The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-06-03

Az tuc ICcCuI MCCtluS VI tuc uluss'
State Board of Agriculture, au interest
ing report Of which We fiUd in the n. Il.
Homestead, DR.. Nathan Allen Of Lowell
read a paper on Hereditary Influences in
the Improvement Of stock
The paper was a very able one, and
the theories, if understood. would no
doubt be of great practical value to all
Stock.raiscfs and the subject will. we APP
prehend, become an important part Of
the science Of agriculture, which is so
necessary for every farmer to study. The
points discussed in DR.. Aliens address,
were lst, Laws of Propagation, I'd.
Laws Of inheritance. Sd. Physiology in
its Infancy. 4th. Difference in Inhcri-
lance and Harmony. 9th. Good Materi-
al Necessary to Propagate from. 9Th.
Breeding in and in. 18th. Crossing Bred
ing. Sth. Quality Of Structure. 9th.
Disease Inherited. 10th, Darwin's Theo-
ries. Upon some Of the points we can
only make brief mention of what was
said. 1t seems by DR.. Aliens state
ments it is not more than one hundred
years since any effort has been made to
improve stock. Bakewell of England
was oce of the FIRST, in the efforts to i'm
prove sheep. DR.. Allen said, that in the
efforts in this country, the results had not
been so profitable and had not made the
desired progress, because it had been un-
dertaken with too little system and with
out proper rules. Tho aim should be,
he said, to perfect the organization OF
animals. Much can be done, by expert
ments and observation without the aid of
science.
The theory that "likc produces like"
cannot always be relied upon, but it is
important in good breeding to select the
best the pure, if such can be applied to
blood. Thoroughbred" is very expires.
sive in breeding. The most perfect ami
mails Of both sexes should be selected, the
best developed, avoiding every defect in
looks and orgsns. The more perfect the
animal is in its constitution the better.
If both sexes are good, as a general
rule, the offspring will be better still
DR.. Allen said that physicians in Europe
and III this country were giving more at
tcntion to Inheritance, especially in its
transmission Of disease. The question OF
disease in animals to propagate from
should be scrutinizcd closely and to the
%uueduclted, forms of disease, lie hidden
from view. The care of stock, proper
food habits and exercise and other ex-
tarnal agencies should be carefully o..
served.
Prot. Agassiz spoke upon the same
subiec: and said he had been exceeding.
ly interested in the way DR.. Allen had
presented his theories. lie said howev.
er, 'like producing like" in outward ap.
pearance was not reliable. The diversi.
ty among men in the negro, Anglo, and
other races, is the same among animals
In propagating we must 90 back Of the
first generation-children are not only
children Of their father and mother but
of generations preceding. How long thi,
uniformity is retained we cannot tell, blu
a resemblance of grandparents of earlier
generations is perceptible hence in The
raising Of stock the pedigree should be
known as far back as possible. In refer
euce to Darwin, Prof. Agassiz said hi
had a personal acquaintance with him
He hardly knew his equal as an able OBJ
server, but his knowledge obtained as {
naturalist in travelling, seeing so many
things in rapid succession, had confused
him, and he was constantly making gen
eral suggestions which cannot be substan
tiated by facts. In carrying out the evi
dences of his propensity has been hi
danger. They are brilliant imaginations
and without Imagination there is but lit
tie progress in science. Prof. Agassi
said according 70 Darwin's theory of uni
formity Of relationship, a reptile must b
the offspring Of fish, birds from reptiles
quadrupeds from birds and man from tn
monkey, the later generation succeedin
the former in their order, but Darwi
don't know this. The law in nature
more firmly established, thar that diseas
is transmitted. The physical conditio
OF the parent stock is important, and ye
he did not believe in natural selection i
animals. We do net find the strong a
ways producing the strong. and the veal
weak. The weak may also survive tn
strong why it is we do not know, an
yet the physical condition o? the parer
stock in the propagation of animals Pro
Agassiz said must receive attention.
the female is too young, or too old, ii
offspring suffer in M irregular or unsouu
organization.
MIR. Root Of Barre said every farm,
wants to know first, how to perfect h
animals, and then if possible retain tn
perfection The important question
how shall we preserve the excellence
our animals? We say we must alwa
breed by thoroughbred stock, we find
some eases 1t is too expensive, and '
cannot always rely upon reputation
herd-hook record. Speculation has nj
dered in this respect. Every amin
must be pulled Up as a breeder, wbeth
it is good or NOT, some disease, accide
or misfortune may have happened it b
that is hot considered. Mi. Root sa
the farmer may have u most excelle
COW aud the best bull, but the progeny
IA failure, how can they be reproduce,
He said bis theory was that we must
lect quality for special purposes. NJ
Is wanted by Barre farmers, Inquiry
to their ancestry. have they an undou'
ed record aud history for that spec
purpose.
Secretary Flint said the subject unt
discussion was one OF the most intere
ing as well as complicated, that the far
ers had. 1t was a fact, that the here
tary power Of the animals is accumu
tive-if the animal has been prope
bred, if the parents are alike their here
tary power becomes stronger and strol
er, but if not they become weaker.
instance, if the father has perfect here
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