236 BEGINNINGS IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 



When first taken to that country, they deteriorated greatly. 

 The wool was reduced to less than half the original length, 

 and became dry, very brittle, and open. Many sheep 

 farmers gave up the attempt to produce the Merino as hope- 

 less, but others persevered, and finally succeeded in produc- 

 ing sheep with fine frames and splendid fleeces. If one will 

 carefully study breed distribution in America, he will find 

 that in some localities certain breeds are selected in preference 

 to all others. For illustration, in the southern states Jersey 

 cattle and Berkshire hogs are kept in preference to all other 

 breeds. In warm climates a dark-skinned animal suffers 

 from the heat less, and consequently hogs and cattle with 

 dark skins prevail. Wisdom would justify no other policy 

 of selection. Feeding is also an important factor in hered- 

 itary transmission. It is amply demonstrated that animals 

 transferred from conditions of food scarcity to an environ- 

 ment of abundance, through successive generations take on 

 an increase in size. The Shetland pony on its native isles, 

 subject to cold and more or less starvation, is a smaller, 

 more inferior animal than that of the same ancestry, but 

 which has passed through several generations in the prairie 

 country of America, where food is most abundant. Men 

 may buy fine animals for their herds, but unless properly 

 fed and cared for, depreciation is sure to follow from genera- 

 tion to generation. 



Uniformity in type of foundation stock should be most 

 carefully considered. It is a common method for young men 

 starting herds, to buy females without regard to uniformity 

 of type. The result is that herds thus begun do not attain 

 the standing they should, because of variation in the off- 

 spring, due to the lack of methodical selection at the start. 

 One might far better begin with three females of uniform type 

 and excellence, than with a much larger number of no uni- 



