The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-10-30

sires, when it can be avoided, should not
be used for the superior influence on the
progeny of the male is beyond dispute.
A persistence in this course for genera.
tions with all the characteristics desired,
and then the members may and should
be inter-bred to refrain these qualities.
1t follows too from these facts that nu.
merous crosses should be avoided. Make
the one cross that is desired, and then
breed back to the original type you pre-
fer. Indiscriminate crosses will result IN
stock of animals whose progeny will be
as varied as there are crosses in the blood.
and it will be impossible Beforehand even
to surmise which ancestor is to be per-
petuated. This tendency to breed back,
while the foundation upon which the
breeder relies for keeping up the excel
lence of his stock, is also at times the
greatest difficulty in his way; for The bad
qualities and peculiarities of the ances-
tor are as apt to be recurred to as the good.
Madam Touson, a celebrated thorough
bred brood mare, is said to have been
bay with star in forehead, and this sim
gular perculiarity: her ears when at rest
were in position like other horses, but
when thrown forward fell horizontally,
and the points nearly touched. My fa-
ther bred a flly eighth in descent from
this mare, in which the peculiarly of
the ears for the first time recurred. The
filly, too, was bay with star in the fore
head, though her four immediate pro-
genitors were chestnuts, and that color
had become distinguishing mark of the
family. In the last century Diomed dis
tinguished himself upon the turf and in
the stud in England. Some of his colts
proving obstinate aud restiye, he went
out of fashion as q stallion, and was sold
to America, where he was bred to imported
Castianira, who was then blind. The
produce was the renowned Sir Arch. In
Sir Archy, and as far as I am informed,
in his best son, Timolson, there was no
trouble with temper or eyes, though the
Archy stock when inbred are said almost
always to have shown in their eyes the lat
ent taint. With Boston, the best son of
Timolson, both the bad eyes and bad
temper reappeared. Lexington, Boston's
best son, was blind at five years old; and
of Lexington's get, bad eyes and bad
temper, the one or the other, or both,
seem to mark those which have excelled
most either on the turf or in the stnd.
Thus, in the best strain of race-horses IN
America, the merits and dement's OF its
ancestry are alike perpetuated.
The prohibition of the moral law
against incestuous intercourse in the
human family has led to prejudice
against it with animals. Among all
gregarious animals, however, the strong
est and most courageous male retains
possession of his herd for two or three
generations; his daughters and grand
daughters have assumed the duties OF
maternity before a younger and more
vigorous rival has displaced him. 1t is
generally thought by the best breeders
that, provided we do not carry in-and-in.
breeding beyond the limit thus indicated
by nature, it is not injurious, but on the
contrary may be sometimes advantage
GUS in intensifying the qualities of the
strain. A neighbor of mine bred his
farm horses in this way. He had a
horse who was sire and grand sire of his
mate in the same team. With the two
animals before me, could see no depre-
citation; and their general similarity IN
appearance was remarkable. l bred
fine black and tan smooth-haired terrier
bitch to very superior tan dog OF the
same variety, and reserved tan bitch
whelp that proved small, timid and with
out character. The latter bitch was then
bred back to her sire, and two dog whelps
reserved, which, when grown exhibited
the size, courage and all the fine qualities
of the original dog. They were so much
alike in appearance, that although they
we're pets and my daily companions for
length of time, if unexpectedly called
upon could not quickly tell Billy from
William (for so they were Called nor
William from Billy.
A directly incestuous cross is found IN
the pedigrees of some of the most noted
horses on the turf; while others have
been the produce of brother and sister.
The latter cross produced Henry, the
competitor of Eclipse in the four mile
contest, which is still regarded as one OF
the greatest performances on the Ameri-
can turf. His sire and dam were both by
Diomed. Henry, with overweight for
his actual age, won the first heat; and
in the opinion of John Randolph, VIM.
r. Johnson and other turfmen, could
have won either of the succeeding heats
had he been differently jockeyed.
think Mountaineering unlikely to
do damage when both animals are good;
and far better than an out-cross from an
inferior animal. Twice, however, is a
limit beyond which no breeder has
yentured recommendation to go. Twice
in and once out is the accepted rule.
One of the most singular of the recog-
nized principles of breeding is the infu.
ence of Imagination in the dam, and Of
strong temporary nervous influence in
either parent. The influence Of the i'm
agination seems to have been known for
q long time, as instanced in the incident
of Jacobs sharp practice upon his father
in-law, and many curious instances in
modern times have been recorded, when
it has affected color. One exhibition of
the effect of Imagination very annoying
to the breeder is the becoming epidemic
in herds of abortion. With mares it is
unsafe to permit one to foal in presence
of another who has not reached her full
time.
A singular instance of the effect of o
nervous shock upon the dam occurred
with imported Marigold, the property OF
Mr.. P. G. Stoney of this State. When
pergnant with he second foal she received
severe cut in the eye from an oyster
she'll thrown by little negro. The eye
was not put out, but a permanent scar
remained. The foal she was then bear
ing was dropped at its full time with but
one eye. Her two succeeding foals, one
of which was the celebrated racer JEFF
Davis, also each came with one eye.
Afterwards she brought two colts with
out this defect.
Having proposed TO confne myself for
plantation purposes, and having recon-.
mended to the planter the breeding of
grades, I will, in conclusion, mention