Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-09-21

| The spellbinder hikes to his hay,
| His grabfest Of gas 1t Is throttled-
The County Fair opens to-day.
No League OF the Nations for pumpkins;
The slush fund has skunk 70 Its lair;
81 Pivens. the judge Of the pumpkins,
Is boss Of the great County Fair.
Breeding for Mink.
There is probably no branch of AMI
NAL breeding which has been more high
ly or successfully developed than has
breeding for dairy production. The
records of milk production of some OF
the best of the dairy cattle of the pres
ent day may be pointed to as among the
finest and most convincing examples OF
the value of careful attention to breed
ing in agriculture. The prices at which
fine dairy animals are sold is again, in
another way, an indication of the posi-
oilities OF breeding. 1t Is now generally
recognized by wide awake dairymen
everywhere that, however important
feeding and management may be In re-
gard to profitable milk production, in
the long run dairy qualities must be
bred in the strain II herd is to be per-
manently profitable. The Importance
of work. in this field is attested by the
formation of cow testing associations
and cooperative breeding associations
and the Registry of Merit work of the
Cattle Clubs.
The great problem which confronts
every dsiryman is how he shall best
breed for dairy production. In spite of
the notable success which has been at
tanned in this direction it remains fact
that knowledge in this field is still large
ly of haphazard and empirical char.
acter. 1t is an Obvious fact that some
cows which are great producers, perhaps
nearly as great as we shall ever see, have
been bred. But il one tries to breed
more like these be too often meets With
failure where he hoped for success.
Even though one studies most carefully
the pedigrees of great producer and
attempts to repeat as nearly as possible
the same kind Of breeding he usually
does not get his desired result.
The real fact is that in the present
state of our knowledge regarding inherit
ance and breeding nobody can tell for
most animals, and particularly for dairy
cattle, what are the facts of real signifi-
canoe and Importance as distinct from
those which are trivial and accidental in
a pedigree. Pedigrees are the ultimate
foundation of all breeding operations,
but before one can reach the condition
where the results of breeding will be
certain and sure, one must learn how to
separate the wheat from the chaff In
pedigrees. No one who has studied the
breeding of dairy cattle doubts that
much in the pedigree of any of the great
performers has no real significance what
ever in the attainment OF that perform.
ing ability. But how shall we-know
what is of real Importance in pedigree,
and what can without harm or loss be
neglected as of no signifcaucep II
breeding for dairy production is to be
put on the sure basis of exact scientific
knowledge 80 that the, farmer will not
be forced from necessity to try costly
and doubtful experiments for himself,
but instead can breed his cattle with the
assurance of good results provided be
feeds and houses them decently, we
must have thorough and systematic
studies of the inheritance OF dairy quail
tiles.
This lack of knowledge Of the laws Of
inheritance of milk and butter.fat pro
duction was the chief consideration that
led the Maine dairymen ten years ago
to ask the legislature to make 1t possi-
BILE for the Maine Agricultural Expert
ment Station to undertake Investigations
in Animal Breeding. While much of
value has been disclosed by the Station
through the analysis of existing records
the real key must be found by some
such experimental studies in breeding
as are being prosecuted by this Station
and whose lead is now being followed
by the Federal Department of Agricul-
ture and two other stations.-Chas. D..
Woods, Director.