706 Some Aspects of the Science of Breeding, [dec, 



which go to make up a "point," one very speedily realises 

 that if the British breeder has used his knowledge to produce 

 stock, admittedly unrivalled in the rest of the world, he has not 

 been at much pains to systematise his learning so that others 

 may avail themselves of his wisdom. 



Apart from the mere surface "points," such as colour of 

 skin, texture of hair, or the shape of the horn, it is difficult 

 at first to specify accurately what are the actual requirements 

 sought for. There are, however, some which may be said to 

 be law when certain classes of stock are being considered. 

 For instance, in all beef breeds of cattle one is informed either 

 that the "rib should be well sprung " or that "the body should 

 be barrel-shaped," or, again, that "the back should be wide 

 and thick-fleshed." If any further information is given, one 

 may learn that the animal is "good at the roastings." This 

 latter definition is, as far as our present information goes, the 

 most truthful, if somewhat crude, definition of the point aimed 

 at, for to get a good butcher's beast, the breeder aims at one 

 which carries a large proportion of prime "joints" or "cuts," 

 and the point mentioned is valued because it denotes the 

 presence of an abundance as well as a superior class of one 

 particular prime joint. This joint is known in the trade as the ! 

 " fore-rib." It is essentially a roasting cut. It consists of the | 

 dorsal half of the four posterior ribs, the dorsal half of the 

 three first false ribs, together with the meat or flesh carried by 1 

 these seven ribs. While it is quite possible to say that a live 

 animal having the point under consideration will yield a j 

 carcass carrying a good " fore-rib," it is not so simple to 

 determine how the desired effect is brought about. Is the rib 

 well sprung, i.e., has it such a shape of itself that it makes the 

 animal like a barrel; or is it a question of the frame work, 

 formed by the horizontal line of rib and the vertical spine, 

 carrying a thick layer of muscle or flesh ; or are both shape of 

 bone and muscle-development of as much importance as the 

 factor known to the butcher as " marbling " ? It would seem 

 quite possible that the infiltration of fat into the tissue of the 

 muscle, giving what the butcher calls a marbled flesh, may be 

 the deciding factor. Or, again, this " point " may be some- 

 what influenced by the manner in which the rib is braced at its 

 articulation to the spinal column. 



