350 



[November, 1912. 



perienced farmer would be able to gain more useful and accurate 

 information by walking over the land and examining it carefully at 

 different times of the year. 



Chemical and mechanical analyses of soils are of little practical value 

 except in a few special cases. An intelligent and local farmer could give 

 a much better idea of the fertility of any particular farm than an analyst. 



SCIENTIFIC BREEDING. 



Through the munificence of Capt. DealtryPart of the 21stjLancers who 

 placed a sum of £10,000 at the disposal of the British Board of Agricul- 

 ture, it has been found possible to initiate some important experiments 

 in light-horse breeding in England. The work is under the control of 

 Capt. Part in consultation with Major C. C Hurst and Mr, F. W. Carter, 

 and will be carried out on Mendelian lines, with the approval of Prof. J. 

 Conar Ewart. 



In order to secure certaiu results, i.e., uniform offspring, and reduce 

 the production of " misfits " or irregular progeny to a minimum it will be 

 necessary to employ what are known in Mendelian language as "homo- 

 zygous parents," i.e., pure breeding stallions and mares ; but these can 

 only be discovered by experiment. Once found, however, the strain 

 or breed will be permanently established. 



The details for the working out of a scheme calculated to produce the 

 most desirable strains are in the hand of Professoi Ewart and Major 

 Hurst. 



If in the end, says Horse auM Hound, anything approaching the 

 success achieved (by working on Mendelian lines) at Cambridge in in- 

 creasing the production of flour in wheat and enabling it to resist disease, 

 and improving the qualities of sheep and other animals, can be equalled 

 by these experiments with horses, to Capt. Part will belong the honour 

 and credit of laying the foundation of a great enterprise. 



Horse breeding has never attained any importance with us and we 

 have not heard of any practical steps being taken with a view to creating 

 a local supply of horses suitable to our needs, though private enterprises 

 in this connection have been freely talked about. But where there is 

 scope for some definite action is with regard to the improvement of the 

 cattle of the country. There are many excellent qualities in our indi- 

 genous stock which it should be the object of the breeder to fix in com- 

 bination with other desirable points that could be introduced by a 

 judicious experimenting on Mendelian lines. — The Veterinary News. 



We understand tnat the Government Veterinary Department is 

 about to start a breeding farm in the neighbourhood of Ambepussa 

 railway station. This establishment should offer immense facilities for 

 such work as has been indicated above. 



