2 
Breeding of Farm-Stock. 
spond with that inhcront in the parent from which it descended. 
If, however, I breed from a female possessing certain qualities 
by a male distlnj^uishcd by an opposite character, it is clear that 
the offsprinjj cannot perpetuate buth of tliese characteristics, and 
the result ajipears antajjonistic to the maxim that " like produces 
like." This brinc,-3 us at once to the consideration of one of the 
most important principles connected with breeding, namely, that 
although " like produces like " (for it can produce nothing else), 
still when the parents possess opposing qualities the pre})onder- 
ance is exercised by that one which possesses the hereditary 
tendency in the greatest strength, if, for instance, a cow having 
any special peculiarity of form is put to a bull having the oppo- 
site character, tlic offspring will assume the character of that 
parent which possessed the greatest hereditary powers in this 
respect, or, in other Avords, the greatest purity and unity of influ- 
ence. If these hereditary powers are under our control, it is 
important to consider by what means they may be increased or 
diminished. 
In breeding from a ram and ewe possessing a similarity of 
type, the produce of such an union will of necessity also possess 
the like character, but in a higher degree. Thus the result of 
breeding stock of similar character is that these peculiarities are 
not only perpetuated but intensified in the offspring. Provided 
that the parents possess similarity of type in any given particular, 
every successive generation thus produced acquires an increase 
of hereditary force, by which we mean the power of imprinting 
its own stamp upon its progeny. But in like manner as this 
power accumulates when there is a similarity of character, so also 
does it diminish vv^hen the parents have opposite or antagonistic 
characters. Suppose that a well-bred ram, by careful breeding 
through several successive generations, has acquired strong and 
valuable hereditary powers (which, for illustration sake, we will 
represent in figures), say equal to 100. If this animal be put 
to a ewe of a totally different character, say having hereditary 
power equal to 60, the result would be that the offspring would 
still possess the same character as the ram because of his superior 
hereditary power ; but the hereditary capability of the offspring 
would be reduced to say 100 — 60 = 40. Supposing the off- 
spring to be a ram, at a subsequent period both the sire and 
offspring may appear equally perfect in form and general cha- 
racter ; but the power of hereditary transmission being so much 
greater in the sire than this offspring (In proportion of 100 to 
40), the former Avould be far more valuable as a breeding animal, 
although the difference in the capabilities of the two would be 
entirely hidden or latent. If you breed from animals possessing 
a similarity of type, the offspring will possess the same character. 
