CHAPTER I. 



SCIENTIFIC BREEDING. 



Science involves methods of acquiring knowledge; methods of or- 

 ganizing knowledge acquired with experience. Methods demonstrate 

 the digested experience of men and result in what is known as "com- 

 mon sense." the accumulation of which can properly be called knowledge 

 arranged in order-science. 



Common-sense breeding is as nearly applied science as we can de- 

 fine the subject. Webster says, applied science is a knowledge of the 

 facts or phenomena as produced by means of causes or laws. The laws 

 of generation, in the very nature of things, are not, and can never be, 

 reduced to a mathematical science. Scientific breeding, therefore, is 

 simply keeping within the lines possessing the strongest demonstrated 

 inheritance of all tlie qualities desired in the offspring, and when we 

 come to understand the matter, there will be nothing regarded as mys- 

 terious about scientific breeding. It is common-sense breeding, or the 

 production of what is wanted fiom animals possessing the desired char- 

 acteristics for many generations back with the least variation. 



SPECIAL LINE BREEDING FOR UNIFORMITY OF CONFOR- 

 MATION. 



Two hundred and fifty years' breeding (never out-crossing) from 

 the survival of the fittest in the running-horse line, has demonstrated 

 that we have attained the greatest degree of perfection that the world 

 has ever known, both in quality of animals and production of speed; 

 and when we consider the development of the American trotter and 

 oacer, and the close application of that great natural law of "like pro- 

 ducing like," our production of performers is simply an astonishment 

 to all other countries — and all this has been accomplished practically 

 within the past quarter of a century. But if the question is asked, 

 what particular horse was able to transmit this wonderful inheritance? 

 no one is to be found who is able to answer satisfactorily. Yet the 

 accumulative force along the same line increases in its onward course, 

 as the little brook in its wanderings towards the mighty ocean becomes 

 a great river. To make further improvement in size, style, action, color, 

 or any other desirable quality, the same rules and common sense must 

 be complied with, within the type, line of performance, or breed. Cross- 

 ing any of the diftercnt types or breeds with a view of scientific improve- 

 ment is tampering with uncertainties, and should be characterized as at- 



