The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-09-20
ltevvl.isook Animals.

We are sometimes asked why. il an
animal has the right points, an increased
value should be attached because il. name
Of ancestry i. IN the Herd. Book
We reply that the Herd. Book record
is eridence of purity Of blood, no grade
animals being allowed to 60 into any Of
them. If they were. Herd Books would
be Of nc value.
Ifaatistics Of live stock are wanted, with
the number in any State or county it is
supplied by the census tables or the
Agricultural Department, at Washington
Herd Books do not pretend to give them
Every stock breeder knows that in rer1
many cases grade animals, whether cattle,
sheep, swine or poultry, cannot be told
by their external conformation. The
truth is Developed IN Me'r progeny, as it
is with pear or apple tree, when il
comes to bear fruit. The owner then
finds out if the name is correct. We re.
Gently were negotiating for the purchase
of some very beautiful Rouen ducks, but
on examining into the history Of their
breeding and the stock they were from,
ascertaiaed that among their offspring had
been several white ducks, proring con-
clusirely that they were not pure breed,
though externally there were no indica-
itons of any foreign cross.
We have seen Short.Horn and Jersey
COWS, half.blooded only which, excepting
with experts, could be palmed of for full
breds, but the truth would come out in
their offspring. Pure bred or thorough.
bred animals generally breed like them.
selves, because their external points, as
well as qualities, are confirmed and
established through long line ofancestry
in which there is no corruption of blood.
Were it not so, Messrs. WALcoTr &
CAMPBELL,o of New York Mills, New York,
would not have paid $4,000 each for a
dozen Short-Horn cows, nor would they
otherwise have realized at McMILLAN's
recent sale at Xenis, Ohio, $4,000 to
$4,000 each. These animals all had
Herd-Book records, their lineage being
as distinctly traceable in the Herd. Book
as the title to an estate could be traced
out in the proper Office through different
ownerships. Just in the same way as
real estate titles, are Herd-Book pedigrees
eridences. Most breeders are careful to
have their stock entered-and as a man
may possibly be the legal owner Of a
property, Notwithstanding some deed may
not have been recorded, so there is a
possibility of a cow being a thoroughbred
animal, whose name is not in the Herd
Book, her owner having neglected to en-.
ter it; but if this case the names Of her
ancestry could be referred to- so that her
lineage could be traced up. John Smith
sells the COW 'Dahlia to John Jones, as a
pure Short-Horn cow the latter, on turn
ing to the written pedigree ACCOMPANYING
the COW, finds that 'Dahlia's' dam was
'Marigold. who was sired by Grown
Prince. On referring to his Herd Book,
he finds neither of these three names, aud
writes at once to the seller. who informs
him that the owner Of 'Marigold and
Grown Prince neglected to send their
names to l.. +. ALLEN, the compiler Of
the Herd Book, but that 'Dahlia's' grand
dam, Primrose and her grandsire
'Tecumseh,' were both in the Herd. Book,
and that back Of them there was no in.
tcrruption in the chain Of eridence.
'Primrose's Herd Book number was 1850
and 'Tecumseh's' $40 and, OH looking at
the book, he finds they were owned by
John Roc Here is afforded to the pur-
chaser Of 'Dahlia the means of following
up his title, and on writing to John Roe
he ascertains that Primrose. a thorough
bred Short.Horn cow, had a calf Mari.
gold by Grown Prince, which makes all
right, and he has record to that effect
made in the next volume Of the Herd.
Book.
We hold that every purchaser Of an
animal reported to be high bred and of
pure stock, has right to call on the seller
for eridences Of the tact, being the assur-
ances that he is getting what he bargain
ed for. This is usually given by graceful
breeders of course. - Practical Farmer.