AUTHOR'S PREFACE 



I AM aware that this book deals with subjects that are very 

 complicated, and that no one man can have an extensive know- 

 ledge, born of personal experience, of all of them. It is therefore 

 a matter of great regret to me to know that parts of the work 

 will cause consternation to many personal friends and acquaint- 

 ances, to whose help I owe the larger proportion of such know- 

 ledge as I possess. I know only too well that much of my text 

 will strike a blow at these practical men in that which, after 

 their honour, they cherish most their prejudice. I have 

 therefore to ask my friends and others who are of the cattle 

 world to remember that I have not hurriedly taken up my pen 

 to write this, my first book. It is over thirty-six years since I 

 had my first lesson in the selection of stock from an experi- 

 enced, successful and enthusiastic breeder. During the past 

 twenty years of my life it has been my duty, as well as my 

 pleasure, to pick the brains of all the fraternity, from the drover 

 to the pedigree expert, whenever I have had the good fortune 

 to meet one kind enough to help me, knowingly or unknowingly, 

 in my search for knowledge. Further, I would ask all those 

 who feel aggrieved to realize that I have had to banish the same 

 prejudices from my own mind, which was once as full of them 

 as any British husbandman could wish it to be. I can only hope 

 that anyone whom I may unfortunately offend will try to 

 imagine the long and strenuous struggle which such a change 

 in my state of mind has cost, and so forgive, even if he cannot 

 approve, this record of the change in my opinions which a long 

 search after truth has brought about. 



I have to thank my colleague, Mr R. H. Rastall, for reading 

 the slip-proofs of my book. I cannot, as they are so numerous, 

 thank by name all the practical men for the help I have just 

 alluded to, so I must ask them to take the will for the deed. 

 I must, however, express my deep sense of gratitude to my 



