SELECTION AND ITS IMPORTANCE 33 



not be purchased; they are not for sale. It is an old story 

 that Edwin Haniuiond refused an enormous sum for the 

 famous Alerino ram Gold Drop, his reason being that he 

 could not affoixi to sell his best ram at any price. Brown 

 states that on one occasion a wealthy Tasmanian sheep 

 breeder offered one of the most sldllful island stud owners 

 S500 each for the pick of a score of ewes from his stud, and 

 the offer was refused. These animals transmitted most valu- 

 able qualities to future generations, in no uncertain manner, 

 the perpetuation of wliich qualities was of vital impor- 

 tance to the owner. 



At the present time a great and increasing interest is 

 shown in dairy cattle, and the marked improvement in pro- 

 ducing capacity in many herds is evident thi'ough the use of 

 sires that come from dams and families notable for milk or 

 butter-fat records. Suppose a man desires to purchase a 

 bull. Would it not be a fine investment to secure one from 

 ancestrj' that would result in a herd of cows that would yield 

 400 pounds of butter-fat, each, per year, as compared with 

 a sire producing cows giving only 200 pounds? Think of 

 the difference in the final gain to the man and to the breed! 

 One thing should be kept in mind in the effort to secure and 

 hold desirable qualities, and that is not to breed with a nar- 

 row, one-sided policy, remembering that the greatest general 

 perfection of form and function should always be the final 

 object of the breeder. 



Selection and environment have much in common. By 

 environment is meant the conditions of climate, soil, shelter, 

 etc. In very recent years the word "genetics" has come 

 into use, and will no doubt become more common in the 

 future. It refers to breeding scientifically, depending upon 

 hereditary transmission, without regard to environment. 

 When starting in the business of breeding, it is very generally 

 regarded important that animals be selected that are suited 

 to the special conditions under which they must live. Wliile 



