Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-01-25
PRINCIPLES OFBRFRDFNG-


The. following is a synopsis Of the
remarks OF Hon. T. g. Jones on ''The
Principles Of Breedingii at the recent
convention Of the State Board of
Agriculture.
After preliminary remarks the
speaker spoke particularly OF improve
ments in stock. Our cattle do not
bring half the sum that cattle Of high
est excellence ought to bring. The
improvement Of stock was 50 easv
that no apology could be offered for
our inferior stock. There was no rea-
son for apprehending an over-supply
Of stock II it is Of good quality. fhe
experience Of the last few wears ia
that the consumption increases much
more rapidly than the supply, and
the price OF meat is generally much
better realized than from other farm
products. The subject Of improving
stock had a refining and ennobling
lnnuence upon our tastes aud sympa-
thies, and therefore had much to COM
mend it 70 our careful attention.
The Judge sketched the difference
between the careless and the careful
breeders Of cattle, illustrating the
good influence Of fine stock by citing
examples. Although much attention
has Of late years been devoted to breed
ing OF domestic animals, il can not be
claimed that the business has been
reduced to a science. The laws gov
ernlng animal life are very imperfsctly
understood. We know that certain
things are generally true, but wei do
not know why they are so. The theo-
ries Of breeders and naturallsts were
discussed at length. It was argued
that like produces like. It Is an es-
tablished principle that we can not be
confident Of our ability to transmit
any desired quality unless we are
assured that such quality also belong
ed the ancestors Of the animal we
select-unless, indeed, the animal be-
longs to q race in which such charac-
teristic Is established. @
Upon this sound foundation rises
the argument in favor Of a pedigree.
An animal ma be ever 81. perfect in
himself, but utterly valueless as a
breeder, because he does not belong TO
good breed. In cross breeding we
must at every cost secure good blood
on one side-and generally It is best
thoroughbred sires. Cross-breeding
may be continued from generation
to generation with constantly inereas-
ing improvement so long as we have
pure blood on one side. The speaker
therefore did not oppose the practice Of
cross breeding. 1t was a mistaken no
ton that new breed or variety can be
established By any system Of cross
breeding, and the DarWiniaD theory
Of the species was not good.
This question was discussed at
length aud numerous auth Orities quo
ted.
In considering what constituted ex-
cellenee in farm stOek-hOrses, cattle,
sheep and swine-the speaker claimed
that in the horse we must have COM
paetness Of form, with dense structure
OF bone and muscle, to give strength
and activity, and TO give fine quality
OF hesh TO sheep, cattle and hogs.
Coarse bones and muscles are abjec-
uonable in all. The fine qualities Of
animals were illustrated BY diagrams,
and discussed with great clearness.
The speaker concluded by 8 statement
OF principles to govern the improve
AAAEAA VI HAA[A=
l. The rule that like begets like can
only be relied upon as being generally
true where the parents belong to the
same race or breed.
2. When pure bred animals, male
and female, can not be procured, cross
breeding should not be attempted.
3. Where females Of the pure blood
cannot be obtained, we must take the
best Of common stock and breed TO
thoroughbred sires.
4. But the offspring of this cross,
even in the fifth or sixth generation,
with the continued use OF the pure
bred sire, will not do to breed 10 each
other.
Mr.. Mcmillan, Of Xenia, followed
Judge Jones, approving in the main
the theories advocated, He thought
one great thing in the improvement
Of stock was that the person in charge
should be fitted for his duties, should
have q taste for them, and q love for
the animals placed in his care.