56 A TREATISE ON HORSE-BREEDING. 



fectly agreed than that the ultimate tendency 

 of breeding in-and-in is injurious that when 

 carried to excess it will always result in a loss of 

 constitutional vigor in the produce; that while 

 its tendency may be in the direction of fineness 

 of texture, lightness of bone, smoothness, even- 

 ness and polish, it is invariably at the expense 

 of robustness, strength, vigor and power. On 

 the other hand, scientists as well as practical 

 breeders, with perhaps equal unanimity, concur 

 in the belief that a cross in the blood usually 

 gives increased size and vigor to the produce, 

 and that cross-breeding, or the pairing of ani- 

 mals of distinct varieties, usually results in in- 

 creased fertility. 



The belief has largely obtained among prac- 

 tical farmers and feeders that all purely-bred 

 races or breeds are lacking in hardiness and 

 stamina; and that when breeding for the dairy, 

 the shambles, or for practical use on the farm, 

 the greatest measure of success is attained 

 through the medium of cross-breeding. The 

 first of these assumptions is not necessarily 

 true. When the breeding and management of 

 purely-bred races have been in accordance with 

 Nature's laws ther is no foundation for the 

 assertion that they are deficient in hardiness; 

 and the widespread belief to the contrary has 

 resulted mainly from the bad effects which in- 

 evitably follow long-continued incestuous or in- 



