l66 BOARD OF AGRICU-LTURE. [Jan., 



is greatest, rather than at an earlier or a later period in its life. 

 The evidences of bodily vigor are form and action. The latter 

 is usually spoken of as carriage, and, as an evidence of pre- 

 potency, it is probably some more important than bodily form. 

 The evidences of bodily vigor are such as relate to strength 

 and vigor for the breed. The most prominent of these, prob- 

 ably, is not chest size so much as chest capacity. Vigor in 

 action may be nicely illustrated by observing the carriage of a 

 Southdown male. The vigorous male steps quickly. He car- 

 ries his head proudly. His full eye observes everything. The 

 slightest sound causes him to prick up his ears. Such a male 

 purely bred, is almost certain to be prepotent. 



But what is meant by other things being equal? Simply 

 this, that with each of the indications mentioned, the other in- 

 dications shall be present in at least fair degree, and that the 

 parents and progeny shall both be sustained with suitable food, 

 fed in liberal but not in excessive supply. For instance, long 

 purity of breeding will count far more if linked with line breed- 

 ing and bodily vigor, and so of each of the other indications, 

 and all these will be more potent v/hen the feeding and man- 

 agement are favorable to high development. 



In addition to the indications mentioned, the performance 

 of the immediate ancestors for several generations should be 

 carefully noted. By performances is meant what the animals 

 have done in speed attainment, milk, meat or wool production, 

 according to the end for which they are kept. Nor should the 

 fact be lost sight of, that high performance in the ancestry is 

 valuable as it is near, and less valuable as it is remote. High 

 performance in the immediate parent of a sire is of great value, 

 but high performance in an ancestor of ten generations in the 

 upw^ard line of ascent is of but little account. This will be 

 readily apparent when it is remembered that the blood prop- 

 erties of an ancestor of ten generations, previously, are only 

 present in an infinitesimal degree. 



The claim, therefore, that an animal traces to some famous 

 ancestor of many generations back, is of but little account. It 

 can only deceive those who do not know. Excellence in per- 

 formance in the near ancestry is not only valuable, but it is val- 

 uable in proportion as it is uniform in the near ancestry and far 

 reaching in its comprehensiveness. By uniformity is meant 

 evenness of performance in all the near generations, and by 



