€hai\ L] selection by man. 25 



almost as they please. If I had space I could quote numerous pas- 

 sages tc this effect from highly competent authorities. Youatt ; 

 who was prohahly better acquainted with the works of agriculturists 

 than almost any other individual, and who was himself a very good 

 iudge of animals, speaks of the principle of selection as " that which 

 enables the agriculturist, not only to modify the character of his 

 flock, but to change it altogether. It is the magician's wand, by 

 means of which he may summon into life whatever form and mould 

 he pleases." Lord Somerville, speaking of what breeders have dona 

 for sheep, says : — " It would seem as if they had chalked out upon 

 a wall a form perfect in itself, and then had given it existence." In 

 Saxony the importance of the principle of selection in regard to 

 merino sheep is so fully recognised, that men follow it as a trade : 

 the sheep are placed on a table and are studied, like a picture by a 

 connoisseur ; this is done three times at intervals of months, and the 

 sheep are each time marked and classed, so that the very best may 

 •ultimately be selected for breeding. 



What English breeders have actually effected is proved by the 

 enormous prices given for animals with a good pedigree ; and these 

 have been exported to almost every quarter of the world. The 

 improvement is by no means generally due to crossing different 

 breeds ; all the best breeders are strongly opposed to this practice, 

 except sometimes amongst closely allied sub-breeds. And when a 

 cross has been made, the closest selection is far more indispensable 

 even than in ordinary cases. If selection consisted merely in sepa- 

 rating some very distinct variety, and breeding from it, the principle 

 would be so obvious as hardly to be worth notice ; but its import- 

 ance consists in the great effect produced by the accumulation in 

 one direction, during successive generations, of differences absolutely 

 inappreciable by an uneducated eye — differences which I for one. 

 have vainly attempted to appreciate. Not one man in a thousand 

 has accuracy of eye and judgment sufficient to become an eminent 

 breeder. If gifted with these qualities, and he studies his subject 

 for years, and devotes his lifetime to it with indomitable perse- 

 verance, he will succeed, and may make great improvements ; if he 

 wants any of these qualities, he will assuredly fail. Few would 

 readily believe in the natural capacity and years of practice requisite 

 to become even a skilful pigeon-fancier. 



The same principles are followed by horticulturists ; but the vari- 

 ations are here often more abrupt. No one supposes that our 

 choicest productions have been produced by a single variation from 

 the aboriginal stock. We have proofs that this has not been so in 

 several cases in which exact records have been kept ; thus, to give a 



