20 DR. EMMONS’ REPORT. April, 
present stock for breeders. Much has been said on the best mode 
of breeding cattle, and undoubtedly on this, as on all obscure sub- 
jects, there has been a mixture of truth and error. 
In a state of nature, there are few changes for the better or worse. 
The species attains a certain size, has similar marks from age to age, 
when living under the same circumstances. But changes in size, col- 
or, &c., do occur even ina wild state, yet more limited than in a 
state of domestication. How many varieties may spring from a sin- 
gle stock, it is impossible to tell. The variation is so great in some 
cases, that the individuals are considered for a time as distinct spe- 
cies. The practice of breeding in and in, as it is termed, although 
advocated by eminent men, cannot raise a variety to the highest per- 
fection of which the species is susceptible. For it is evident, that 
on the principle on which this is advocated, viz.: ‘that like will 
produce its like,”’ if the variety has any defects, they too must find a 
place in the progeny, as well as its perfections. 
Besides, the practice of breeding in and in, has another more se- 
rious objection, the stock will not hold its own for many generations, 
but it will finally depreciate till it has become worthless. This rests 
on a law of the animal and vegetable kingdom. Another question has 
been discussed in relation to mutual influence of parents on their off- 
spring. Linneus, who was one ofthe most accurate observers of na- 
ture, has satisfactorily elucidated this point. According to him, the 
male imparts the eternal characters, and the female the internal. 
The breeding of the jack with the mare, produces a mule,—hav- 
ing the ears, head, skin and tail of the former. The common goat, 
whose hair is always coarse and useless, crossing with a fine fleeced 
Angora goat, produces, like the male parent, an offspring, whose coat 
is also coarse and worthless, but change the order, in the latter ‘case, 
and the coating is improved. ‘These facts have an important bearing 
on the improvement of both cattle and sheep. It is hardly necessa- 
ry to make the application to either of this species of stock ; it is 
sufficient to say, that we need not expect fine wool from a coarse 
woolled buck, nor a large quantity of milk from a mother whose 
milk is deficient in this respect ; and the principle holds true in rela- 
tion to quality. The character of the most importance in cows, 
then, is their milk, Jt is true, beef may be made of a cow not re- 
