SELECTION AND ITS IMPORTANCE 35 



prairie country of America, where food is most abundant. 

 Men may buy fine animals for their herds; but, unless prop- 

 erly fed and cared for, depreciation is sure to follow from 

 generation to generation. 



Uniformity in type of foundation stock should be most 

 carefully considered. It is a common method for young men 

 starting herds, to buy females without regard to uniformity 

 of type. The result is that herds thus begun do not attain 

 the standing they should, because of variation in the off- 

 spring, due to the lack of standards and of methodical selec- 

 tion at the start. One might far better begin with three 

 females of uniform type and excellence than with a much 

 larger number of no uniformity. The final outcome with 

 the three would certainly encourage observers to pursue a 

 similar method. No gi'eat herd was ever developed where 

 the breeder did not lay special emphasis on uniformity of 

 type from the beginning. 



Rational selection is a thing greatly to be desired on the 

 part of breeders. Too many persons are influenced in their 

 selection by passing fads. In the past, men have insisted 

 on maintaining herds of red Shorthorns or solid-colored 

 Jerseys, allowing these fancy points to obscure more impor- 

 tant ones. Hogs have been bred with such extreme dish of 

 head as to make it impossible for them to eat in a natural 

 way. Sheep have been bred with such heavy coverings of 

 wool over the face as to prevent the use of the eyes. These 

 features should never obscure the vision of the breeder. 

 Rational selection requires putting a premium on constitu- 

 tional vigor, size, and quality, and then wisely giving fancy 

 characteristics of color, head, or covering of wool secondary 

 ■ consideration. It is not meant that these features should 

 be ignored. In fact, they serve in part as factors in breed 

 identity, but so also do other things. Nothing is so essential 

 as vigorous constitution, and rational selection would natur- 

 ally place a premium on this. One may strike the happy 



