No. 10. 



On Breeedins in and in. 



321 



For the Fanners' Cabinet. 

 On Breeding in and in. 



Sir, — The remarks of your correspondent 

 (p. 2fi7 of Cabinet) on this subject, although 

 chiefly applied to vegetables, induces me to 

 transcribe from a very valuable work, " On 

 the Science of Agriculture," by Joseph Hay- 

 ward, some observations which seem to put 

 the matter beyond controversy. 



I am, your subscriber, 



John Sneid. 



Montgomery County, 25lli April, 1840. 



" A difference of opinion may always be 

 expected to exist, as to form and colour that 

 constitutes the beauty of animals, as well as 

 vegetables, but it cannot be denied that the 

 grand object of agriculture should be, a pro- 

 filahlt produce. The mode of attaining this 

 object, no doubt, will be determined in a 

 great measure by peculiarity of situation and 

 circumstances; but taking it for granted that 

 every agriculturist must be desirous of 

 keeping up the good qualities, if not of im- 

 proving his stock, the only questions that 

 can arise are, — What is an improvement? 

 and what will ^xoAuce profit? And, let this 

 be determined as it may, perfection can only 

 be obtained by a selection of breeders. If a 

 greater or less size be required, stronger pro- 

 pensities or greater and more perfect health 

 and vigour, the object must be obtained by 

 selecting and pairing those males and females 

 •which possess in the greatest degree the re- 

 quisite qualities, whether crossing be resorted 

 to, or breeding in and in. When left to na- 

 ture, this is always determined one way; 

 those which are rendered the weakest, from 

 whatever cause, are driven off, or down, by 

 the strongest and most vigorous; and as all 

 have to contend with the same climate, lodg- 

 ing and food, those possessing the best habits 

 must always prevail, and consequently, the 

 breed must be kept up to its greatest perfec- 

 tion. And in adherence to these principles 

 — that which is the most congenial to the 

 laws of nature, is the most profitable — is 

 clearly established by practical demonstra- 

 tion. 



It is well known that there are many farms, 

 and many large districts that never do fatten 

 their stock, and indeed are considered and 

 found inadequate to it. And what other 

 cause can be assigned for this, but that the 

 stock are bred by continual crossing with 

 males reared under advantages of superior 

 lodging, food, and climate, to what such 

 farms and districts naturally produce"? As 

 Sir John Sinclair observes, animals bred from 

 the same family and selected for their pecu- 

 liar propensities to fatten, have a large pro- 

 portion of flesh, and but little bone ; so on 

 the contrary, animals bred from meagre fe- 



males, living in a harsh climate and with a 

 scanty supply of food, by crossing with males 

 of the largest size, produced by superior food, 

 and in a climate more congenial, have a large 

 proportion of bone, and but little flesh, and 

 possess withal a more delicate and precari- 

 ous state of health. Any land whatever, that 

 will furnish food enough to maintain two 

 animals in a state for breeding, and with a 

 climate and lodging requisite to sustain health 

 and vigour, will be found equal to the fatten- 

 ing an animal that had been naturalised to it 

 by breeding t?» fl?!rf?n for several generations. 

 Every farm may be considered as having its 

 peculiar advantages and disadvantages, com- 

 pared with others ; and profit can only arise 

 from a skilful observance and management 

 of these. 



There does not exist a more mistaken no- 

 tion, than that the stock of one farm may be 

 kept equal to every otlier, by crossing and 

 changing the animals and seeds only. It 

 has been well observed, that 'nature pro- 

 vides every creature with a shelter from the 

 storm.' If a male and female of any species 

 of animal or plant, be bred under circum- 

 stances of a congenial climate, and a liberal 

 supply of food, and afterwards placed in a 

 situation where the climate is harsh, and the 

 supply of food scanty, they must of necessity 

 decline in flesh, and in health, and vigour; 

 but their young, bred under those circum- 

 stances of privation, will acquire habits, and 

 be reduced to a size more conformable : and 

 these again breeding in and in, the habits of 

 their progeny will still become better adapt- 

 ed, until by degrees they will become per- 

 fectly inured and naturalized, and capable of 

 making the utmost return the farm is equal 

 to, and at the least expense. But if, on the 

 other hand, the breeder chooses to contend 

 with, and oppose nature, and instead of sub- 

 mitting to her laws, he still persists in at- 

 tempting to keep up the size, by a fresh sup- 

 ply of males and females from the original 

 quarter, he inevitably must be subjected to 

 the consequences of a want of health and 

 vigour, and incur great hazard and extra ex- 

 pense. That the above principles equally 

 govern the vegetable, as well as the animal 

 world, has been demonstrated by Sir Joseph 

 Banks, who says, that by repeatedly raising 

 plants from the seeds grown on the spot, he 

 has so naturalized to this climate vegetables 

 that were natives of a warm climate, and 

 which, on their first introduction into this 

 country, could only be kept alive in conser- 

 vatories, that they are now enabled to flourish 

 in the open air, without artificial protection." 



Again: "After a perfect stock has been 

 obtained, how is it to be continued ? This 

 seems to be the grand question, and it only 

 can be answered on the principles before ex- 



