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Home Extracts. 
Professor Simonds’ Lecture at the York Meeting of 
the Royal Agricultural Society. 
On Wednesday, July 12th, a lecture on the subject of calving 
and lambing was delivered at the De Grey rooms, by Professor 
Simonds, of the Royal Veterinary College. His Grace the Duke 
of Richmond occupied the chair. The lecture was illustrated by 
coloured diagrams on a large scale ; and as in their absence much 
of the lecture would be unintelligible to the general reader, we 
shall confine ourselves to an outline of the Professor’s remarks. 
He commenced, by saying, that he presumed no argument was 
needed to prove the importance of the subject, either to the prac- 
tical breeder, or to those whose interests were more immediately 
identified with the feeding and rearing of our native breeds of 
cattle. It was a matter which came home to all, being intimately 
connected with our agricultural, and, therefore, with our national 
prosperity. Englishmen might well be proud of their improved 
breeds of cattle and sheep, which are at once the boast of Britain 
and the envy of the world. But it might be asked, how often had 
the hopes of the breeder been destroyed, and his exertions lost, in 
attempts to improve the breeds of cattle, by the casualties that 
attended on their birth 1 essential to success is a knowledge of the 
principles to which he (Mr. S.) had alluded, and which would 
form the basis of his discourse. In such a dilemma science came 
to our assistance, and offered a ready and helping hand to combat 
difficulties and guide through danger. It was not his intention 
to enter on the disputed question as to the best modes to improve 
the breed of any particular class of animals ; but he might be al- 
lowed to make a few passing observations on, what is called, the 
theory and practice of breeding. 
Breeding, with a view to improvement, may be said to be founded 
on Nature’s established law, that like produced like. It might, 
however, be added, that this was only true in part, for there was 
a constant tendency to change, arising from a variety of causes; 
such as domestication, living in a different climate or on a different 
kind of food. The management to which animals are subjected 
had also its influence. While these causes may be looked upon 
as the chief in operation to produce this tendency to change, at 
the same time they are the means (added to others) which are 
used to effect the improvement of a race. In order to improve a 
