Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-10-12
pEDIeREED STOCK.
Hints to Beginners on the Adapta-
bflity OF Breeds


bflity of Breeds.
One must bark back to the days of
the early eighties to find a parallel to
the remarkable activity In the invest
ment In pedigreed live stock that char
acterlzes the industry at present, says
The Breeders Gazette. A material diff
ference may be noted, however. In the
fact that the trade then partook more
or less of boom" character, whereas
now the steady swelling Of the tide
represents the fixed conviction of re-
munerative basis for legitimate bust
ness transactions In the production and
handling OF live stock. Large pur-
chases at present are being made In
the beef cattle trade, although unusual
activity characterizes all other branch
es of the industry. Much of the pres
ent Investment in live stock is now
made by those who have been familiar
and let go their hold during the period
OF depression from which 1t has happi-
ly emerged They are proceeding with
seasoned judgment and have no reason
to fear for the future. A goodly poi'.
ton of the money now being invested
In pedigreed stock, however, comes
from beginners, from those who are
practically unaequalnted with the tech
nicalities of the trade and who have
their eyeteeth yet to cut.
1t would take book to cover this
subject thoroughly. and then 1t would
learned only by experience. but much
knowledge may be acquired at less
expense. The fundamental proposition
to be observed Is Look before you
leap" This is trite and very general,
but its application may be readily
made. The man who invests in pedl-
greed stock should be governed by his
tastes or, to use a longer word mean
ing much the same, by his predictions.
If he likes the feeding of beef cattle
and hates to be tied to the tail of a
dairy COW, it would be folly for him to
invest In milk stock, no matter how
successful his neighbor may be with
his herd Of dairy cattle. If man dis
likes the squeal and grunt of the fes-
tive porker, it is folly to invest In
swine, no matter how remunerative
the venture may appear to be. Dislike
comes an end to profit. A man with
the shepherds instincts, to whose ear
the bleat of a lamb Is music and to
whose nostril the odor of wool is in
cense. goes far at sea In embarking In
any other line because 1t seems to
promise greater returns. Let the farm
er suit the action to the word-that Is,
let him suit the variety of stock to his
taste. If his heart is not in any given
speciality, 1t is a mistake for him to
enter upon it.
Equally is this true of breeds. The
adaptability of some breeds to certain
conditions is quite marked. but it is a
fact that within certain limits there is
frequently choice of breeds, and this
point must be carefully considered by
the beginner Adaptability to the de-
sired purpose should govern as the
prime consideration, but after that is
determined choice should be predicated
on a preference for shape or color or
disposition or horns or no horns or on
other small distinguishing differences
in the breeds.
Much of failure that has attended the
attempted breeding of pedigreed stock
has come from plunge in the dark.
Men are not thus rash In other busi-
ness ventures, and vet in no line of in
vestment is knowledge of detail more
important. The beginner In the propa-
CATION of pedigreed live stock should
be studious scholar before his course
of action is determined.