304 [Assembly 



cles, S^ebriglit makes the following remarks, wliicli are worthy 

 of special attention. " If one male and one female only of a val- 

 uable breed could be obtained, the offspring should be separated, 

 and placed in situations as dissimilar as possible ; for animals 

 kept together are all subjected to the etfects of the same climate, 

 of the same food, and of the same mode of treatment, and conse- 

 quently to the same diseases, particularly to such as are infec- 

 tious, which must accelerate tlie eiiects of breeding in-and-in. 

 By establishing the breed in various places, we may perhaps be 

 enabled to continue it for sometime, without the intermixture of 

 other blood." 



From a view of the whole subject as presented by the foregoing 

 reasoning, the following conclusion may be deduced: That 

 breeding from animals of near relationship may be properly prac- 

 tised so far as to fix and perpetuate some valuable quality not be- 

 longing to the race in general ; but where no superiority is exhibi- 

 ted in a particular family, or where individuals composing a breed 

 are" nearly similar, there is no advantage in resorting to this system. 



It has been previously remarked that certain alterations may 

 be produced in the form and habits of animals, by which they are 

 better adapted to the purposes of man. It is of so great importance 

 to the stock breeder to understand the principles on which this 

 improvement depends, that a few further remarks will be made 

 in the attempt to illustrate the subject. 



It is a law of nature, applicable to both the animal and veg- 

 etable kingdoms, that " like produces like." This however, is 

 only true in a general sense. The idea which it is intended to 

 express, is, that each group, or species of plant or animal possesses 

 certain peculiar characters which are continued by reproduction. 

 Man, for example, has an organization which distinguishes him 

 from every other animal ; but all men are not exactly alike ; there 

 are variations of forms and habits^ though the variations are con- 

 fined to a limited sphere, and are never such as to interfere with 

 the generic boundaries. It is so with other animals, there are cer- 

 tain minor differences within each species, race, or breed. Some- 

 times these differences are of such a kind as to enhance the value of 

 the animal in which they appear, for a specific purpose. The ani- 

 mal may have a color, shape, tendency to fatten, quality of flesh, or 



