110 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



May 



THE PRINCIPLES OF BREEDING. 

 BY 3. P. CHAPMAN. 



The first great axiom laid down by nearly all wri- 

 ters on this subject is that "like produces like." 

 This indisputable law of nature is seen in every thing 

 both animate and inanimate that has the power of re- 

 production throughout the entire universe. But while 

 this fact is universally acknowledged it is also equal- 

 ly well known that the union of two different sub- 

 stances often produces something differing very much 

 from either. This law governs the animal as well 

 as the vegetable and mineral kingdoms. By the union 

 of two animals the produce often differs in form, col- 

 or and appearance from either — sometimes being su- 

 perior and at others inferior, according as the skill 

 aud judgment exercised in their selection has been 

 wisely applied or the reverse. 



To breed from two animals so that the produce 

 6hall be superior to either requires no small amount 

 of judgment and experience. But it is evident this 

 has been accomplished, else we should have had no 

 improvement. It is very easy to improve so long as 

 we can obtain a sire superior to the other portions of 

 our herd : but when we have raised our entire stock 

 equal to the best animals we now possess, must we 

 th<m cease our exertions ; or are there certain grand 

 principles which, if correctly carried out, will enable 

 us to continue that vast improvement which has 

 already effected such great changes'? We for one 

 are far from supposing that any of our domestic ani- 

 mals have as yet reached their highest state toward 

 perfection ; on the contrary we believe thev have but 

 just begun to advance in improvement. Who that 

 lived a century since would have supposed that from 

 the animals then in existence we could have produced 

 our present excellent improved stock ? — and who can 

 tell what our best breeds may become one hundred 

 years hence ? 



The first thing an individual should do in order to 

 become a successful breeder is to establish in his own 

 mind what he deems to be perfection, as regards the 

 animals he is breeding ; for without some definite 

 object in view it is evident but little can be accom- 

 plished. In order that he may entertain correct views 

 it will be necessary for him to give fhe subject much 

 study and observation. He should then select for the 

 foundation of his herd those animals that approach 

 nearest this standard of perfection. It is not proba- 

 ble that he can find animals that will entirely suit 

 him. They will all have some little defects. How 

 is ho to eradicate these defects and preserve their 

 excellencies. It can only be accomplished by long 

 and steady perseverence and great care in the selec- 

 tion of his breeding stock. 



If, for instance, we have a cow possessing many 

 valuable qualities but deficient in some important 

 point it is not enough to insure improvement in the 

 produce that we should breed her to the male possess- 

 ing this point in perfection. In the first place to 

 calculate on any thing like success we must ascer- 

 tain that the male inherits this excellency. We 

 must then see that he has no defects which lie will 

 be likely to stamp upon the produce, lie will, with- 

 out doubt, be deficient somewhere. Is the cow per- 

 fect where ho is deficient, and does she inherit this 

 perfection 1 If so, we may calculate we have the 

 right materials for improvement. Every defect in 

 the male should bo counterbalanced by a correspond- 

 ing hereditary excellency in the female and visa versa. 

 One great reason why some individuals are not more | 



successful as breeders is, they do not study the ani- 

 mals they breed from. They possess perhaps a 

 very good sire, and their cows are better than an 

 average. But after several years breeding they find 

 their stock have deterioated instead of improving. 

 The reason of this is that while they have retained 

 in some degree their former excellencies they have 

 been breeding animals together both of which have 

 been deficient in some one and the same important 

 points, and they have been in fact establishing de- 

 fects. 



This is one of the great objections to the " in and 

 in" system of breeding. The animals being descend- 

 ed from the same family are likely to possess the 

 same defects, and by a union of like defects, it is 

 evident we can never create an excellency. On 

 the other hand by bringing together animals of 

 different families, we have a greater chance to 

 obtain those whose defects and excellencies will in a 

 great measure counteract each other. If it were 

 possible to obtain perfect animals and have them 

 descended from perfect ancestors for years back we 

 think there would be no danger of breeding "in" 

 for generations to come, and we presume all the pro- 

 duce would be perfect. We do not, however, know 

 of ^perfect cow, or bull, and any individual possess- 

 ing both might amass an ample fortune. 



We would here say a few words as regards the 

 raising of animals in connexion with their breeding, 

 and that is, that they should be well fed. It matters 

 not how good animals we may possess, we can in a 

 few years ruin them by neglect, and almost starva- 

 vation. All young animals should be kept just as 

 well as they possibly can be without becoming fat. 

 We have known young animals ruined by over feed- 

 ing, and we have known of many more spoiled by 

 starvation. The safe and most judicious course 

 seems to be to adopt the medium as we have before 

 stated. The young animal is then more healthy, will 

 attain a greater size at maturity, and will have a firm 

 and more perfect appearance. Clockville, Madison 

 Co., April, 1849. 



SELECTING INDIAN CORN FOR SEED. 



T.Y CALVIN E. HILDRETH. 



Messrs. Editors : — I believe there can be an 

 improvement made upon Indian Corn, by a proper 

 selection of seed. About ten years ago it was a rare 

 chance to find an ear of corn with fifty kernels in one 

 row of the eight rowed variety. The same variety I 

 plant now, and can find ears that will have fifty-five 

 and sixty kernels in one row. 



The way I selected my seed was this : I took the 

 longest ears that were not filled out at the top end, 

 believing that an car of corn that was filled out over 

 the end would grow no longer ; and selected from 

 year to year those ears that were not filled out, and 

 small at the butt. I have ears that 'have fifty-six or 

 eight kernels in a row, and the cob one inch in diam- 

 eter at the butt anu not filled over the end. The 

 length of the longest ears is from ten to twelve inches. 

 I have from fifty to sixty bushels to the acre in this 

 climate. No doubt <i great improvement might be 

 made in four or five years, by close application, on a 

 small scale. 



If you think the above will be of any use to your 

 readers, you may publish it. Raymondvillc, St. 

 Lawrence Co., JY. Y., 1819. 



The above suggestion is in season, and worthy of 

 particular attention. 



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