550 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



to be more in accordance with the practice of our most suc- 

 cessful (early) breeders. 



15. The influence of the first impregnation seems to extend 

 to the subsequent ones ; this has been proved by several ex- 

 periments, and is especially marked in the equine genus. In 

 the series of examples preserved in the museums of the College 

 of Surgeons, the markings of the quagga, when united with the 

 ordinary mare, are continued clearly for three generations be- 

 yond the one in which the quagga was the actual sire, and they 

 are so clear as to leave the question settled without a doubt. 



16. When some of the elements of which an individual sire 

 is composed are in accordance with others making up those of 

 the dam, they coalesce in such a kindred way as to make what 

 is called "a hit." On the other hand, when they are too incon- 

 gruous, the result is an animal wholly unfitted for the task he 

 is intended to perform. 



Cross-breeding. Cross-breeding is in a limited sense the 

 opposite of in-and-in breeding. It is the pairing of animals of 

 different breeds. 



Now, as we are importing largely the Percherons, Clydes, 

 Shire, and Cleveland bay horses to cross on the mares of un- 

 known breeding, and as farmers generally are crossing on the 

 native cattle, sheep and swine, some of the many breeds of 

 cattle, sheep and swine that have been imported or bred up to 

 a high standard of excellence in this country, we can not pass 

 this subject without discussion. And as it is for farmers who 

 are interested in breeding of all domestic animals our illustra- 

 tions and principles announced will be such as are applicable 

 and helpful in breeding of all kinds of farm stock. 



The terms, " crossing," " making a cross," " out-breeding," 

 "cross-breeding," "grades," "breeding-in-line," are so loosely 

 used and often erroneously, that it may be well here to define 

 them. The terms crossing, making a cross, cross-breeding, 

 strictly speaking, should mean pairing two of opposite breeds, 

 such as Percheron on Clydesdale, or short-horn on Hereford. 

 Their produce would be cross-bred animals. "Cross-bred" ani- 

 mals are confounded with "grades." 



