Identifier: reportofcommissi00inunit (find matches)
Title: Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture for the year 1863
Year: 1864 (1860s)
Authors: United States. Dept. of Agriculture Newton, Isaac, 1800-1867
Subjects: Agriculture Agriculture
Publisher: Washington : G.P.O.
Contributing Library: Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection
Digitizing Sponsor: The Institute of Museum and Library Services through an Indiana State Library LSTA Grant

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ially necessary totheir success and prosperity, became to them an object of great attention and(I had almost said) affection. Just, humane, and generous, this rural peopletreated this trusty and faithful domestic with a degree of consideration seldombestowed upon any of the brute creation. Their superior intelligence restrainedthem from that ardent affection, approaching to adoration, which the wild Arabof the desert is said to entertain for his courser; and, though the horse was notan inmate of the same apartment that sheltered his wife and children, as weare told is sometimes the case with the Bedouin Arab, he was provided withcomfortable quarters, at no great distance from his master, and partook gener-ously of the cereal grain and nutritious grasses which his own strength andlabor contributed so materially to produce. Being thus well fed, protected from the cold and inclemency of the weatherwhen not actually in service, and never overworked or abused, this horse, under PlATl XXIV.
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15 A THE CONESTOGA HORSE. 177 this kind treatment, attained to the full development of his natural powers, andarrived at a degree of beauty and perfection seldom found in any other country.and much surpassing the original stock. The deep interest with which the far-mers of this region regarded this noble animal, naturally stimulated a desire toimprove the stock and to bring him to a still greater degree of perfectionThis was not attempted by any scientific system of breeding; for this frugal~eople, always having an eye to economy and utility, kept neither males noiemales for the exclusive purpose of breeding. Sometimes a stud horse wasabsolved from labor during the two last months of spring and the first ofthe summer season ; but at the expiration of that term he was put to the har-ness again and compelled to do his share of the labor which the interest of hisproprietor required. So with the mare; she was generally worked until withina few weeks of foaling; and instances are not unfre

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