306 



Zoology important to Farmers. 



Vol. IV. 



set many persons to ihinking — and acting, too 

 — if I am not mistaken : — 



On the subject of breeding-, he says : " The 

 art of improved breeding consists in making 

 a careful selection of males and females, for 

 the purpose of breeding stock with fewer de- 

 fects and with greater perfections than their 

 parents ; in which their mutual properties 

 shall be continued, and their mutual faults 

 corrected. The objects of improved breed- 

 ing, therefore, are to obviate defects, and to 

 acquire and perpetuate desirable properties ; 

 hence, when a race of animals have pos- 

 sessed, in a great degree, through several 

 generations, the properties which it is our 

 object to obtain, their progeny are said to 

 be well bred, and their stock may be relied 

 upon. It was upon this principle of selec- 

 tion that Bakewell formed his celebrated 

 stock of sheep, having spared no pains or 

 expense in obtaining the choicest individuals 

 from all the best kinds of long, or combing 

 woolled sheep, wherever they were met with ; 

 and it cannot be doubted, that any breed may 

 be improved in the same manner, namely, 

 by putting the best males to the finest fe- 

 males. After a superior breed, however, has 

 been thus obtained, it is a point that has been 

 much disputed, whether it is proper to raise 

 stock, 1st, from the same family ; or 2d, from 

 the same race, but of different families; or 

 3d, from races entirely different." He says 

 afterwards, "On breeding from the same 

 family — this method is called breeding in 

 and in, or putting animals of the nearest re- 

 lationship together; and though this plan 

 was for some time in fashion, under the sanc- 

 tion of Bakewell's authority, yet experience 

 has now proved that it cannot be successfully 

 persevered in. It may indeed prove beneficial 

 if not carried too far, in fixing any variety 

 that may be thought valuable, but on the 

 whole, it is only in appearance. Under this 

 system, the young animal comes into the 

 world on comparatively a very small scale ; 

 by keeping it fat from the first moments of 

 its existence, it is made to attain a greater 

 size than nature intended ; and its weight, in 

 consequence, will be very great, in propor- 

 tion to the size of its bones. Thus, a gene- 

 ration of animals of an extraordinary form, 

 and saleable at enormous prices, may be ob- 

 tained, but that does not prove that the prac- 

 tice is eligible if long persisted in : on the 

 contrary, if the system be followed up, the 

 stock becomes tender and delicate; they be- 

 come bad breeders; and though they retain 

 their shape and beauty, they will decrease in 

 vigour and activity ; will become lean and 

 dwarfish, and ultimately be incapable of con- 

 tinuing the race." " Sir John Seabright tried 

 many experiments by breeding in and in, 

 with dogs, fowls and pigeons, and found the 



breeds uniformly to degenerate." " A gen- 

 tleman, who tried the experiment v/ith pigs, 

 brought them at last into such a state, that 

 the female gave over breeding almost entire- 

 ly, and when they did breed, their produce 

 was so small and delicate, that they died as 

 soon as they were born." "Mr. Knight's 

 experiments with plants, have fully con- 

 vinced him, that in the vegetable as well as 

 in the animal kingdom, the offspring of a 

 male and female, not related, will possess 

 more strength and vigour than when they 

 are of the same family, which proves how 

 unprofitable such connexions are." " A 

 change of seed is in general advantageous, 

 in regard both to animals and vegetables ; 

 hence, many farmers are induced, not only 

 to change the seed of the kind of grain they 

 cultivate, but to procure males from the flocks 

 and herds of those who have the same, or 

 similar with their own. It has been re- 

 marked, that those farmers have, in general, 

 the worst flocks, who breed from rams pro- 

 duced on their own farms, and that an inter- 

 change of males is usually beneficial." 

 Your subscriber, 



John Matthews. 



Chester County, 29th April, 1840. 



For the N. E. Farmer. 

 Zoology important to Farmers. 



A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast. 



SoLOMOff. 



This language, though uttered many cen- 

 turies ago, and by one to whom wisdom was 

 granted in compliance with his request, in- 

 somuch that he has been reputed as possess- 

 ing it in a superior degree through all inter- 

 vening ages, is, nevertheless, by many of 

 our enlightened day, considered as highly 

 figurative, or else, as so far partaking of^ the 

 mistaken ideas of those old-fashioned times, 

 as to deserve being held in remembrance only 

 as relics of antiquated notions. Hence we 

 see men of every tribe and nation — every 

 sect and party — of all ranks and in all situa- 

 tions — setting aside its injunctions, and 

 treating the animals which Providence has 

 created for their convenience, enjoyment, and 

 as the pioneers of wealth, as though they 

 had actually been placed at their disposal as 

 subjects on which they were to exercise all 

 the rigours of spite and vengeance which 

 their " little brief authority" can command. 

 How strange must the infatuation be, which 

 prompts or tolerates such conduct ! 



The beasts of the field were evidently 

 created for the benefit of man, and in forms 

 and for purposes adapted to his convenience. 

 " The ox was formed for labour, and much 

 increase is by his strength." The horse, 

 adorned with beauty, is endowed with qual- 



