No. 4.] BREEDS AND VARIETIES. 163 



or the cattle of one breeder may l)e far worse than another, 

 and so it is not an uncommon thing to hnd pure bloods of 

 far less value than mixed bloods. 



Soon the breeder writes the history or genealogy of his 

 stock, and this we call a pedigree ; but usually this pedigree 

 gives us no light as to the performances of the animal. It 

 only tells of sires and dams, grandsires and grandams. We 

 have done a little in the right direction by publishing the 

 performances of individual animals and families in a few 

 cases. 



If the foundation stock has been well selected and the 

 breeder has been skilful, then the breed becomes valuable, 

 because the qualities desired have been secured and made 

 reasonably permanent by causing these qualities to be con- 

 stantly active. Growth, it should be remembered, comes 

 from the activity of molecules of matter, the new replacing 

 the old ; and, if the new particles are provided faster than 

 the old are worn out, we have growth and surplus. 



Let me repeat that the value of the breed or family is con- 

 tingent upon the foundation stock and the skill of the breeder ; 

 if both have been superior, then the breed or variety has the 

 qualities wanted. If dairy cattle, then no dairyman can 

 afford to spend a lifetime in trying to form a breed, but 

 should avail himself of the results secured by the successful 

 breeders who have preceded him. 



How They are Formed. 



Since the strictly pure-blooded animals are usually high 

 priced, and since no breed can fit perfectly into every condi- 

 tion on but few farms, and since an infusion of the mixed- 

 l)looded cattle of any locality is likely to give stamina and 

 vigor to the pure bred, and some of the qualities best suited 

 for the particular locality, therefore it is safe to advise each 

 farmer to breed a variety of animals to suit his particular 

 locality and wants. He should start with the best of the 

 animals already on the farm, on the dam side, because these 

 of necessity have in time adapted themselves to the food they 

 have received, the land upon which they have grazed and 

 the uses to which they have been put. It is not good policy 

 to introduce animals of different characteristics and qualities, 



