366 PRINCIPLES OF STOCK-BREEDING. 



The skeleton or bony frame of the animal may- 

 next be profitably examined. As bones are of but 

 little value, aside from the support they furnish for 

 the soft parts of the body, they should be as small as 

 is consistent with strength and a vigorous constitution. 



Fortunately, however, the greatest strength does 

 not depend upon size, but upon texture, the quality 

 being of greater importance than quantity. An illus- 

 tration of this may be seen in the long bones, the shaft 

 which bears the greatest strain being small from com- 

 pactness and fineness of structure, while the extremi- 

 ties are large and spongy, the greater surface being of 

 use for the attachment of the tendinous terminations 

 of the muscles. 



A large, coarse bone may not only be deficient in 

 strength, but it will increase the weight of the carcass 

 without adding to its value. 



Small bones are an indication of good feeding 

 quality, early maturity, and superior, fine-grained 

 flesh ; while coarse, large bones, with prominent joints 

 and angular projections of the skeleton, indicate poor 

 feeding quality, late maturity, and coarse flesh, in 

 connection with a large proportion of offal and cheap 

 * pieces in the carcass when reaching its final destina- 

 tion on the block. 1 



p. 98, vol. xxxvii., p. 318, vol. xxxix., p. 478, vol. xl., p. 232 ; Cline's 

 " Observations on the Breeding and Form of Domestic Animals," pp. 

 1-8 ; Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, vol. v., p. 266, vol. vi., p. 159 ; 

 Johnson's " Farmer's Encyclopaedia," p. 297, and other standard works. 

 1 Farmer's Magazine, vol. xi., p. 98, vol. xl., p. 231 ; Journal of the 

 Royal Agricultural Society, vol. xv., p. 87 ; Young's " Eastern Tour," 

 vol. i., p. 3. 



