CHAPTER II. 



PRINCIPLES THAT GOVERN THE SELECTION 

 OF ANIMALS. 



Selecting animals, in relative importance, towers away 

 upward, head and shoulders above the other principles 

 that govern feeding. Though each of these should be 

 scrupulously observed, if the principle governing selec 

 tion is violated, marked success will be unattainable. In 

 proportion to the measure of such violation, will be the 

 want of success. So broad is it that it involves nearly 

 every consideration relating to breeding, and many con 

 siderations relating to previous management, and yet, in 

 discussing it, the aim will be to narrow the discussion 

 down to all possible brevity of statement not inconsistent 

 with clearness in the same. 



Prominent- among the principles that govern selection 

 are: (i) Those that relate to adaptation in the sense of re- 

 quirement or use ; (2) to inheritance ; (3) to type or form 

 (4) to quality; (5) to transmission; (6) to adaptation in 

 its relation to environment ; and (7) to the indications of 

 good health. The aim has been to state those principles 

 in the order of relative importance, except the last, which 

 manifestly may exercise a qualifying influence on all the 

 others, but coming light on these questions may show the 

 necessity for rearrangement. 



Adaptation to requirement. Adaptation in the sense 

 requirement or use has reference to the object or objects 

 for which animals are kept. In the nature of things these 

 objects vary greatly in the different classes of domestic 

 animals, and they frequently differ considerably in ani- 

 mals of the same class, but of different breeding. Some 

 horses, for instance, are wanted for labor only, some for 

 driving only, and some for both uses. Some cattle are 



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