The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1875-07-08
to be, can, however, be explained equally
well in another way.

TO De, CAR. uONcFcf, NC Ca 1A~icON U.@Aiy
well in another way.
OF Proficiency.
If we cross q number OF varieties, we
find that instead of the offspring always
showing blending of the character OF
both parents, in many cases the young
animal or plant more nearly resembles
one parent than the other; that Is, one
parent has transmitted moro characters
than the other, or has transmitted them
with more force.
Thus, when crossing the short-horn
bull upon the native COW, the grade of
spring IS more of a short norm in ITS
characteristics than it is native. We
say, in this case, that the shorl-born bull
is prepotent, and to this power OF trans
mission we apply the term prepoteney.
Now, prepotency may bolong 10 either
parent, in fact, it may belong to both
parents. The sire may be prepotent. so
far as certain characters go, but the dam
may he prcpotent in other characters.
Now, this prepotency tends to give uni
formty or fxedness TO Il race or breed.
Darwin makes the observation that IN
certain families the effect Of prepotency
of some ancestor is seen in some dis
tinctivc character. He says, at would
appear that in certain families some one
ancestor, and after him others IN the
same family, must have had great power
in transmitting their likeness through
the male line; for we cannot otherwise
understand how the same features should
be so often transmitted after marriages
with various females, as has been the
case with the Austrian emperors, and
as formerly occurred in certain Roman
families with their mental qualities.
The famous bull Favorite is believed to
have had prepotent influence upon the
short horn race. 1t has always been
observed with English racers that GER
tam mares have generally transmitted
their own character, whilst other mares
Of equally pure blood have allowed the
character OF the sire to prevail" Now,
this prepotcncy may como into action
independently ofany supposed influence
OF long breeding-so that it cannot be
referred 10 habit, AZ some would have
it. Some Of Darwin's examples are in
tereslinS and instructive. In chapter
fourteen OF his work on the variation OF
animals and plants, be says: "The
truth of the principal Of prepotency
comes out more clearly when certain
races are crossed. The improved short
horn, Notwithstanding that the breed is
comparatively a modern race, are gen
orally acknowledged to possess great
power in imprcssin@ their likeness on
all other breeds, and it is chiefly in con
sequence of this power that they arc SC
highly valued. Godinc has given q
curious case ola 90at-like breed Of sheep
from the Cape Of Good Hope, q ram
from which prodaced offspring hardly
to be distinguished from himself when
crossed with ewes oftwclve other breeds;
but two of the halt breed ewes, when
put To Il merino ram, produces lambs
closely resembling the merino breed"
Here, in tho first place, the goat-hke
ram was prepotent, but his offspring,
when mated with as strong a breed as
the merinos, wero MT able to transmit
their characters. 1t is also on record
that of two races of French sheep, the
ewes of one, when crossed during sue
;essive generations with merno rams,
yielded up their characters far sooner
han the ewes of the other. In other
words, the prcpotency of the merlno !
rams was greater in the one case than
n the other; which necssitates this con-
,lusion, that prepotency is the eTceSs Of
he poleer Of Transmission which one par
ent has over the other. 1t is evident
hat each parent, with certain force, to |
transmit Its characters, and it will trans |
nit them unless the force is met by one I
to it. 1t is simply q match /
ny of force against force, the stronger
force winning here as elsewhere.
Referring again TO the example given
BY Darwin. In South America there is !
4 breed of cattle called the Niata breed,
with certain marked peculiarties.
when these are crossed with common |
,attle, though the Ntata breed is prepo-
cnt whether males or females arc used, |
yet the prepotency is strongest in the fe-
male line. In making reciprocal crosses I
Of pouter and faataI pigeons, the pouter !
seems to be prcpotent, though both sexes,
over the fantaii." These example will |
be sufficient 10 show that the /
OF peculiar character is due
o SONS power or force in one or the .
)ther of the parents, and not that one
parent invariably transmits certain char /
lcters and the other certain others
Prot. c. T.. BesSey, in Mining and SCI /
'ntJic Press.