No. 112.] 303 



formed the design of securing the extraordinary properties pos- 

 sessed by this bull. He accordingly procured such females as 

 most nearly resembled him, and the proj^jeny produced by this 

 union, formed the entire ground-work of his celebrated herd. 

 Having procured in the outset most of the animals which pos- 

 sessed the characters he was desirous of propagating, he was un- 

 der the necessity of adhering chiefly to his own stock, in which 

 alone these characters were strikingly exhibited. Hence it will 

 be seen, by an examination of the i>edigrees of his animals, that 

 he in many instances bred from those of very near relationship. 

 It is true that after he had thus bred for several years, he intro- 

 duced to some a cross with another breed, with a view to giving 

 certain animals in his herd such points as he deemed necessary 

 to effect his original purposes. 



Other examples of this nature might be referred to. It might 

 be shown that Bakewell in breeding the long-horns, and Tum- 

 kins and Tully in breeding the Herefords, pursued similar cour- 

 ses to that pursued by Colling. It has been said and probably 

 with truth, that Colling studied in the school of Bakewell. The 

 main point, however, in breeding on this or any other mode, is 

 the selection of such animals for propagation as possess in the 

 highest degree the desired properties, and which are at the same 

 time free from defects. Hence the judgment of the breeder and 

 the facilities he has for selection, will determine his success. He 

 must of course be able to know the proper animals, he must 

 have the means of obtaining them, or he cannot accomplish his 

 obji'Ct. The opportunity of choosing from a number of animals, 

 is of great iinjxu'tanre. If the breeder has not this range for 

 Selection, he may be obliged to breed from animals which are 

 deficit-nt in essential points. Hence it is very dilFicult to keep 

 up a stock of every description, where only a few line breeding 

 animals are to be hack All specimens ut any v.iriety of our do- 

 mestic animals are n(;t exactly alike, and comparatively few, in 

 many varieties can be said to be i)erfect enough for breeders ; but 

 such arc the r)nly ones that should be allowed to propagate. 

 While the variety comprises but few animals, the breeder is met 

 with serious obstacles. In reference to over-coming these obsta- 



