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p £ W. , i :l a ,, ■ " ■ I T . ! j x j i ! J J , 1 . - r ! I - I ■ 1 HARAS DU QDESNAY STUD ■ » i Reflects Individuality of Former Owner, Late W. K. Vanderbilt. i • n Beauty and Permanency Combined in Its Buildings, Gardens and Spacious Grounds. .** I a i NEW YORK. X. Y.. February 11.— When the late K. Vanderbilt inaugurated anything he put rery bit of his own splendid individuality into it, and 1 is taste waa so matured that anything he undertook was backed by a judgment that was unusually s,,m:!. He was ■ student of men and af-f i is. ami his wide experience, which was refined by periods of travel, gave him ■ strong grasp of any situation. He weighed conditions always before taking action. It was ahmg Ciis policy that his vast business interests were planned, and when he began to play, with the thoroughbred as his chief medium for recreation, be developed his ideas to a state of perfection that compelled the admiration of all who came in contact with him. It was on such a foundation that his great French breeding and racing studs were built, particularly liar. i- da Quesnay, some luu miles from Paris, which recently passed into the hands of A. K. Sfaeomber, the well-know a American turfman, whose chief racing activities are at present confined to Prance, hut whose colors will be carried in this country during the coming season by a score or more of horses, some of them two-year-olds from lis California breeding establishment. Those who have s. n Haras da Qnesnay say it is the last word in the way of a gentlemans estate. It is located in Normandy, and is only about ten miles from the famous watering place Beauville, wloie meltings corresponding to those held at our own Saratoga are a medium for recreation for the French and the rast army of transients who find the Republic more alluring than ever since the war. No m an knew boa to Utc Im tter than the late Mr. Vanderbilt. He admired the best in nature and he was artistic to his finger tips. The superb old chateau, which is Gothic renaiaaanee in type, at da Quesnaj appealed to him. So elid the superb ..Iks* formal gardens and extinelve greanhoaae system, and with the splendid bloodstock roaming the paddocks under his eyes daily he found every sensibility gratified. lie stables at Haras du Quesnny are in keeping wilh the chateau, being built of gray stone and SteeL There are IM great roomy box stalN. opening on a courtyard, which is paved with rough tiles. Five hundred seres are la paddocks em-losed by fences of reinforced concrete. The gates to the~e .re of Steel, reinforced by concrete, and the entire establishment is bounded by an Iran mesh fence between which and the paddock boundaries ten miles of bridle paths are maintained. Permanency seems to have been the watchword when the place was planned and it should endure as long as the oak- from which the estate takes its name. ITS HISTORIC AND STATELY OAKS. These oak le, having been planted some .V h rears ago. la the chateau hang the sheepskins on which the location of each individual tree Is indicated. These great oaks are a living testimonial of the wisdom of the dead and gone- seigneurs who planned the future timber supply of France so well that the fti public waa able to furnish the material for bridges and other military purposes daring the mte war. Waiter is I chief essential in any horse breeding venture. There aw many natural springs of great volume on the estate, and them are as placed that everv paddock and box at Haras du Qucsuay has a supply Of the purest water, which flows by gravity, thus obviating pumping. Bullocks are pastured ahead of the horses in this great French breeding stud in order to keep the land in good glazing condition. Potash, sulphate of iron and other fertilizers are also employed in the santter af soil improvement. There are at present eight v brood mares at Haras du Quesnay, fifty-nine of which are with foal by Maintenon, Seasick. War Cloud and Hollister. The two last-named horses are well known in this country, where they raced with success. Maintenon and Seasiek were fine winners in France for Mr. Vanderbiit. and their blood was well represented at Haras du Quesnay when death robbed the world of one of its be-st sportsmen. Hollister, though well along in years, is as sound as the day he was foaled. He was in the stud last spring, hut returned to the turf in the fall and won three smashing races in suce-ession in the Ma-camber silks. There is an abundance of good material on the Maeomber ranch in California for the coming campaign in this country and they will soon be quartered In the big private stable of their owner at Belmont Park. They are by Star Hawk and Hand Grenade, sons of Sunstar: War Flame, by Prince Palatine; Dodge, by Jim Guffney; Liberty Loan, by Dick Finnell. and other sires of fine blood. . ♦ o
