A Heritage of Line-Breeding News & Views from Canada By Cecil Taylor, Brampton, Ontario The Hunter's Horn June, 1968 Page Sixty-one & Eighty-two "In looking over the many ads in the April Horn, I was quite surprised to note so many hounds reaching back on the top line to such hounds as Big Jester, Wildwood Jo Jo and others which made their name 20 or more years ago.  What is going on, Mr. Taylor?  This thing of crossing back...could this be said to be a reaction against the excitable, unstable, less oriented hound of today? "Another thing, no one can tell me, or show me direction, as to the many better lines leading back to the origin of the Walker hound.  This hound, Tennessee Lead...how far back is he?  Did he mean much to the Walkers?" Thus wrote S.G.N. of Rhode Island, hoping that his name will not be disclosed.  Boy, oh boy, what a poser coming from you sir, away down there (and how nice it must be there at this season of the year).  Now your inquiry admits much background to be reviewed.  However there is no book of pedigrees showing the different lines leading back to the original hounds.  Had we had such pedigree extensions as we have today in The Horn, how easily indeed it could be to look back into any avenue of Walker hound breeding. Let me tell you, however, that we owe a great debt to those who did keep records,and to those who made an effort to "keep registered" the many crosses they made.   The more I look back into the history of the Walker strain hound, the more I am filled with amazement and appreciation toward those fine men who, together, gave us our respective strains known today. One often hears that "there is so much inbreeding" within the many families of this great strain, and other such unfounded machinations concerning it.  This is far from true.  This from me, who has run these many pedigrees back to the foundations.  Of course, there are one or two cases of inbreeding which added to the line being fostered...but some of the finest line-breeding crosses one could hope for, even with today's enlightened knowledge. It isn't difficult to find the family line from which your hound sprung, and we owe a great debt of gratitude to the publishers of The Horn for continuing the "extended pedigree" delineations we can review each month. Of course, only the number of generations which have been paid for by the owner of the hound can be included; but then, I have wondered if the space taken actually pays for its publication.  How lucky we are, indeed! As you say you are a student of hound breeding, then you should avail yourself of several incursions into the many informative avenues of the different stud books.  It will incur the extensions of several pedigrees of those hounds which made a great name--or you could say, around which the masses of hounds are centered.  This invites a study of the male line, and in thoroughbred horse parlance we follow the breeding of the top or the "en taille male" line. Now three outstanding sires which were pillars of the early Walkers, were (1) old Scott whelped in 1881 and bred by Joe Maupin.  He was sired by Green's Mack (Lead ex Kate) and was out of Alex Maupin's Fanny (Richardson's Tickler ex Gooch's Ida II).  Then his half brother (2) Col. Caperton's Calvin (Green's Mack ex Laura by Imp. Bully) whelped around 1880.  Then finally, (3) Old Raider (by Gentry's Raider ex Kit) whelped around the same time. The extended pedigree of old Scott is a picture of studied line-breeding knitting closely the blood of Tennessee Lead with that of Imported Marth (the English bitch) through her get by the English Buckleuch hound.  It shows five or six cross of Tennessee Lead, and five crosses directly from the English mating; and Gooch's Ida II was granddaughter of  the greatest running hound of his time, Spotted Top.  Bred by Mr. Gooch in 1864, he was by Maupin's Couchman (a grandson of the imported English hound, Rifle, and Maryland White Tickler whelped in 1848). Ida was a granddaughter of Old Ida, a direct daughter of Tennessee Lead.  Spotted Top contributed one cross of Tennessee Lead through his granddam Aggie, a daughter.  The other bitches involved were outstanding, proven, hard running bitches, we are told who well earned their reputations. Reading of their many hard and contested hunts, I am filled with admiration for the old American breeders who bred to a high standard in the field while driving a fox.   Anything less was immediately liquidated.  There was no guess-work--nor  were there any field trials or bench shows at that time to sway their better judgements.  A hound's performance ws the only criterion by which it became know, and if outstanding, it was bred to---notwithstanding the difficulties involved. The next great hound on the horizon was Killis Deatherage's Joe White (by Walker's Scrape, a grandson of Old Scott, and Rambler, an inbred son of Caperton's Calvin.   He was out of Deatherage's old Shinny, a granddaughter of Cavanaugh's old Bill and Caperton's Calvin).  This great hound proved his worth as a sire of outstanding females, which, in many cases, bred offspring as good or greater than themselves. Now let us take the next outstanding three notable sires, namely Hub Dawson, Big Stride and old Lee. (Let me say that Cable, an outstanding sire, is represented by his most noted son, Big Stride). Hub Dawson, whelped 1910, was by Sport ex Fan Parrish; Sport was by Jack Britton by Scrape by Troop by old Scott.  Let me give you old Scott's top line...by Mack by Lead by Arp by Ball by Dud out of Belle by Tennessee Lead.  The dam of Sport was Fan White by Joe White by Scrape by Troop by old Scott. Fan Parrish, the dam of Hub Dawson, was by Scott Parkes by Bennett by Bake by Red Sam by old Scott; China, the dam of Fan Parrish, was by Arp by Black Joe by Bake by Red Sam by old Scott. The great Alex was litter of Hub Dawson. Let us take old Lee whelped 1906...he was by Blind Riley by Hardy by Squealer by Old Raider by Raider by Tickler by Jess by Ratler by Truce;  his dam Ted, was by Arp by Black Joe by Bake by Red Sam by old Scott; and Minnie Dykes, dam of Ted, was by Joe White by Scrape by Troop by old Scott.  Ted brought in two crosses of old Scott, and five crosses of Caperton's Calvin. Finally we come to the noted Big Stride, whelped 1916, by Cable ex Sprite by Alex.  Cable was by Rope by White Scott by Ch. Big Strive by the English hound, Imp. Striver; Rope was also a grandson of Joe White; Skip, dam of Cable was by Joe White.  Sprite was by Alex by Sport by Jack Britton by Scrape by Troop by old Scott; she was out of Creek by Ch. Calvin (F) by Young Hustler by Cliff by Hustler by Old Raider out of Rachel by old Scott.  Creek's dam was by Joe White.  China, maternal granddaughter of White Scott by Ch. Big Strive by the English hound, Imp. Striver; Rope was also a grandson of Joe White; Skip, dam of Cable was by Joe White.   Sprite was by Alex by Sport by Jack Britton by Scrape by Troop by old Scott; she was out of Creek by Ch. Calvin (F) by Young Hustler by Cliff by Hustler by Old Raider out of Rachel by old Scott.  Creek's dam was by Joe White.  China, maternal granddaughter of White Scott by Ch. Big Strive (B) by the English import, Striver. Now getting to the modern crosses of which my inquirer comments:  We find Grey Fly S. by Ch. Master Jim by Ch. Master Jo (F) by Wildwood Jo Jo by Ray Raider by Raider Dawson by Hub Dawson by Old Hub Dawson.  Joshua Flowers by Sam Flowers by Coy Flowers by Billie Bristol by Flying Cloud by Sampson by Scott by Hub Dawson; Dr. Pepper Martin by Dr. Fred Long by Sigman Dan by Long's Raider by Joe Raider by Raider Dawson by Hub Dawson by Old Hub Dawson; Big Gene by Haggin by Cyrano by Ken Stride by Dick Hays by Ch. Tramp by Rowdy B. by Porter by Old Hub Dawson; Scott Henslee Jr. by Scott Henslee by Gabriel Heatter by Napoleon K's Strive by Napoleon K. by John Branham by Lockhart by Old Hub Dawson; NC FCh Chips by Alka Setzer by Whang Doodle by Hot Zigity by Napoleon K. by John Branham by Lockhart by Old Hub Dawson; and Wendell Wilkie by Joe Boy by Ranger by Red Liquor by Alex by Alex Dawson by Old Hub Dawson.  Ch. Hy-Grade by Sun Dial V-J by Baldwin's Faultless by Marvel's Boy by Baldwin's Marvel by Ricewin by Bragwin by Druid by Old Hub Dawson. Now taking Big Stride, we have Coalie Cork by Dr. Coalie by Ch. Hi Doctor by Chief Smoke Wings by Big Smoke by Buck Bush by Warab by War Cry by Big Stride; Ruff Robinson by Black Arp T. by Fireball Tinnin by Slam Bang by Bonny by High Tone by War Lee by War Cry by Big Stride; Pine Ride Sampson by pine Ridge Pete by Pine Ridge Fred by Pine Ridge Slick by Ch. White Crook by White Cord W. by Sun Dial Cord Blair by Ch. Cord Casper by String by Cable (sire of Big Stride);  White Man Stride by Stride S. by Ch. Dawson Stride by Hub Stride by Sam Stride by Big Stride; Senator Spot by The Stateman by Charlie Sise by Commentator Phil Baker by High Hope by Big High Tail by War Lee by War Cry by Big Stride. Now taking Old Lee:  We have Bill Hayter by Singing Al by Singing Wood by Ladson by Ladkin by Ch. Lafayette by Skipper by Lee; Texas Cork II by Texas Cork by Cork Walker by Jeffrey by Tim Chandler by Cork by Rock by Wag by Lee; Reed's Henry by Griffin's Jo Jo by Snow Ball Reed by buggar Arthurs by Carolina Curley by Smith by Glee II by Glee by Lee: Ch. Herrin by Skipper by Lee; Travis Stride by Lee Travis by Lee; Don Carlos by Ch. Roamer by Ch. Hustler by Lee. Lastly we have Buck Acuff by Si Lund by Ch. Jack by Champ Clark by Jake by Green by Phil by Arp by Black Joe by Bake by Re Sam by old Scott.  Also Ch. Avon Masterman by Ch. Alleen's Big Boy by Glenn II by Glenn by Phil by Arp, etc.  Night Rowdy by Wag by Mark by Rock by Wag by Lee. It should now be possible for the modern observer of bloodlines to get his bearings.  It will also show what a varied pattern of such wide dimensions obtains within the Walker strain.  Take a memo book, make a note of these different lines and keep it for reference.  It is obvious why the last three hounds were famous and proved their capability to breed on.  They were outstandingly prepotent because of the stem of line-breeding behind them.  This, with a rigid culling of physical potentialities, made them sand out singularly. We must understand, of course, that in those days when the above great sires were being produced through controlled breeding, nothing--yes, nothing--was left to chance.  Hounds showing any signs of weakness, deterioration, inability or given to fault, were without fanfare eliminated.  Because of their great potency, tremendous families emanating from them now continue to flourish. Thus, I have tried to fence the  perimeters of this great Walker strain for closer perspective study.                                                           Did You Know? ........We would fare much better if we would go see the man or woman on whose land we course, and ask about running the foxes there.  Nine men out of ten have something they would like to say to fox hunters, such as keeping gates closed, care inbuilding fires, watching the stock that it doesn't get out, and many other things.   Cultivate the friendship of men over whose land you hunt. .....The reason a good hound does not always sire good pups is because we are breeding to all his ancestors, instead of just to him.  Line-breeding concentrates the blood of certain hounds, which makes the pull in the same direction: this will give the pup the characteristics of that hound, almost invariably.  This, from the late Paul Wood, a July man. .............At the 1930 Oklahoma and Texas Wolf Hunters' Association field trial, 185 hounds competed and 11 wolves were caught.  That was almost 30 years ago--had urge and heel then. .............An observant hunter once wrote, "When a fox is run eight or ten hours, and is lost for 15 minutes, the chances are ten to one that the race is over.  And why not?  A good running red fox is very valuable to a fox hunter." ......Once while juding a show, Emmett Adams of Missouri heard some unfavorable remarks.  At once he stepped the to the microphone and explained to the onlookers that many things they could not see, such as splayed feet, fiddle-fronts, cow-hocks, parrot mouths, slab sides, undevloped muscles, cat hams, and many other faults found while judging hounds.  Congratulations, Emmett! .............When the Missouri State held its first trial in 1916, they declared that "the championship stake is given to develop the really and truly best fox dog in Missouri...and is open only to hounds actually owned in the state of Missouri."  Men, time and hounds have changed this. .........When the Taunton Froxhound Club of Massachusetts held a trial years back, the question arose of finding an area where lots of foxes could be found.  then they counselled, "If we can only keep the 'dig'em outs' away from them...we should have plenty of fun this summer and fall."  The late Jack Mansfield's old Clay Cotton and E. Chadwick's Hannah were contenders in this trial. ..........Back in 1921, a Virginia Court find a man $211.00 for killing  a foxhound.  He did so because it ran a rabbiton his property.  W. H. Chldress, the owner, found the hound badly mutilated and thrown over the back of a woodpile to die. ..........L. F. Gingery, while editor of the Red Ranger, once wrote, "There is no east or west, nor border, nor creed nor birth, when two fox hunters stand face to face...though they come from the ends of the earth." ..........A great deal has been said in late years about mating bitches to hounds which will "cover up" the weak places in the bitch.  We have come to the conclusion long since that such a practice has no merit to recommend it. Use a top bitch! ..........Allan Epes of virginia, in giving the diary of his grandfather, wrote that Thomas Greeman Epes, in the ten years from 1866 to 1876, showed 236 gray foxes and 56 reds caught with his and his neighbor's hounds.  Did someone think that hounds recently develped heel and drive? ..........A man in Illinois, and  a hunter at that, was under the impression that groundhogs ate the foxes, until he was assured differently. ..........A Mr. D. M. Beatty of Pennsylvania once wrote that he believe "everyone is trying to get the fastest hound...and two thirds of these hounds have too much speed for their nose." ..........Ideal foxhounds, like ideal men, are hard to find; but some hounds do possess more good qualities than others.  1.  There is the quality of perseverance on a cold or difficult trail.  2.  There is the quality of speed after the fox is straightened out.  3.  There is the quality of endurance, or the ability to "stay in" until the fox is caught or holed.  There are many other qualities; the above represent the most desired charcteristics of foxhounds. ..........A keen observer once wrote:  "In a smooth prairie country you will find large hounds....in a very rough country you will find small, short-coupled hounds, where you find men breeding exclusively for their own use." ..........An English huntsman wrote:  "if conditions of sanitation in the kennels are not as they should be, in addition to illness and lack of condition, the receptivity of hounds' noses will be affected.  Cleanliness is the answer...not the liberal use of a strong disinfectant, as this will have the same effect on the nasal organs as a bad smell." ..........It is not a good plan to hunt in-whelp bitches after they begin to show.  Often amidst the drive and clamor of the chase, bitches strain or do themselves harm causing them to lose their pups.  This is most important to remember. ..........In feeding hounds, it has been found better to feed the young or shy ones first (not manshy, but shy at the feed trough because of previous assaults by quarrelsome hounds).  Feed the rough and tumble feeders at the end. ..........Could it be that those hunters who say they want "fast" hounds, really mean "quick" ones?  After all, a pack that turns quickly as the fox turns, and has also great drive, could mean the real killing factor.  But for Heaven's sake, be reasonable...why kill too many?  There's another day yet. ..........Once I heard an organized huntsman say, "A huntsman slow in action and word, makes slow and less-interested hounds; a noisy, blowhard fellow makes head strong, "tear-away" ones."  Both are, however, anathema.  As one old hunter often repeats, "Always, you must know more than the hounds to have them obey and really work for you." ..........A foxhound with a six generation extended pedigree shows 126 ancestors of whatever affinity.