standards fully abreast of the times and prepare ourselves to make 

 such modifications as the future may necessitate. 



The way to improvement of farm animals is only to be pursued 

 by slow and studied steps and is a process of many methods which 

 may be either highly beneficial or harmful. 



Besides the fundamental forces underlying all breeding such 

 as, heredity, variation and their attendant phases, there-are others 

 which are within the control of man and systematised into different 

 systems of breeding. Those systems will depend on the purpose 

 and circumstances of the breeder. If he is a breeder of pure-bred 

 stock his system and material will be different to that of a breeder 

 of unimproved stock. 



Grading is probably the most common system of breeding. It 

 consists in the mating of unimproved animals with highly improved 

 ones. Generallj' the improved animals are the sires and if they are 

 the best of their breed improvement is rapid. A convincing ex- 

 ample is the importation of a batoh of high cluss stallions in 1811 

 and after by Lord Charles Somerset. The improvement was most 

 remarkable, all the more so, since the mares also possessed very good 

 breeding. 



Cross-breeding is another system which consists in crossing in- 

 dividuals of different fixed breeds in the hope of combining desir- 

 able qualities of both parents and eliminating the undesirable char- 

 acters. As often, however, the undesirable qualities are propogated 

 in the off-spring and he is a nondescript product that will not breed 

 arue to the type — how could he for his parents were unlike. 



In horse-breeding, cross-breeding is an uncertain undertaking 

 although it has decided advantages in animals bred for the market. 

 Cross-bred animals often have a vigor and robustness greater than 

 either parent. These qualities give a considerable economy in the 

 production of a market carcass. 



Without going into further detail on the other systems of breed- 

 ing such as in- and out-breeding it can safely be said that in estab- 

 lishing a type selection is an all-important factor. In a sense it is 

 true that all breeding is entirely based upon the single principle of 

 selection ; if the selections are right the desired results must follow. 



Some of our most experienced breeders have been most wary 

 in expressing definite suggestions in improving our horse stock. 

 The previous pages show that a great diversity of opinion exists on 

 this matter. 



119 



