PRINCIPLES OF BREEDING. 391 



clioice and uniform merit displayed by most of the 

 leading tribes affords ample proof of the ingenious and 

 methodical manner in which they have been reared. But 

 while much has been done in the way of establishing 

 tribes of high character, it is very desirable that more 

 attention should be given to the building up of distinct, 

 well-defined families of as pure line-breeding as may be 

 found practicable. It seems to us that it would be well 

 for the interests of the breed if there existed several 

 herds or strains which could be regarded as refined and 

 reliable fountains of that mysteriously beneficial influence 

 which may be generated by skilfully concentrating and 

 assimilating the ever-present forces of heredity. With- 

 out entering upon a discussion of the question of in-and- 

 in breeding, we may remark that we believe it to be a 

 most powerful agent either for good or evU. In com- 

 petent hands it is perhaps the surest and shortest 

 pathway to the highest pinnacle of a breeder's success. 

 Unwisely employed, it becomes simply the broad road to 

 ruin. We would not, therefore, desire that in-and-in 

 breeding should be pursued by the general body of 

 breeders. We would, however, rejoice to see a few of 

 those best able, intellectually and financially, to under- 

 take the work, following the example of Thomas Bates, 

 the Booths, and other noted Shorthorn breeders, and 

 establishing distinct line-bred families. We should like to 

 see a few families reared in such a way as that they would 

 not only be uniform in shape and character, but would 

 also be possessed of one strong, unbroken, unadulterated, 

 unvarying family current. We believe in the doctrine 

 that " like begets like ; " but if we breed from composite 

 animals — animals containing several conflicting family 

 currents, perhaps the living influence of dead ancestors — 

 we can have little confidence in the result. We cannot 

 know which likeness may be produced — ^that of the im- 

 mediate, or of more remote ancestors. Practical experience 



