The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-11-15

the Nebraska FARMER.
What then constitutes a breeder?
In a sense that lends dignity and
value to the calling; breeder is one
who devotes his time, means and Ia
Dor to the purpose of mating pure
bred sires and dams with sufficient
care. Judgment and purpose that the
progeny from the mating will mark
a step forward in individual and breed
character
This being true, how many real
breeders are there in the business to-
day as compared with spectators,
'feelers," those who are in today and
out tomorrow, depending upon the
signs of the times, the limit of their
credit ETC., others who are in the
business simply because they have
attained start and though unpro-
PEELED by sufficient energy and pride
to measure advancement, they plod
along antiquated lines and succeed in
eking out an existence. Permit us to
say that of all those who pose as
breeders, there are but few in the
front rank deserving of the appella-
ton and a credit to the business. In
days of yore there were breeders of
themselves and their achievements
worthy of the name. The works OF
Thos. Bates, the Colling brothers,
the Booths, Anon Cruickshank, and
others, live on and on, and as monu-
ment to their names greater than any
monument possible to be built of
worldly gains, are tribes and strains
of cattle that are peers of the breed
These men were breeders. They
studied the business from point OF
achieving something of value to the
breed rather than to lining their peck
cts with sheckles, though pecunlary
profit will come when once success
in the business is attained.
For us to plead to man who has
been in the business Cor thinks he
has been in the business) for score
or even a half-scOre years without
having made any progress, would be
a waste of time and energy. We make
our plea to the beginner-he who has
Just launched in the business or who
is yet young in the business.
That success may be- achieved In
mating and breeding pure bred stock,
the breeder must have an ideal. He
must have fully developed in his mind
an idea of a perfect animal and to
that end he should strive unceaslng-
ly. To be sure, there has not yet
been the beginner in the business who
could form the proper idea of a per-.
feet animal of any breed, but by
study of the daily works of the busl-
ness, not only in ones own herd but
wherever opportunity is offered for
learning, the ideas of the beginner
will be materially altered and
STRENGTHENED. First, ascertain for
what purpose your favorite breed is
maintained. Make matings to the
end of developing to the fullest eX-
tent an animal that will meet those
requirements. For the sake of fancy
pedigree do not lose sight of indl-
viduality or type as conforms to breed
character and worth. Those who have
made the greatest success in the
business are men who have had In
mind a distinct type, and regardless
of pedigree have maintained suffi-
cient courage to breed to that type.
But as alluded to in the beginning
it is really sickening and dishearten-
ing to hear the name breeder applied
to a host of men who are in the Dus1-
ness for the mere purpose of bearing
a little higher rating in the eyes OF
the public, because they think II a
short road to success and profit, but
do not commit a single deed nor exc
cute a single task that makes them
worthy of the name. There are
great many farmers and stockmen
breeding grades, who are more stu
dious of producing high-class market
stock than are those sub-standard
breeders who are selling seed stock
to the public.
Once a man produces stock that
has drawn the attention of the public
through merit alone, then let him be