246 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



could be produced most economically and accurately to the 

 farmer, and the way in which that animal could be reared 

 and fed to a profit. Since that time, I have found but little 

 new. If I were to investigate the matter carefully again, 

 and were to turn to the best scientific books on these sub- 

 jects that have been provided for use, I should find but little 

 to add with reference either to the breeding or to the feedinof 

 of stock ; not anything as to the feeding of stock, because 

 that is a matter of experience for the farmer himself; while 

 with regard to the breeding of stock, the problem becomes 

 more intricate, the trouble is greater, and the results are less 

 satisfactory and definite. At that time, almost all the definite 

 law that had been laid down by scientific men or quasi-scien- 

 tific men, or those men who profess to be scientific, or those 

 men who, drawing abstract deductions from facts, claim to 

 be scientific, upon the business of breeding, was that " like 

 produces like.'''' Now, that is not true. The difficulties that 

 surround the breeder of any animal are so intricate, so 

 minute, so insidious, that no general law of that description 

 can be laid down. A horse produces a horse, I grant. The 

 bovine species produce bovine species, I grant; dogs beget 

 dogs, cats beget cats, and pigs, pigs ; that I agree to ; but 

 beyond that, the rule is in no way applicable to any of those 

 delicate processes which the farmer has to deal with, and 

 those laws which the farmer desires to apply for the produc- 

 tion of animals accoixiing to specific rules and for specific 

 purposes. Now, why is this? At the close of that brilliant 

 and admirable lecture which we listened to night before last, 

 from him who wields an imperial sway in the realms of 

 science, upon the question of embryology and animal life, 

 you learned that there was a point beyond which even Jie 

 could not go ; that his arm was not long enough nor strong 

 enough to reach into and explore those great secrets of 

 reproduction which the Creator has reserved to himself; into 

 that range of nature where man has thus far been compelled 

 to walk by faith and not hj sight. You saw him illustrate 

 upon the blackboard the processes by which animal life is 

 carried on, the minute forms which it assumes in the begin- 

 ning, and how it grows step by step until it reaches maturity, 

 and the various tissues and solid parts are so established that 



