BREEDING OF HORSES. 121 



follow it is not correct, especially if it be the dam which is selected 

 to be the young or old one. 



Females of domestic animals and the human race seem to have 

 three distinct periods of life which ai'e fixed by Nature, qualified 

 to some extent by climate, habit and food. 



1st, The undeveloped period of early life. 



2d, The developed period of middle life. 



3d, The decline of physical power in age.- 



In the life of animals when the organism has so far advanced as 

 not to require vegetative life for its own progress, it then becomes 

 capable of reproduction. And the power to reproduce increases, 

 as the waste of vegetative life increases in the system. What 

 a wonderful consideration is here presented. Nature supplying 

 a regulator whereby health is maintained if the female does not 

 reproduce. Tlie waste is expelled from the system at regular 

 periods. The whole action of these functions to be changed as 

 soon as conception takes place, and the waste goes to supply the 

 embryo. 



Leibig, who is standard authority, says that " every drop of the 

 superabundant blood goes to produce an organism like the mother.'^ 



Now for our point : — 



If the dam is too young to be fully developed, she can have no 

 surplus to provide for her progeny, or must divide it between the 

 embryo and her own wants, and both are thereby injured. On the 

 other hand if too old, past the second period, the decline of vege- 

 tative power affects in a corresponding degree the progeny. 



Next to mature age the dam needs to be so formed as to give 

 plenty of room for the embryo. Width across the hips is very 

 much to be prized. If the pelvis and back ribs are not large and 

 deep the foetus will not have sufficient room. 



Be sure that the udder is well developed so as to secrete plenty 

 of nutriment for the foal, or so as to contain it if secreted. 



If the dam is ever so good physically, and the sire equally so, 

 the foal will not meet your expectations unless he is well fed the 

 first six or eight months of his life, as during this time the char- 

 acter of the bone and muscles and muscle attachments are formed. 



Would you hoe or manure a plant after it has matured and com- 

 mences to ripen, or while the sap is running vigorously and the 

 plant is forming would you water and cultivate ? 



What is kept from the colt the first year can never be fully sup- 

 plied. Therefore let the dam be a milker, or well developed if she 



