288 DISEASES OF ANIMALS. 



superior native cows ; but another important reason foi 

 the failure is that our native breed is mixed up and con- 

 stantly varying. 



Causes of Degeneracy. They are numerous. Among 

 the most prominent are, breeding from worthless animals 

 and in a hap-hazard manner ; breeding in and in ; close 

 breeding; want of good keeping; want of good man- 

 agement ; bad training, and excessive use of males. In 

 some towns, not one good horse, male or female, can be 

 found, and yet every sorry jade has a foal, and perhaps 

 by the most worthless horse in the place ; and this be- 

 ginning is of a piece with the whole mangement in rear- 

 ing and breaking. In some cases, a buck is shut up and 

 poorly fed, and greatly reduced, and then turned into a 

 large flock. 



Bad keeping, irregular feeding, the want of a regular 

 supply of pure water, inaction, exposures, ill-usage, and 

 bad management of any kind, are causes of degeneracy. 

 To improve a race of animals, then, they must be well 

 and regularly, but not too high fed, well educated, prop 

 erly exercised, well curried, and managed every way 

 for tb.e proi!'Otion of their health, strength, and comfort 



TH£ END. 



