102 CATTLE-BREEDING. 



of this cause. The voice of medical science 

 and human intelligence is clearly at one in 

 regarding close breeding, especially when so 

 close as to be properly within the definition of 

 in-and-in breeding, as highly mischievous. 



But let us pass on to a department more 

 nearly connected with the subject of our par- 

 ticular study. A very noteworthy case of an 

 experiment with swine is recorded by Mr. John 

 Wright, a leading writer on agricultural topics. 

 Says he in the course of some remarks on 

 inbreeding: "In pigs the writer's experience 

 was considerable, inbreeding from three or four 

 sows at the same time, all descended from the 

 same parents, boar and sow; these were put to 

 the same boar for seven descents or genera- 

 tions; the result was that in many instances 

 they failed to breed, in others they bred few 

 that lived; many of them were idiots had not 

 sense to suck, and when attempting to walk 

 they could not go straight. The last two sows 

 of the breed were sent to other boars and pro- 

 duced several litters of healthy pigs. In justice 

 to the advocates of the in-and-in principle, it 

 is but right to state that the best sow during 

 the seven generations was one of the last 

 descent. She was the only pig of that litter. 

 She would not breed to her sire, but bred to a 

 stranger in blood at the first trial. She pos- 

 sessed great substance and constitution and 



