Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-02-02
VOLUME 6.
AGRICULTURAL.
BIZ EEDlNG STOCA.
Oh An INFLUENCE AFFECTING THE PURITY


blood, is caily attracting ar increased
attention from the scientific and enligh
tened agriculturist; and when the farmer
succeeds in obtaining animals possessing
the qualities sought for, there is no
branch of his business that PAYS more
generously in dollars and cents than this;
but SO many failures are met with, and
so many are disappointed in the progeny
OF animals Of even the puress and most
renowned pedigree, that even among the
enlightened, it is not seldom ,ha, we
hear the advantages Of BLOOD questioned,
il not denied; and i, is more than in:ima.
ted tina. animals possessing superior
qualities owe their excellence mainly to
the care that has been bestowed upon
them in regard to their feed, &c. In re-
gard 10 other departments of agriculture
similar discrepancies Of opinion do no,
obtain; and j, would seem Of Importance
to determine WHY This difference Of
pinion ia this regard. .... .-...
All are accustomed 10 rely upon cape.
rience, and it must be allowed that in
this matter, many who have been to con-
siderable trouble and expense in their en-
deavor TO improve their stock of horses,
cattle, or sheep, by breeding from ami
mails of the improved breeds, have cape
rienced grievous disappointment, IN not
finding The young 10 resemble the sire or
the dam. as the case may be, as closely
as they hoped; and without. being able to
account for this fact. in accordance with
any laws, ,lla, are known to them, and
only knowing that they have failed OF
the expected improvement in :heir ami
mali, they have naturally come 10 deny
or a, least 10 doubt what others have
tolc them. This has been one, and per.
haps the main reason why so little at,en
ton has been paid by the majority OF
farmers 10 the introduction of imported
and other improved races Of animals.
But the English agriculturis.s seem to
understand the causes Of these failures.
and, of Course, how to avoid Them; and
il would be we'll If this Information were
more generally disseminated in this
country. ....... ....
The reason is this: THE mothers
.. stem is Influenced and changed by the
young she carries in her womb; aud il
the male parent be of different breed,
her blood is contaminated, and she rem
dered similar 10 mongrel for the re-
mainder Of Ter life." ..-.
This assertion may startle many who
have given the subjec, no thoughts bu,
il is believed tina, no physiological fact
is better established, or more susceptible
of proof. than this; and as proof, shall
cite few instances that have been no.
,iced BY Dr.. A. Harvey. ply stefan to the
Aberdeen Royal lnfrmary. He speaks
of young chestnut mare. seven-eights
Arabian. that belonged to the Earl OF
More,on, which was covered ia 1915
by auagga. which is a species of wild
ass from Africa. and marked somewhat
after the manner of the zebra. The
mare was covered but once by the quag
ga, and after pregnancy of eleven
months AMI four DAYS, gave birth to a !
ny brid which had dis,inc, marks Of the
quagga, in the shape of its head, black
bars on the legs, shoulders, DC. In
1917. 'l6 and 81, the same mare
(which had, in the meantime. pas sed into
the possession Of Sir Gore Ousley) Yves
covered b. a very fine Black Arabian
horse. and produced, successfully. three
foals, all of which bore uuequiyocal
marks of The quagga.
Another case, similnr TO the above, 3
mentioned. A mare belonging to Sir
Gore Ousely was covered by zebra.
and gave birth to striped ny brid. The
next year this mare was covered by a
thorough bred horse, and the mex, sue.
ceeding year BY another horse. In this
instance. also. Ah the foals were striped,
and in other reessds par.ook of the char.
acieristics of the bra. 1t is matter
Of common obseElh tion, that when q
mare has borne mule she is never after
81 to breed colts, as they will have large
heads and otherwise resemble mules.
In The above. mentioned instances the
mares were covered by animals. in the
first instance Of different species from
themselves; but oAhers are recorded,
where they had brad only $50 horses.
but By horses Of different 6rceds . the
sspegate occasions; and yet the oiIspring
psr'ook Of the characteristics of the hone
~ which the first impregnasio0 NJ
effected.
Mr. M'Gilivray, in an article public
cd in the Aberdeen Journal. speaks Of
several colts in the royal stud q Hsmp.
ION Court. that were sired by the horse
.Acfeon. that did not resemble sdcf&on
shs pa.erual Of the foals, but did bear a
near resemblance to the horse Colonel.
from whom the mares had brought colts
The year previous to their being covered
By the horse .Acf@on; again, of colt,
the property Of the Earl Of Sufield,
which was got by the horse Laurel. thai
Il Vas strongly minated by the Jockeys
q Newmarket, that he must have bees
got by the horse Camel. This resen-
blance was, however, satisfactorily nc
counted for. by the fact that the mare
had been previously impssenaisd by
Camel.
Many instances Of similar character
are recorded 10 rsssE1lo dogs; in fact,
The breeders Of docgal' seem well aware
il Tho kileh m kb impregnated by a
-onc..f n ven If the father If