74 PROFITABLE STOCK RAISING 



the success of the enterprise depends, then, upon 

 careful feeding and handling. 



The greatest possible damage has resulted by an 

 indiscriminate mixing of blood lines. It has been 

 so fully demonstrated that a violent cross never can 

 result satisfactorily that further discussion would 

 seem unnecessary. Yet, even at this late date, it 

 is not uncommon to see a cross between a Short- 

 horn and Holstein, between a Holstein and a Jersey 

 — between Percherons and trotters. The resulting 

 stock can never be satisfactory in the long run. The 

 first cross may produce possibly a good animal, but 

 subsequent crosses are sure to result in a lot of 

 animals lacking in uniformity and in characteris- 

 tics for which one or both lines have been noted. 

 If you breed Shorthorns, stick to Shorthorns and 

 the type which, to your mind, is most desirable. 

 Do not cross Percherons with Clydesdales, for the 

 colt will not make as satisfactory a horse as if 

 animals of the same strain had been mated. 



With hogs it is not so bad, if the first cross is to 

 be sold to the butcher. A cross, for example, of a 

 Berkshire and a Poland China often results in a 

 market hog that can be raised with satisfaction and 

 sold with profit. To maintain your herd, however, 

 you must always have some pure-bred animals, as 

 well as animals of some distinct standard breed. 

 From these you can maintain your herd and re- 

 plenish your breeding stock. If, after this has been 

 done, you care to experiment with hogs intended 

 for the block, possibly some good results may be 

 secured. It is a pretty safe proposition, however, 

 to stick to rigid lines and refrain from much cross- 

 ing. 



The only place where a pure-bred sire can be 

 used without regard to the problems above enumer- 



