116 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



think it is entirely reasonable to suppose so, although I do 

 not believe that it has the same effect as in the first instance. 

 If that is so, then we should naturally suppose, that, as you 

 go on putting a mare to the same sire, you will be more 

 likely to get the characteristics of the sire in the second and 

 third case than in the first. A case is cited which is contrary 

 to that theory ; but I did not hear that : I have heard some 

 of the others. So you see, gentlemen, the difiSculty of reach- 

 ing certainty in this respect. I do not believe we have 

 reached any certain principle except this, — that an animal 

 that has certain qualities that you can trace back to father 

 and grandfather, tracing them back through quite a number 

 of generations, and being sure that they have appeared in 

 every one of them, will be very certain to reproduce those 

 qualities in its progeny. I think that is all the result that 

 has been reached. As has been said here, this blood will go 

 over three, four, eight, or ten generations. Take some of 

 the old bulls that were brought here from the State of Maine 

 long years ago. All their liistory is forgotten ; but once in a 

 while a calf is dropped that shows all the characteristics of 

 those old bulls, whose blood has been kept out of sight for 

 generations. It is just so in the human family. Diseases 

 and individual characteristics go over a good many genera- 

 tions, and then re-appear. But if you can be sure that the 

 good qualities of a particular animal appeared in this one 

 before him, and that one before that, so that you can be sure 

 they have come down permanently for a great many genera 

 tions, then I think you can be very sure he will perpetuate 

 them. 



Question. There is one question I would like to ask : If 

 the progeny is not as likely to take after the horse, by keep- 

 ing the stallion, as Mr. Russell said this morning, in the pres- 

 ence of the mare for some little time before service ? I have 

 noticed this peculiarity in breeding stock, — that a Jersey, 

 for instance, in a herd of other thoroughbred stock, would as 

 often mark the progeny of the other cows with a little Jersey 

 mark around the nose, as any way. Why is it, unless the 

 associations and surroundings at the time of serving have 

 that effect upon the animal ? 



Mr. Russell. In the first place, I would like to say a few 

 words upon the point that is raised by President Chadbourne. 



