Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-12-17
VALUE OF PEpIeReEs.


The Merits of Registered Animals Over
| Those Not Registered.
This subject bobs up periodicals.
Some person discovers his inability -
see any difference between an ANNA.
that is registered and the same animal
if it was not registered. That is clear
statement of the difficulty in such cases.
We are in receipt of letter from cor
respondent who is experiencing this
trouble. Well, the answer is that there
is no difference. Record makes an an
imal no better than it would be if it
were not recorded. Nobody claims diff
ferently. The value of a recorded ped
igree is just this: An animal can not
be recorded unless it is well bred. Rec
ord establishes its good breeding. 1t
also gives the history of its ancestors,
matter of great Importance. Ittells of
the blood that is in its veins and no one
| of experience need be told that but for
this safeguard the purchaser would
often be imposed upon. There are men
who are unprincipled enough to repre-
sent grade to be full blood if they can
safely do so. From time to time we are
written to about such misrepre-
sensations. Down in Pennsylvania
| there is firm, or was one
we have heard little about
it recently-who were engaged in SELL
ing what they called pure bred Jersey
| cattle. So far as we ever learned they
misrepresented in every instance. They
sold their cattle under the representa-
ton that they were recorded or eligi-
BILE to record, when it was not true. In
all the cases that came to our notice
the purchasers did not consult the reg
lister until it was too late. But there
was the register. They might have as
certained the facts if they had investi-
gated, but they trusted stranger and
were deceived.
What is the merit of registered ami
NAL over good animal that is not
registered? asks our correspondent.
Generally speaking, the merit consists
in the characteristics of the breed being
fixed in the one and not in the other.
The animal that is not entitled to regis
try is grade. As an individual the
grade may be superior to an individual
full blood. But there is an uncertainty
as to its ability to transmit its individual
excellence. 1t may do it and it may
not. The full blood, however, will
practically reproduce itself. In esti-
mating the value of recorded animal
its individual excellence should always
be taken into account. Pedigree can
not cure faults in the indivual. A fine
blooded animal may have been so bad
ly treated as to be worthless or COM
paratively so. The first thing to look
after is not the pedigree. bat individual
merits. Find an animal that fills the
eye and satisfies the Judgment, and
keep on looking until that object is
achieved. Having found such an ami
NAL then the next thing to settle is it's
purity of breeding. and pedigree is the
only means by which that can be set
tied. The pedigree must be had in
some way, and now the question comes.
shall we take the unsupported word of
the breeder as to the pedigree, or 90 to
the trouble of tracing it ourselves, and
supporting every step by evidence of !
our own accumulation. or shall we 90
to an organization whose business it is
to have such information, and there |
secure it? 1t would seem as if no one |
could hesitate for an instant to answer
such question.
What is to prevent the breeder from
imposing upon the record? further
asks our correspondent. These ques-
tons, it will be observed, are about |
the same series that every one pro-
pounds, who questions the value of |
record. In reply we would say that
practically it is impossible for the
breeder to impose upon the record.
The breeding associations are efficient
ly managed, as a rule. and their rules
are stringent, so stringent that the
truth of a record may be depended
upon with as great certainty as any
business transaction can be depended
upon. 1t has sometimes happened
with some associations that they have
been deceived, but the deception has
been found out, and the record has
been stronger rs result of the Very
attempt to impose upon it. and the evil
dent watchfulness of the association to
guard against imposition. A printed
pedigree does not necessarily imply
that we shall shut our ears and eyes to
everything but the record. Bat rec
ord is exceedingly helpful.