Chapteb V 

 Eugenic Methods 



IT has been suggested in a previous chapter that man is 

 a domestic animal, and that, even as regards human 

 affairs, something can be learnt from the farmer because 

 of his knowledge about breeding. On reading this, some 

 may hold up their hands in dismay, and without further 

 thought condemn any imitation of the methods of the 

 stockyard. 



First of all it may be noted that some stockyard methods 

 are certainly not to be despised. If you inspect any good 

 estabhshment you will find that the animals are well 

 housed ; that they are fed with suitable food in quantities 

 neither too small nor too great ; and that they are carefully 

 guarded against infection. Should not we be glad if the 

 same could be said about our slums ? 



Then, again, another useful practical lesson has often 

 been impressed on the minds of those who have had the 

 management of large stock farms in the Dominions. 

 Experience has made them clearly reahze the " madness " 

 of going on breeding more animals when the ranch is already 

 fully stocked, and when the surplus stock cannot be readily 

 disposed of. This is a stockyard lesson which may well 

 be remembered when considering at what point our own 

 islands should be held to be over-populated. 



In another direction also we may well imitate the farmer's 

 frame of mind. When the question before him is how to 

 stock his farm in the future, as a matter of course he looks 

 to breed above all things. When taking thought as to the 

 animals he already possesses, he concentrates his mind on 

 their surroundings and their training. No doubt he con- 

 siders how best to spend his money. But the point is that 

 it never even occurs to him not to attend to both breed and 



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