, and saving none to
breed from but such as became more and more firmly possessed of the
forms and qualities desired, the weeds gradually became fewer, until
at length he fully established the breed; and he continued it, and
sustained its high reputation during his life by in-breeding
_connected with proper selections for coupling_. After his death,
others, not possessing his tact and judgment in making selections,
were less fortunate, and in some hands the breed degenerated
seriously, insomuch that it was humorously remarked, "there was
nothing but a little tallow left." In others it has been maintained by
the same method. Mr. Valentine Barford of Foscote, has the pedigree
of his Leicester sheep since the day of Bakewell, in 1783, and since
1810, he has bred entirely from his own flock, sire and dam, without
an inter-change of male or female from any other flock. He observes
"that his flock being bred from the nearest affinities--commonly
called in-and-in breeding--has not experienced any of the ill effects
ascribed to the practice." W.C. Spooner, V.S., speaking of Mr.
Barford's sheep says, "His flock is remarkably healthy and his rams
successful, but his sheep are small."

Mr. Charles Colling, after he procured the famous bull Hubback,
selected cows most likely to develop his special excellencies, and
from the progeny of these he bred very closely. From that day to this,
the Short-horns as a general thing, have been very closely bred,[21]
and the practice has been carried so far, the selections not always
being the most judicious possible, as to result in many cases in
delicacy of constitution, and in some where connected with pampering,
in sterility.[22]

Col. Jaques, of the Ten Hills Farm near Boston, imported a pair of
Bremen geese in 1822. They were bred together till 1830, when the
gander was accidentally killed. Since then the goose bred with her
offspring till she was killed by an attack of dogs in 1852. Great
numbers were bred during this time, and of course there was much of
the closest breeding, yet there was no deterioration, and in fact
some of the later ones were larger and better than the first pair.

The same gentleman also obtained a pair of wild geese from Canada in
1818, which with their progeny were bred from without change until
destroyed by dogs with the above named in 1852. They continued perfect
as at first.

Among gregarious ruminating animals in a state of nature, all who
associate in a