CHARACTERISTICS OF BREEDS. 229 



When we look about us however, we find, if we 

 except the Morgan horses, nothing which deserves the 

 name of indigenous breeds or races. The cattle and 

 sheep known as "natives" are of mixed foreign origin, 

 and have been bred with no care in selection, but 

 crossed in every possible way. They possess no 

 fixed hereditary traits, and although among them are 

 many of very respectable qualities, and which possess 

 desirable characteristics, they cannot be relied upon as 

 breeders, to produce j)rogeny of like excellence. Instead 

 of constancy, there is continual variation, and frequent 

 ''breeding back," exhibiting the undesirable traits of 

 inferior ancestors. That a breed might be established 

 from them, by careful selection continued during re- 

 peated generations, aided perhaps by judicious crossing 

 with more recent importations, fully as good as any 

 now existing, is not to be doubted. Very probably, a 

 breed for dairy purposes might be thus created which 

 should excel any now existing in Europe, for some of 

 our so called native cows, carelessly as they have been 

 bred, are not surpassed by any of foreign origin upon 

 which great care has been expended. To accomplish 

 this is an object vv^orthy the ambition of those who 

 possess the skill, enthusiasm, ample means and indom- 

 itable perseverance requisite to success. But except 

 the single attempt of Col. Jaques, of the Ten Hills 



