BREEDING, AND THE PRINCIPLES OF THE SAME. 307 



■unthrifty, and defective animals. I am aware, however, that the 

 evils of domestication are operative, to a certain extent, on all 

 animals. Still, I contend that the " well-bred " animal can resist 

 the insidious encroachments of disease, and survive longer under 

 its depressing influence than "ill-favored" creatures. Illustra- 

 tions are not wanting to prove the correctness of Blakewell's 

 theory; therefore, I advise the reader to follow the example of 

 one who has been styled the " Napoleon of breeders." 



In-and-in Breeding. 



We now inquire, What is breeding in-and-in? I answer, It 

 implies consanguinity — breeding from animals of the same blood, 

 or propagating in a close degree of relationship. Some persons 

 have an idea that this system is pernicious, and leads to degen- 

 eracy and premature decay j but that is a matter of argument, and, 

 as I shall attempt to prove, depends on the skill of the " breeder," 

 and his ability to make wise selections. The human race — the 

 sons and daughters of Adam and Eve — afford a stupendous illus- 

 tration of the practicability of in-and-in breeding. The millions 

 terrestrial all originated (so the Good Book informs us) from our 

 common parents, and, consequently, we are all "blood" relations; 

 and this fact goes to show that in-and-in breeding is in accord- 

 ance with the laws of physiology, and does not conflict with the 

 intentions of " Him who doeth all things well." It is a part of 

 the great scheme of creation, a physiological law, the problem of 

 life, to solve which God has endowed us with reason, " God-like 

 reason," the exercise of which puts us in possession of the fruit 

 of the " tree of knowledge.'-' The non-exercise of the same fur- 

 nishes us with forbidden fruit. 



Ill-assorted marriages — consumption mating with consumption, 

 and scrofula with scrofula — seeks at the altar an introduction to 

 an early grave. The same is true of animals. Bad selections 

 thwart the intentions of the Creator, mar his handiwork, and if a 

 friendly epizootic sweeps them from the face of the earth, it is 

 more of a blessing than a curse. From the great human family 

 I select a branch to illustrate this principle, and I choose to refer 

 to the Jews. So long as they are so in faith and practice — mar- 

 rying their own kindred— they are a living illustration of the 

 above principle. Have they degenerated? No. The distinctive 



