with foal. There were scores of ithers mares bred, but tTie report concerned only those which hail been sent to the Breeders Association a twelve-month ago. "The percentage is : eyond the average." said Mr. Slurgis. "and we are greatly encouraged at the success which has attended our venture at its inception. It was our original intention to place only sires in communities which would appreciate [he oppcrtuniti- to improve the ssatHty of their gin-eral purpose horses, but the results obtained by our SJ swat to Mrs. Wadsworths appeal for the distribution of mares among the members of her association are so heartening that as fast as we can secur. females of a desirable type either by pur -base or iloiintit.li, they will be distributed ill the Geneasee Valley ami ether fterattans abate the right sort of to operative spirit is found. Mother Must Be Well Cared for. The fact that the custodially of these mares have the privilege of working them ami that the foals are their property outright is appealing. All that we expect is that the mother be well cared lor. It is stipulated that they shall be mated with sires of the Breeding Bureau exclusively. There is a lesson for every farmer and horse breeder in the United Slates in the fact that these mares, many of which had not been regular proiTiieers. and others which were bred for the first time, should have averaged so high in fertility. It indicates the souadmss of the theory that broodmares are better at work than running idle in pastures. "When the Jockey Club inaugurated its Breeding Bureau." continued Mr. Sturgis, "prizes of 0 wen offered in the various counties for the best foal by a Breeding Bureau sire. This was done with a view to stimulating interest in the breeding of a type of horse that would be available for any purpose — it being understood the world over that the thoroughbred makes a model top-cross for any family, whether harness, saddle or draught. These competitions have been held under the auspices of the country or agricultural fairs, and considerable rivalry was developed. Interest has been still further increased by our yearling prize of 00, which will be an annual feature of the New York State Fair at Syracuse, where the cream of the young half-breeds in this state met in competition last September for the first time. 00 Premium for Best Two-Tear-Old. "With a view to still further encouraging breeders, we have collaborated with the Rochester Horse Show in the offering of a 00 premium for the best two-year-old by a Breeding Bureau sire. The Jockey Club and Horse Show will each contribute 50, and we look for a competition that should convince the most skeptical of the merits of the thoroughbred as a sire. Those who attended the Syracuse State Fair aud the Livingston County Horse Show at Avou last fall, say that the yearling dis play was particularly strong at both places. It will lie interesting to note the development in type during the year. These yearlings were out of three-quarter brad, half bred, standard bred, grade Pcriheron anil other heavy draft marcs, and still others were from dams of coaching and saddle breeds. "We are making friends daily," resumed Mr. Sturgis, "several mares having been promised the association, while Oakley Thome of Milbrook. Duchess county, has donated the services of his splendid French horse Angel Jim, foaled in 1908 and recently imported to the Initetl States. This horse, which stands 10.1 hands, is by Tartpiin — Indiana. He will !»■ placed nt the famous Rhinebeck estate of L. Gordon Hnmmentley in Dutchess county. This is tha country of the Milbrook Hunt and the Hudson River ami other stock farms where trotters have liecn bred, ami there should te many desirable hunting and standard -bred mares in that community. "It is gratifying to note a greater degree of co-operation among organizations having to do with the improvement of the horse. The newly incorporated Horse Show Federation should lie a power in this respect. The Horse Show offers a medium for the illustration of type, and as such it is essentially educational. Realizing this, our yearling competition at Syracuse next September, will l e under the auspices of the Horse Show instead of the Fair Association. "There always has been a patriotic appeal," said Mr. Sturgis in conclusion, "in the breeding of good horses. They serve a useful purpose in time of |eace, but when war threatens, a supply of cavalry-ami artillery horses is of paramount importance. The BBSnhet of desirable mares in this anil other states of the Union has liecn depleted by foreign purchases, but breeders sbenU see to it that those which remain are given an opportunity to reproduce themselves."
