937 
Extracts from British and Foreign Journals. 
THE BREEDING OE STOCK. 
By W. C. Spooner, M.R.C.V.S., &c., &e. 
(A Lecture delivered before the Blandford Farmers’ Club, Oct., 8th, 1870.) 
The first lecture for the season 1870-7 1 , in connection 
with this club, was given on Saturday evening, Oct. 8th, at 
the Crown Hotel, by Mr. Spooner, of Eling, near South- 
ampton, on fe The Principles involved in the Breeding of 
Stock.” There was a very good attendance of members. 
The lecturer having been suitably introduced by the chair- 
man, at once commenced his subject : — 
Throughout the whole range of Creation there is nothing 
perhaps which strikes the mind of the student of Nature 
with greater force than the wonderful provision made for the 
preservation and sustentation of animal life. There is no 
spot so barren but what some vegetation appears, and 
wherever this is the case, animal life in some form corre- 
sponds with the supply of food. Provision is made for main- 
taining and augmenting the species far beyond the supply of 
food, and thus the struggle of life goes on, the weakest go to 
the wall, and the strongest propagate their kind. This 
phenomenon has been termed by Mr. Darwin “ natural 
selection,” which term, however, does not carry with it its 
own solution, but demands some little explanation. Not 
only is the surface of the earth instinct with animal existence, 
but even the very air we breathe is full of the germs of 
animal or vegetable life, ever ready and ever seeking the 
proper nidus to enable them to increase and multiply. The 
theory of spontaneous generation, which has been so long 
and so vigorously maintained, and which from time to time 
appeared to be supported by phenomena which could scarcely 
be disputed, and could not well be otherwise explained, has 
at length received its quietus, and has yielded to the facts 
developed by modern research, and the old doctrine, “ Omne 
ex ovo,” has been proved to be sound. Decaying substances 
are soon peopled with animal life, but this does not take place 
provided all contact with external air is prevented ; nor does 
it result if the air to which it is exposed has been first 
deprived of all its germs by means of fire. Mr. Spooner 
then proceeded, in illustration, to give several examples of 
