122 CATTLE-BREEDING. 



cussion of the subject that the concepts repre- 

 sented by those terms form a part of the scheme 

 of natural breeding. In fine, that outcrosses 

 are the rule in natural breeding. 



Two or three antecedent propositions are 

 important to an intelligent comprehension of 

 the aims of this method. In the first place it 

 should be clearly understood that the great aim 

 of breeding is to produce animals; secondly, 

 animals of as high practical value for the 

 actual uses of man's consumption as possible; 

 thirdly, that where a standard of excellence 

 has already been attained by earlier breeders 

 and improvers this standard should be care- 

 fully maintained; and fourthly, that wherever 

 and whenever it may be possible this standard 

 should be advanced and the breed improved. 

 These propositions, stated in a negative way, 

 may be said to be: first, everything tending to 

 impair the constitutions, and particularly the 

 procreative organs, is to be avoided; secondly, 

 the cattle are not to be bred for pedigree or to 

 other purely artificial standards; thirdly, that 

 neglect of the useful qualities already obtained 

 in the cattle is ethically wrong, and to permit 

 such qualities to be atrophied or decreased by 

 non-use condemnable; and fourthly, that a man 

 who breeds valuable varieties of stock should 

 never forget that they are a trust committed to 

 his charge and that a neglect of any opportu- 



