CHAPTER XIV 

 THE PRACTICE OF BREEDING 



IF the modern breeds of domestic animals are com- 

 pared with the original unimproved forms, remarkable 

 differences will be observed. In many of the characters 

 which have come to be of inestimable value to man, the 

 modern animal is notably superior to the original unim- 

 proved forms. And in other characters, less substantial 

 and economically significant, modifications of great scien- 

 tific interest have resulted from systematic selection by 

 man. 



263. Improvement in size. For many purposes the 

 wild unimproved forms of the domestic animals are too 

 small to accomplish successfully the work required by 

 man. This demand for greater size and generally pro- 

 portional increase in strength has led breeders consciously 

 to select animals for size. The results of this selection 

 may be observed in the gigantic modern draft horse. 

 It is probable that all modern breeds of horses have 

 developed from the same original type. The wild form 

 was small in size, rough and somewhat angular in appear- 

 ance, with short mane and scanty tail. From this animal 

 we have through selection succeeded in producing the 

 large, powerful draft horse with smooth, broad contours 

 and heavy mane and tail. Contrasted with this type 

 we have well-recognized pony types weighing less than 

 400 pounds. Both types undoubtedly descend from the 



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