80 DOMESTIC ANIMALS. [Chap. I. 



altogether satisfactory ; that is, it has not proved to me that any of these 

 foreign breeds, wlicther of cows, hogs, or fowls, are the best that we can 

 liavc in this countrj', or are just the thing we want. On the contrary, it has 

 demonstrated to me quite the opposite, viz. : That before we can attain the 

 desired success in tiiis tield of experiment, we must give more attention than 

 we are now giving to animals which are the (jrowth of our oicn soil. !Not 

 that I would undervalue the advantages of importing the best varieties of 

 foreign breeds, for too- much praise can not be rendered those public-spirited 

 men who spend their money liberally iu bringing to our shores the best 

 specimens they can obtain of European animals ; but, at the same time, too 

 little credit may be given to others who are doing what they can to improve 

 our native breeds. 



" I don't know how it may be with others, but according to my experience 

 and observation, there is an unvarying tendc7iey in all imported stock to 

 deterioration. Whether it is owing to the climate, or soil, or what, I 

 don't pretend to eay ; but this tendency to degenerate in all foreign animals, 

 whatever pains may have been taken with them, has been, according to my 

 knowledge, without an exception. Now, assuming this to be true, ■which, 

 understand me, I do not aver, the question arises : "Would it not be better for 

 us, in trying to improve our stock, to make our selections for the purpose 

 without regard to the animal's origin ? In milch cows, for instance, ouglit 

 •we not to choose the finest-looking animal and best milker we can find, 

 whether native, impprted, or mixed ^ and ought we not to see that the ofi- 

 spring are the product of a sire chosen on the same principle ? Is it not 

 likely, and does not experience, so fiir as it has been made, show that the 

 tendency of this sort of breeding is to a continual improvement in the stock ? 

 I would ask the same questions in regard to hogs, fowls, horses, sheep, and 

 all other kinds of animals. In other words, ought we not to make more ac- 

 count of our native breeds, and seek, by judicious crossing and care in other 

 respects, to attain the end -which we have not yet reached in the matter of 

 stock-raising ?" 



Do farmers generally sufficiently appreciate the reason why imported or 

 high-bred cattle look so much better than the natives ? Is it not because 

 one class is high-fed as well as high-bred, and treated with tlie greatest pos- 

 sible care, while many of the poor natives are treated with the greatest 

 possible neglect — exposed to storms, summer and winter, and kept upon 

 short pasture while it is possible for the animals to get a living,' and then 

 grudgingly fed coarse herbage to carry them alive through the winter. 

 "With such treatment, the poor natives have no fair chance to compete with 

 the pampered stock lately imported ; yet, with equally good treatment and 

 constant care in breeding, we believe as good cattle may be raised up out 

 of some of the natives as can be found among those imported and maintained 

 at such great extra expense. At least, we believe that if as much care had 

 been bestowed on our native stock as has been on the imported breeds for the 

 last thirty years, the natives would now be nearly equal to the imported. 



