IO4 Breeding Plants and Animals. 



of Jerseys in Freeborn County, where they would find 

 bulls to suit the needs of their respective herds of dairy 

 cows. And from counties and States around breeders 

 of registered Jerseys and beef Short-horns, and farm- 

 ers who were grading up their herds for special dairy 

 or for special beef production, could make pilgrimages 

 there, knowing that one railway fare would t'ike them 

 to a number of superior herds of the kind of cattle 

 wanted. Such methods of specialization are needed to 

 crowd the scrub cow and the scrub steer out of ile 

 race. The strongest criticism made of our breeds of 

 registered cattle is that they do not rapidly crowd out 

 the scrub. 



The general plan of organization of a county asso- 

 ciation of breeders of Jerseys mentioned in the last 

 article could serve for the Short-horn breeders. The 

 greatest difference required would be in relation to the 

 methods of making statistical records of individual and 

 of breeding values. Records of fecundity, of freedom, 

 from tuberculosis and of mature weight could be made ; 

 while form, external signs of quality and general ap- 

 pearance could be judged with comparatively little mod- 

 ification from plans now in vogue. The difficult prob- 

 lems would be to get measures of the amount of food 

 the individual and the fraternity group needs per 100 

 pounds increase in weight; and the value of the car- 

 cass as determined by the percentage of lean meat to the 

 quality of the meat, the block value of the meat to the 

 butcher and the like. No one has any right to say that 

 methods cannot be devised to get at these values, 

 though it must be. admitted that some of the problems 

 are difficult. Investigations carried on by State ex- 

 periment stations and by the United States Department 

 of Agriculture along this line might be very produc- 

 tive of good. 



The Minnesota Experiment Station has equipped a 

 building in part for such work, and Prof. Andrew Boss 



