POSSIBILITIES OF THE FUTURE 99 



very much in the dark. For instance, at the present moment 

 no one can say whether the powers of reproduction are hindered, 

 or not, by pushing the lactation functions too far. The irregu- 

 larities of breeding are constantly interfering in so many wayg 

 with the profitableness of our live-stock, that an effort is urgently 

 needed to allow, and even to encourage, the man of science to 

 ascertain whether he can to a certain extent help the farmer in 

 the control of breeding. It surely ought not to be, as it is now, 

 a constant source of dispute as to what is the right age to breed 

 from a heifer. There are few districts in which practice does 

 not greatly differ in this respect, even when the animals are 

 all wanted for exactly the same purpose. If there is no benefit 

 to be derived from the practice, it is surely a bad thing that 50 

 per cent, of our female cattle are allowed, without any adequate 

 reasgn, to remain useless as milk-producers for six months 

 longer than the other half; yet no one familiar with prevailing 

 methods can deny that this is the case. It is of the utmost 

 importance that the regular supply of milk should be kept up 

 in the kingdom ; yet the factor of calf-production, w r hich regu- 

 lates the supply, is so uncertain that cow-keepers often suffer 

 loss through being obliged to keep a surplus of breeding animals 

 to ensure that the supply of milk does not fall below a certain 

 minimum. There is a long list of questions concerning fertility 

 that require investigation. Recent research into the question of 

 fecundity in sheep 1 leads to the hope and belief that research 

 work dealing with such matters might lead to results of great 

 benefit to the stockman. 



There remains another question, namely, whether we, as 

 breeders, have yet obtained the animal that most nearly ap- 

 proaches perfection in meeting our requirements. Mendel intro- 

 duced entirely new conceptions of the possibilities of breeding. 

 The science of genetics, as the study of the laws of inheritance 

 is now called, might be utilized to combine more good qualities 

 in the same body. This has been done by Biffen and others as 

 regards farm-crops; why, then, should we not hope for the 



1 Marshall, "Fertility in Scottish Sheep," Transactions Highland and 

 Agricultural Society of Scotland, VoL xx, 1908. 



