Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-09-27
veins the blood Of degenerate parents, and

Of many of the royal families of Europe
became imbecile from long course of in
termarriages producing an intellectual de-
generation; and the same result, in ply
steal sense, is produced in animals, by the
emascnlating and unphiosophical practice
Of breeding Sin and in.'' Diseases the
most inveterate, and malformations the
most singular and abhorrent, often descend
through many generations, becoming more
formidable and strongly pronounced a, ev-
cry successive remove from the purest
stock. There is said to be at present
family in the United States, in which,
though the name is very numerous, there
is perhaps not single individual TO be
found who does not exhibit the singular
physical phenomenon of hand with five
fingers and thumb, or a foot with six
toes. With the history of this family
am unacquainted, but the fact of this sim
gular hereditary anomaly has been too
frequently alluded to to admit doubt of
its correctness, however singular it may
appear. That certain habitudes of body,
pertaining to and strongly characterizing
individuals of the animal race, have been
so perpetuated, is point admitting of the
most irrefragable proof.
A farmer who had long kept the kind
of hens known by the rustic name of
"rumps," becoming convinced, after long
trial, that they were less desirable on
many accounts than other kinds, ordered
the whole race to be extirpated from his
premises. AS none of his neighbors had
kept any of the 'rumps," he concluded
that, by decapitating the whole family, he
had entirely got rid of them nor were
any of the unfortunate but prescribed race
seen about his premises for an interval of
some years, when 10! on being in his hen
cry one day, nesting among number Of
"dorkings," he beheld "rump :" This
he destroyed before the period of Adde'S
cence, yet the next year the same thing
occurred again, and so on, at intervals for
period OF thirteen seasons; the whole
number produced during that time being
ten. These individuals had all the pecu-
liar habits and characteristics of their race;
were destitute of tails, and as perfectly
true to their kind as though they had
sprung directly from the genuine fowls
from which they derived, though remotely,
their traits of distinction an! descent.
I Another farmer had given orders to
have all the black and spotted-face sheep
in his ranges selected for sale; not SIM
gle animal of the prescribed kind was
left. Three years after, lamb was
yeaned by yearling eve, with face,
one side of which was jet black, the
other white; and this circumstances, as in
the case Of the rump hens, continued to
occur for period of several years.
although the animals SO distinguished were
removed from the flock as soon as weaned
and either sold or slaughtered before
having or begetting offspring.
Such things appear singular, yet they
are the legitimate result Of purely natural
causes, and their occurrence may be conf
IDENTITY predicted, wherever there is any
infringement of those universal and con-
trolling principles by which the 7rocrea-
tive instinct is directed throughout the
entire range Of animal as well as vegeta-
BILE life. 1t no longer excites surprise in
the minds Of the most ignorant and unn-
formed, to see pippin growing on the
limb Of the gnarled and stinted Siberian
crab, or the sweet and luscious pear
swinging among the clustering riches OF
the russell or the pearmain. Yet. even
here is matter Of surprise, and the fact
that such results are producible by the
aid Of science and artistic skill, shows the
force with which these instructive laws
sometimes operate. For, notwithstand-
ing we can cause the thorn to produce
an apple, yet we cannot cause the apple.
engraited on the thorn, to change its ma
ture, even in the most ordinary degree:
through all its vegetable existence the scior
proves true to its name and characteristic
excellencies or defects, so long as it ex.
lists, or is capable of producing fruit.
So far as Improvement is involved, as a
desirable end, the power exercised, OF
which may be exercised, by man over the
vegetable kingdom is almost unlimited
There is scarcely grain now cultivated
which can be found growing wild; most
of the cerala so extensively used as food
for man and beast, and so essential not on
ly to our happiness, but to our very exist
ence. in social or gregarious condition
are fictitious produced by art. What a
vast Improvement has been effected in ON
Indian corn, and in the garden and field
esculents generally, during the last fifty
or hundred years. Yet great and as
founding as are these artistic changes ant
mutations, they constitute merel y the open
ing in the great drama that science is ye
to enact-the first dim yet cheering streak:
of that dawn which is commencing so aus
piciously, and which is so rich in The & lad
:, dening and unmisteakable promise of ;
speedy and unclouded day.
did not intend Mr. Editor, when com
menced this article, Of pursuing it so far
but the subject appears to me one OF per
manent importance, and this alone must b'
my apology and sole excuse for trespass
ing so far upon your own and your read
ers' patience.
There is, however, one thing more il
connexion with this subject which wiss
more definitely to impress upon the m.nd
of the reader. 1t is this: If good o
superior animal is found, be careful to ac
cord to it a degree Of care and attention
Commensurate with its value. The hes
cows may be greatly deprecated in valu
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