106 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



tends to control the size, the internal organs and the constitu- 

 tion. 



This idea seems to have heen suggested to Buffon by the 

 brown hair, sliort thin neck, quadruple udder, and long legs of 

 his nine liybrids between the he-goat and ewe. Also to Flou- 

 •rens by the fur of his hybrids between tlic jackal and bitch. 

 Richard Booth is said to have acted under this idea in produc- 

 ing his unsurpassed breed of Shorthorns. But Mr. Orton was 

 the first to truly state the doctrine and defend it. He saw that 

 the mule resembled the jackass his father, in his main external 

 characters, but approaches the marc in size, stamina and ener- 

 gy ; conversely, that the hinny is externally like its father 

 the horse, but in size, sluggishness and want of vigor more 

 closely allied to the donkey ; that tlie cross between the he 

 mione and she-ass at the Jardin des Plantes had the external 

 characters of the male parent mainly, and that the crosses 

 between certain breeds of fowls presented the same characters. 

 The exceptions to the rule are neither few nor slight, yet results 

 so frequently accord with it in the ordinary course of breeding, 

 that we cannot, I think, afford to look on them as purely acci- 

 dental. While withholding a full assent thus to tlie broad doc- 

 trines of Orton, I still tliink them sufficiently well founded to 

 guard us against breeding from mare, cow or ewe, with an in- 

 sufficient development, weakness or unhealthy taint affecting 

 the internal organs ; or from any male deficient in nervous en- 

 ergy and vigor, and above all, faulty or predisposed to disease 

 in his locomotive orgcms. It does not follow that a female may 

 be used with these latter fiiilings, nor a male with the former. 

 An animal of either sex is likely to transmit any fault it may 

 possess, but failings of the nature I have indicated should be 

 specially guarded against. 



BREEDING OF MALE3 AS A SPECIALTY. 



As we have seen, the male of a highly improved breed usually 

 impresses the progeny in a higher ratio than the less improved 

 female. The male too can more quickly cross a whole flock 

 than the female, wliich can only yield two or three increase 

 yearly. Hence the importance of raising males specially for 

 breeding, and bringing them to the highest possible state of ex- 

 cellence. And wherever this plan is adopted wc see the benefi- 



