BKE 



BRE 



have a veiy supprior foal. Somrtimcs 

 this succeeds, but in general it ends 

 in disappointment, especially if the 

 mare be small. A much more certain 

 way is to choose a half-bred stallion, 

 nearly of the size of the mare, and 

 having those good points which the 

 mare already possesses. In this case 

 there is every probability of rearing a 

 w^ell-proportioned and useful animal, 

 instead of a cross-made one, as the 

 breeders call them, probably from the 

 very circumstance of these crosses not 

 succeeding in general. We advert to 

 this as a fact which many of our read- 

 ers may know from experience. 



To give in a few words the rules 

 which result from what we have very 

 brieriy stated : 



Choose the kind of animal which 

 you wish to breed from, having dis- 

 tinguishing qualities ; keep these con- 

 stantly in view, and reject all individ- 

 uals in which they are not as perfect 

 at least as in the parents. Select the 

 most perfect forms, and let the de- 

 fects be corrected gradually. Have 

 patience and perseverance, and avoid 

 all attempts at any sudden alteration 

 by bold crosses. If possible, breed 

 two or more families of the same 

 kind, keeping tliem distinct, and only 

 occasionally crossing the one with the 

 other. In this manner a very impro- 

 ved breed may be produced. Tlie near- 

 er you approach to perfection, the 

 more difficult will be the selection, 

 and the greater the danger of retro- 

 grading. Hence in very highly bred 

 stocks it is often almost impossible to 

 keep up the perfection of the breed, 

 and a liuctuation in the quality of the 

 produce will take place. The more 

 improved the breed is, therefore, the 

 greater attention must be paid in the 

 selection of those which are to con- 

 tinue it. And for want of this, al- 

 most every breed, however reputed 

 it may have been at one time, grad- 

 ually degenerates, and loses its great 

 superiority. 



As every farmer and occupier of 

 land is more or less a breeder, if he 

 be only a breeder of pigs, these ob- 

 servations may be useful In the ar- 

 ticles on each particular species of 

 112 



animal, these general principles are 

 applied, and more particular direc- 

 tions are given. 



BREEDING L\ AND IN. This 

 is very injurious ultimately both in 

 animals and man. 



BREEDING PONDS. Ponds for 

 raising young fish ; they should have 

 shallows with reeds and sedges. Pike 

 and pickerel are in the habit of devour- 

 ing the spawn when they can reach it. 

 BREEZE FLIES. The bot flies, 

 jEslridd. 



BREWING. The making of beer. 

 This consists of the following opera- 

 tions : 1st. The malt, properly ground 

 or crushed, is put into a large tub 

 with a false bottom, perforated by nu- 

 merous holes, and furnished with a 

 faucet. Over the malt, water, heated 

 from 170=' to 185°, is poured, and the 

 whole well stirred or mashed together 

 for some time. It is then allowed to 

 settle, and the infusion drawn off into 

 another tub. If two varieties of beer, 

 ale and small beer, be desired, this 

 first portion is kept separate, other- 

 wise it is mixed with the second 

 infusion. The second mash-water 

 should be nearly 200= Fahrenheit. 

 Four bushels of malt are treated to 

 one and a half barrel, or fifty-one gal- 

 lons of water, each mashing. Tlie 

 second infusion, after standing to set- 

 tle, is also drawn ofT", and the two to- 

 gether form the sweet wort. 



2d. The worts, mixed or separate, 

 and even mixed with a third infusion, 

 are next transferred to the boiler, and 

 hops added. The amount of hops de- 

 pends partly on the taste and partly 

 on the strength of the beer ; for com- 

 mon beer four pounds to the four bush- 

 els will answer. For the strongest 

 ales as much as twenty-eight pounds 

 are used. This mixture is boiled an 

 hour and a half or more, until the 

 fluid begins to assume a bright colour. 

 3d. It is then drawn off" into cool- 

 ers, or at once into the fermenting 

 tuns. When cooled to about 60=" 

 Fahrenheit, two pounds of fresh yeast 

 are added to every thirty-four gallons 

 of wort, and the tun kept at the same 

 temperature. As soon as fermenta- 

 tion is fairly established, and its first 



