Q2 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



imaginary and unreal the higher values placed upon well-bred ani- 

 mals over those of mixed origin, unless they are larger and hand- 

 somer in proportion to the price demanded. The sums paid for 

 qualities which are not at once apparent to the eye are stigmatized 

 as fancy prices. It is not denied that fancy prices are sometimes, 

 perhaps often paid, for there are probably few who are not willing 

 occasionally to pay dearly for what merely pleases them aside from 

 any other merit commensurate to the price. 



But, on the other hand, it is fully as true that great intrinsic 

 value for breeding purposes may exist in an animal and yet make 

 very little show. Such an one may not even look so well to a 

 casual observer, as a grade, or cross-bred animal, which although 

 valuable as an individual, is not, for breeding purposes, worth a 

 tenth part as much. 



Let us suppose two farmers to need a bull ; they go to seek and 

 two are offered, both two years old, of similar color, form and 

 general appearance. One is offered for twenty dollars — for the 

 other a hundred is demanded. Satisfactory evidence is offered that 

 the latter is no better than any or all of its ancestors for many gen- 

 erations back on both sides, or than its kindred — that it is of a pure 

 and distinct breed, that it possesses certain well known hereditary 

 qualities, that it is suited for a definite purpose, it may be a Short- 

 horn, noted for large size and early maturity, it maybe a Devon, of 

 fine color and symmetry, active and hardy, it may be an Ayrshire, 

 noted for dairy qualities, or of some other definite breed, whose 

 uses, excellencies and deficiencies arc all well known. 



The other is of no breed whatever, perhaps it is called a grade 

 or a cross. The man who bred it had rather confused ideas, so far 

 as he had any, about breeding, and thought to combine all sorts of 

 good qualities in one animal, and so he worked in a little grade 

 Durham or Hereford to get size, and a little Ayrshire for milk, and 

 a little Devon for color, and so on, using perhaps dams sired by a 

 bull in the neighborhood which had also got some " AVhitten" or 

 " Peter Waldo" calves, (though none of these showed it,) at any 

 rate he wanted some of the " native" element in his stock, Decause 

 it Avas tough, and some folks thought natives were the best after 

 all. Among its ancestors and kindred were some good and some 

 not good, some large and some small, some well favored and fat, 

 some ill favored and lean, some profitable and some profitless. The 

 animal now offered is a great deal better than the average of them. 

 It looks for aught they can see, about as well as the one for which 



