The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-10-07

offspring is not owing to sex, can be
shown by breeding the pure-bred fe-
male to the scrub male, when, as a rule,
the produce will present the greatest
resemblance TO the dam.
Z But we are told that the male some
times gives the internal characters and
the female the external, thus reversing
their normal influence, but still in &C.
cordance with the half and half theory.
Suppose pure bred Devon bull is bred
to pure bred Short-Horn cow, giving
as produce heifer with the external
organization derived from the sire and
the internal organization derived from
the dam. The same animals, when
bred together again, might produce a
bull calf with the external organization
Short-Horn and the internal organiza-
ton Devon. Now, If these two ami
mails, resulting from this cross, were to
be bred together, they might at one
time, according to this theory. give us
n pure bred Devon and at another time
pure bred Short-Horn. That Is, If
the theory is true, pure bred Short
Horns, or pure bred Devons, might be
produced by the same pair of cross
bred animals, which is absurd.
These theories, 30 closely related to
each other, If founded in truth, would
be exceedingly valuable to tho practi-
cal man, as they would enable him to
blend the elements of diverse races
with the most astonishing results.
Breeding would rank among the exact
sciences, and the greatest certainty in
results could be obtained. Procure fe-
males with good organs of digestion
and circulation, and breed them to
males of approved external form, and
the offspring would possess that ideal
perfection that is rarely realized. Like
the chemist, he would only have to
bring together certain elements or
compounds without any doubt as to
the resulting reactions.
But experience shows that the ami
NAL organization is too complex in its
structure and laws of action to admit
OF any mathematical formula to repre-.
sent sexual influences, in the obscure
and slightly understood Phenomena of
reproduction. In atavism or reversion
we have marked illustrations of this.
Peculiarities in form or color frequent
ly appear that have been obscured for
many generations, and yet we find
these may be traced quite as often to
their origin in the line of female ances-
try as in that Of the male.
Cases of prepotency are often OBJ
served In both males and females 1.-THE
causes of which we do not propose to
discuss here) in which the Offspring
seems to possess the characters of the
one parent only.
That this marked resemblance to the
one parent does not prevent the inher-
itance of the characteristics of the other
is proved by the often observed fact
that subsequently the characteristics of
the parent whose characters have been
obscured make their appearance with
an intensity that shows that they have
been Inherited and transmitted for
many generations with Us great GER
tainty as those of the parent that gave
the predominating characters in the
first generation.
Either one or the other of the two
theories that we have thus briefly crit.
icized, have been SO generally adopted
by theoretic writers OH the subject of
breeding, and so often quoted authori-
tatively, that some exposure of the fall
lacies on which they are traced would
seem to be called for. or the other es.
says referred TO, our limits will admit
of but brief notice. Mr.. Christian
takes the position "that any hypothe.
sis which would assign n superiority,
or set limits to the influence of either
sex in the product of generation is un-
sound and inadmissible. In the re-
essay, by Mr.. Berry, it is
that the best bred parent, from
its fixedness of character, will have the
greatest influence in determining the
of the offspring-and this
seems to be the opinion of those who
have been most successful as breeders
OF choice stock. AS practical guide,
1t is undoubtedly to be preferred TO the
theories above noticed, and 1t must
itself to those who have been
close observers during ali extended ex-
perience.
Every judicious breeder at the pres
ent time. Is on tho lookout for males.
to place ut the head of his fiocks or
herds, that are better bred if possible
than the females to which they are to
be bred. Individual excellence in the
breeding animal is, as q matter Of
course, to be desired, but when the
male shows descent for several gen.
eratlons from line of ancestors of uni
form merit. the chances Of his stamp
Ing his superior characters in q domi-
nant degree upon his offspring, must
be decidedly increased.
The male constituting, as he does in
effect, one-half the breeding herd or
flock. should be an animal of superior
merit, and his ancestry must be taken
into account in deciding upon his real
and the certainty with which
he will probably transmit them
COUNTRY GENT.
ROAD DUST.-Before wet weather
sets in, every farmer should secure n