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breeding, fecundity, and some other subjects in which little has yet been 
attempted. This work will necessarily cover considerable time and may in 
various kinds of animals, but it is clear in my mind that it should be d 
There ;ire two good reasons for this work: One, to secure definite knowledge 
on some things Involving the principles of breeding; the other to furnish 
tlflc aid to farm practice, such as relates to methods of breeding, and in Its 
application to such things as fecundity, prepotency, etc. 
"The cooperative feature of breeding work can be made very useful, but it 
will have to he worked into, it seems to me. gradually, with the station also 
Checking op, if possible, in the same line of investigation.*' 
By Prof. .lames W. Wilson, of South Dakota: "I am starting a new bra 
hogs, l think there is a demand in this State for a lard breed more prolific 
and with greater fecundity than the Duroc Jerseys or Poland Chinas. We are 
carrying on an experiment with sheep. It is our intention to include the six 
leading breeds of sheep and ewes of common range breeding. We will breed ten 
head of each each year to each of these rams, rotating the rams each year and 
using the same ewes, fattening the Iambs off at 1 year old, which experiment will 
give us some idea of the best breed of sheep to use for our conditions. A similar 
experiment with cattle is now under way." 
By Prof. Andrew Boss, of Minnesota: "The line of work that I have most 
completely in mind is that of founding breeds that have the intrinsic qualities 
demanded by the market. In view of this I have been selecting certain 
families of hogs that conform to the market demands and recording their breed 
Ing, and in most cases working out the good qualities of the litters when fatted 
This, however, has given us only the most meager kind of a foundation for good 
work in the future. As soon as we learn the value and characteristics of the 
foundation stock on hand it will be our object to fasten, if possible, the charac- 
teristics of the breed either by cross breeding, inbreeding, or whatever other 
method we may find satisfactory. 
" I believe that in order to get good results we must know just exactly what 
the individuals are worth that we are working with, and that we must have 
definite knowledge as to the best means of propagating their usefulness. 
" My ideas in regard to the problems in animal breeding are not so extensive, 
possibly, as some other people may have. As I see it the problems must be 
solved by large moneyed interests. Results come so slowly in animal breeding 
that one individual is not able to accomplish very much in the way of permanent 
results. I believe the colleges and stations could do a great work in this line if 
they were organized into a cooperative association, and select for director of the 
work some man or a committee of men who are well up in the subject, and who 
would give promise of long service. The institutions could also work with the 
individual breeders, but it is so hard to control conditions there, or rather to 
control the inclinations of the individual breeders, that I believe better results 
would be obtained under experiment station management. 
" I have no outline to submit of any plan of work with the colleges and experi- 
ment stations. My individual plan for animal breeding in experiments is not 
on a basis that would be of value to such an organization. They include siin-" 
ply the measuring of individuals for foundation work and of further testing the 
value of these animals by measuring the value of the offspring. When these 
facts have been learned, then comes a plan for fixing the qualities, or possibly 
developing a new breed." 
By Prof. F. B. Mumford, of Missouri: "In my opinion the greatest need in 
animal breeding at the present time is for experimental data secured by pains- 
taking, accurate research, which will help us to decide with much more definite- 
noss upon some of the questions which are now largely matters of opinion. 
This opinion, I think, is held by the leading biologists of this and other 
countries. 
11 The investigations in this subject by the stations should, it seems to me, 
contribute to the upbuilding of the science of breeding. Following this sugges- 
tion to its logical conclusion means long and laborious experimentation, using 
large numbers of animals. The expense of this work with farm animals, and 
the small number of individuals, makes it difficult or impossible to carry on this 
work with such animals. It will be necessary to investigate many of these 
questions by the use of small animals that breed rapidly. 
" Another line of experiments which are of the greatest practical value to 
breeders is an investigation of the influence of environment, including exercise, 
feed, shelter, etc.. on the breeding efficiency of animals, There are great possi- 
