RELATIVE INFLUENCE OF THE PARENTS. ^9 



In the year 1825, the Highland Society of Scotland, 

 proposed as the subject of prize essays, the solution of 

 the question, " whether the breed of live stock con- 

 nected with agriculture be susceptible of the greatest 

 improvement from the qualities conspicuous in the male 

 or from those conspicuous in the female parent?'' 

 Four essays received premiums. Mr. Boswell, one of 

 the prize writers, maintained that it is not only the 

 male parent which is capable of most speedily improv- 

 ing the breed of live stock, ''but that the male is the 

 parent which we can alone look to for improvement.'' 



His paper is of considerable length and ably written — 

 abounding in argument and illustrations not easily con- 

 densed so as to be given here, and it is but justice to 

 add that he also holds that ''before the breed of a 

 country can be improved, much more must be looked 

 to than the answer to the question put by the Highland 

 Society — such as crossing, selection of both parents, 

 attention to pedigree, and to the food and care of off- 

 spring." 



And of crossing, he says, "when I praise the advan- 

 tage of crossing, I would have it clearly understood 

 that it is only to bring together animals not nearly 

 related but always of the same breed ; never attempting 

 to breed from a speed horse and a draught mare or vice 

 versa." Crossing of breeds "may do well enough for 



