Southern planter - The W&M Digital Archive

1859.] THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 439
related many very beautiful and interesting
facts in support of each theory, which seemed
conclusive in themselves ; but he maintained
it was not fair to look at one set of
facts alone, and shut our eyes to others. It
was by an impartial survey of them all that
we get the truth. There was an able article
upon this subject in the Westminster
Review, with which he fully agreed, which
says, " That both parents are always represented
in the offspring ; and although the
male influence is sometimes seen to predominate
in one direction, and the female
influence in another, yet this direction is
by no means constant, is often reversed, and
admits of no absolute reduction to a known
formula. We cannot say absolutely, the
male give such organs ;
we cannot even say
the male always predominates in such or
such a direction. Both give all organs.
Sometimes one predominates, sometimes the
other. In one family we see children resembling
the father, children resembling
the mother, and children resembling both.?'
He (Mr. Evans) knew many breeders who
had suffered great disappointments and
losses by practising upon the theory that
the female does not give the external configuration,
nor has any part in the locomo-
tive organs. One of the greatest curses in
horse-breeding is that there are but few
good brood mares kept. He had no hesitation
in saying that, as a general rule, and
the only safe one to go by, the female has
as much influence on the configuration of
the progeny as the male has. The successful
breeder never uses a middling female
to breed from, trusting to the excellency of
the male to make amends. If he has not
a good female he will not attempt to breed.
Seeing, then, that there is a diversity, that
sometimes the influence of the male parent
predominates, and sometimes the females,
in each system of organs, let us inquire
into the causes. Several illustrations were
brought forward to prove that it depended
upon potency of race, upon the vigour,
health, and age of the parents at the time
of copulation. The most potent or vigorous
parent will have the greatest influence
upon the offspring. The lecturer said, I
shall now pass on to notice more particular-
ly the practical application of these laws.
It is a common but silly question, " Which
breed of animals is the best for the farmer
f" Some advocate short-horns, others
advocate the long-horns, others the medium-
horns, and others will have no horns at all.
A particular kind is sometimes advocated
under all circumstances to the exclusion of
all others. Such persons remind me of
those disputants about the true colour of
the chamelion ; all are right, and all are
wrong, depending upon the point from
which the object is examined. That breed
of animals is the most profitable which is
best adapted to that particular locality.
One class does better on upland, others on
lowland ; some do better grassing, others
do better housed. It also depends upon the
demand of the neighbouring markets. In
some parts cheese-making pays best; in
other parts milk ; in other parts meat, &c.
In some districts it pays better to breed
draught horses, in others hackneys and
hunters, in others race-horses, in others ponies,
&c. What I wish to impress deeply
upon your mind is this: Every breed
has its own peculiar conformation, and that
conformation you will find, upon close investigation,
to be peculiarly well adapted
for a particular purpose ',
and
when you
adopt and cultivate a certain breed, you
must always keep that purpose and that
conformation steadily in view. If you lose
the conformation, you will soon lose the
purpose. For instance, we may divide cat-
tle into two primary classes : 1, For fattening
and arriving at early maturity ) 2, For
dairy purposes. For illustration, take two
cows, one from each class, and you will find
their shape or conformation diametrically
opposed. Go to any herd you please, and
you will find that just in proportion as the
animals represent the shape of class 1 so
are they disposed to fatten ; and in the
proportion they represent class 2 are they
fit for dairy purposes. These classes may
again each be divided into different divis-
ions : A is better adapted for high land ;
B is better adapted to low land ; C is bet-
ter adapted for out-door living ) D is better
ter adapted for living in-doors, and so on.
Each division has its own distinct peculi-
arity of external conformation. That en-
ables us to say at once which will do here,
and which will do there. It is all-important
that the breeder should be thoroughly
acquainted with these " points/'' or proper
shape of his stock ; but I should depart
from my subject if I discussed them this
evening. However, I know many farmers
who think that there is only one proper
shape for the horse—draught horses, hack-