The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-05-17
Crossing of Distinct Breeds of Animals.

We see it suggested in one of our cx-
changes, that mixture Of the Berkshire
and White Chester hog would make a
capital cross. A disposition seems to be
general, whenever farmer procures
fine animal whether of swine, poultry,
sheep, or neat cattle, to try the effects of
a cross. The stock is admitted to be
good, but like the man who was we'll,
took physic and died, the owner is not
satisfied, but wants better, and the conse-
quence is, he gets worse. We believe the
prominent idea with many, is this i'm.
provement of distinct breeds by crossing,
but in our opinion it is all wrong, and the
effect will be to establish a race of mon
grels Of uncertain type and uncertain pro-
geny.
The work Of originating and estab-
fishing new types or forms in domestic
animals, is one requiring about half a
century of time, and peculiar talent
and judgment, not possessed by one man
in thousand. Blackwell, Gilman, Webb,
and Bates, of England, and to go still
farther back tho Messrs. Ceilings, at
tanned great success in this ine-but it
was the business of their lives They had
enthusiasm, an accurate eye and skill and
a rare judgment, which, combined with
large experience, enabled them to bring
out the results they did. With them the
breeding of live stock was reduced to a
science, but one which they could not i'm.
part. 1t was an effort of genius, not ed.
ucation They spent whole days watch.
ing their stock, in order to secure certain
points.
A farmer undertaking the business o.
crossing distinct breeds, can never tel
where he is going to land. He can read
lily unsettle; but to bring out desired
result, and establish it, is not so easy
Tho laws of nature may not be called ar
bitrary, but they are not always under
stood. We have heard of a case where
farmer who had two animals. male anG
female, each possessing an important poin
10 their CONFORMATION, which he had lonl
wanted to secure. He considered he wal
certain of getting it by breeding them to
gether, but the progeny proved remarka
bly, deficient in this very particular. Thi
result may probably be explained, tina
nature always aims at evenness, REGULAR
ty, and to have no one organ in excess o
above an average. If such is produce,
by unskilfnl efforts in breeding, such OK
cess becomes deformity, WORTHLESS
appendage. This is commonly shown il
some stock occasionally to be seen a
fairs, and Of which we have met wit
some specimens this very season. !
heavy hind quarter in steer is valua
Bile point for the butcher. 1t was so at
tractive to farmers, that cows with an uu
usually heavy hind quarter brought a
extra price. Instead Of dropping perper
dicularly from the root of the tail, it @
last, by care in breeding only for this, BE-
gan to describe half circle and bulg
out; and the result now occasionally see
il an animal with heavy hind quarter
q half.moon shape, but deficient on tn
rib. loin, and everywhere else, aud 81
that will never get fat, A more wortl
less animal than these specimens, an
having less development, can rarely
found. They will not grow, they new,
fatten, feed never tells, but they make
fine show to the uninitiated, who find Of
that this unnatural development is on
hard muscle, and thst Of the toughe
kind. We hold it to be almost impossib
TO combine in one the essential points
different and distinct breeds of animal
Ifa sheep could be gotten up with Cot
void and Southdown and Merino wool ,
its carcass, and having the other prope
ties Of all these three breeds, it would
we'll adapted for Barnum's museum or
travelling menagerie, but not for any farr
or having an eye to profit.
Devons, Short-horns, Jerseys, Ay
ahires, no less than the different breeds
poultry, sheep and swine, all have the
distinct characteristics, and it is we'll I
farmer To select such as may suit
particular business or location, witho
entering on the uncertain future of mi
ing them all up, IN the hope Of getti
something better.