PEDIGREES OF STOCK. 183 



species is always reproduced, the indwidual may not be. Yet, 

 though the variations occur in the individual type, they are not 

 common, and we may look, in breeding, to produce like from 

 like ; and it is of the utmost importance, if we wish the best 

 progeny, to breed from the best parents, whose lineage can be 

 traced back through a line of uncorrupted ancestors. " Heri- 

 tage," says a profound philosopher, " has in reality more power 

 over our constitution and character than all the influences from 

 without, whether moral or physical." 'Tis but a few years 

 since that the number of thoroughbred animals in Massachu- 

 setts could be counted on our fingers ; now they number by 

 hundreds, and every agricultural society in the State not only 

 encourages their production, but most of the societies are help- 

 ing them round by abolishing the ])remiums on grade bulls, and 

 so discouraging the raising of animals whose corrupt blood may 

 taint that of the thoroughbred or their progeny. It is equally 

 important that each society should have a committee annually, 

 whose duty it shall be to see that every animal entered for pre- 

 mium as thoroughbred has its lineage recorded in the proper 

 herd book of its race, if one is published, or so established by 

 proper written muniments that no doubt can exist of its purity 

 of blood. Every owner of thoroughbred animals should enter 

 them with the secretary of the society a few days before the 

 fair opens, with a proper pedigree or reference to the volume of 

 the herd book where it is recorded, and the committee on pedi- 

 grees should, at the opening of the fair, pass upon such pedigrees, 

 so that the list go into the hands of the examining committee for 

 premiums marked understandingly, approved or disapproved. 



R. Goodman, Chainnan. 



HOUSATONIC. 



From the Report of the Committee. 

 The Committee beg leave to suggest to the society that it 

 would greatly facilitate the labor of a committee on pedigrees, 

 and render their decisions less liable to error, if the rule should 

 be established, that every member offering animals for pre- 

 mium, as thoroughbred, be required to show that such animals, 

 or their sires and dams, have been recorded in a herd book of 

 recognized authority. 



