256 [Senate 



adapted for the production of muscle, &c. The general principle 

 might be correct, but Mr, H. did not think the ideas of the relative 

 value of some kinds of food, accounted for, or exactly corresponded 

 with certain facts which the experience and observation of every 

 farmer will attest. For instance, take a Hereford, or a fine Durham 

 cow, and an old fashioned Short-Horn or Yorkshire one — feed them 

 with the same kind of food — take corn-meal, if you please, as that has 

 been supposed to contain in an extraordinary degree the elements of 

 fat — the Hereford or the Durham gets fat, really fat — the other gets 

 Jleshy^ but is never fat. Thus, from the same food which it is said 

 contains abundantly the elements of fat, one animal accumulates fat, 

 and the other gains only muscle. It is probable we should see the 

 same difference in the animals, if fed on any kind of food. It is well 

 known that some do not acquire fat, feed them as you will ; while 

 others, running on the same pastures, or kept in the same pen, and 

 eating precisely the same kind of food, attain any desirable degree of 

 fatness. The Berkshire hog has a much larger proportion of lean 

 meat or muscle, than the Chinese, even when both are fed exactly 

 alike. The same fact will apply equally well to some varieties of 

 sheep. The Bakewell or Leicester is found covered with fat on the 

 same pasture with a Merino that is quite lean. 



The feeding of sheep with food containing the elements of wool, it 

 seemed reasonable to suppose would have a good effect. Beans are 

 good for sheep — and whatever of the elements of wool they might 

 contain, it is well known that they have an excellent fattening ten- 

 dency ; and though the chemist may say there is a less proportion of 

 the fat-forming elements in beans than in corn, those who have wit- 

 nessed their effects in making good mutton, cannot fail to estimate 

 their value for this purpose as at least equal to any kind of grain. 



Mr. Howard said he did not perceive the propriety of assuming 

 that all the different varieties of animals of the same species, sprung 

 originally from one stock. He would admit that the matter was of 

 little consequence, comparatively, though if we can ascertain the ori- 

 gin of varieties, whether good or bad, we have certainly secured one 

 important point in knowing how to manufacture such ones as we 

 want. From the earliest ages, there have been many varieties of the 

 same species, and it is impossible to fix on a time when it can be said 

 there was upon the earth but a single variety of horses, cattle, sheep, 

 swine, or any of our domestic animals. Mr. H. would not say it was 

 absolutely impossible to produce an improved Berkshire hog from a 

 " land-shark," but he would say he did not think there was a man 

 living who had known such an instance. He did not believe that a 

 fine symmetrically-formed race of hogs, has ever been seen, which 

 were known to have sprung entirely from a race of precisely opposite 

 characteristics. 



There is another fact, (said Mr. H.) in regard to the effect of In- 

 dian corn on animals, which he could hardly reconcile with the theory 

 before spoken of. It is known that the strength of animals is derived 

 from their muscles, not from their fat. It is almost universally ad- 

 mitted in this country that animals are stronger, and that they will 



