Herds and Flocks and Horses. 17 



WHAT BREEDING IS. 



BREEDING, in its broad sense, is the propagation of a 

 species ; but it means very mucli more than this from a 

 commercial standpoint. It means, in meat producing 

 animals, an improvement through blood lines, selection and 

 individuality, upon their ancestors. 



The crossing of two breeds of the same species, a combina- 

 tion of which, in the opinion of experts, would develop benefic- 

 ially in the offspring, certain desirable points outstanding in the 

 one, while not so pronounced in the other ; and at the same time 

 produce other valuable qualities outstanding in the other, 

 while not so well marked in the mate. This method, followed 

 by the most careful selection of stock animals on both sides, 

 and through a system of the most careful registration, has 

 been the means of producing — and especially in Great Britain, 

 wliich leads the world by many lengths as the mother of 

 scientific as well as practical breeding —a large number of 

 various breeds of the domestic animals, to a point of perfec- 

 tion, not only in general beauty of outline, fineness of quality, 

 rapid development and early maturity, but of a size, weight 

 and commercial value that has never before been reached, and 

 the blood of which, for breeding purposes, as represented in 

 certain individuals, is worth thousands upon thousands of dol- 

 lars, which previously would have brought nothing more than 

 their market value as ordinary food. 



This system of breeding has been pursued with such con- 

 summate skill, care and exactness, that it is possible now to 

 breed certain animals so true to type, size, weight and general 

 cliaracteristics that they are as much alike as ''peas in a })od," 

 as the old saying has it; and not only is this the case, but the 

 flesh is so much superior to that of the same species of the old 

 days, that it would, in many cases, not be recognized as coming 

 from the same kind of animal. 



This splendid system has been pursued among all the 

 animals that enter into the sphere of man's daily environment. 



