Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-12-25
SIGNIFICANCE OF COLOR.

Breed colors Of animals arc we'll worth
confederation. Colors are very Otter
characteristic Of the special breeds oi
many Of our domestic animals Of al
species. Even the naturally white ami
mails sometimes throw offspring OF q pale
delicate, slckly shade OF color that indt
Gates q feeble constitution. These an
the animals that are liable TO sickness
They do not have the physicAl power u
resist disease. Like delicate children
they take cold easily, and are the first oi
the dock or herd TO take on infiamma
tions, or TO contract contagious diseases
Slight injuries prove annoying, trouble
some, serious or even fatal, while those
Of the naturally robust constitutions re
sist disease, and do not suffer from slight
injuries, nor do they fall OF In flesh II
any sppreciable degree, nor shrink In
their products Of meat, or milk or wool
The Characteristic fawn Of the Jersey
may indicate constitutional vigor when
naturally plain and marked, while pale,
delicate shade Of fawn, or Of any other
Of the robust colors Of the breed al
plainly indicate delicacy.
The Jersey, no matter how robust,
never has \ Jet black color. Yet, the
pale shade Of smoky black as plainly In
dicstes delicacy Of constitution and lack
Of stamina "a do any Of the other deli
cate shades Of the other colors. The
strongly marked fawn and white, or the
Jersey gray and white, or the smokey
brown and white, II strongly painted by
nature, plain and strong and bright,
show vigor and strength and health
And besides the beautiful and strong
contrasts are decidedly indicative OF
sound health and capability Of large
product yield and OF long life.
This is tantamount 70 saying that the
darker the natural breed colors Of AMI
mails the more likely are they TO have
good constitutions. Iexpect TO have my
views coutroverted, and shall be glad Il
truth may be evolved. But neither con-
tumacious nor contumelious controversy
results 10 good. therefore only be-
speak corresponding sincerity Of pur-
pose, for my convictions are the result
OF more than half century OF observs-
ton and study.
When the brown OF the Inner ears oi
the Wild White Chillingham pales and
fades away, it 10 = positive evidence tina,
the constitution and stamina Of that
| naturally hardy race OF primal breed oi
cattle Ia also paling and fading away,
and that unnatural confinement and
forced in-oreeding has stamped that
progenitor breed Of the bovine races OF
Europe with the infallible marks oi
decay.
This fading Of the natural colors OF
the once hardy breeds Of our domestic
animals Is q premonition that errors OF
breeding have crept 10, and are vitiatins
the constitutions Of our live stock. The
sooner the weaklings are removed from
our breeding stock the better.
As like begets like, We should dislike
to breed from weaklings. The best, the
heslthiest and the noblest are none too
good Of all Of our domestic animals 10
breed from.
When any OF our domestic animals
show an unnatural breed color Of faint
pink tint OF = milky, indefinite white
ness, with pale flesh colored noses,
sickly, pearly psleness surrounding the
eyes, with sshy skin and hoofs ~ though
blesched, IL is evidence positive that
that animal hzs not constitution enough
10 give color, health, vigor or power, or
hopeful life to its progeny, and the SOON
er its pale, thin, poor, vicious blood is
poured out TO the last drop the better.
For then it can no longer impoverish
and poison the blood Of the nocks and
herds Of the conscientious breeder.