NOTES ON BREEDING. 26 1 



to investigate the subject further than what his own previous read- 

 ing and observation have already done. 



The disposition of almost every Short-horn breeder to record his 

 pedigrees in the Herd Book is a testimony of the importance which 

 he concedes to it. He there finds the records of animals by name 

 and pedigree, which public opinion has decided to be of the highest 

 standards of blood' and excellence thus far attained, and his own 

 observation (if he has kept up with the progress of the race) must 

 have educated him to know what a good animal should be. If in all 

 these he has yet formed no ideas of guidance for a further improve- 

 ment in his herd, we fail to know how he can be instructed. If he 

 decide to proceed on the " in-and-in system," (breeding closely together 

 those which are of the same family blood,) he must be cautious in the 

 choice of animals which it may be safe to couple with each other 

 wise if rightly done, but hazardous if not ; or, if out-and-out (breed- 

 ing with such animals as are not close of kin) be his choice, equal 

 care and consideration must be given that their style, figure, and con- 

 formation be such as to blend their good qualities, and exclude the 

 bad, if either one possess them. 



A large majority of the American Short-horn breeders, now that 

 the race has been generally adopted as the best and most profitable 

 for flesh-producing purposes, (not only in their fullness of blood, but as 

 instruments for improving the lower orders of our native stock to 

 the most profitable development,) propagate their animals mainly 

 for that object, apparently regardless of the milking faculty of the 

 cow, as the dairy product forms little or no part of the revenue 

 expected from her. Yet, it has been seen in the progress of our 

 history, that the Short-horn, from the earliest account we have of 

 her, has been a good milker, and that quality was fostered by most 

 of the early breeders of which we have an account, and is still 

 encouraged in her use by such as esteem it of any considerable im- 

 portance. The dairy quality may be partially bred out, if the breeder 

 so desire it, or equally well retained if he so wish it, by the use of 

 bulls descended from cows of like tendencies. It is only for him to 

 choose which course to pursue, and in so doing he need not forget, in 

 view of the examples we have recorded, and his own observation also, 

 that after having done her full duty in breeding, and at the pail, she 

 fulfills her destiny in a profitable carcass at the shambles. He must 

 remember, however, that the cow cannot well carry a full carcass of 

 flesh while yielding generous flows of milk to the dairy, and conse- 

 quently will show less attractively to the eye than one giving little or 



