No. 4.] CEOSS1NG OF PLANTS. 63 



you bring those two types of allied families together, the 

 Irish and the Scotch, you get one of the most powerful types 

 that are known among the families of men. They have 

 impressed themselves with wonderful force upon the history 

 of America. We have the same thing in the crossing of the 

 Guernsey and the Jersey in dairy cattle. We get the finest 

 results of cross-breeding between those two families of the 

 butter breeds of cattle, allied in their character. But you 

 cross a Holstein on a Jersey or a Holstein on a Guernsey 

 and you have two dissimilar tendencies and types ; there is a 

 struggle for the mastery, and there is a lack of agree- 

 ment to a common purpose. We may get once in a 

 while a very excellent result, but I have noticed that 

 it is not generally harmonious and successful. We have 

 the same thing in dogs. The pointer and setter among 

 bird dogs is a very harmonious cross, and there is a reinforce- 

 ment of like talent on each side to a general result in the 

 centre. We have the same tiling in the crossing of the 

 Shorthorn and the Polled Angus among beef breeds. Also 

 a like result in the trotter and the running horse amongst 

 speed horses. In all these instances what is termed "the 

 nick" is more kindly progressive to a definite purpose. The 

 old Greek said "The world is ever hungry for a definition," 

 and all there is or should be to our action on these questions 

 is a definiteness of purpose, working towards some definite 

 result. Now, if we breed to diffusion, or, as the old Yankee 

 word was, " scatteration," we will be very apt to get it unless 

 we bring unity of purpose together with unity of t3 r pes. 

 Another thing. If a man travels in Europe and visits Ger- 

 many, for instance, among the German tribes of men he will 

 note the wonderful size of the aristocracy among the Ger- 

 mans, — the ruling families, the cultured families, the families 

 which have had an opportunity of a larger mingling of the 

 blood of like type together. Those men are men of large 

 stature, — Count Caprivi, six feet and six inches ; Bismarck ; 

 Oscar, king of Sweden. In all those men there has been 

 the commingling of allied blood. But go among the peasan- 

 try of Europe and you have a tendency to under-stature 

 nowhere consonant with the other classes. One thing you 

 may say conduces to it, and that is nourishment. No doubt 



