SYSTEM IN BREEDING.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2196, 10 March 1881, Page 4

SYSTEM IN BREEDING.

[" Prairie Farmer.] In-and-in breeding, or putting animals of the nearest relationship together, as a means of improving the breed, cannot bo successfully perievered in. It may, however, be beneficial, if not carried too far, in fixing any Tariety that may be thought valuable. If the system is followed up, the stock gets tender and delicate, and though they may retain their shape and beauty, they will decrease in size, constitution, and activity, will become lean and dwarfish, and ultimately be unable to continue the race. The instances of this are numerous, and proves how unprofitable suoh connections are. That is no reason, however, why a breeder may not manage a particular family of animals to great advantage, by shifting or changing, instead of breeding directly from parents to offspring. Hence the propriety of procuring males from tbe stooks and herds of those who have the same or similar breed.

With respect to the doctrine that " when you can no longer find better males than your own, then by all means breed from thorn, for that best can only beget best," —it has been ably refuted by those who have devoted much attention to the art of breeding. There never did exist an animal without some defeet in constitution or form, or in some other essential quality; and such defect, however small it may bo at first, will increase in every succeeding generation, and at last predominate in such a degree as to render the breed of little value. Breeding in-and-in would thorefore only tend to increase and to perpetuate that defect, whioh might be eradicated by a judicious seleotion from a different family in the same raoe, where great attention has been paid. The breeding from different families of tho same race is, therefore, a preferable system. When these have been for some time established in different situations, and have had some slight shades of difference impressed upon them by the influanoo of different climates, soils, and treatment, it is found advantageous to interchange the males, for the purpose of strengthening the excellencies and remedying the defocts of each family. This practice is followed by tbe most skilful breeders at present. Any attempt at improvement, by crossing the distinct breeds or racoß, ono of which possesses the properties it is wished to obtain, or is free from the defects which it is deairable to remove, requires a degree of judgment and perseverance to render suoh a plan successful, as is very rarely to be met with. Indeed, though suoh crosses may by great attention answer at first, yot it is generally found that singularities attend such mixtures; and in breeding bulls, though some of them may apparently do well, yet their breed is not to bo trusted. Tho first cross between a good shorthorned bull and a good native cow, will make a good grazing animal; but by proceeding further, disappointment will ensue, if a regular stock be wanted. If such a cross is to be persevered in, the male should always be of the same breed with the first, dossing with larger males from another country is sometimes attempted with a view of enlarging the size of the stock; but such attempts should bo made with the greatest caution; for, by a mistaken practice extensively pursued, irreparable mischief may bo effected.

Any attompt, to increase the aizo of a Dative raoo oE animals, without improving their food, by which their size is regulated, ia a f ruitleu effort to counteract the laws of nature In proportion to their increase of size by orosaing they become worse in form, leas hardy, and more liable to disease. The only autisfactory and judicious modo of enlarging the *iz9 of any race of animals is by maintoining better the original stock of the country, more especially during their youth, fn every case where the enlargement of the carcass is the object, the cross breed must be better fed than the native parents. Hence if a good stock can be otherwise obtained, croaaing ought to be avoided, for it produces a .cpeoies of mongrel j and it if more difficult

to get rid of the imperfection thus introduced into a breed than is oommonly imagined Any improvement of form by crossing, must entiroly depend on selecting a woll-formed female, larger in size than the ÜBUal proportion between females and males. The foetus will thus be better nourished, which is so essential to the production of an animal with the most perfect form. Abundant nourishment is necessary from the earliest period of its existence until its growth is completed.

Tho wool clip of the world has increased five timeß since 1830, when it was about 320,000,000 pounds in weight. In 1878—the latest year for which there are complete figuros—Europe produced 740,000,000, River Plato 210,000,000, United States 208,000,000, Australia 350,000,000, and South Africa 48,000,000 pounds, making a total of 1,586,000,000 pounds. Great Britain and France consume each about the same quantity of w 001—380,000,000 pounds a year; Germany consumes about 165,000,000 pounds, United States 250,000,000, and Russia, Austria, and other countries 400,000,000 pounds.