The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-12-04
uMDER-cuRRENTs.

Why Young Breeders should Go Through
. Regular Course Of Research.
1t is well that the young breeder. or
the still younger man who has not yet
entered upon the pleasures and anxietles
Of stock-breeding, but whose intention
Is to make tLat pursuit the business of
his life, should lay out for himself .
course of instruction. by means of visits
to established breeders, and intelligent
inspection of their studs. herdsor focks,
as the case may be, according to the
line selected BY the beginner. OF would
be beginner. Such q course has been
already recommended to the rising gen.
Grafton of stock-breeders, and the adj
vice, which may be here repeated. to
make the best examples the principal
study, has been offered.
The object of this recurrence to the
subject is to extend the suggestion by
adding the remark that the best exam
pies for study are found in those ami
mails, or collections, or groups of ami
mails. which make the best impress upon
the inferior stock of the country. Take
cattle, by way of illustration. One herd
may consist wholly of splendid looking
animals, kept in high condition, and
mostly fit for exhibition. Another herd,
not SO bloomy in condition, NAV still
possess the highest merit in the rough,
and want only system of higher and.
perhaps, less healthy keeping, to enable
any one of its average animals to bear
comparison with an average specimen
of the other herd. The real superiority
of either herd over the other, consists
net in appearance only. but in heredi-
tary power for good, when influence is
put to the test by crOss-breeding and by
grading up. The best herd for the
country is that which can, in the short
est time, that is to say, in the smallest
number of crosses, produce cross bred
or grade animals of the most useful sort.
The study. therefore, beginning with
the herds. flocks, ETC., Of highest repu-
tatiOn, should be extended to the under
currents of breeding. to discover the
comparative degrees of influence, which
various breeds, and various strains of
blood in each breed. have upon the stock
of the country in general. Constitutional
strength. fecundity, and some other not
externally evident properties, claim con-
siieratiOn, rs well as those properties of
which the butcher. the srazier or the
dairyman takes first notice.
For a fair inquiry. the character of
the fOundat;on-stock, the climate, land,
management, and great many other
circumstances, must be taken into ac-
count; but these are mere details of eau
ton, thrown out as hints, SO that the
student may avoid the error of making
hasty conclusions from sight only, with
out full investigation. Among raw be-
ginners. who can not possibly possess
more than superficial knowledge (what-
ever they may acquire in the course of
years to Gomez. we have found some of
the most positive and most pugnacious
partisans of breed or group, while older
men. whose convictions have the strength
of deep setting upon foundations labOri-
Ously dug and laid by the men them
selves, are often much more guarded in
their advocacy of whatsoever breed or
group they may have finally adopted;
because they have looked upon more
than one side of each question, and they
well know, and can afford to allow all
that may be said against their choice,
and in favor of all that they have DELHI
erately rejected. They have summed up
The evidence and can defend their judy
ment upon it.
If unprecedented inspection of the best
stocks be undertaken in connection with |
equally unbiased examination of the |
influence of those stocks, a |
mass of valuable knowledge will be
gained by the observant beginner, whose
mind. moreover, BY the process. I'M
iergoes wholesome discipline and be-
comes literally enlarged. - National
Lire Stock journal.