Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-03-23

QltlOnS are eSScntlal-Inc aQnofellCo 10 one
line, and in-breeding. Some speakers con-
tended stoutly for line-breedlng, others as
earnestly against it. In its favor, Mr.. B. B.
Groom on the Bates side, and Col. j. b.
Taylor in the Booth interest, maintained that
line-bred animals are more valuable than
others, because they make their mark Il. G..
possess concentrated hereditary poWer),
while the Hon. L. G. Jones, whose paper on
"Shorthorn Breeding as a Science raised
the discussion, claimed that all VIGOROUSLY
vigorous shorthorns which had the power
to transmit their vigor, thrift, and most val
liable characteristics to their defendants, had
been widely cross-bred-a somewhat start
ling assertion to venture in view of such x
amples as Duke of Glo'ster Q1 1892 and Bar
on of Oxford (23,371) in the United States,
Royal Commander (29,s57) lately in Canada,
and Breast Plate 19,337), Seventh Duke of
York 17,754), Earl of Dublin (10, 17S( Bel
veddre Q,706), Comet Q55), and Favorite
(252) in this country. So much for Mr..
Jones' "all." AS shorthorn breeders diff
fered in opinion, so also, according to the
proverb, did g doctors" at the meeting in
question DR.. Stevenson said that physio-
logical laws are the same in all animals, man
included. Human statistics 60 to show that
intermarriage is productive Of disease and
loss of vigor. The same rule should be x
pected to follow in-breeding of cattle" On
the other hand, "Professor M. Miles stated
that he differed from DR.. Stevenson in re-
@ 1 &I.& r. ne
spect to statistics in reference to intermar-
rage, and claimed that the latest statistics
from insane asyluims did not show consan-
guineous marriage as a cause ofinsanity and
idiocy.n With parental solicitude for the
peace of the brotherhood, Mr.. L. L. Hari-
son, upon the nursery principle Of putting
away the cause of contention, proposed a
resolution to the effect that as line-breeding
tends to produce dissention among breeders,
all pedigrees and herd-books should be abDl-
ished! The resolution was laid Oh the Ia
BILE.
Perhaps, the truth, so often to be found
at some little distance from either extreme
of conflicting opinion. is in this instance
nearly approached by Col. L. f. Allen and
by Professor Miles, q portion of whose
speech we have quoted already. He con-
tinued: "The fact that all early breeders
of any distinct breed were necessarily COM
PEELED to breed close, and that success fol
lowed, initiated against the idea that in
breeding is dangerous, if j%ndiciously pfac-
ticed. The general practice of this course
would undoubtedly result in disaster, owing
to the general want of the special skill rec
essary to success in any business so depend
ent OH extreme skill and Judgment as the
breeding of domestic animals. Because mis-
takes are made sometimes is no reason fol
condemning the practice, nor should IT DC
followed simply because some have beer
successful Col. Aliens remark was thai
g there are two parties on the subject Off
breeding. either holding to its own opinion
and practice. Great improvements ant
great failures have been made by both
Great Judgment and skill are the requisites
Here the nail was hit on the head and driver
home, According to the greatness OF ski
and Judgment, or their absence (gra1tet
equality of means and opportunities) weul'
be the degrees of success, or the failure, 0
any one who attempts shorthon breeding
The question of favorable or adverse cir
cumstances. Of course, must be considered
in our estimate of the credit due to anyone