194 
J. R. KELSO. 
largely into the habit of looking more to the reputation of a 
trotting stallion or family for speed than to their way of going ; 
while fast horses of every conceivable variety in shape and con¬ 
formation are made for a time steady trotters, by the nse of all 
sorts of weights, boots, pads, hobbles and other appliances. In 
the application of all these artificial means to make np deficien¬ 
cies of bodily form, we have overlooked the all important fact 
of so selecting and breeding, that nature shall supply with a 
conformation that obviates all resorts to snch appliances. I also 
claim, without fear of successful contradiction, that three times 
a week, or every other day, is as often as any horse should be 
permitted to service. Oftener than this, the seminal fluid of the 
sire is immature ; and if a colt is produced at all, he will be 
almost sure to be big-boned, loose-jointed, uncompact muscle, 
with feeble constitution. Were proper attention paid to this 
matter, failure to impregnate would occur much less frequently 
than it now does. Further, in my opinion, better results may 
be acquired by breeding the dam as near the end of heat as pos¬ 
sible, thereby allowing the ovum full time for maturity. 
Heredity .—Heredity as generally understood implies the 
contribution of two sex elements, male and female. These are 
considered to offer certain constituents, however different they 
may be supposed to be, bearing certain hereditary influences. | 
And that in two lines of descent, male and female, contributing 
their hereditary proportions, not only of the present type, but of 
type far distant. When the dam and sire both possess a due 
amount of vigor, the foal will combine in itself the most marked ' 
characteristics of both, while any quality peculiar to either of 
them is apt to be prominent in the offspring. Peculiarities of 
habit and temper force themselves upon the notice of every per¬ 
son familiar with domestic animals, and by close observation we 
notice that the slightest peculiarities are transmissable. Few 
people will gainsay the fact that brain power is hereditary, as we 
have ample proof in human beings, and is also well demonstra¬ 
ted in homing and tumbler pigeons, the young birds nearly 
always inheriting the homing and tumbling propensities of their 
