The following paper was read by W. M. Hays: 



BREEDING FOR INTRINSIC QUALITIES. 



. M. Hays, Agriculturist, State Experiment Station, St. Anthony Park, Minn. 



The aggregate of wealth annually produced in America by means oi 

 domestic plants and animals is valued at several billion dollars. A liberal 

 allowance for fields and flocks in the hands of men who will not seek or 

 even receive blood of improved plants and animals will easily leave annual 

 products worth two billion dollars, which may be brought under the breeder's 

 influence. Burbank and other breeders of plants, and of animals, have 

 abundantly proved that it is practicable by breeding alone to increase values 

 ten per cent. Ten per cent of two billion dollars is two hundred million dol- 

 lars. No doubt, breeding operations, as now developed, will increase this 

 annual product two per cent in twenty years, or forty million dollars an- 

 nually. It is fair to believe that an additional increase of eight per cent, or 

 one hundred and sixty millions additional annual increase, may be produced 

 by devising and extensively using much better scientific methods of breeding. 

 One per cent of the total increase should be a sufficient annual expenditure to 

 produce the magnificent increase which seems in reach, if the work is prop- 

 erly carried out. The soil is a vast mine, and our plants and animals are 

 parts of our mining machinery. If by spending one per cent of the value of 

 the output on these machines we can increase the output ten per cent, we are 

 "penny wise and pound foolish" not to do so. 



This problem is distributed from the gentle violet to King Corn, and 

 from the brilliant goldfish to the queenly cow, and includes many micro- 

 scopic organizations. On the side of wealth production this problem lies 

 mainly in a score of staple crops, and in the four great species of domestic 

 animals. But in addition there are vast financial interests in species of 

 fruits and flowers and in the minor species of economic animals, including 

 some fishes, oysters; also economic insects, bacteria, etc. The interest does 

 not stop with the financial, but there are ethical and scientific interests of 

 vast import. Improved plants and animals, and the interest which is con- 

 nected with their breeding and production, make for a better civilization. 



Pedigrees, distinguishing marks, performance records and the attractive 

 presence of the living product of the breeder's art have an inspiring interest 

 which is uplifting. People who have highly bred plants and animals farm 

 better, thrive better, enjoy life better and live better. Breeders and growers of 

 improved plants and animals have a delightful source of zest, unfelt by ordi- 

 nary mortals. Humanity relishes touch with improvement. The hybridizer is a 



