440 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Junz, 1899. 
organic matters which they contain, must be of the same type. And, as the 
blood is the medium through which every growth takes place, it is probably this. 
idea which caused the term “blood” to be employed as that of the conveyor: 
and propagator of everything which we desire to obtain and preserve in our 
domestic animals. 
A. blood animal must—Firstly, be excellent in every respect; secondly, the 
cultivation of the good qualities must continue ; thirdly, they must have existed 
in the ancestors for many generations. The great German agriculturist and 
eminent sheep-breeder—founder of the first agricultural college in the world 
(1804:)— MGelin, says: “ With reference to domestic animals, I do not believe: 
that the children have blood, or, what is the same thing, are highbred, because 
their parents were considered to be so. But I consider that the ancestors must 
have been superior, if their progeny are excellent in every respect: Fortes 
creantur ex fortibus et bonis—the brave cannot descend but from the brave and 
good.” 
Instead of using the term “ blood” we frequently speak of constant animals.. 
Constancy, like blood, depends upon the exceedingly frequent occurrence of 
the desired qualities in several generations back. A breed that has attained to 
the highest degree of constancy is called ‘“ consolidated.” It may fairly be- 
supposed that the influence of either parent on the offspring is equal, provided 
that either of them has the same degree of constancy. If the case should 
prove different, we must naturally suspect that the animal whose qualities have: 
shown themselves victorious over the other must have descended from parents. 
of greater constancy. This occurs most frequently with males, because we: 
generally employ sires from breeds of better stock. 
Some animals do not possess the same inheriting power as others, quite- 
apart from the degree of constancy prevalent amongst the stock whence they 
came. Amongst several animals of exactly the same descent in every respect,. 
we occasionally find an individual of less promising appearance to be by far the: 
better stock-getter than better-looking ones, and that not alone his children,. 
but also his grand and great-grand children, are far superior to those of his: 
brothers. This may be owing to an individual power of inheritance distinct 
from the general inheriting tendency of the breed in question. Greater sexual 
impulse may account for it, yet we have to look to the physiologists for: 
scientific explanation of this and similar facts. Practical breeders have begun 
to pay special attention to this “individual power of inheritance,” or “ prepo- 
tency,” which some animals possess in a higher degree than others—a subject 
to which we shall return on a later occasion. 
Some qualities are easier transferred and more thoroughly fixed than 
others. Generally there is no difficulty in producing a regularly waved staple, 
softness, and elasticity; on the other hand, it is most difficult to secure the: 
transfer of density of growth and evenness in the fleece. We may also rely on 
the father transferring the qualities of the fleece, and have to look to the 
mother for shape and carcass. 
PIG MEMS. 
Pras are rendered more liable to disease than any other domestic animal on the 
farm or station. This is solely the fault of their owners. One of the best 
means for breeding the suis bacilius is decaying organic matter, generating heat,. 
and consequent fermentation. The place of all others where decaying vegetable 
andanimal matter are to be found is the old-fashioned farm log pigsty. This mass: 
of uncleanliness is the result of the careless method of feeding the pigs, and 
the second result is that here are bred swarms of bacilli which will preserve: 
their vitality in it until they find a suitable medium, such as the pig, in which to: 
nidify and propagate their nefarious brood. Keep the sty clean and dry, there- 
fore, if you want healthy pigs. 
Oe 
