BttEJiOlNG IN-AiNU-l.N. 



103 



individuals which unfortunately cannot propagate or 

 transmit their excellent qualities to their posterity. 

 * * * In the animal kingdom, most of those quali- 

 ties which appear to be individual are propagated and 

 transmitted in the same manner as their specific quali- 

 ties. It was therefore more easy for man to have in- 

 fluence upon the nature of animals than upon that of 

 vegetables. Particular races in any species of animals, 

 are only constant varieties, which are perpetuated 

 by generation. But in the vegetable kingdom there 

 are no races, no varieties so constant as to be perpetu- 

 ated by reproduction. - In the species of the hen and 

 pigeon, a great number of races have been very lately 

 produced, all of which propagate their kinds. In 

 other species, we daily rear and improve races by 

 crossing the breeds." 



(87.) Breeding in-and-in — Though there are seve- 

 ral methods pursued by breeders for the improvement 

 of flocks, the one most in vogue is, that of choosing 

 individuals of the same family, and breeding in-and-in. 

 It is however a plan requiring, for the safety of the 

 flock, either very great skill in selecting the males and 

 females, or only to be followed to a very limited 

 extent. No subject ever called forth so much random 

 controversy, and no evil has ever so clearly shown itself 

 as such; yet it is only recently, that people have opened 

 the intellectual eye to the dangers of a practice, against 

 which the ablest pens were long and vainly blunted. 

 The object of breeding in-and-in is to strengthen good 

 qualities and get rid of bad ones, as speedily as possible ; 

 and it is plain, that if we happen to select animals with 

 flight iraperfectiona. these imperfections will become 



