EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
57 
be worth, for delicacy, flavour, and nutriment, a dozen of either. 
It is true that, for fatness, depth of belly, hidden eyes, and for 
colour, the Coleshill had it all their own way ; but this is what we 
complain of : there was too much flank, too flabby, too oily, too 
loose a texture altogether ; and quite sure are we that weight, 
when each was purchased for the bacon “ silt,” would be in favour 
of the younger but truer bacon-bred hog. We have much, very 
much to say on breeding and crossing, and the evils resulting from 
ignorance of the principles on which such should be conducted ; a 
subject talked loudly enough of, — prated about at agricultural meet- 
ings, — till any reflecting man must be sick of the topic : but no rules 
have been laid down, no principles induced : some men have a 
knack of crossing judiciously ; but we have never been able to 
arrive at any other conclusion, than that it was generally a hap- 
hazard sort of affair, only partially influenced by more skill or 
knowledge on the part of the individual. Such should not be. 
In our pages for this month will be found, headed “ Circular,” 
the translation of a letter received by the Veterinary Medical As- 
sociation from the National and Central Society of Veterinary 
Medicine of France, informing them that, in consequence of the 
decease of two distinguished French veterinary Professors, Messrs. 
Dupuy and Rodet, their widows and four children are left desti- 
tute ; and requesting, on their behalf, our fraternal assistance. 
On no previous occasion that we recollect has an appeal been made 
to the profession of this country of the nature of the one before us. 
It is an appeal, coming from one nation to another, which nothing 
short of eminence in science and moral worth could authorize. As 
bare members of our profession, and men of another nation, we can 
know nothing about Messrs. Dupuy and Rodet; but, as distinguts 
in veterinary literature, and contributors of no ordinary measure to 
our common stock of professional knowledge, we at once recognize 
a debt to them of no mean amount, of no common kind ; and this 
debt we have an opportunity now afforded us of repaying in a 
manner that must be the most gratifying to our own feelings, while 
it reflects the greatest honour upon the memories of the departed, 
VOL. XXIII. I 
