Feb. 12, 1881 Kentucky Live Stock Record, 99

reference to the Duchess tribe was this: erated and destroyed under such condi- the son of her successful consort, it is dation of Arab blood, which he says is "But sew crosses have been tried upon tions, animals bave continued for cen plain th'at is the exact cross was obtained purer than the source from which the tho Duchesses as yet; but the day is not tiiries. This fact. I have often thoucht. with the sire, something too much or too English race horse sprang. It would be far distant we hope when more ch inges has been wrongly construed by breeders little must be gained from the son. For interesting first of all to know whether of blood will be infused into tbeir pedi- of animals, who frequently quote nature instance, supposing a mare has two LMr. Blunt proposed to improve the Arab grees directly or indirectly" ( vide Agri-cul- l to strengthen their arguments as in savor crosses of Sir Hercules in her, and the tnrougu tne means of the race horse, or ural Gazette, January 3, pf 14, column of close breeding; it has been put for- sire she is mated to hits back three times the race horse through the means of the 1). To the accuracy of this statement ward many times in print that the strong- to that line, it would make the produce Arab. Is the former was tne primary we took exception, and writing offhand,! est and best savored male fn a wild herd have five crosses; but the son of that object to be attained very little progress milium uuuks 01 reieronce, were able to beats off those inferior to him, and be- sire must have more than three crosses, would be made by crossing an Arab with enumerate at least eleven sires (without comes the parent of the next generation, or otherwise ho is out bred from tho line a race horse, as one cross would breed Earl Bective's or Colonel Gunter's cur- and that in the course of tfrae he mates altogether on his dam's side, and such a out in a sew generations, and the result rent experiments) which, since Mr. with his own daughters under the same bred horse, according to my idea, is nev- would still be an Arab. In like manner Bates' death the beginning of modern circumstances. This is only surmise, er to be recommended, as they are sel the race horse would continue to be a practice have been used to the Duchess and when deeply considered it would dom successful with any mares. I can race horse, although he possessed an cows. Is this number in excess of the seem that such an arrangement c f nature find many instances of this sort of breed Arab cross; but from what we can gather truth, or is it nol? Is it be no exaggera- was very improbable; and, indeed, that ing in the Stud Book; but I cannot find about the systems of old breeders in the tion, and "A. C." not only admits it to be the facts, as thus presented, are direct a Derby, St. Leger, or Oaks winner, out establishment of particular sorts, it true, but adds two or three more names proofs that ao such consanguinuity ever of such a winner producer by a son ol would appear that actual inbreeding was of bulls used then his statement that takes place amongst animals. The horse, her successful consort, and I have tried a necessary element to form a founda- "sew crosses have been tried upon the for instance, is very slow in his progress in vain also to find a ereat winner at all tion. Bales, bv all accounts, inbred Duchesses as yet" must fall to the ground towards maturity. The mare is in foal so bred. The own brother of a success- father and daughters, and mother and as being inconsistant with fact. People for the long period of eleven months. ful sire would, of course, be a reasonable sons, when he formed the family of short- who write about shoi thorns must abide Then, in a state of wildness particularly, substitute for the original, but the hit horns out of the Teesdale cattle, and I by the ordinary laws of language nd of the animal, either male or female, is some has seldom proved successful, probably know I had a conversation with old evidence. To draw a distinction be- time getting to its full growth, so three owing to the fact that two brothers are Laverack, the setter breeder, on this very tween "accurate" and "fairly accurate," years at least must elapse from the time very seldom of the same quality. I subject. He denied that he inbred at all; and to attempt to confine the word "re- a sire commenced his reign of predomi- should prefer an own brother in blood, but when I took an outside bred setter cently" (which, by the way, "A. C." did nance to the time the next generation that was somewhat similar in style and bitch to his kennel he advised me, so as not introduce into the sentence we object arrived at anything like maturity. Is it merit as, lor instance, I have always to get his breed, to save a bitch puppy to) to something under 15 years in a not more than probable that such a thought that the mares that mated so by one of his dogs out of this outside career which is claimed to extend to champion would be ousted out of his well with Lord Clifdsh should all have bitch, and in due course to mate it with nearly three centuries, is not discussion, position in that time, and that a new gone to Cathedral, as both are by New-minst- er its father. I told him I did not fancy but special pleadinsr. Of this there is no aspirant to honors had taken his place? out of Melbourne mares, and that kind of breeding, and put some end; and, it may be added, in this there The sights that take place annually on they were horses of a good deal the same questions to him about his own. He re- is no profit. Ed. A. G. London Agri- the eve of the breeding seasons between character. I can see no reason why it plied quite readily that he had no neces- cultural Gazette. the males of all animals that herd is a should follow that because a mare hits to sity toinbreed bis sort, but only to inter- source of argument in this direction; one sire she should do so to another bred cross them in his own way; but that to THE STUD AND THE KENNEL-N- O. II. and taking for granted that the strongest in the similar way, on the sire's side only, breed level stock from such a bitch as succeed, it might follow very naturally as some horses take entirely aster their mine I must get in a strong basis byin-breedin- full a Close Breeding. that a horse, not being at his prime dam, and half brother might bear no or, in other words.lf I, wished until seven years old, would not take resemblance in any respect. I think to do as much in three or sour years as ti5''uUIl COUNTRY CORRESPONDENT). honors until that age, and in that case it that the great merits of two horses should he had taken forty to do. I asked the Aster examining the many results of would not be very difficult to calculate be often considered, and that, is they are old breeder whether the second cross breeding from stud books, racing calen- tho probable relationship that he would tolerably even, such merits might very would be better than the first. Certainly, dars, and kennel records, one cannot get bear to the majority of the mares in the well come out in an increased form is a he replied, for breeding purposes, and I away from the idea that there is some- herd. It would show a sum of several son of one is mated to a daughter of the have often thought that he was quite thing very material in the elements generations, I calculate, and this might other. I have seen this brought out in right in this remark, as I have sound out which compose the character and merits be taken as a much better basis for dogs Very satisfactorily, and I can well in various ways that inbred animals on - in animals. We cannot, it is true, accept breeding than to consider that believe that it is a point in the study of one side in dogs at least produce stock ail the Darwinian teachings, although is a natural feature in the condition nicking strains of blood. of greater levelness and quality than there are facts which are indisputable to of animals. Tho chances against the To conjecture how close breeding can others. Ordinary sporting dogs, wheth- show that brut8 life, at least, is guided by latter supposition, again, would be that be pursued is a matter difficult to decide er it be pointers or setters, are not as far the influence of an unseen but natural there would be more than one master upon, though it may be certainly con-- advanced, ho sever, as race horses and e law, as exact as the workings of a ma5-cbin- StaHKJlirtn erttsfrilta-i- . 11, in n. nrrtniaty awl.. in Hiffgrant degrees, according to hcjinds aro, although they can be brought or a clock. In the study of nature that the number of such sires is very circumstances. TcTaTfreea brouTnt to iujlI 110m tueir present, condition, and in there is very little to be seen that is not limited, and, to judge from the behavior perfection like race horses, where the an- a lew years more the same rules will perfectly level and exact. A herd of of a herd of moor ponies, these stallions imal is sensitive in temper and constitu- to all in an equal degree. buffaloes or wild horses wifl each indi- are very wary and sharp in keeping the tion through bis long and continued high Even at the present day I should decline vidually resemble their lellows in such a younger and weaker in order, there is breeding, it should bo certainly carried to inbreed dogs, but I should 'breed degree as to form no sort of contrast much to show that the very instincts of no further than that already sound in a them close rather than accept outcrosses, from one to the other, but when man natiiro bestowed upon such animals is to fairly successful horse on the Turf. and I know I shall be right in the end. has domesticated such races, the diffi- confine breeding within a certain space, There would be no great probability of As I remarked in the first paper of this culty is to' find two that are precisely and to ensure that recrosses to the same getting better horses than Robert the series, to form a new breed of horses, or alike, and when we improve in this one blood shall take place at, for all we can Devil or Bend Or by inbreedfng them to even a new breed of dogs, the process is particular, the greatest possible proof is tell, exact periods Irom one generation any lines appealing in their respective so long as to occupy a lifetime, and, given that the breeder is succeeding in to another. pedigrees, but to intercross such strains therefore, it is far preferable to obtain the rules he has laid down for himself. When we have learnt what these ex- as they possess at the same distance as the purest sorts of the day to continue The great breeders of race horses, when act periods are to let a nick, as it is they represent might well lead to the it, and, perhaps, improve it; but to im- they are beginning to have what is called called, recur a great deal will be obtain- success looked for. By endeavoring to prove certain breeds of horses, such as, a run of luck, are seen to have horses ed towards perfection in breeding, but get too much of a particular quality great for instance, hunters, I should be much very much of a stamp. The pack of at present there seems to be a deal of mistakes are often made on the very inclined to make experiments in close hounds, as it gets a reputation, becomes chance speculation in these sort of mat-tar- s, subject of inbreeding, and hence the breeding, and more especially is the out- sorty, a term easily recognizable by those notwithstanding the proofs that we weedy little brutes that aro seen as the side source, i e., the mares were of a very who take an interest in hounds, and a are constantly seeing that these returns representatives of really good sires. I common order. At any rate I should kennel of dogs of any breed comes to a to a strain are actually necessary to ob- maintain that race horses and foxhounds choose as a hunting sire for such a quar- stage of perfection as soon as whole lit- tain anything like a lasting success. It require no inbreeding.but only recrossing ter the most inbred thoroughbred horse ters of puppies bear a very unmistakable seems quite reasonable to believe that to old sorts at carefully studied distances I could find that po sessed the other likeness to each other. It seems, how- we may nick a deal too close or too far This has been the best policy pursued in requisites necessary. I am of opinion ever, that no one up to the present dav off to obtain a benefit, and, thorefore, breeding for a century or more, and the that in some quarters of Ireland, and has thoroughly succeeded in a degree to the examples cannot be too carefully failures that have been perceptible are again in Devonshire, a good deal of tho get perfect equality, but only made im- noted, or the endeavors to follow success- principally the results of people trying merit of the stock is attributable to close provements, superior in comparison with ful precedents too closely carried out. to do too much, or neglecting rules which breeding to such horses as Hutchins the efforts of other people. At the same The of such a strict pol- are based very much on common sense. Hercules, Zouave, and Arthur in one time, the efforts of man in this derectiori icy is, I sully expect, the reason of a Is a list is taken of the results of any country, and Gainsborough and Jack have beaten nature in bringing races of great many failures, as, take the Stud great race, such as the Derby, a splendid in the Green the other. It might not animals to a much higher standard in Book and a record of past races of im- record of breeders' successes is furnished, have been apparent at the time, and the every particular than when seen in their portance, and we find the usual course is in which it would be sound that sound results might iiave been really brought original wildness, only that the high to mate a winner producer to the same breeding has carried the day in nearly about by the mere ignorance and Btupid-it- y standard sails to produce an even or sire that crossed successfully with her, or every case. It has been in vogue to get on the part of the owners of the level result of all the latent merits dis- to something as near the blood as possi- Waxy crosses through Whalebone, mares, as in Devonshire everything went covered. The approach to success, how- ble. There cannot be better policy than Touchstone,,Sir Hercules, Stockwell, and to Gainsborough as long as the old horse as what has been done before can down to grandsons of the was comeatble. Future results at a dis- Ul ever, as I have above stated, shows that this, f - the study of the subject might bring be very likely repeated; but to get at the and as time has advanced it has been tance of years, however, do come out, about desirable changes that might at nearest blood in the absence of the sire easier to divide the different strains in which at first may have been the result any rate diminish all the chances of that produced the success I do argue that the proper proportions. This is not in- of prejudice and folly, and they serve to breeding. the son of that sire out of another mare breeding, nor can it be called close breed- teach lessons that the influence of breed- M Common sense probably dictated from is not at all the cross to be advocated; ing, but it is the ordinary crossing of a ing is extraordinary, that signs crop up the first that the laws laid down for man and yet is one refers to the Stud Book it sine breed that may have originated by years aster whole generations have pass- as regards consanguinity would hold will be sound that this is almost a uni- crossing one sort with another, and in ed away, and that all such signs must be good when applied to animals, and that versal practice. It must, however, be breeding to the side it was desired to per- considered caretully for suture breeding the results seem to accrue to man when opposed to tbe principles of nicking petuate. Here comes the question of in operations. There is every side to be such laws were not followed would, as a which 1 so tnorougniy Deneve in, e., to or close breeding, and it is difficnlt to see considered also, as we can apparently matter of course, Deseen in animals, but cross back again at certain and, is possi- how any absolutely outside breed can be accumulate merit by crossing judiciously it would seem that nature, in the first ble, equal intervals. Mr. Parry, in improved, or a new breed formed with- to a strain; and, in the same ratio, that instance, provided for animals in this breeding foxhounds, made this his rule out the process of inbreeding. Mr. merit will rest almost dormant for a gen- respect, ior, whereas isolated and unciv- at an interval of five generations, but to Blunt has proposed to raise a better eration and then reappear, so in like ilized tribes of man bave become degen return to the damjof a winner, mated to breed of race horses by forming a foun manner will infirmities, for a roarer will