Evening star., 1936-09-24

Sheep without tails, tobacco without
nicotine, max that threshes itself, corn
that spends most Of its life in bed, green
and brown cotton are among the curiosi-
ties of plant and animal breeding re-
ported in the genetics monograph just
issued as the annual year book OF the
Department Of Agriculture.
Almost every domesticated plant or
animal has hidden in its ancestry, the
breeding experts report, strange poten-
tialities which crop out from time to
time or can be induced by appropriate
crosses. They are, for the most part,
Of purely scientific interest for the light
they shed on the mechanisms OF in
heritance. A few are Of possible value
Ii they can be stabilized in q race with
out sacrifice of some essential character.
The original ancestry Of most domes-
ticated animals and plants. the mono
graph shows, is seldom known with any
exactness. Few have been adapted to
the use Of man during historical times.
Wheat, corn, horses. cows and sheep
were already domesticated when man
first emerged out of the darkness OF pre-
history and in some cases the actual
ancestral species may long since have
become extinct. But characters OF the
animals linger on as recessives In he
redity, likely to crop out at any time
when conditions are ideal for them.
The monograph also describes many
experiments. most of them attended
with Indifferent success, to produce new
kinds of domestic animals by crosses
with wild varieties or closely related
genera. Nature appears to have done
thorough job Of making use Of all the
potentialities for the service Of man.
Sometimes, the eeneticists report, actual
improvements are brought about by such
crosses, but the animals or plants either
fail to reproduce or show weaknesses
which make them short-lived.
The cattalo, = hybrid developed by
crossing the American bison with do
mestic cattle, Is intermediate between
the parents in most respects, but has
superior vigor and strength, as does the
mule. Several attempts have been made
to establish q herd of these animals,
but thus far no project has been very
successful. The cattalo seems to have
distinct commercial possibilities for GER
tain regions, but due to the difnculties
of breeding 1t seems unlikely that the
creature ever will be an important factor
in the cattle industry.
Another interesting hybridization ex-
pertinent is the crossing Of the yak-the
OK Of Central Asia-with domestic cattle.
A hybrid Of one-fourth yak blood makes
. fair beef animal, but 1t seems to lack
hardness and hence is not particularly
desirable In this country.
Some frequently encountered curiosi-
ties in cattle. the eenetics monograph
reports, probably are the result Of throw
backs to some old, and perhaps extinct,
ancestral type. Such is the case with
the bull god calf, common among . GER
tain variety Of cattle. It looks like
puppy and has q short head, stubby
nose and stubby legs. 1t always dies
In a short time.
Sometimes. there is q shortening in
the leg bones Of cattle which gives them
q squat appearance. In certain sections
Of the South these animals have been
called "duek-1eg" cattle. They are re-
ported to take on flesh readily and to
be easy to keep In good condition. There
u reason 10 believe that this condition
u aus b ens e. moes mutations that