The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-14
MENDELISM MAY AID
IN BREEDING OF DOGS
Theories Evolved by Austrian
Priest Are Being Extended
in Various Fields.

The time IL fast approaching when
the scientific principles of heredity will
receive more attention from the breeder
OF dogs and he considered as a practical
help In the breeding Of pure bred dogs.
DR.. J. NJ. Connolly OF Boston IN an able
article calls attention forcibly In tho
Boston Medical aud Surgical Journal TO
the laws of heredity In animals. with
special reference TO the law of Mendel.
While II may seem a trifie premature
by some 20 attempt to apply the Mem.
delian law TO the breeding Of dogs, still
II Is ~eelf-evtdent that rosress In breed
ing a only be made under scientific
guidance, IN other words. through the
application Of the laws Of heredity az
explained by Mendelim-
Briefly. Mendelism consists Of certain
Acknowledges facts Of heredity a. dis
covered by Oregon Johann Mendel, o
priest who was abbot Of the AuGustinian
Monastery at Brunn. Austria ITS dis
coveries were not theoretical but were
the actual results OF his experiments
with plant and animal life. hence their
remarkable value. His deductions were
so correct that they have formed an
epoch In the study of heredity and can
best be understood by n few simple ex-
amples. As is well known, some peas
nave purple DlOSSOilS ana others nave
white blossoms, Mendel discovered that
II the purple blossom peas were crossed
with the white blossom peas the result
would be that all the offspring would be
purple. In like name certain varieties
OF peas grow stems. some six feet high.
while others are short and 10 not eX-
coed two feet. When these two varie-
ties were crossed the resulting offspring
were not intermediate. but wer. all tall,
In fact often taller than the tall parent.
When a black pure bred guinea pig ,s
crossed with a white pure bred one the
offspring will all he black. none white.
So Father Neudel was led IN deduct
that certain qualities We're dominant or
retentive and other qualities We're on
retentive or recessive. Applying the in
vesiigations 10 the color OF the eyes.
Mendel found that the brown color eye
was dominant or retentive and the blue
color eye was non-retentive or recessive.
one of the most striking discoveries OF
'he Mendeltan experiments and one OF
the many beautiful workings of Mendel's
law IL proved true when races of ami
mails or plant life differing in two char
acters are crossed. as for example tall
purple peas are crossed with short white
ones with the result that In the second
generation not only those types are pro-
duced but also short purple and tall
white ones. and by selection the pure
individuals, pure permanent races OF
both plant and animal life OF these new
types are Immediately established.
Here indeed In something that. should
arouse and demand the attention OF
every intelligent breeder OF high class
dogs. as these theories open a large field
for progress along correct scientific lines.
Who can estimate the wonderful infu-
ence OF this obscure Austrian priest.
Father Mendel. Mendels law already
has had tangible results In the field of
agriculture by saving many hundreds OF
millions of dollars. Who knows how
valuable the lessons 10 be learned by
tho breeder or who can estimate the
priceless value OF the information 80
carefully compiled by Mendel?