

CROSS-BREEDING. 203 



In both cases the practice has been to select the 

 best male it was possible to secure, with the purpose 

 of impressing his superior characteristics upon, the 

 less-favored individuals of the flock or herd. 



The rule laid down by George Culley, in his " Ob- 

 servations on Live-Stock," has apparently been fol- 

 lowed by the advocates of both of the so-called " sys- 

 tems of breeding," which are in reality but parts of 

 the one true method. He says : " It is certainly from 

 the lest males and females that the best breeds can be 

 obtained or preserved ; to breed in this manner is un- 

 doubtedly right, so long as letter males can be met 

 with, not only among our neighbors, but also among 

 the most improved breeds in any part of the island, 

 or from any part of the world, provided the expense 

 does not exceed the proposed advantage. And when 

 you can no longer, at home or abroad, find letter males 

 than your own, then, by all means, breed from them 

 whether horses, neat-cattle, sheep, etc. for the same 

 rule holds good through every species of domestic ani- 

 mals ; but upon no account attempt to breed or cross 

 from worse than your own, for that would be acting 

 in contradiction to common-sense, experience, and that 

 well-established rule, that 4 best only can beget best.' " 1 



If it should be admitted that the pure breeds were 

 better than cross-bred animals, it would be impossible 

 for every one to obtain them in sufficient numbers to 

 stock the farm exclusively with them ; but, as well- 

 bred males can readily be procured, the greatest im- 

 provement in the mass of our farm-stock must be 

 made by a system of judicious crossing. 



1 " Observations on Live-Stock," fourth edition, p. 12. 



