FIRST CENTURY OF DAIRYING IN NEW SOUTH WALES 



after all, and very few are based upon more than a few selected cases 

 to prove certain contentions, while as many examples might be cited 

 to prove the contrary. To be of real value a theory must be based 

 upon the bedrock of results unmistakable and undeniable, such as the 

 fact that the Eclipse line is the dominant one of the three great male 

 lines. This, indeed, is about the only proved theory on horse breed- 

 ing. The truth is so apparent that we need not hazard a doubt to the 

 contrary. It is, in fact, no longer a theory, for it has been reduced 

 to a simple statistical results of the three great English classic events 

 namely. Derby, Oaks, and Leger, since their inauguration in 1776, 

 1779, and 1780, and consequently it is based upon the sound principle 

 of judgment by results." 



That Messrs. Collings had in their minds' eye a theory of concen- 

 trating high degrees of quality into their Shorthorns by a system of 

 saturation no one can doubt, for according to the Rev. John Storer, 

 "Few people have any idea of the amazing extent to which in-and-in 

 breeding was carried on by the brothers Colling, and so great was 

 the complication it involved that few o>i those who know the outline 

 of the circumstances can adequately realise all their intricacies. It is 

 almost impossible to describe even proximately in some of its stronger 

 features the system they pursued. But the attempt ought to be made, 

 for the Messrs. Collings' system of in-and-in breeding is not only one 

 O'i the most remarkable and authentic cases in the history of the re- 

 production of animals with which we are acquainted, but the early 

 Booth bulls were amongst those most strongly subjected to its in- 

 fluence." Mr. C. Collings' bull "Bolingbroke," and his cow "Phoenix" 

 as- is shown elsewhere were brother and sister on the sire's side, 

 and nearly so on the dam's. They were of the same family, and the 

 only difference in descent was that Bolingbroke was a grandson of 

 Dalton Duke, while Phoenix was not. But this apparent difference, 

 slight as it is, was not alt real, for Dalton Duke also contained some 

 portions of their common blood. Arithmetically stated, the blood 

 oil the two being taken and divided into thirty-two parts, twenty-nine 

 of those parts were of blood common to both, rather differently pro- 

 portioned between them. Phoenix had sixteen of those parts, Boling- 

 broke thirteen, the latter having also three fresh parts derived from 

 Dalton Duke, which made up the thirty-two. Being thus very nearly 

 brother and sister, they were the joint parents of the bull Favourite. 

 That bull was next put to his own mother Phoenix, so nearly related 

 to him on his sire's side also ; and the produce was Young Phoenix. 

 To this hei'ier Favourite was once more put, she being at once his 

 daughter and more than own sister, too. For their two sires, Boling- 

 broke and Favourite, were not only as consanguineous with each other 

 but also with the cow Phoenix, to which they were both put. The 

 result was " Comet." Nor was this all. The system was carried much 

 further. The celebrated Booth bull " Albion" was not only a son of 

 the in-and-in Favourite-bred Comet, but his dam was a granddaughter 

 of Favourite on both sides, and descended besides from both the sire 

 and dam of Favourite. 



Albion has been called " The Alloy Bull," we think with very little 

 reason, when it is remembered that he is the seventh in descent from 

 that blood, and that therefore only one part of his blood came from 

 the u Alloy," against 127 parts which wore not derived from it. Hence 

 the "alloy" was of little or no importance. 



Now, according to Carr : "Mr. Thomas Booth obtained his nidi 

 mentary stock from some of the best specimens of the Tee>water 

 Longhorned Durhams. He appears to have proceeded on the principle 

 that whilst the general similitude and mingled qualities of both parents 

 descend to the offspring, the external conformation Mibject. of course, 

 to some moditieation by the other parent is mainly imparted by the 

 male, and the vital and nutritive organs by the female. 



176. 



