THE SHORT-HORNED, OR HOLSTEIN BREED. 557 



beauty of foiiii and utility were inseparable. But at pre- 

 sent a distinction is made by men who have long been con- 

 versant in practice, between a useful sort and a sort that is 

 merely handsome. Utility of form is, therefore, the next 

 general principle, and may be considered as arising from a 

 larger proportion of those parts which are deemed offal, or 

 which bear an inferior price, should be small in proportion 

 to the better parts. A third principle of improvement 

 laid down by breeders consists in the fineness of the mus- 

 cular parts, or what is termed flesh. But the great object 

 which engrosses the attention of breeders at present, is the 

 ■fattening quality, or a natural propensity in cattle to arrive 

 at a state of fatness at an early age, and in a short space of 

 time ; and it appears, from observation, that beauty and 

 utility of form, the quality of flesh, and its propensity to fat- 

 ness, are principles consistent with each other, are frequently 

 found in the same individual, and hereditary in particular 

 lines or families of cattle. In regard to the means of im- 

 provement, it has long been an established maxim, that, to 

 improve the breed, it is necessary to cross it with others of 

 an alien stock, under an opinion, that continuing to breed 

 from the same line, weakens the stock. This idea, however 

 rooted it may have been in the minds of former practitioners, 

 is now entirely set aside by the modern practice of breeding, 

 not from the same line only, but from the same family : the 

 sire and the daughter, the son and the mother, the brother 

 and sister, are now permitted to improve their own kind ; 

 and in this way the improvement of the several breeds has 

 advanced rapidly to a height unknown before in any age or 

 nation." 



This we may admit has been the case to a certain extent ; 

 but a limit must be put to it, otherwise, degeneracy and 

 weakness are sure to follow, and also a train of diseases, 

 which will become hereditary. 



