190 CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND COMPLETE STOGJK DOCTOR. 



lineage, his impress, all through, will be the stronger, and if the mare be 

 the purest, her characteristics will predominate. In breeding up to a 

 higher standard, be sure, therefore, that the sire is of the purest and the 

 most strongly marked characteristics, as to impress of lilood. 



XI. Relation of Size in Sire and Dam. 



In the production of full-formed, vigorous and symmetrical animals, it 

 it is desired to increase the size, the mare should be relatively larger than 

 the horse. But if the size is correct, according to the breed, select sire 

 and dam of relative size ; that is, select a sire proportionately larger than 

 the dam, according to the breed. In Devon and Hereford cattle, for 

 example, the cows are smaller than the bulls, wherein they contrast with 

 the Short-Horns, where the relative size between male and female cor- 

 responds more nearly with the relative size of horse and mare. Above 

 all, never make the mistake of attempting to breed-up the size by using 

 overgrown males. Such an experiment nuist alwaj'S end in disaster, as 

 many farmers have found by breeding small mares, Avhicii they happen 

 to have, to some coarse, large-boned horse, with the idea of getting large, 

 able-bodied colts. At the time when overgrown horses were fashionable 

 in England, for coach and carriage teams, the farmers of Yorkshire 

 attempted to breed such animals from overgrown stallions on small mares. 

 The result was a dismal failure. The converse of this has been seen in 

 this country, in breeding pony Morgans upon much of the farm stock 

 with a view of getting fine horses. The outcome was stock too 

 small for labor, and not good enough for anything like road horses. 

 The results of this mistake may yet be seen in some jDarts of the country, 

 in undersized animals. 



XII. Breed Only From Pure Sires. 



In-and-in breeding, as already stated, as the breeding together of ani- 

 mals closely related, as the progeny of one sire and dam or members of 

 the same distinct and closely related lineage. Cross breeding is the 

 union of two distinct sub-families of the same tribe. Hybrids are the 

 produce of two distinct tribes of a familj'^, as for instance in the 

 genus equus, of the mare and ass, or the mare and zebra, or of the 

 mare and quagga. Cross-bred animals are fertile ; hybrids are not. 

 Breeding in line is the union of animals closely enough related to pos- 

 sess similar characteristics. In this connection it will be sufficient to state 

 conclusions founded upon experience and facts. The data may be found 

 in the records of herd and stud books, and in works dealing in special- 

 ties relating to physiology, anatomy and breeding. 



If it be desired to keep a stock absolutely pure, and to retain the well- 

 known characteristics of a breed in their best form, the proper plan is to 



