58 

 'MIGHT BE GOOD FOR HAJVAII. 



The Agricultural News advocates a herd book for the West 

 Indies, and some of its arguments would appear to apply to 

 Hawaii. A few passages from the article are here quoted : 



"It is perhaps in connection with milk and meat production 

 that' benefit would be derived most quickly. It has already 

 been pointed out that the characteristic feature of the animal 

 industry in temperate countries is the clear line of demarcation 

 between beef and dairy breeds. In the West Indies, apart from 

 imported milch cows, there is no such clear distinction. Native 

 milch cows are often used for working in the fields, and calves 

 reared for killing or for labor may frequently have a comm.")n. 

 origin. It is true that the importance of a well bred bull is 

 fully acknowledged in a general way, but sufficient recognition 

 is not given to the importance of a bull of good milking strain 

 in the breeding of dairy cows, and conversely to the importance 

 of a cow possessing good 'beef points in the raising of those 

 animals which supply the community with meat. Aloreover, 

 there is the purely business aspect of the matter to be consid- 

 that the financial return for the trouble involved will appear in 

 ered. It has been pointed out in connection with working cattle 

 the form of an asset, but in the case of meat and milk production 

 an increase in profits will show itself as surely in the West 

 Indies as it has done in other parts of the world. 



"One of the chief reasons for organization in these matters 

 is the fact that the grazing" of animals and milk supply i? 

 to a large extent in the hands of the peasants. If some system 

 of registration were established the progeny of the best animals 

 would in the long run take the place of those of the worst, 

 and an additional advantage would arise in that a system of 

 registration would tend to improve matters in regard to the 

 prevalence of hereditary diseases. 



'Tt may be put forward as an objection to any such organized 

 scheme for selection that the climatic conditions and animal 

 feeding in the tropics arc unsuitable, that it would mean the 

 continual importation of fresh stock and necessitate an alteration 

 in the management of estates. But that would not be so. Th.e 

 object would be to select within the existing herds — not to 

 select by means of the fortuitous crossing of worthless cows 

 with imported Imlls in a vain endeavor to raise West Indian 

 cattle to the same standard that exists in countries which are 

 eminently adapted for stock l)rcc(ling. It i< true that some 

 improvement in feeding and management migiit l>e desirable 

 and in this matter the agricultural societies would serve a useful 

 purpose in the dissemination of information' and in the provision 

 of veterinary assistance. I'urther help couhl be rendered by 

 the agricultural societies thiMugh an intr'^hu-lion nf the score- 

 card system of judging into the agricultural shows." 



