68 BOAKD OF AGKICULTUliE. [Pub. Doc. 



form ? I answer, performance in the near ancestry. Whether 

 to man or cattle beast, it means much more what the character 

 of the parentage was than what the character of the grand- 

 parents was. To either, likewise, it means much more what 

 the grandparents were than the ancestors of say ten genera- 

 tions previously. 



Fortunately, dairymen have some methods opening to them 

 whereby they can measure performance in the near ancestry 

 more unerringly than this can be done with some other kinds 

 of live stock. The record of the animal, if a female, at the 

 pail, is that measure; and if a male, the measure consists 

 in the performance of his progeny at the pail, providing time 

 enough has been given to furnish such testimony. If such 

 performance can be satisfactorily traced, through even a 

 limited number of the ancestry, and more especially the near 

 ancestry, the choice of such a sire is not likely to be dis- 

 appointing. But, you ask, does individuality — that is, form 

 — count for nothing ? It counts for much, — so much that 

 without it in fair degree the animal should be rejected for 

 a sire. It is not the intention, however, to discuss form as 

 such in this paper. 



After breeding and form comes prepotency. Prepotency 

 is the ability to transmit breed and individual characteristics 

 to the progeny. Marked prepotency is of rare value in a sire, 

 and, like all bestowments of rare value, is not very common. 

 Instances may be cited in which such potency in a single 

 sire has brought with it in a sense fortune to the owner. 

 Of course such potency can be assured only by actual test, 

 and to wait for such test may involve the purchasing of ma- 

 ture males only, that have reached or almost reached the 

 meridian of usefulness. How mav this difficulty be met and 



overcome 



Three guaranties exist of probable prepotency before it 

 has been proved by actual test: the first is descent from an 

 ancestry of good performers in the near branches of the same ; 

 the second is the presence of line blood in the near ancestry; 

 and the third is robust individuality. 



Descent from ancestry who were good performers has 

 already been discussed. Line-bred animals are such as have 



