OPPOSITION TO IN-AND-IN BKEEDING. 



105 



aeing fathers of a mighty people, few and full of sorrow will 

 be the days of our children ; while in place of retaining 

 in their possession our darling wealth, it will, ere long, 

 pass into the hand of the stranger. 



(88.) Opponents of in-and-in breeding. — Different 

 individuals at various times, and in widely separate 

 places, have by their observations rendered the crimi- 

 nal absurdity of this system perfectly apparent to all, 

 who, unbiased by party principle, are anxious for a 

 knowledge of the truth. A few of these I shall men- 

 tion. Ezra L'Hommedieu, Vice-president of the 

 Agricultural Society of New York, collected, in the 

 year 1800, a great many observations on the breeding 

 of sheep, and came to the conclusion, that changing 

 and crossing the breed of the animals is a matter of 

 great importance, in preventing a dwindling and dege- 

 neracy of the flock. Dr Coventr}-^, in his pamphlet on 

 Live-Stock, gives it as his opinion, that *' The most per- 

 fect race of animals may be debased by improper 

 mixture, or injured by improper treatment. Indiscrimi- 

 nate matches in breeding, and inattentive management 

 in rearing, are alike capable of producing a worthless 

 progeny." Here the matter is made very plain, from 

 comparing an evil, the progress of which is insidious, 

 with the injurious consequences, which the most unob- 

 serving can easily trace to a parallel neglect. Mr Dick 

 of Edinburgh, so well known for the valuable and trust- 

 worthy information he has accumulated, has been 

 informed by eminent farmers, " that cattle bred in-and- 

 in, are very subject to dyers in the throat after they 

 have attained their first year." By clyers are meant 

 enlarged lymphatic glands, which are a sure sign of 



