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all the races of animals. If certain families among men continue, 

 through several generations, to intermarry, it is sure that the 

 progeny will deteriorate — that both body and mind will gradually 

 fail in their proper and natural powers. And, on the contrary, races 

 of all animals may be restored and much improved, in size, 

 vigor, and intellect, by admixture with other distant races, where 

 there is no affinity, and where they have been reared in climates 

 somewhat different in temperature. By due attention to the ad- 

 mixture and transposition of soils, we shall find that the want 

 of artificial manures will not be felt, if the produce of the farmyard 

 is husbanded and properly applied. We beUeve, that by careful 

 attention to this, the production of grains on our New England 

 farms has, within a few years, been more than doubled. If, by 

 assiduous attention, such improvements may be made by the farmer 

 on his lands, he may be assured that equally remarkable results will 

 follow from attention to the breeding of his animals. And when we 

 consider that from this fund, — the barnyard, the pigsty, and the 

 sheep-pen, — will be deiived the greater part of his income in money, 

 it will be conceded that the subject demands his careful and anxious 

 inquiry. Hence the health of these animals is a matter of much 

 importance, and therefore he should understand and know, to a 

 certain extent, the diseases of his domestic animals. It is not possible 

 to prevent all illnesses among animals, by care and attention, although 

 much may thus be efiected. There will be epidemics and sicknesses 

 among them, as among families and communities of men. Now, how 

 much better it is, and how great a saving of expense, for the farmer 

 to know himself the diseases of his stock. We know that there are 

 some diseases that will require the skill and experience of the 

 veterinary surgeon ; but there are many slight illnesses which 

 ignorant treatment may convert into dangerous diseases, which, if 

 understood, might be easily managed and quickly subdued. And it 

 is my object, in addressing you, to excite your interest in veterinary 

 science, in connection with agricultural pursuits : so that when 

 diseases appear, they may not be mistaken nor mismanaged. But 

 there are some diseases to which animals are liable, of so aggravated 

 a character that no one can be expected to safely manage them but 

 the experienced practitioner ; and the treatment depends so much 

 on the symptoms, and is so various, that none but an experienced 

 hand can safely minister to their relief; and any rules laid down 



