CONCLUDING REMARKS 613 



in production, and secondly by the firm foundation of coordinated 

 principles which it provides as a guide to procedure in breeding operations. 

 It is necessary thus to emphasize the importance of heredity as a determin- 

 ing factor in production, because of the erroneous ideas which are held 

 by the generality regarding the fact of heredity; it is wise to study 

 genetics as a guide in breeding practice, because any knowledge which 

 is reduced to a basis of known principle or is coordinated with principle 

 is that much clearer of comprehension and more assured of intelligent 

 application. But with all this the study of genetics has failed of its 

 highest purpose, if it has not encouraged in the mind of the student 

 the open attitude toward truth and the healthy skepticism of the true 

 scientist. For after all problems of animal breeding are problems which 

 should be approached in nothing less than a spirit of scientific research, 

 problems of infinite complexity but of intense interest as well. 



