human race, by inculcating habits of regu- 

 larity and kindliness, which the care of 

 domestic animals imposes. 



INCREASE IN ANIMAL PRODUCTION 



During the last half century animals have 

 not increased in numbers as rapidly as have 

 the inhabitants, but the value of animals has 

 increased much more rapidly. While a part 

 of this increase in value is due perhaps to a 

 greater cost of production, a couple of illus- 

 trations will suffice to show that part of this 

 increase in value has been due to increase in 

 the individual merit of the animals. In 

 1850 sheep in this country produced 2.4 

 pounds of wool per fleece; in 1910 they pro- 

 duced 6.9 pounds per fleece. Thus, while in 

 50 years sheep have not quite doubled in 

 numbers, the production of wool has in- 

 creased more than five times. This is a 

 striking example of the value of improve- 

 ment in breeding, because the improve- 

 ment in wool production is due to the 

 influence of heredity in far greater degree 

 than to the effect of improved feeding. 



173 



