Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-02-13
for tge farmer.
INFLUENCE OF PARENTS on
PROGENY.


for thought and observation, aud is intrr
esIing and instructive wiihal:
Much difference OF opinion prevails a
to the relative influence of the male an
female parent in determining the charac
tiers Of the progeny. According to a very
rfvaleEt notion, the male besiows all va
liable qualities, whether Of form or Of Wig
mr. ; while the female is regarded merely
as a passive instrument which matches, a.
il were, the male sedan absurd doctrine
long preserved from well merited obloquy
as a convenient excuse fr carelessnes,
and neglect in the selection q the female
parent. A NEST ingenious hypothesis hn.
lately been propounded BY Mr.. Orion o.
Sunderland, in a paper published in the
Newcastle Chronicle of 10Th March, 1884,
and noticed al a considerable length in the
monthly MEDICAL Journal for August OF
the same year. The male animal, accor-
ding 10 Mr.. Orion, influences especially
the external, and The female the internal
organization Of the offspring. The out
ward form, general appearance, and or.
CANS Of locomotion are chiefly determined
by the male; The vital organs, size, gene
raj vigor, and endurance, hv the female.
Many most interesting f.cts. of which VIC
suhJ,i:e a few, are alduced in support
Of this proposition. There are many rea
sons for believing hat Mr.. Orton's views
aff1rd 4 clue 10 an important law of ply
siolngy. But this, it must be remember
ed, can not be the only law operating in
the process of generation, and as Mr.. Or
ion himself states, it must consequently be
liable to many notifications, and must
only De accepted with certain restrictions.
Thus the parent, which at the time OF
population is more powerful and vigorous,
doubtless inparis 10 the progeny an un-
duly large share of its own prominent
characters.
The mule is the produce of a male ass
and The mare ; the hiany, Tor as ii is call
ed the muto )that of the horse and the she
ass. Both hybrids are the produce oflhe
same set Of animals. They differ wild, ly,
however, in their respective characters
The mule in all that relates to its external
character, having the distinctive features
of the ass-the hinny, 10 the same re-
spects, having all the distinctive features
Of the horse /; while, in all that relates TO
he internal organs and vital qualities, the
mule pariakes of the characters OF the
horse, and the hinny of those of the ass.
Orion, speaking ofIhis, says:
The mule, the produce ofthe male ass
md mare, is essentially a modified ass
he ears are those of an ass somewhat
Ihortened; the name is that of The ass
Irt ct ; the tail is that of an ass ; the skin
md color are those Of an ass somewhat
modified ; the legs are slender, and The
loofs high, narrow, and contracted, like
hose of an ass in fact, in all these re-
ipecis il is an ass somewhat modified.
The body and barrel Of the mule are
'ound and full, in which it differs from
he ass, and resembles the mare. The
Tor muto) on the other hand, The
produce of a stallion and she-ass, is essen
tally a modified horse i: the ears are those
ia horse somewhat heightened; the name
the tail is bushy, like that of
he horse I; the skin is fine, like hat of a
lorse and the color varies also Ike the
lorse The legs are stronger, and the hoof,
,road and expanded, like those of the
lorse. In fact, in all these respects, it is
horse somewhat modified. The body
md barrel. however Of the hinny are fiat
md narrow, 10 which it differs from the
lorse, aad resembles IFS mother the ass.
rne mule and hinny," adds Mr.. Orion,
have been selectsd and placed first, be-
;auss they afford The most conclusive ev-
ience and are The most familiar" Equal.
= conclusive, although perhaps less strik-
ng instances, may be drawn from other
Thus il has been observed, that
the Ancona, or other sheep, are al
OWED 10 breed with common ewes, the
ross is not a medium Letween the two
breeds. but that the offspring retains in a
.rcat measure the short AMI twisted legs
4 the sire.