170 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
very few cases. These facts would seem to point out 
the true theory of breeding, viz. one cross and then 
selection. 
Dr. Walker’s chapter on breeding in-and-in, is full of 
instructive matter, and the range of examples adduced 
is great. In considering the consequences of in-and-in 
breeding he uses the term in its narrowest sense; for 
instance where a bull is put to a cow, and the progeny 
being a heifer, the same bull is put to her, and so in 
succession, the connexion being the closest possible. 
Where this is the case, according to the Dr.’s theory, the 
nutritive organization falls to the lot of the male, the 
female gives the locomotive organs, and the deteriora¬ 
tion of the breed certainly ensues. On this subject, Sir 
John Sebright says: 
“ I have no doubt but that, by thisprocess long continued, ani¬ 
mals would in the course of time degenerate to such a degree 
as to become incapable of breeding at all. I have tried many 
experiments, by breeding in-and-in, upon dogs, fowls and 
pigeons; the dogs became from strong spaniels, weak and di¬ 
minutive lap-dogs, the fowls became long in the legs, small 
in the body and bad breeders.” 
“ Close breeding,” says Mr. Berry, “ impairs the constitution, 
and affects the procreative powers. In in-and-in breeding I 
believe that the generative power fails first or chiefly on the 
part of the male.” . 
Some of Mr. Berry’s closest bred animals became en¬ 
tirely impotent, and he was hence compelled to throw 
in a strong cross which at once remedied the defect. 
Mr. Robinson purchased a stock of pure short horns 
for his. estate in Scotland, and pursued strictly the course 
of in-and-in breeding; the consequence was, his cattle 
soon became feeble and delicate, very bad breeders, and 
many died with consumption; by resorting to Mr. Col- 
lings’ stock and the use of one of his bulls for a few 
years, his stock was renovated and assumed their form¬ 
er beauty and vigor. 
To breeding in-and-in, says Mr. Youatt, must be 
traced the absolute degeneracy—the speedy disappear¬ 
ance of the New Leicester cattle ; and, in the hands of 
many an agriculturist, the impairment of the constitu¬ 
tion and decreased value of the New Leicester sheep, 
and the short horn cattle. 
The general opinion among the Arabs is, “ that colts 
bred in-and-in (even though not strictly so) show more 
blood in their heads, are of better form, and fit to start 
with fewer sweats than others ; but when the breed is 
continued incestuous for three or four crosses, the ani¬ 
mal degenerates.” 
>So far as the human race is concerned the testimony 
adduced by Dr. Walker, is decisive against in-and-in 
breeding. The absolute fatuity and imbecility of the 
races of long established sovereigns and families of 
Europe, the Bourbons, Guelphs, Leons, &c. for instance, 
is well known to every one; and the fact is not less 
conspicuous that the illegitmate branches of these fami¬ 
lies are superior in every respect to the pure blooded 
ones. This fact did not escape the notice of Byron, who 
says, in his sarcastic manner, of these noble families : 
--“ They bred in-and-in, as might be known, 
Marrying their cousins—nay their aunts and neices, 
Which always spoils the breed, if it increases.” 
The higher order of the Turkish nation are probably 
the finest looking men in the world. This admitted fact 
we have been inclined to attribute to their being gene¬ 
rally the children of Georgian or Circassian women, 
and therefore the result of what may be considered a 
first cross, which is always favorable. Dr. Y/alker says, 
“ that this improvement is not merely the result of mar¬ 
riages with the women of Circassia and Georgia, but 
of the fact that polygamy by weakening and enfeebling 
the male, permits the female to stamp her form upon 
her progeny more generally.” Will not this effect of 
polygamy account for the great number of females that, 
are produced in all countries where polygamy is prac¬ 
ticed, over the males 1 
Dr. Walker differs from many physiologists, in ad¬ 
mitting that impressions produced on the mind of the 
female during her pregnancy may leave an indelible 
mark on the pr°g en y- Medical men, who deny this fact, 
consider all such results as monstrosities, or the result of 
accident; but the marking of animals by impressions 
through the senses of the female parent, has such strong 
evidence in its favor that to us there .seems no room for 
doubt in the matter. An instance is related of its occur¬ 
rence in the case of animals, which shows that the 
patriarch Jacob was not less a philosopher than a Yan¬ 
kee in his management of Laban’s cattle, and that the 
influence of the striped and speckled rods was one per¬ 
fectly legitimate, and what was to be expected. Mr. 
Boswell, in the Quarterly Journal of Agriculture,says: 
“ One of the most intelligent breeders I ever met with in 
Scotland, Mr. Mustard, of Angus, told me that one of his 
cows chanced to come in season while pasturing in a field, 
which was bounded by that of one of his neighbors, out of 
which an ox jumped, and went with the cow, until she was 
brought home to the bull. The ox was white, with black 
spots and horned. Mr. Mustard had not a horned beast in 
his possession, nor one with any white on it. Nevertheless, 
the produce of the following spring was a black and white calf 
with horns.” 
The effect of intimacy and observation in modifying 
the features, and eventually giving them peculiar quali¬ 
ties, is noticed by Dr. Walker, and a number of in¬ 
stances adduced in proof, and among others the follow¬ 
ing testimony of a medical man who had long resided 
in the cast, and for several years in New Holland. The 
latter part of the extract, we recommend particularly 
to the attention of the sons of the Pilgrims, as stating 
a fact of which they are not probably aware: 
“ The same gentleman stated that the second generation of 
European descent at Botany Bay, partook of the ugly visages 
of the aboriginal inhabitants. 1 rather suspect that the pre¬ 
sent descendents of the old North American settlers, begin to 
resemble in figure the original Indians.” 
We rather imagine the likeness of the Botany Bay 
children to the original New Hollanders, can be traced 
to a cause more likely to Stamp such character, than the 
mere observation by the female; a cause which has 
given the mestizo and creole character to so large a pro¬ 
portion of the population in the West Indians and Spa¬ 
nish Main. 
It is the opinion of Dr. Walker that the intermixture 
of races seems to improve the intellectual powers, as 
much as it does the bodily proportions ; and the exam¬ 
ples which he has given, or which readily suggest them¬ 
selves to the intelligent reader, would seem to be deci¬ 
sive of the fact. The cross produced by the connection 
of the Dutch with the Hottentots ; the English or 
French with the Indian the Spaniard with the Indian 
or Negro; the English and the Hindostanee; and on a 
larger scale, the nations that sprang up from the irrup¬ 
tions of the northern barbarians on the fertile plains of 
Asia or Europe, have always been, or are superior in 
most respects to either race taken separately. “ It is an 
important truth that most of the great nations of the 
earth have arisen from great migrations or immigra¬ 
tions of the human race.” 
We shall close this somewhat extended notice by an 
extract from a late publication of Dr. Hancocks, which 
is worthy the consideration of every citizen of this 
country ; coming as it does from the pen of an able En¬ 
glish writer: 
‘‘I do not know if the progress of the American Republic 
may not be, in some measure, attributable to the circumstances 
here considered, (the effect ot crosses on the human family. 
The Americans—a melange of ali the differen t nations of Eu¬ 
rope, though mostly of English, Scotch, and Irish descent, are 
noted for activity and enterprise; and their march of improve¬ 
ment in practical science, the mechanical arts, and com¬ 
merce, has surpassed what could have been anticipated in a 
people cast into a wilderness so distant from the civilized world. 
Their rapid increase and improvement has attracted the ad¬ 
miration of all Europe ; and they are offering to the world a 
splendid example of justice and national freedom.” 
We have of course merely touched on the most promi¬ 
nent points of Dr. Walker’s book, and those that ap¬ 
pear to be of the most interest to the breeder. As yet, 
we consider the propositions of the writer little more 
than mere plausible theory ; but one which fortunately 
can be tested by any individual who will take the pains 
to enter upon such an investigation of the animals, or 
even the children around him. We think the evidences 
against the doctrine of organization, will at least 
be found equal to those in favor of it, from such 
observation. On some points we dissent from Dr. 
W. decidedly. That an accidental injury, such as 
the breaking the leg of a horse, should render him an 
imperfect foal getter, is absurd. Constitutional, not ac¬ 
cidental disabilities, effect the progeny ; for every one’s 
observation will convince him that the children of pa¬ 
rents, minus a leg or an arm, or with club feet, are as 
active and vigorous as those of parents not so affected ; 
but where the constitution is enfeebled, and there is a 
tendency to particular classes of diseases, such as con¬ 
sumption or scrofula, the progeny are very sure to suf¬ 
fer ; and this, no matter which of the parents are so 
disposed. 
We think too, the fact that breeding from crosses, 
(that is for example, from stock produced from a short 
horn bull and a native cow) will not succeed, is about 
as well accounted for by the theory of “ blood,” as by 
“ organization” by halves. The first or half bloods are 
fine animals; there is no certainty the progeny from 
these will be so, as their condition is unnatural, and the 
natural tendency in all cases is to recede to the original 
starting point. Thus in all the improved breeds of ani¬ 
mals continual care is requisite to prevent deterioration. 
We should have a still more serious protest to enter 
against the books of Dr. W. (were this the place to 
urge them) and that would be on the ground of their 
moral influence. A French gentleman, attached to the 
old regime, and who xvas with the Marquis Fayette, 
in this counti'3r during the revolution, asserted not long 
since, that at that time he found by inquiry (probably he 
inquired in French) the girls of fourteen, in the republic, 
actually did not know whether they were girls or boys.^ 
There is no such ignorance to be apprehended now, it 
such books as Dr. Walker’s “ Intermarriage” and “ Wo- 
man,” are to become fashionable reading books. No 
knowledge, however profound, can compensate in wo¬ 
man the loss of that delicacy of feeling, that innate 
modesty, that constitutes her greatest charm, and these 
things would be endangered by familiarity with such 
themes and discussions as are found in these volumes. 
Still the theories they broach will excite attention, 
will prompt investigation; and if they are truths, will 
be added to the general stock of human knowledge; if 
errors, they will be thrown aside and forgotten in that 
limbo of baseless theory, the purgatory cf eccentric 
philosophers. _ 
DOCKING HORSES. 
We are sorry to perceive that the barbarous, cruel, 
and injurious practice of docking and nickinz horses is 
again beginning to be looked upon with favor, alter 
some years of merited disuse. We wish to enter a de¬ 
cided protest against the system, as injurious to the 
horse, and offensive to cood taste. A handsome flow¬ 
ing mane and tail constitute the most graceful and use¬ 
ful appendages to this noble animal, and are essential 
both to his strength and comfort. None but a narrow 
minded ignorant man, would have in the first place ven¬ 
tured on such a violation of vested rights; and none 
but blockheads or jockeys, destitute of the better hu¬ 
man feelings, could have perpetrated or tolerated the 
innovation. We are not in the habit of indulging in 
unkind feelings against our fellow men, however use¬ 
less or ridiculous their conduct may be, but when we 
have seen a docked horse turned out to grass, and oblig¬ 
ed, between every mouthful of food, to employ at least 
as much time in biting off flies, as he uses in eating; a 
loss of time and labor, that a tail, in its natural state, 
would have entirely prevented, we have almost wished 
that the perpetrator of the outrage, in a stale of nudi¬ 
ty and his hands tied, could be placed in some of our 
swamps, for half an hour, in order to realize the plea¬ 
sure an unprotected animal must experience when ex¬ 
posed to the assaults of mosquitoes, ox, horse & gad flies. 
It is impossible that a docked horse should be as vi¬ 
gorous and strong as he would have been bad this ope¬ 
ration never been performed. A division of the strong 
tenons and muscles that have their termination in the 
tail, must of necessity inflict an irreparable injury. A 
few years since, an English gentleman had a fine hunt¬ 
ing horse, that would carry his rider over a five barred 
gate with ease; but the tail was not in fashion, it was 
not carried to suit him, and he had him nicked; the re¬ 
sult was, that when he got well, he could scarcely carry 
him over two bars. “Thus,” said be, “I spoiled a 
good horse, and no wonder ; for the operation weakened 
his loins, a result that might have been reasonably ex¬ 
pected from the severing of two such essential muscles.” 
Race horses, we believe, are never docked or nicked. 
Their muscular powers are all wanted, and that too, 
where nature lias placed them. The hair of their tails 
is cropped, as any one may see in the fine prints that 
accompany the English sporting journals ; but the man 
who should undertake by the use of the knife, and the 
division of tendons, to improve nature, would justly be 
deemed insane. The same argument that prevent^the 
mutilation of the race horse, should prevent that of the 
carriage or farm horse. The trifling inconvenience the 
tail occasions when in the harness, should be tolerated 
for the sake of the greater beauty it gives the animal, 
and the additional strength and comfort it confers. We 
do not believe nature has made that beautiful and use¬ 
ful animal, the horse, so bunglingly, as to render it ne¬ 
cessary for us to cut off a large piece of bone here, or 
divide a pair of muscles there, to confer symmetry or 
strength. Let who will prefer jockey horses, we shall 
still consider those the best upon which the axe or knife 
has never passed. 
QUALITIES OF WHEAT. 
It is supposed that the superior nutritive qualities of wheat 
over any other grain, arise from the great quantities of that 
peculiar half animalized substance gluten, which it contains. 
It also seems to be .very well ascertained, that the quality 
of the bread made from it, as well as the quantity, is much 
influenced by this ingredient. The combination of the 
gluten with the starch and water, in making bread, renders 
wheat bread more light, and except when new, more diges¬ 
tible than any other. Sir H. Davy’s analysis of several 
kinds of wheat, gave the following proportions of nutritive 
matter, or starch and gluten, in 1000 parts of each: 
Starch or Mucillage. Gluten. 
Middlesex wheat of good quality, 765. 190 
Polish,. 750. 200 
North American. 730. 225 
Thick Skinned Sicilian. 725. £30 
Thin Skinned do. -- 722. 239 
English Spring Wheat,. 700. 240 
Writers on this subject, have concluded that spring 
wheat must be more nutritious than winter wheat. Owing 
to the greater quantity of gluten, it may be more easily di¬ 
gested ; but we think the powder of nutrition cannot vary 
essentially. Winter wheat makes a whiter flour, cut before 
it is quite ripe, than if left till quite mature, and in any 
state, whiter than spring wheat; and hence the rule should 
be, when intended for flour, cut early; when for seed, as 
late as can be done, and the crop be secured. A bushel of 
wheat is said (British Plus. vol. 2, page 155,) to yield when 
ground, the following weight of flour, &c. 
Fine flour,.254 lbs. 
Household do. 224 lbs. 
Pollards. 8 lbs. 
Bran,. , ^ ^s. 
The first and second kinds mixed, constitute the quality 
of flour used for bread in this country and in England ; and 
hence, a bushel of wheat gives 48 lbs. of flour suitable for 
bread of good quality. To ascertain the quantity of bread 
the several kinds of wheat, as well as of other grains 
would make, a series of experiments was instituted by the 
French government, which resulted in the average of the 
experiments, as follows : 
Wheat, if weighing 60 lbs. of flour 48, made of bread 64 lbs. 
Rye, “ 
Barley, “ 
Oats. “ , 
Thus a bushel of oats for instance, weighing two-thirds 
as much as a bushel of wheat., made not half as much bread; 
a fact doubtless to be attributed to the power of combining 
with water, given to the wheat by the gluten it contains. 
The advantages of cooking grain for food, are strikingly 
shown in the fact., that by making flour into bread, one- 
third of nutritive power is gained, as few will contend that 
bread is not more nourishing than raw flour ; and the gain 
in the others, is not far below that of wheat. 
54 “ 
42 
U 
56 “ 
48 “ 
374 
it 
50 “ 
40 “ 
224 
u 
30 “ 
