290 CATTLE-BREEDING. 



will almost surely breed as bad or worse. Above 

 all things do not keep a bull for service which 

 does not come up to and surpass the standard 

 of the herd. It is true it may be years at a time 

 before a bull is bred, even on large farms, which 

 in all things conforms to the highest standard, 

 but when he does appear he is a treasure of the 

 first value. In the meantime we often have 

 to put up with animals of a lower grade, but 

 not necessarily with any but truly fine and well- 

 bred animals; and it should be a real necessity 

 which is allowed to drive the breeder to accept 

 anything but a bull of the very highest class. 

 Unless the standard is placed and kept high there 

 is no hope of true improvement, and there is an 

 end, even, of successful breeding. A celebrated 

 breeder of greyhounds is reported to have 

 replied, when asked how he managed to breed 

 so many dogs of such unusual excellence: "I 

 breed many and hang many." In that answer 

 was, indeed, the key to success. A very few 

 out of many are to be retained for breeding 

 purposes if the highest excellence is to be 

 reached. Above all things learn to shun the 

 delicate, unthrifty and weak in constitution. 

 No animal, however fine, if of feeble constitu- 

 tion, can be expected to breed well, least of all 

 can prepotent power be looked for in a bull 

 of delicate health. And of course, where deli- 

 cateness runs into positive disease, the dan- 



