STICK TO ONE BREED. 123 



time, and expect that he could breed one of them ; and Prof. 

 Agassiz rose and said that he had seen that fully illustrated over 

 and over again in his own native land of Switzerland. But if 

 you go on some farms, you will find two or three Shorthorns, 

 and here and there a Jersey, and a few Ayrshires mixed in, and 

 perhaps a Galway, and what not ; and the owner expects to 

 take care of them all, but he won't do it. Somehow or other 

 the influence of association upon the animal economy is almost 

 as great as it is upon our moral natures. " Evil communications 

 corrupt good manners." It is just as true in the brute creation 

 as it is in. society. So the farmer should select the breed 

 adapted to his location and the character of his farm, confine 

 himself to that breed, and treat his animals as if he believed 

 that not only external influences, but his own conduct would 

 have an influence upon them. And it is a great thing, too. 

 The quiet, amiable man in the stable produces a very different 

 effect from the noisy, unreasonable, violent man. 1 have no 

 patience with noise and abuse in your barns and stables. Man 

 can stand them, woman can, and have to, I am sorry to say, 

 but cows cannot. 



There are several other points which might be referred to in 

 connection with this subject, but there is one point on which I 

 desire to say a few words, because I do not know that it has 

 been dealt with in any of our meetings. I noticed last night 

 the delicacy that was manifested by the gentleman who an- 

 nounced the topic for discussion to-day, or rather did not 

 announce it — and it has been mentioned here. I do not 

 know that he was not right. I know precisely the feeling 

 of elevation and independence and wisdom and good sense 

 that actuated the remarks of Mr. Goodman, and I am not 

 sure that I do not agree with him entirely. But, after all, you 

 cannot introduce into the human economy and into the family 

 of man the same rules that you do into the economy of the 

 animals on your farm. It is of no use to talk about it, you 

 cannot do it. You may say this is a misfortune, but it is not. 

 Why, my friends, do you know that when Professor Law told 

 you that locality influenced to a very considerable extent, not 

 only the physical but the moral condition of animals, and that 

 they changed entirely, I turned upon this audience and saw a 

 race of beings who defy all latitudes, all climates, all influences, 



