The Turf, a term signifying horse racing in all its forms, except the few trotting matches which are decided on turnpike roads in England. It was no doubt derived from the level ground and short close greensward of the heaths, downs, and commons upon which races were first run in England. These tracts had never been ploughed from time immemorial. The moist climate and strong soil kept the grass thick; and as the pasturage was free to all the inhabitants of the parish, it was of that close velvety texture upon which the horse likes to extend himself. Horse racing in Britain is of great antiquity, though racing at stated times and places cannot be traced beyond the reign of James I., who gave a Mr. Markham £500 for an Arab horse called the Markham Arabian, which being run against English race horses was easily defeated several times. This horse was believed to be the first pure Arabian imported into England. The consequence was that the old English racehorse and the Turkish horses from the Levant, with barbs from Morocco and Andalusia, were preferred to the Arabians for some time. In the reign of Charles I. a horseman named Place had a white horse which was known, and is still known in the stud books, as Place's White Turk. He had great merit as a stallion.

When the Puritan sects prevailed, horse racing, in common with all other forms of popular amusement, was suppressed. But Cromwell took Place into his service, purchased his White Turk, and did all in his power to improve the breed of English horses. After Charles II. came to the throne, horse racing was revived all over the country. He imported four (or as some accounts say, six) mares from Tangier, and these have ever since been known as the Morocco or royal mares. Some of them enter into nearly all the old pedigrees. In the reign of Charles II. racing was again regularly established at Newmarket, where it has flourished ever since. During the short reign of James II. there is little to be said of the turf. In that of William and Mary it flourished greatly, and the first of the three great patriarchal imported sires became known in England. This was the Byerly Turk, a horse ridden by Capt. Byerly as a charger in William's army after James was expelled from the throne. This horse was first noticed in England in 1689. Where he came from nobody knows; but some of the best race horses and stallions that ever lived came from him.

Jig was his son, and Partner his grandson; and King Herod, a horse to which we have been as much indebted as to Eclipse for the speed and bottom of our race horses for a century, was his descendant at four removes. A large number of Barbary and Turkish horses were also imported, one of the best of which was the Lister or Stradling Turk; and a gray Arabian called Bloody Buttocks, from a red mark on his haunch, was also of much merit. But the greatest of all the importations was in the reign of Queen Anne, when a Yorkshireman named Darley received from his brother in Palestine a bay Arab horse obtained from one of the desert tribes. This horse, afterward called the Darley Arabian, was the second and the greatest of the three sires from which the blood horse of modern times is mainly descended. From him starts the right male line of Eclipse and of Snap, and the King Herod line on the side of his dam. In 1715 the Darley Arabian got Flying Childers, the best horse by long odds that had ever run in England. The Darley Arabian also got Bartlett's Childers, who did not race himself, but was a famous stallion, great-grandsire of Eclipse on the male side, and sire of the Little Hartley mare, whose name appears in the pedigrees of many of the best horses of the present day.

The Darley Arabian also got Snip, the sire of Snap, the latter a sire of such immense merit and enduring influence that he is third to King Herod and Eclipse. The racer was at first a cross-bred horse, composed of the old English breed and Spanish, Barb, Turk, and Arab strains, but improved by good feed and care and development on the turf. The Godolphin Arabian was the third of the three great foreign sires. It is now generally believed that he was a Barb instead of an Arabian. He was foaled about 1704, and sent as a present to Louis XIV. of France by the emperor of Morocco. He was deemed of little value in France, and was purchased by a Mr. Coke, who took him to England and sold him to one Williams, the keeper of a coffee house in London. This man gave him to Lord Godolphin, who bred many famous racers from him. The blood is nearly as much esteemed as that of the Darley Arabian, and perhaps more than that of the Byerly Turk. - It does not appear that any records were kept of the races even at Newmarket before the beginning of the 18th century. No horses ran until they were five years old, and the races were nearly all four miles or a greater distance.

Basto, by the Byerly Turk, one of the very earliest of those whose exploits are recorded, was foaled in 1703. Bay Bolton was foaled in 1705. The first time of his running he won Queen Anne's gold cup at York for six-year-olds, four-mile heats, weights 168 lbs. Bay Bolton beat eight six-year-olds, giving them a year each. He was a successful stallion, and his daughter Gypsy was celebrated as a brood mare. Brocklesby Betty, a chestnut mare by the Curwen Bay Barb out of a little mare by the Lister Turk, was foaled in 1711. Before she was trained she had a foal, but she was the best race horse that appeared in England before Flying Childers. The latter, a chestnut horse with four white legs and a blaze in the face, was foaled in 1715, and was got by the Darley Arabian out of Betty Leedes. Flying Childers had immense speed and thorough bottom. He did not run much, for after he had shown his powers no one would start a horse against him. On one occasion, it is said, he ran over the Beacon course, 4 m. 1 fur. 138 yds., in 7 min. 30 sec. His stride was 25 ft. With his rider in the saddle, he leaped 30 ft. on level ground. He was a horse of fair size, and so was his brother Bartlett's Childers. After their time the thoroughbred horse increased much in height and length.

Still some of the best and most enduring of that age were mere ponies. Gimcrack and Little Driver were only about 14 hands high. King Herod, a horse of fine size and power, was bred by the duke of Cumberland in 1758, and sold to Sir John Moore. He came in the male line of the Byerly Turk through Tartar, Partner, and Jig, and on the side of his dam he had two crosses of the Darley Arabian, one through Flying Childers and one through a daughter of the Arabian. King Herod had great speed and bottom. There have been better race horses, while it is agreed that there has been no better stallion. Between the time of Flying Childers and Eclipse 50 years elapsed, and many famous horses were produced, including Snap as well as King Herod. The former was son of Snip, whose sire was Flying Childers; and it is through the daughters of Snap and the progeny of King Herod that we have so much of the invaluable blood of that famous horse at the present day. In 1704 another colt was bred by the duke of Cumberland, which proved a greater runner than any of its predecessors, and a larger horse.

He was foaled during the great eclipse of the sun, and was called Eclipse. His sire, Marske, was a brown horse coming in the male line from the Darley Arabian through Bartlett's Childers; and his dam, Spiletta, was a granddaughter of the Godolphin Barb. Eclipse was the biggest, strongest, and greatest race horse that had ever run in England. He was 16 hands 2 in. high at the withers, one inch more at the croup, and his length was enormous. No such horse had ever been seen before. His temper was resolute and defiant. There was great trouble in breaking and riding him. No jockey ever dared strike him with the whip or prick him with the spur. He won eleven king's plates, most of them four-mile heats, weights 168 lbs. He double distanced a large field of good horses when his backer for a heavy bet undertook to place them. He was never defeated, and never paid a forfeit. Next to him the two best horses of his time were Goldfinder, son of Snap, and Shark, another son of Marske. The latter got big horses. Shark was himself 16 hands high, and was a great runner.

He was afterward taken to the United States. In the 50 years between Flying Childers and Eclipse the race horse had increased about a hand in height, and when the latter retired from the turf in 1770, the thoroughbred, as a permanent and the most valuable variety of the horse, was established. There were now at the stud King Herod, Eclipse, and Snap, and from these three our best modern race horses are mostly descended. It would be difficult to find a race horse that has not the blood of two of them, and most of the best in England, America, and France take descent from all three. - When Eclipse retired, a great change in the management of the race horse was imminent. Up to that time few had run before they were five years old. Lord Grosvenor bred Pot-8-os from Eclipse and Sportsmistress in 1773. He ran him at three years old, and the colt won. At four he was beaten; but after he was five he never suffered defeat. He won over the Beacon course 20 times with high weights, and was the best son of Eclipse, though the latter had other sons of wonderful merit, such as King Fergus, Joe Andrews, Mercury, Dungannon, and Saltram. The whip, a challenge trophy still run for over the Beacon course, 140 lbs., and for 200 guineas, play or pay, whenever challenged for, had been established.

Bay Maltonhad won it and held it. So had Mambrino, but he paid Shark 100 guineas to be allowed to keep it. In 1781 Lord Grosvenor challenged for it, and named Pot-8-os. It was delivered over. While Eclipse rejoiced in Pot-8-os, King Herod enjoyed equal glory through the wonderful success of his son Highflyer, foaled in 1784. He was bred by Sir Charles Bunbury, and sold to Lord Bolingbroke, and afterward to old Tattersall, the founder of the fortunes of that family. To Highflyer it is indebted for wealth and renown. His dam was Rachel, by Blank, son of the Godolphin Barb and the Little Hartley mare; and on the female side Rachel was a granddaughter of Regulus, son of the Godolphin Barb. Thus Rachel brought two crosses of the Godolphin Barb and one of the Darley Arabian to the cover of King Herod, who had himself two crosses of the Darley Arabian and one of the Byerly Turk. Highflyer ran at three years old. • He won several times over the Beacon course, besides races at other places than Newmarket. He was never beaten, and never paid a forfeit.

A hot discussion soon arose as to whether the descendants of King Herod or those of Eclipse were the best, and this lasted even after Hambletonian, grandson of Eclipse, beat Diamond, grandson of King Herod, in the great match over the Beacon course, by half a neck. The Diamond men wanted to run it again, but Sir Harry Yane Tempest would not consent, and Hambletonian never ran another race. The betting on this race was enormous. The war between the partisans of Eclipse and King Herod now waxed furious. The wise and impartial, however, determined to avail themselves of the blood of both these famous horses. Then began that curious and intricate crossing between the produce of King Herod and Eclipse and the daughters of Snap, which has ever since produced the horses of highest type in England, Ireland, America, and France. King Herod covered Lisette by Snap, and got Maria. This latter was bred to Pot-8-os, and the produce was Sir F. Poole's Waxy, a beautiful bay horse with one eye, great as a racer, and upon the whole greater than Highflyer himself as a sire. His favorite mate was Penelope by Trumpator. She was out of Prunella by Highflyer, and Prunella's dam was Promise, by Snap, the dam of Promise being a mare by Blank, son of the Godolphin and the Little Hartley mare.

Whoever would understand what the turf means must acquire some knowledge of the true origin of the best families of the blood horse. Penelope had the Darley Arabian blood through Snap, grandson of Flying Childers, and through the Little Hartley mare, daughter of Bartlett's Childers. She also had two crosses of it through King Herod, and one more through Rachel by Blank, dam of Highflyer. She had the blood of the Godolphin Barb twice through his son Blank, and once through his son Regulus; and she had the blood of both these horses once more through her sire Trumpator. She had besides the blood of the Byerly Turk through King Herod once and through the dam of Trumpator once. Now, being put to Waxy, son of Pot-8-os by Eclipse and Maria, by King Herod, out of Lisette by Snap, Penelope produced for the duke of Grafton in six successive years, beginning with 1807, Whalebone, Web, Woful, Wilful, Wire, and Whisker. All these were great race horses, winners at fourmile heats with heavy weights. Whalebone, Woful, and Whisker were great stallions. Web and Wire were famous brood mares. The latter, after winning many races for the duke of Grafton in England, was sold by him to Mr. Bruen for 4,000 guineas.

He took her to Ireland, where she won, the first season, the lord lieutenant's plate, four-mile heats on the Curragh of Kildare, 4,000 guineas in stakes, and 20,000 guineas in bets. From that time the Irish turfmen got hold of all the Waxy and Pot8-os blood they could secure. They bought Waxy Pope, who was by Pot-8-os out of Prunella, and being unable to purchase either Whalebone or Whisker, they eagerly seized upon their best sons, Sir Hercules and Economist. The former got Irish Birdcatcher and Faugh-a-Ballagh, whose son Leamington is now highly prized here. Economist got Harkaway, and also the dam of the Baron, by Irish Birdcatcher. The Baron, thus in-bred to the brothers Whalebone and Whisker, struck the blood of their sister Web in Pocahontas by Glencoe, and from her produced Stockwell and Rataplan, two of the best horses that ever lived. This brings that line to our time, for Rataplan's daughter Mandragora is still producing, and is the best brood mare in the world. Her dam was Manganese, daughter of Irish Birdcatcher, Rataplan's grandsire.

Mandragora belonged at the time of his death to the late Rev. Mr. King, vicar of Launde, for whom she bred Apology, winner of the Oaks and St. Leger in 1874. One other great line in which the blood of King Herod, Eclipse, and Snap is mingled, should be mentioned. Highflyer's best son was Sir Peter Teazle, whose dam was Papillon by Snap. Sir Peter, a splendid race horse, a great four-mile-heat winner, and a stallion whose excellence was only surpassed by that of Waxy, was owned by the earl of Derby. Papillon had the blood of both the Childerses, she had that of the Godolphin Barb, and also of the dam of the two True Blues, which mare was by the Byerly Turk. Out of Arethusa by Dungannon, son of Eclipse, Sir Peter Teazle got Walton in 1798, and Williamson's Ditto in 1799. From Walton and Parasol, by Pot-8-os, came Partisan, sire of Venison. The latter got Kingston, whose grandsons Kingfisher and Glenelg are among our young stallions in the United States. Partisan was also sire of Gladiator. Gladiator was sire of Queen Mary, dam of Balrownie, Bonnie Scotland, Blink Bonny, Caller Ou, etc.

He was also sire of Miss Gladiator, dam of the great French race horse Gladiateur. Web, by Waxy, was grandam of Glencoe, the best horse that ever came to America. Being bred to Tramp, a horse closely descended from Eclipse in the male line, and from King Herod in the female line, Web produced Trampoline.

Trampoline was bred to Sultan, a horse taking from Eclipse, King Herod, and Snap in several different lines, and she produced Glencoe. Glencoe was third in the Derby. He won the Goodwood cup and other races when three years old. When he was four, Lord Jersey challenged for the Whip and named him. But though he was only a colt and it was even weights, 140 lbs., Beacon course, nobody would run against him, and it was delivered over. Glencoe was foaled in 1831, at a time when the mischievous influences which have since affected the English turf and jeoparded the excellence of the blood horse had not obtained great sway. The running of two-year-olds, though common enough, was not the rule as it is now. The system of handicapping, by which in theory the worst horse in a race is put upon a level with the best and all the rest, through different weights, had then hardly begun. It has since attained huge dimensions, and there are now run in England at least ten times as many handicaps, generally over short distances, as of all other races put together. It is believed that this system, with its multitude of short dash races, has had a pernicious effect on the throughbred horse in respect of stamina.

Handicapping afforded a chance for a middling horse to win much more money than the best of his time could, especially if the latter did not attain to his greatest excellence until he was four years old. It secured very large entries and big fields, and enabled professional betting.men to extend their operations vastly. - Up to the time when Glencoe was on the turf, there were a great many local country meetings in various parts of England, especially in the midland counties, where fox hunting was most delighted in. At these races there were no very large prizes to bring the great horses from Newmarket, Epsom, and Yorkshire, and there were no railroads to afford them ready conveyance. The consequence was that the running horses were mostly those bred and kept in the neighborhood, and as a rule they were fast, stout, and honest horses. Many of the races were heats. The courses were chiefly staked out upon heaths, which were partly overgrown with gorse. There were no stands. The ladies viewed the races from carriages drawn up outside the foot people, who stood along the cords which roped in the home stretch. There were always a great number of mounted men.

So popular were these gatherings that all the neighboring gentry, yeomen, farmers, and tradespeople made it a point to attend with their families. The country meetings have nearly all ceased, and few farmers now breed the blood horses which formerly ran at them. The great three-yearold race of England is the Derby, which was founded in 1780, and first won by Sir Charles Bunbury's Diomed, who was imported to the United States. He was the sire of Sir Archy here, first American ancestor in the male line of Timoleon, Boston, Lexington, and Monarchist. The Derby, a mile and a half, is run on Epsom downs, generally in the latter part of May. The Oaks, also a mile and a half, and run for at the same meeting, is for fillies only. It was founded the year before the Derby, and was first won by Bridget, daughter of King Herod. The Derby was called after the earl of Derby. The Oaks was named after a country seat in the neighborhood belonging to Gen. Burgoyne. The third of the great three-yearold races is the St. Leger, a mile and three quarters, run for at Doncaster in autumn. It was founded in 1778 and named after Col. St. Leger. Hollandoise, a mare by Matchem out of Virago by Snap, was the first winner. It was then two miles.

Prior to the Derby and the Oaks, the Two Thousand Guineas and the One Thousand Guineas are run for at Newmarket. They are each a mile. The former is for three-year-olds and the latter for three-yearold fillies. Besides these there are sweepstakes for three-year-olds called Derbys at other places. The great cup races are at Ascot, Goodwood, and Doncaster. These are two miles and a half, weight for age, but winners of the Derby and Oaks are penalized, and at Goodwood there are so many penalties for winning horses, and allowances for poor ones, that it is practically a handicap. The fields are small for the cups, for many people do not know what to do with a grand classical trophy of silver, about three feet high, even if they could win it. The royal plates are still run for. They are now commonly from two to three miles, and very few enter. The other cup races are mostly handicaps. The handicap races, from the Great Metropolitan, Goodwood stakes, Cesarewitch, Chester cup, etc, which are all two miles or more, range down to half a mile, and there are immense numbers of them. Those which are only a mile or less than a mile vastly outnumber those in excess of it.

Over 2,000 race horses ran in England in 1875. - The thoroughbred horse of England and America is practioally identical in breed, and in all probability there is no difference in quality where the treatment while young and the training and riding are the same. The noted training families, such as the Dawsons and Days, have been at it in England for about a century, and son succeeds father in the profession. The most successful breeder in America, for the number of mares he has kept, is John M. Clay of Kentucky, and he was always noted as the most generous and careful of feeders. He had much success with Magnolia and Topaz, daughters of Glencoe, and with Balloon, daughter of Yorkshire, and he preferred Lexington to all other stallions. His father, the great Henry Clay, established him as a breeder in some sort by making him a present of imported Yorkshire, a very fine race horse and excellent stallion. Nothing in this country ever surpassed the cross between Lexington and the daughters of Glencoe. It produced Kentucky, Norfolk, and Asteroid, all in one year; and more recently it was represented by Monarchist, a magnificent race horse. In the male line Glencoe is now represented here chiefly by Virgil, son of Vandal. But upon his daughters his towering fame chiefly rests.

The progeny of his English daughter, Pocahontas, are numbered by hundreds, perhaps thousands, and their fame is world-wide. The greatest breeding establishments in this country are those of Mr. Alexander and Mr. Sanford in Kentucky. At the latter there are 5 stallions and 75 brood mares. Mr. Grinstead and Mr. McGrath are also eminent breeders in Kentucky. Capt. Cottrell of Mobile breeds largely. Near New York there are the large and well appointed breeding establishments of Mr. Belmont, Mr. Cameron, Mr. Withers, Mr. Welch, Mr. P. Lorillard, Col. McDaniels, and Mr. Morris. At the great establishments the produce are mostly sold when yearlings. Mr. Backman, Mr. Robert Bonner, Col. Russell of Boston, and many other gentlemen breed trotting horses. - The race courses of England are all greensward, and few of them are quite flat. In this country they are of dirt and generally flat. The usual shape is two straight parallel stretches of a quarter of a mile each, with curves at the ends a quarter of a mile in radius. Some are faster than others, a condition largely depending upon the soil; loam is the best. When dry and moderately hard on the surface, with a damp subsoil, the track is fast.

The harder the track, the faster it is, provided it is not hard enough to make the horse sore and unwilling to extend himself. A soft track to train on and a hard one to run or trot on conduces to speed. Sand is slow. The Saratoga course is the fastest in the country, and that of Jerome Park, New York, is one of the slowest. The best fourmile performances have been by Lexington, 7 min. 19¾ sec, at New Orleans; Lecompte, 7 min. 2 sec, at the same place; Idlewild, daughter of Lexington, 7 min. 26¼ sec, at Centreville course, Long Island, with 14 lbs. more weight than her sire and Lecompte carried; Fellowcraft, son of Australian and Idlewild's sister, 7 min. 19½ sec, at Saratoga; and Wildidle, son of Australian and Idlewild, 7 min. 25½ sec, at San Francisco. Among the best horses of the last 15 years have been Lightning, Daniel Boone, Planet, Albino, Idlewild, Jerome Edgar, Blackbird, Thunder, Norfolk, Kentucky, Asteroid, Harry of the West, Longfellow, Kingfisher, Harry Bassett, Monarchist, True Blue, Tom Bowling, Wanderer, Springbok, Preakness, and Foster. The last two are very tough veterans. They are both by Lexington, both out of daughters of Yorkshire, and their grandams were both imported mares.

Out of those mentioned 15 were got by Lexington, who died in 1875. As a stallion his value was enormous, and he succeeded best with mares having much English blood, such as the daughters of Glencoe, Yorkshire, Albion, Leviathan, etc - Steeple-Chasing. About 1830 annual steeple chases were organized in the vale of Aylesbury and at St. Albans. The distance was commonly four miles as the crow flies. The men might get to the goal any way they could, provided their horses brought in their proper weight, and that they never went a hundred yards at one time along any road, lane, or highway, nor opened any gate or wicket. The courses were nearly straight, but a rider might diverge within certain limits marked by flags. Few could see the steeple chase from end to end. At that time the vale of Aylesbury was chiefly rich pasture land. The sod was old, and very tough in winter and early spring, the season for the steeple chases. There were no stone walls, and very few post-and-rail fences. The fields were enclosed by ditches and double hedges, called bullfinches and ox fences, because capable of confining oxen in their pasture.

The hedges were chiefly composed of the hawthorn, blackthorn, and crab apple, together with wild roses and a great variety of briers. "When in leaf such a fence could not be seen through, but in winter the young growth of the top, though wide, was neither very thick nor interlaced. No horse could go through such a fence without jumping more than breast high, and no horse that ever lived could clear the bullfinches by going clean over them. But good horses and resolute men could clear the old, stubborn part of the hedges, and go through the top-hamper bodily. The ditches were no impediment. The horse rising to the leap did so before he neared the ditch on the taking-off side, and if he got through the hedge he was pretty sure to clear the ditch on the far side. But the vale was intersected by wide and deep brooks. The natural brook flowing through a meadow and nearly full to its bare banks is much more formidable to the steeple chaser than the artificial brook with a fence on the taking-off side. Horses will, jump a fence and brook readily enough, though they may know by experience that the water is beyond the fence; but many will refuse at naked water, especially when it glistens in the sunshine. The weights at Aylesbury, St. Albans, and other places were at first 168 lbs.

It was the custom to choose a stiff four miles for the chase, that is, a line in which the fences were difficult, and the brooks wide and deep. Handicapping was introduced, to stop the further winning of two famous horses, Lottery and Gaylad, who took all the best prizes for several years. It was begun at Newport-Pagnell, but Lottery won with 180 lbs., and Gaylad was second. As soon as the handicap system was established, reports became rife about pullings. The steeple-chase course was mostly out of sight of the stewards, and a rider could pull his horse without fear of being detected. This, in part, brought about the modern system of round courses, over which the horses generally go twice and are in sight nearly all the way. So popular was steeplechasing that those who could provide the land and construct the fences and stands were well repaid by fees and rentals when the spectators had a chance to see the chase. But the fences and brooks were artificial, and much less difficult than those of the real cross-country lines. The consequence was that a slighter and lighter sort of horse was trained to the business. The most famous of the old steeple-chasers ranged from about three quarters or seven eighths blood to quite thoroughbred.

A large number of steeple-chase courses now exist in England, but not one of the old straight lines across the country is used. The chief of all is the Grand National Liverpool steeple chase. The course is about four miles and a half. The fences are fair. Beecher's brook (so called from Capt. Beecher, a noted steeple-chase rider) is 18 ft. wide, with a fence on the taking-off side from 3 ft. 8 in. to 4 ft. high. Most of the artificial water jumps in England are from 14 to 18 ft. wide. The weights range from about 175 lbs. to 140 lbs., and neither the high weights nor the low weights often win. The good steeplechaser always takes his jumps in stride, and rushes at them rather than pauses. Chandler jumped 39 ft. over water, and 34 ft. has been cleared over hurdles. Steeple-chasing is very popular in Ireland, and the Irish horses have a cat-like aptitude for jumping. There were in England and Ireland, in the season commencing late in the autumn of 1874 and ending in the early summer of 1875, about 400 steeple chases, exclusive of those for only trifling stakes. During the same time the hurdle races were more numerous. In these the race is run over the flat course, but with hurdles about 4 ft. 8 in. high, placed an eighth of a mile apart.

The thoroughbred steeple-chaser is entered at hurdles first, and if he turns out to be a good, bold jumper, is practised at hedges, rails, etc, and last of all at water jumps. The steeple chases in this country are too confined and twist about too much to give either horses or riders a good chance. The jumps, such as they are, come too frequently. Half the number would be better. - Trotting. This is almost wholly confined to the United States and Canada. It consists of races in which the horses are required to trot, and if they break into a gallop the riders or drivers are commanded by the rules to pull them to a trot as soon as possible. Yet considerable running is done sometimes. Nowhere else has the trotting horse attained anything like the speed which has been displayed in America. Nothing has been systematically done for the trotter in Europe, except in Russia, where Count Orloff established a breed which still has fine action and a good deal of speed. The old roadster could not go faster than a rate of about 12 m. an hour, but he could go a long way. The modern, high-bred and highly educated trotter is capable of going a mile at the rate of 25 m. an hour, and better. The great factor in the improvement of the trotter has been the trotting turf.

The trotter, like the thoroughbred of early times, was a cross-bred horse, and his development here and in Canada began very early in the history of the colonies. The people of the northern states and of Canada were led to prefer driving to riding. The roads in summer and autumn were comparatively good. In winter the deep snows made sleighing rapid and easy, and a man who would have been frozen on horseback could travel comfortably in a sleigh. In the southern states the case was different. Maryland, Virginia, and the Carolinas produced blood horses, but no trotters. The fact that the early home of the fast trotter was the northern states and Canada shows that his excellence is the result of long use, and the inclination for that gait is now become partly hereditary. When the people of New York, New England, and Canada were driving rapidly and merrily to the music of the sleigh bells, and their horses were compelled to bend the knee to get over the snow among the pines, they were creating the possibility of future Flora Temples and Dexters. The best mares were selected to breed from, and the best stallion in the neighborhood was chosen for them.

Races for small sums were made upon the road or upon the ice, and finally trotting tracks were established at such places as Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. Some of the best trotting mares were bred to the sons and grandsons of imported Messenger, and the strains of other blood horses in this country and Canada were also infused. The Arabian horse also entered into the composition of the trotter. The form best adapted for speed in horses was thus approached, and the nervous organization and clear wind which enable the horse to stay over a long distance of ground were acquired. Upon the nervous organization depends the great difference often found to exist between horses equally well bred and apparently equally well shaped. In the early days of the trotting turf most of the races were under the saddle. There were also many of two-, three-, and four-mile heats. After some time races in harness became more frequent, and those of three- and four-mile heats less so. The sulkies and skeleton wagons employed in the races were improved in construction and made lighter and truer. The tracks were laid out upon proper principles, and better cared for.

The horses, regularly trained, and with the improved vehicles and tracks, displayed more and more speed, until Flora Temple finally beat 2 min. 20 sec. in harness. Even after that time races of two-mile heats and wagon races were common; but they have now almost wholly ceased. Associations make all the races mile heats, three in five, in harness. About the last of the great twomile-heat races and wagon races were those in which Dexter defeated Lady Thorn in 1866. It is to be regretted that all the trotting races should now be of one pattern. People have largely lost sight of the main things involved in the issue of a race, and care only for time by the watch, which is in truth the least important element in the matter. Some horses have beaten the best time made by other horses with whom they would have stood very little chance in a race together. The time test does more than justice to the horse tried by it, and less than justice to the horses of past years. All the improvements' in tracks, vehicles, and mode of handling go to the aid of the latest comer. There is hardly a track in the country now so slow as that of Buffalo was when Dexter made his best recorded time, or so slow as the Fashion course was when he made his faster actual time.

The new courses are very much faster, though they are of the right length measured three feet from the pole. The best recorded time for a mile in harness is now 2 min. 14 sec. made in a trial for time by Goldsmith Maid, in which she had no opponent. The fast trotter is not usually as tall as the running race horse, and many of the best have been rather under-sized. Flora Temple was not much more than 14 hands high; Ethan Allen is not 15; Goldsmith Maid is 15 and half an inch; Dexter is 15 and an inch. But George M. Patchen and Lady Thorn were 16 hands high, and Gloster, a famous fast horse that died in 1874 at San Francisco, was nearly 17 hands high. The Orloff trotter of Russia was a cross-bred horse when Count Orloff first exhibited him. It is believed to be now established as a breed, measurably capable of reproducing without reverting to the peculiar points of the original ancestors. The count at first made use of Arabian horses and of mares from Norway and Holland. The trotting habit was no doubt inherited from the mares, and improved by training. Afterward another Arab cross was employed, and one with the English thoroughbred horse.

The speed of some of the Orloff trotters is good, and from their pictures they must possess a large amount of good blood.