SELECTION OF BREEDING ANIMALS. 263 



larity to the question of selection of the ani- 

 mals for personal qualities. We have looked 

 at the question thus far in a broad and general 

 way. We have seen that personal excellence 

 and sound pedigree are absolute essentials. But 

 there are very many animals having these quali- 

 ties, so we must go to work to make specific 

 rules for each particular case. Suppose we 

 were to say that our chief end in selection 

 would be to get the best we could find; the 

 question would at once rise, What do you mean 

 by "best"? Probably no two men are quite at 

 one on this subject, and the herd if selected by 

 several men might present a very heterogene- 

 ous character. Suppose we were to set out and 

 find a nice little cow four years old, fully ma- 

 tured, round and plump in every part, neat in 

 bone to a perfection, weighing 1,200 to 1,300 

 Ibs., and carrying all she ever would likely 

 carry in weight; and next a compact, good 

 young cow of three years old, not yet settled 

 in shape, and weighing 1,400 to 1,500 Ibs.; and 

 then a great, massive Scotch-bred cow five 

 years old, and only just attaining maturity, low 

 to the ground, tipping the beam at 2,000 Ibs., 

 and carrying it evenly and well ; and then a 

 neat, gay heifer of great style and carriage, a 

 trifle long in the leg, a shade too flat in the 

 ribs it may be, but with fine depth and admi- 

 rable finish. Here are four quite typical Short- 



