ix.] IMPROVED BREEDS OF STOCK. 79 



for theii offspring. This is the change which has been 

 accomplished in our " improved breeds " of stock, and 

 many will be disposed to enquire, wherein does 

 the improvement consist ? 



164. The actual improvement consists, in a greater 

 economy in the production of meat from vege- 

 table food. If a certain quantity of corn, or roots, or 

 clover had to be converted into meat, with the least pos- 

 sible loss of time and material, then we should succeed 

 best, if we made use of an animal of an improved breed, 

 to do the work. Here we should find the animal 

 quietly and placidly taking its food, and then resting 

 whilst that food was undergoing the changes necessary 

 to convert it into the flesh of that animal. As soon 

 as this had proceeded for a certain time, fresh food 

 would be supplied, and the work of growth encouraged ; 

 finally, when it was thought desirable to complete the 

 fattening of the animal, suitable food would be given, 

 and thus we should be able to produce early maturity, 

 and thereby obtain meat in its cheapest form. In 

 other words, we have made our several breeds of farm 

 stock, into excellent machines for the production of 

 meat. In doing so we have deprived them of much 

 of that energy of life, and hardy character, with which 

 they were prepared to withstand the difficulties and 

 the dangers of a life, in which they had to take care of 

 themselves, far more than they were taken care of. 



165. Thus we are able to control the character, and 

 the form of our domesticated animals, and produce 

 very extraordinary variations from the original type. 

 This success is not attained by sudden changes, but 

 by taking advantages of favourable peculiarities, en- 

 couraging their development, and then rendering them 

 more permanent. It must however be remembered, 

 that we can only control the peculiarities of animal 

 life, by such methods as the laws of animal life permit. 

 In this way we have obtained improved breeds of 

 cattle, sheep, and pigs altogether different in shape, in 



