426 THE AMERICAN FARMER 



stock, or, at any. rate, there will be no reasonable certainty of transmitting his own qualities. 

 The importance of the greatest care in the selection of the male will be apparent from the 

 fact that his influence extends to a far more numerous progeny. He should not only possess 

 in the highest degree the good qualities sought after in the class of animals to which he 

 belongs, but he should possess the power of transmitting them in the highest degree; and as 

 this power is latent or hidden, and does not appear to the eye, it is to be judged either from 

 the stock already got, or more commonly from the qualities of his ancestors through several 

 generations. 



And here again the quality of the pedigree that is, the quality of the ancestry is 

 more important than its length. It is of little use or satisfaction to trace a pedigree back 

 through inferior or ill-bred stock, except as a warning against the use of the male at the end 

 of it. At the same time, the longer the pedigree the better, provided it shows a high char- 

 acter in the ancestry; for we have seen that the hereditary power, or capacity for transmis 

 sion, is cumulative; that is, it becomes stronger and more intense and fixed from generation 

 to generation where the respective parents possess similarity of characteristics, as is commonly 

 the case in our well-established breeds. 



It must, however, be remembered that we are not to rely on pedigree alone, but to select 

 the lest animals of pure blood for breeding purposes, since all pure-bred animals differ more 

 or less in these qualities, some being much more desirable than others. 



Inbreeding. &quot; In-and-in &quot; breeding, as it is commonly termed, must of necessity be 

 practiced to a certain extent in establishing a new breed, but when carried too far, the ten 

 dency is to lessen the size and vigor of the animal, as well as the prolificness of the progeny; 

 hence close inbreeding has a tendency to induce sterility, while crossing is generally 

 regarded by breeders as resulting in infusing vigor and hardiness. 



With respect to the practice of breeding in-and-in, many conflicting opinions have been 

 expressed; and the general conclusion arrived at is, that it is safe only within certain narrow 

 limits, and then only under the hands of the skilful breeder. 



Breeding in-and-in is commonly understood as an indefinite term applying to any near 

 relationship; but its legitimate and proper application is to designate animals of the same 

 blood as own brother and sister. But a son is only half the blood of his mother, and a 

 daughter is only half the blood of her father. You may breed such relationship together to 

 a certain extent without injury; that is, you may breed a bull to his mother or to his daugh 

 ter, and greatly concentrate the hereditary power in the offspring. But even this course is 

 to be followed with care and judgment, and not pursued too far. After reaping the first 

 advantages to be derived from it, the breeder will do well to stop and consider. Breeding 

 in-and-in, that is, own brothers and sisters, will give a more perfect form; but, if carried 

 beyond one generation, it will be at the certain sacrifice of size, and perhaps of the strength 

 of constitution. It greatly weakens the reproductive powers, and often leads to other and 

 still more serious evils. Bear in mind that we refer to own brothers and sisters. More dis 

 tant relationships can be put together with less risk, of course, and, if carefully watched to 

 discover the least injury to the vigor of constitution, this course may be adopted to some 

 extent where the design is to bring up a pure herd having certain highly important qualities 

 which it is desirable to concentrate and perpetuate. At the same time, it should be borne in 

 mind that pure-bred animals have now become so common and so numerous, that it will not 

 be difficult to change the strain of blood sufficiently often to avoid any necessity of breed 

 ing from too near relationships. The necessity of breeding from close affinities will there 

 fore rarely exist, except for the purpose of trying to build up a new breed, where, in some 

 instances, it may be unavoidable. 



Mr. Cheever, editor of the New England Farmer, gives a rare instance of inbreeding 

 practiced for a number of years without any manifest injurious results. Mr. Levi Ballou, of 



