DAIRY STO: K. 38 



antee of their producing their like. They originally 

 sprang from the best animals that the early emigrants 

 could select to bring over with them from Europe. But 

 they were subsequently crjss-bre.l so promiscuously that 

 no trace of the original blood can be discovered with any 

 certainty. They were also subjected to groat exposure 

 and hardship, with scanty food, which had a greatly de- 

 teriorating tendency. But, perhaps worst of all, there 

 was no careful selection of males for breeding purposes, 

 nor any attempt at judicious coupling for improvement, 

 or for even the maintenance of the existing status. In 

 short, the entire treatment and all the surroundings had 

 a deteriorating influence and a tendency to the produc- 

 tion of scrubs. If we were to take all the existing pure- 

 blood stock and breed it together promiscuously, while 

 at the same time subjecting it to harsh treatment and 

 neglect, it would not require a very long period to reduce 

 it to the same mongrel and scrub condition in which we 

 now find the common stock of the country. Yet. some of 

 our common stock make excellent crosses, when "pure- 

 blood males are used But no improvement or valuable 

 results could come from using common stock bulls on 

 pure-blood or other cows. The male has the controlling 

 influence, and to the constant use of pure-blood males 

 must we look for the improvement of the common stock 

 of the country and for the maintenance of the existing 

 status of the pure-bloods ; and not only must we use pure- 

 blood males, but keep up a constant and careful selection 

 of the best. Neither should we trust to cross-bred or 

 grade bulls for breeding purposes; for the progeny will 



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