Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-11-29
Tsisgsnv and Variation.

(From the Farmers Review.)
II is quite a common thing to hear
stockmen claim that where female
has been bred to male OF alien blood
AS for instance where Poland-China
sow Is bred to n Berkshire boar. or
purebred SOW of any breed by accident
TO a scrub boar-she will ever after
wards be Influenced by that service
and "taint" or Infect" her future pro-
geny with soma OF the characteristics
OF the alien boar to which she was Tor
merly bred. We have even heard breed
ers go farther than this and actually
claim that where purebred boar OF
any particular breed had been allowed
to mate with SOW OF scrub or non
descript blood that he would be taintea
for all time and propagate in future
matings with sows Of his own pure
breed some OF the undesirable chafae-
teristics OF his amen mate. These Ideas
are antequated and erroneous The
first idea has been termed 'telegony.
by which we mean the alleged IN
fiueace OF n previous allen mate upon
a purebred females future progeny 10
the service of purebred mate OF her
own breed. This theory has still many
followers but that Is because they are
ignorant OF facts which have been
proved of recent years and show con-
ciusivciy that the theory Is erroneous
The most extended and careful expcn-
ments have been made by Prot J. Cos
ssr Ewart OF Scotland to prove or DIS
prove this theory. Year after year he
mated mares with xebras and the by
brid progeny showed all the marked
stripes and eolors OF the zebra When.
however. the mare that had one year
given birth TO a hybrid zebra was the
mex, season mated with n male OF her
own blood and breed she did not pro-
duec n hybrid foai or one that showed
the slightest trae. OF zebra character
is,ies. The foai was Invariably true TO
the breed characteristics of the sire
and dam-not to the characteristics OF
the previous zebra mate. This was
proved over and over again and not
one single case OF infection" or
faint has been ao;ed to date nor is u
likely to occur. II need scarcely be add
cd tha; the mating OF tho zebra male
with the aomcstica,ed mare had no
after effect In changing the type AID
characteristics of his pure bred zebra
offspring. Nothing could DO more
strong In prcpo,caey than the zebra
There have been no admixturcs OF
blood In his production lie breeds
true TO HIS type every time. There are
no sports" or examples Of "atasisfn
Throwing back to the eharactcrissics
o. a remote anccstor) In his history
and breed. His stripes are fixcd guam
titles and features so TO speak and
hence would be stamped upon his do
mcst!c mate II anything OF tac sort
could be so stamped. but such has not
proved to be the case. This being 30
I; becomes very apparent tha; there
would be far less possibility OF such
of the female when bred
to a sire OF different breed but do
nestle origin. II cannot be denied that
far back In the foundation OF crosses
OF each modern breed OF animals SINH
lar blood has boon used. OF tha, pfsernt1
progeny does not occasionally "hark
back to some ancient ancestor used to
effect the formation OF pure breed
That barking back IL atas!sm in cases
where there In q very marked depar-
ture from the parental type or color
to a known ancestor Of that type or
color: and the variation when present
do not accord with either pa
rent In type. color. characteristics or
any other particular. Such variation
ia to be looked for at all times. I, ia
liable to occur in every breed. I, II
usually the true explanation of cases
eorroborative Of the erron-
cous theory Of telcgony. II Ia an In
fluenee in breeding which cannot be
absolutely yet explains some
OF the strangest vagaries In the mat.
ing OF animals. Variation Is seen in
short time when breed of swine pro-
dured by selection, proper environ
rent and generous feeding Is for
or too III housed. poorly
fed and inbred. The established type
may be largely lost but this Is yaria-
tinn from the original type and rever-
sipn to the more ancient type of tn.
scrub ancestors. Variation is either
backward or forward according to cir
Variation toward i'm
IL possible where con-
tinucd effort is made to use better sires
and dams each year. and to feed and
shelter better. Neglect IN these mat
tiers may as speedily make a breed or
herd retrogress.