Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1878-06-28
NATURAL Laws OF pnErD-
ING

ne natural laws OF propaga-
zion may be defined, says "Ob-
server" in the Michigan Farm
a., as the unrestrained connec-
ton of male and female in the
wild state, with perfect freedom
among progenitors to choose
their own mates and preserve
their own breed. Gregarious
animals follow the natural law,
and in perpetuating the sound
constitution, there seems to be
some advantage over artificial
cultivation 1t is the universal
testimony of those that have
hunted the wild horse. that such
a thing as curbs, spavins, or 9th
er bony engagements are sell
; dom, if ever, seen on the wild
pony. This is study for the
naturalist, it must result from
some cause not known to en-
lightened breeders. 1t may re-
suit from the fact that the most
powerful stallion of the tribe
holds dominion over the flock,
and transmits his powerful con-
stitution to his kindred. There
are other circumstances that
might favor health, such as dali
~ exercise in rowing over the
wilderness, travelling ueeR the
naked earth. baskifg in the sun
shiis and breathing the pure
air Of heaven. The wild horse
is never shut up in disseminated
stables or confined without ex-s
ercise on plank floors They
are not caught up until matur-i
ed, and, therefore. are not
strained and weakened by over
work when young, like the
domesticated animal.
Ifan enlightened breeder de-
sires to get up a very healthy
family of sound horses, ne
would do well to follow the ex-.
ample of breeding in the wild
state.
There are peculiar habits
among gregarious animals that
serve to expound the laws of
breeding. Tradition gives to
the leaders of the wild flock
great fights of speed and mar
Vicious endurance that no tame
steed could ever catch, though
chased for hundreds of miles, .
but would always return in tri-
umph to their old stamping
grounds, where they would
roam in silent majesty, the
monarchs of their race, There
is a peculiar habit of herding
together in the wild state, for
the purpose of breeding that
viii be interesting to. the natura.-
Isl, if not instructive to the
breeder. The stations and
mares live together, in the win
ter, in perfect harmony. In the
spring the most powerful stall
Mon of the tribe selects Is or 80
mares as his chosen harem, and
guards them with as much care
as the shepherd guards his flock.
No stallion is suffered to enter
the consecrated ground, or in
ferfere with his sovereign do
minion over the objects of his
attachment. Here he finds a
uniform set of colts from select
mares, the get Of the king and
leader of the flock. They are
liigh-bred sovereigns of the for
est, the noblest representatives
Of the wild race. Other power
full stations select their chosen
companions, herd them on the
rich openings where there is
plenty of food and water to pre-
serve their health, foster and
protect them in the sunshine and
shower, and when they attain
the superlative health, COM
mence breeding new class of
worthy representatives to per
petuate the blood of the kings
and nlatrons who bore them.
The young stations select a
very few mares to protect the
sovereignty from the power of |
their superiors, and seek some
secluded spot where there there
is none to modest or make them |
afraid.
The wild cattle that roam up |
on a thousand hills are different |
in their habits from the equine |
race. The wild bulls herd to-
gether by themselves in the
winter. The cows herd togeth- |
erupon their own dunghill. In
the spring the bulls. commence
rowing from flock to flock, en-
countering some desperate
fights in their migrations from
one flock to another. They
mix with all kinds of cows, and
produce all kinds of colors, and
scrubs Of diminutive Informed
calves. The bull hassuc reck-
less habits and overtaking pro-
pensities, mixing with all sorts
of degraded cows, that he is not
calculated to improve the breed.
They are degenerated to a re-
markablc degree compared
with domestic cattle.
They do not preserve the
beautiful form and just proper
lions of the wild horse. These
natives of the forest are SO per-
fectly formed that it would baf-