194 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



first importance, and every intelligent breeder should give it 

 thoughtful consideration. Temperament depends " on the state 

 of the mind as promoted by the composition and states of the 

 organs of the body." These differences of organization may be 

 ever so slight, yet their subtle influence is such as to make and 

 determine those different distinctions which constitute in an- 

 imals that condition or state which is called temperament. It 

 is not to be understood, however, that these differences are ow- 

 ing to any physical defects, but rather to those states of feeling 

 which are promoted by the state and composition of the organs 

 of the body (which are perfectly healthy and sound), but which 

 influence the mental strivings and emotions of animals whereby 

 they are distinguished in their different temperaments as nerv- 

 ous, sanguine, phlegmatic, etc. Without pretending to decide 

 how far these distinctions exist, it is yet obvious enough they 

 are sufficient to make the most mental differences so decided 

 as to require a careful discrimination on the part of those who 

 wish to raise an improved and superior class of animals. As a 

 rule, animals of similar temperaments should never be allowed to 

 breed together. Similarity of temperament in tbe parents is 

 most surely apt to develop in the progeny that temperament in 

 excess, and will produce glaring defects in character and 

 disposition. Take, for instance, the nervous temperament ; this, 

 when riglitly balanced with qualities harmoniously blended by 

 a union with the opposite temperament, gives that high, spirited 

 feeling, lofty action, proud carriage, tbat active enei'gy and in- 

 domitable courage and power of endurance which especially 

 distinguish all first-class thoroughbred horses. 



Such horses, beside being well developed physically, have 

 finely organized brains ; they are naturally generous and affec- 

 tionate in disposition, intelligent, tractable and easily managed, 

 yet full of fire and resentful of injury and bad training. But 

 take those of the same nervous temperament and breed them 

 together and you will develop it to such an extent that it over- 

 leaps the bounds of a healthy prudence, and instead of an in- 

 creased improvement, you produce decided defects. This is 

 one cause why close breeding, or " breeding in and in," ulti- 

 mately deteriorates the stock. Horses bred of parents of sim- 

 ilar nervous temperaments, for illustration, will be exceedingly 

 sensitive ; they will be exquisitely alive to every impression, 



