The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-01-07


ems, pigeons and dogs-the jack breeder
has been the slowest to inaugurate and
maintain a stud book, and as a neces-
sary consequence the jack and jennet
reproduce themselves with less certain
results than any other class of domes-
ticatsd animals. You can breeda jack
of proper size, shape and finish to a
jennet equal in quality, and you have
no assurance that the offspring will
| equal it's parents, and ! do not speak
from theory or hearsay, but from much
experience. I have known jennets that
produced jacks of the highest quality,
prize winners in any company, and at
the second or third mating with the
identical sires, throw offspring alto
gether inferior. This may occasionally
happen with any class of stock; but
from considerable experience in breed
ing registered horses, cattle, sheep and
hogs, I find tho jack the most uncer-
tain in producing expected results of
any breed. This is true simply because
there has been go little attention paid
to the pedigree of these animals. They
have been bred in a mOngrel fashion,
with no knowledge of ancestral quail
ties and no type fixed sufficiently long
for certain transmission. A good indi-
vidual may have very inferior parents
or grand parents, and this inferiority
is certain to reRppear. Each owner of
a head OF jenne.s has been forced to
construct a record or stud book from
his own personal experience, culling
out, after long and expensive trials,
the few good breeders from the many
bad ones, and in almost every case,
were it possible to trade the family,
good ancestry would be found at the
back of the few thus selected.
To furnish this knowledge without
the necessity of cropping for it in the
dark, and finding it only after expen
sive experiments, is a part of the work
proposed by our stud book. A stand
ard of desired qualities has been
adopted, ard only such animals as
possess these qualities are entered.
Continued breeding in this line must of
necessity improve the race and remove
to q great extent the clement of ex
treme uncertainty thatnow exists. As
in the beginning of all stud books, our
standard is not perfect, color and size
being the main requirements, but as
the race improves the standard will be
elevated, until we approach something
like the perfect animal.
Vols. land II of the stud book, bound
in one volume, have just been issued,
and as there has been so little published
in regard TO jack and mule breeding,
the compiler has endeavored to incor
porate in this volume not only the rules
of entry and the pedigrees and mum
bers of animals entered, but also a
great deal Of matter very valuable and
instructive to all interested in jack and
mule breeding.
1t has an interesting description of
the different breeds of jacks, written
by the former Secretary, Mr.. w. II.
Goodpasture, who was an extensive
importer. It has also Historical
"reminiscences of Jacks and Jack
Breeders" by DR.. L. w. Knight,
of the oldest breeders in America; also
q short article on Jack Breeding in
Spain aud France" and Condensed
Instructions on the Treatment of Young
Jacks by Nj. JAS. Taggart, a promi
nent breeder of kentucky. Il also con-
tains a long and instructive article,
very complete in detail, written by the
Hon. ]. L. Jones, Of Columbia, Tenn,
Vice President of the Association, on
The Mule; It's Use, How to Breed,
Grow, Prepare for Market, and Sell"
This volume contains more on the sub
ject of jack and mule breeding than
can be found in any other one publica-
ton.
The price is 81 so to members and
50 80 to non-members, and a be had
of the Secretary, who will be glad also
to furnish information regarding the
rules of the Association, membership,
etc. You cannot successfully breed
without the book. send and get it.
Very respectfully,
j. W. JONES, 9ec'y,
American Breeders Association of
Jacks and Jennets, Columbia, Maury
Co Tenn.
Resolved, That a copy of the minutes
be sent to all live stock papers with the
request that they publish the same.
There being no further business, the