The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-12-18
FAMILY 11KENEssEs IN STOCK.

to a notable sire. is a pleasure to
a breeder when the trait or likeness
is a desirable feature, or shows the
good qualities to be increasing. It
is gratifying to see the desirable
visible points re-appearing and thuS
to note his own progress. Or if he
surely but reluctantly notes a defect
cropping out now and then, he Is
warned of danger, and, if wise. needs
it and takes measures to reduce the
per cent. of the blood which repro
duces the offending traits by select
ing anew, after deciding to discard
the offending element, or to mate it
with some stronger to overcome by
reason Of it's own prepOtent power in
the direction in which the undesir-
able qualities is shown.
We have, been led to these notes
by musing on some points of animals
we have had in hand. A ShorthOrn
calf was thought to be of poor form
and undesirable because of slight rise
and fall in the spine just above set
ting on of tail, due to one heightened
and one shortened spirOus process, as
we have noted it. The family is One
of the leading milking" families of
Shorthorns prominent in the Worlds
Fair tests and tracing back to inn
portations by Henry Clay. Some
photos of older animals in this fam
lily show this conformation to be
probably a family Inheritance. If
this could be proved to be a!constant
accompaniment and to point out the
deep milking quality of the Kitty
Clay family, it might become a de-
sirable point, in spite of the jealous
eye with which breeders regard any
thing which interferes with the
smoothness of the beef form.
The highest degree of vitality, or
force, stamps itself on the offspring,
and breeders look for the re-appear-
ance Of qualities, and when they are
found call this power of reproducing
them prepOtency, whether in sire or
dam. This is the power which a
vigorous sire exercises in a herd or
flock which leads breeders to the
axiom, 1.-The sire is half the herd
only a half truth, since by his pre-
potent value a sire may become more
than, yes, much more than half, in
increasing the size and valuable
qualities of his offspring.
We have now in hand some chick
ems inbred by mating a fine cock
with pullets from the previous years
mating with him. Of two nearly
equal cockereIs from this last mat
ing, the larger has inherited the
peculiar low cry of the old cock,
made in Growing. This shows that
the defective vocal chords have also
been reproduced together with (as
we hope) all the good qualities of the
parent bird of two generations. This
supports the like begets like" of
breeders and warns that defects are
as sure of reproduction as are the
most perfect forms and qualities.
The great show horse and valuable
sire Mambrino King, well known
years ago as the Dude horse, has
many handsome descendants which
are speedy but report says no n
equal to himself though no one
doubts this great horse has bettered
the light harness and speed horses
Of today by his beauty and great
force as a sire.
In u own vicinity the great Pam
leo left one or two which resembled
himself, but they were not also en-
lowed with speed enough to keep up
the likeness.
There r many instances which
the writer could call up in his own
experience and doubtless every
reader will promptly recall others of
his own observation where offspring
has closely resembled the sire or
dam in harmony with the great laws
Of reproduction. Happy is the breeder
who can observe close enough to see
which of the offspring inherit the
greatest share of good points and fail
to develop any undesirable trait or
tendency. His Career should be a
forward and successful one.
f. E. e.
GOOD nature and good sense are