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How many men before deciding the important question of se- 

 lecting a bull for breeding, considerthe virtues and faults of their 

 own cows ? Do their cows need a hardier constitution ? Are they 

 too lank and leggy ? Do they need increase in size of body ? Do 

 their udders need developement in certain directions where they 

 are now deficient ? Are such questions asked and weighed de- 

 liberately ? 



We fear that less care and judgement is used in these matters 

 than in many others of less importance. 



Sinclair uses the term well bred. Now it seems to us that 

 there is some distinction between a well bred and a thorough- 

 bred animal. Every thorough-bred animal is not a well a bred one. 

 Other things being equal, we would always select the animal 

 with the longest pedigree, becau.se we believe in pedigrees, which 

 are the result of judicious breeding, but to say that the beast 

 with the longest pedigree is the best, is as sensible as to say that 

 the longest tail is a sure guide for selection. 



Before purchasing a bull, one should know something more 

 than the mere fact of his having a pedigree — we should know 

 that it is a good one, that is, tracing to a line of ancestors hav- 

 ing such qualities and characteristics as we wish to introduce in 



to our herds. 



si- 

 Different families of the same breed often vary materially in 

 quality — for pure-bred cattle may be improved or deteriorated ac- 

 cording to the judgement of the breeder — therefore we say be 

 careful in choosing animals for breeding purposes that they are 

 not only pure bred but well bred. 



Mr. Pringle, Editor of the "Irish Farmers' Gazette," remarks 

 that "It much to be regretted that careful selection, especially 

 in case of the males, is not so closely attended to by many breed- 

 ers of the present day as it ought to be. Bull calves are not un- 



