58 HOW TO IMPROVE. — DIFFICULTIES. 



thorough-bred, will be sure to deteriorate and sink to 

 the level of poor stock, by neglect and want of proper 

 attention. 



How, then, are we to improve our stock ? Not, surely, 

 by that indiscriminate crossing, with a total disregard to 

 all well-established principles, which has thus far marked 

 our efforts generally with foreign stock, and which is 

 one prominent reason why so little improvement has 

 been made in our dairies ; nor by leaving all the results 

 to chance, when, by a careful and judicious selection, they 

 may be within our own control. Two modes of improve- 

 ment seem to suggest themselves to the mind of the 

 breeder, either of which, apparently, promises good 

 results. The first is, to select from among our native 

 cattle the most perfect animals not known or suspected 

 to be related to any of the well-established breeds, and 

 to use them as breeders. This is a mode of improve- 

 ment simple enough, if adopted and carried on with 

 animals of any known breed ; and, indeed, it is the onl} r 

 mode of improvement which preserves the purity of 

 blood ; but, to do it successfully, requires great expe- 

 rience, a good and sure eye for stock, a mind free from 

 prejudice, and indefatigable patience and perseverance. 

 It is absolutely necessary, also, to pay special attention 

 to the calves thus produced; to furnish them at all times, 

 summer and winter, with an abundant supply of nutri- 

 tious food, and to regulate it according to their growth. 

 Few men are to be found willing to undertake the 

 herculean task of building up a new breed in this way 

 from grade stock. An objection meets us at the very 

 outset, which is that it would require a long series of 

 years to arrive at any satisfactory results, from the fact 

 that no two animals, made up, as our " native " cattle 

 are, of such a variety of elements and crosses, could 

 be found sufficiently alike to produce their kind. The 



