FARM STOCK, BREEDING, AND FEEDING. 591 
as we have above remarked, acquired peculiarities are less 
likely to be hereditary than inherent ones. From this it is 
obvious, that all blind animals are not at once to be con- 
demned as unfit for getting sound and perfect stock. The 
cause of their blindness must be inquired into ; and when it 
can be shown that they have lost their sight from accidental 
causes, and that the stock from which they sprang was free 
from all diseases of the eyes, they may be safely used for 
breeding purposes. If, however, on the other hand, the 
blindness cannot be traced to any adequate extraneous cause, 
or if the sire or dam, or any other relatives of the animal, be 
also blind, or affected with cataracts, the animal must be 
rejected, as likely to produce stock with weak eyes, and 
susceptible of that very serious disease, periodic ophthalmia. 
(To be continued.) 
ON ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY.— FARM STOCK, BREEDING, 
AND FEEDING. 
By Edward J. Lance, Bagskot. 
In the Farmers’ Herald of July last, I made some remarks 
on the above subject, since which, the views I therein advo- 
cated have been much confirmed, for many friends have said 
they were able to prove the correctness of my position, viz., 
that confinement to the same blood had a tendency to de- 
generate the offspring. 
This physiological fact is not heeded during the warmth 
of youth, by the human family ; and it is only in the decline 
of life that, upon mature reflection, the truth shoots into the 
mind, perhaps, at a time when the sad effects have been 
made manifest, and cannot be remedied. 
That the same order of nature pervades the whole animal 
kingdom, I need not dwell on, for it is proved to a demon- 
stration, by every yearly progress of our lives, also, that if we 
disobey the organic laws of creation, we must pay the penalty 
in this life, individually, or in succession. 
The sins of the father are visited on his generation ; 
nations, races, and tribes have characters from physical 
causes; as have the varieties of the same species amongst 
the lower animals. But “ the eyes of the multitude are not 
strong enough to look at truth.” This was the remark of a 
sage in Greece, and is still applicable to the human family. 
