4 INTRODUCTION 



How effective is selection in controlling variation ? that is, are 

 congenital variations due entirely to parentage or are there back 

 of the parentage certain inherent and constitutional tendencies 

 that largely fix the general direction of variations, independent 

 of selection ? 



Does improvement consist in raising the standard absolutely or 

 only in raising the general average by eliminating the less desir- 

 able ? that is, does breeding improve upon the best or does it 

 only bring the general mass nearer to the upper level ? 



To what extent is evolution a gradual process and to what 

 extent may profound advances appear suddenly, as in sports ? 

 and is the one class of improvement any more permanent or reli- 

 able than the other ? 



Do all possible values of a variable character appear or are 

 certain values seldom or never presented ? that is to say, is 

 variation always continuous or is it sometimes discontinuous, 

 making certain things impossible because the proper varia- 

 tions or combinations do not appear on which selection may 

 be based ? 



What variations are most likely to appear in successive gener- 

 ations of any given breed, variety, or type ? 



Are variations correlated ? that is, do they tend at ail to move 

 together, suggesting relations of cause and effect ? 



What are the proper standards for selection ? How much shall 

 be given to utility and how much to appearance ? 



To what extent is individual excellence a safe guide to breed- 

 ing powers ? 



To what extent is the offspring like the immediate parent and 

 to what extent does it resemble more remote ancestors ? 



What is the relative influence of sire and dam with respect to 

 transmission of characters ? 



To what extent do the condition of the male at the time of 

 service and the care of the female during pregnancy influence 

 the offspring ? 



What are the real dangers from close breeding, if any, and are 

 they certain or only probable ? 



How can the advantages of close or line breeding be realized 

 without encountering its dangers ? 



