DOMESTIC AKIMAL9. 259 



or the horse of all work, must be first decided, before select- 

 ing the form or character of the animal. The range of pig 

 excellence is more circumscribed, as it is only necessary to 

 breed such as will yield the greatest amount of valuable car- 

 cass, within the shortest time, and with the least expense. 



PRINCIPLES OF BREEDING. 



All breeding is founded on the principle, that like begets 

 like. This is however liable to some exceptions, and is much 

 more generally true when breeding down than when breeding 

 up. If two animals which can never be exactly similar in 

 all respects, are requisite to the perpetuation of the species, 

 it necessarily results, that the progeny must differ in a more 

 or less degree from each parent. With wild animals and 

 such of the domestic as are allowed to propagate with- 

 out the interference of art, and whose habits, treatment 

 and food are nearly similar to their natural condition, the 

 change through successive generations is scarcely percepti- 

 ble. It is only when we attempt to improve their good qua- 

 lities, that it is essential, carefully to determine and rigidly 

 to apply what are adopted as the present scientific principles 

 of breeding. We cannot believe that we have penetrated 

 beyond the mere threshold of this art. Unless then, we 

 launch into experiments, which are necessarily attended witli 

 uncertainty, our duty will be, to take for our guide the most 

 successful practice of modern times, until further discoveries 

 enable us to modify or add to such as are already known and 

 adopted. We may lay down then as the present rules for 

 this art, 1st. That the animals selected for breed, should 

 unite in themselves all the good qualities we wish to per- 

 petuate in the offspring. 2d. These qualities, technically 

 called points, should be in-bred in the animals as far as prac- 

 ticable, by a long line of descent from parents similarly 

 constituted. The necessity for this rule is evident from the 

 fact, that in mixing different species, and especially mongrels, 

 with a long established breed, the latter will most strongly 

 stamp the issue with its own peculiarities. This is forcibly 

 illustrated in the case of the Devon cattle, an ancient race, 

 whose color, form and characteristics are strikingly perpetu- 

 ated, sometimes to the sixth or even a later generation. So 

 far is this principle carried by many experienced breeders, 

 that they will use an animal of indifferent external appear- 

 ance, but of approved descent, (blood,) in preference to a 

 decidedly superior one, whose pedigree is imperfect. 3d. All 



