122 BREEDING IX-AND-IN. 



It will be seen that Gold -Drop, after the recurrence of 

 seven generations, traces every drop of his blood to two 

 rams and three ewes, purchased of Mr. Atwood ! A careful 

 study of this pedigree will disclose a closeness of in-and-in 

 breeding which will surprise most persons, and will surprise a 

 portion of them the more in view of the fact that Mr. 

 Hammond's whole flock has been bred with the same disre- 

 gard of consanguinity, and yet all the time since his purchase 

 of its foundation, has been increasing, not only in amount of 

 wool, but in size, bone, spread of rib, compactness, easiness 

 of keep ; in short, in all those things which indicate improved 

 constitution. Nor has there been the least tendency toward 

 that barrenness which has been thought by some to be one of 

 the results of in-and-in breeding.* 



Every one who draws rams from his own flock and 

 breeds from the best, will inevitably find himself a close 

 in-and-in breeder. The best beget the best. If a ram of 

 surpassing excellence as a sire arises and makes a decide'd 

 improvement in the fl'ock, he is of course coupled with the 

 best ewes, and all the choicest young animals in the flock are 

 soon of his get — and consequently, leaving out of view all 

 previous consanguinity, are as nearly related as half brothers . 

 and sisters. These must be bred with each other, or the best 

 of one sex sold, or the highest grade of perfection, on one 

 side, prevented from being joined with the highest grade of 

 perfection on the other. The latter alternatives are most 

 discouraging hindrances in the progress of breeding improve- 

 ment; and how can we assume that they are necessary, in 

 the face of such facts as those above given ? I could add 

 himdreds of examples, both in Europe and the United 

 States, to prove that in-and-in breeding does not, per se, 

 produce degeneracy. 



But while I am satisfied that even close in-and-in breeding 

 is one of the most powerful levers of improvement in the 

 hands of such men as Bakewell, Ellman, and Hammond — 

 breeders who thoroughly understand the physiology of their 

 art — I shall not claim that it is so, or even that it is safe, 

 in the hands of those who do not fully and clearly know 

 what is perfect and imperfect in structure ; who cannot detect 

 every visible indication of hereditary disease ; and who are 

 not familiar by long experience with the effects of combining 

 different forms, qualities and conditions by inter-breeding. 



* See APPENDIX A, 



