Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1878-03-14

spond, in many cases, as rapidly as hey
can change their methods of farming to
meet the increased requirements or, when
this is not the case, SO soon as they have es-
tablished good pastures, and made provis-
ions for an abundance of good, winter fed.
When they are satisfied their young mi
mails will not want for the best Of feed ind
care, let them cross their scrub stock with a
thoroughbred, and there will be no oca-
sion to regret it.
The first essential improving stock by any
method is, then, to provide a variety and a
regular supply of the best food, and wien
this accomplished the greatest difficulty is
overcome; but selection is only secondary
to this, and must be practiced with inteli-
gence and rigor. The secret is to prodlce
many, but spare few-the best. "Lord
Rivers, when asked how he succeeded in al
ways having tirst-rate greyhounds, answsr
ed, Il breed many and hang many. "
IDarwin.) No breed is SO uniform that se-
lection cannot be practiced, but besides ex-
listing variations. the breeder should strive
to produce others that will increase the apt
itudcs and improve the conformations for
the special purposes which he has in view.
BY causing these acquired qualities to be
transmitted, which can easily be lone by a
judicious use Of the princidles discussedin
the different papers OF breeding, published
in the last volume, and by adding to such
qualities with each generation, it requires
but a few years of careful endeavor to make
the most important improvements.
NECESSITY OF PHYSIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE.
To accomplish this, the breeder should
have a knowledge of the physiological pril-
OF established fact from which to work.,
something in which he has confidence to
fall back upon in case Of doubt or non-sue-
cess. Such knowledge serves as a standard
by which to try his theories; by it he can
shape his means to meet the end in view:
and local peculiarities, instead of proving
an impeachment, are made to assist in the
work at hand. 1t is true that some have
admirably without such scientific
knowledge, but it has been by an intuition
W AAS AS" ~ uo lCSoCSss AHCiS UIt SOLIc
who have been able to perform the most
difficult mathematical problems with ap-
parent ease, though they had never SO
much as learned the first principles of arith-
metic; others are excellent musicians, ar
lists or mechanics, though they know moth
ing OF the principles underlying such ac-
complishments and SO there have been
those in every department of science and
art who We're able to grasp by intuition
what required much careful study and re-
search on the part of others. Still the ne
ceSsity exists for the most of us to study
music, art or mechanics, if we
desire the benefits to be derived from such
and SO the breeder must un-
the principles which form the
of his art, or his success will be |
40 greater than he could expect in these
other branches if he attempted their prac-
ice with The same ignorance Of their ma
.ure.
Now hopeit will not be supposed for a
moment that I'M accusing all American of
ignorance; on the contrary, | know that we
nave as many intelligent and as we'll educat-
ed breeders us any country in the world
out even their knowledge is rather impiri-
.al than scientific, and the need of a more
substantial foundation is felt by all. We
awe also many thousands of farmers who
AN neither afford the books nor the time TO
make Il thorough study of this art, but who
nevertheless, are most anxious to know how
Inferior animals may be improved, and how
ones may be kept from deteriorat-