572 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



same breed. The result is more marked in crossing two or more differ- 

 ent breeds. Pigs by a grade Berkshire sire and from a sow half Chester 

 White and half Poland-China were red, spotted, speckled, and striped^ 

 showing that the improved standard type and all of the three respective 

 breeds represented were destroyed, the improvements in color and form 

 lost, and the result was a return of the individual by the principle of 

 heredity to the original scrub. 



Persistent in-and-in breeding is directly the opposite of outcrossing. 

 The result of close in-and-in breeding is not so noticeable at first, but is- 

 more disastrous to the individual than outcrossing. The mysteries 

 surrounding in-and-in breeding have never been satisfactorily explained. 

 In this discussion it is only proper to consider facts. Through the appli- 

 cation of the principle of persistent, close in-and-in breeding, the individ- 

 ual loses form, color and size, to all of which is added the misfortune of 

 weakened vitality. Close in-and-in breeding in Berkshires developes pigs. 

 off in markings, spotted about the necks and legs, ungainly of form, with. 

 thin quarters, long legs, and weakened vitality and loss of breeding pow- 

 er. In Poland-Chinas, it produces small, weakly, speckled, spotted and 

 striped litters. In Herefords and Short-horns, it develops undersized^ 

 big headed, peaked, ungainly, runty scrubs. In some mysterious way, 

 the principle of selection appears overdone or handicapped, and heredity 

 again leads the individual back to worse than the original scrub state. 



The value of inbreeding to the extent of fixing and perpetuating a type 

 appears to be settled. And so far in that direction shalt thou approach, 

 but no further, appears to be just as certain. Outcrossing is risky. But 

 there must be an occasional infusion of fresh blood. Toughtful breeders- 

 have hit on the plan of keeping tried forces in the majority. Two or 

 three generations ox line-blood control one from the outside, and seem 

 refreshed and invigorated by a carefully selected infusion of new blood.. 

 The application of correct principles of breeding, supported by gener- 

 ous provision of feed and careful attention, gave to the forld magnificent 

 herds and breeds of cattle, hogs, and horses, and immortalized the namea 

 of such men as Bates and Booth and Cruickshank. It has produced and 

 shown to the v^orld a Richmond, a Cupbearer, a Young Abbotsburn, and a 

 Choice Goods. It has brought out Anxieties, Improvers, Fullfillers, Beau 

 Brummels, Correctors, Beau Donalds, Prime Lads, Keep 0ns, and March 

 0ns. It made Tom Corwins, Tecumsehs, Perfections, and Mischiefmakers. 

 It developed a Longfellow and a Masterpiece. It has produced a Cres- 

 ceus, a Lou Dillon, and a Dan Patch. 



The careful breeder will attend regularly to the weeding-out process. 

 Uniform individuality cannot be maintained except by culling out and dis- 

 carding every inferior animal. If thirty-five per cent, of all pedigreed 

 hogs and cattle could be cut out, and ten per cent, (the tailings) put in 

 the feed lot, fitted and consigned to the butcher, and the remaining culls^ 

 or twenty-five per cent., disposed of as grades, such action would elevate 

 the improved breeds of live stock to a high standard of perfection. Such, 

 action by the breeders would be in line with the law of selection, in keep- 

 ing with the truism, the survival of the fittest, and consistent with the 

 declaration that "the best is none too good". 



