204 
On Short-horn Cattle. 
given on this subject: we are left, therefore, to experience and 
observation to form our own conclusions upon it; and however 
satisfied each party may be, we possess no positive data to con- 
vince each other. The writer's opposition to this principle of 
breeding in and in proceeds from having witnessed so many serious 
losses in herds so allied, which, previous to the affinity of blood, 
were healthy and strong conslitutioned. In the early short-horns 
no hoosing or cough, no delicacy of constitution was known ; but 
as affinity of breeding progressed, a delicacy of constitution ac- 
companied it. It has often been exultingly said that Comet was 
the finest bull of his day, and at the same time had the greatest 
affinity of blood of any animal we had : this is a truth which can- 
not be denied, but it might be the exception, and not the rule. It 
was notorious that the stock got by him out of cows that were 
strangers in blood was far superior to such as were more nearly 
akin. It will be remembered that Comet had a deformed shoul- 
der : who can say that this did not proceed from close affinity in 
the parents? In the human frame it is a very common thing to 
see deformed shoulders proceed from disordered lungs. 
In the short-horns of close affinity of blood, how many bulls do 
we find with lame shoulders, how many called cripples, and how 
many cripples in reality that never meet the public eye ! We see 
no other race of animals with this defect, except those short-horns 
bred in and in. It has been said that this disease might arise 
through breeding from animals of bad constitution, and thus per- 
petuate the disease in their offspring ; but when we find this dis- 
ease originated and prevailing in animals of the same family, after 
repeated crossing in and in, though unknown in their ancestors, it 
is a fair presumption that the practice is inimical to the consti- 
tution. The injurious effects on the human system are well 
known ; and although arguments on the opposite side have been 
adduced from the habits of wild animals and birds, yet there is 
enough in their manner of life, their migrations, and the usurpa- 
tion of the strongest males, to account for an exception in their fa- 
vour, if such really exists, which, however, is very doubtful. Mr. 
Mason, of Chilton, commenced breeding short-horns from the 
same parents as Mr. C. Colling, and for a certain period pursued 
it very successfully ; but being deprived of the privilege of sending 
his cows to the Ketton bulls, he was constrained to use those of his 
own breeding, and the losses he sustained in his young stock were 
so great that at one time his show-rows were reduced to four : but by 
using the bull .lupiter, whose aflinity of blood was supposed to be 
remote, he again became a successful breeder. Many other herds 
might be quoted in support of this opinion. Among the breeders 
of poultry, there are lew who do not know that when the young 
ones become tender and difficult to rear, the remedy is found in 
