f the male and female parents upon the
characteristics of progeny has long been a fertile subject of
discussion among breeders. It is found in experience that progeny
sometimes resembles one parent more than the other,--sometimes there
is an apparent blending of the characteristics of both,--sometimes a
noticeable dissimilarity to either, though always more or less
resemblance somewhere, and sometimes, the impress of one may be seen
upon a portion of the organization of the offspring and that of the
other parent upon another portion; yet we are not authorized from such
discrepancies to conclude that it is a matter of chance, for all of
nature's operations are conducted by fixed laws, whether we be able
fully to discover them or not. The same causes always produce the same
results. In this case, not less than in others there are, beyond all
doubt, fixed laws, and the varying results which we see are easily and
sufficiently accounted for by the existence of conditions or modifying
influences not fully patent to our observation.

In the year 1825, the Highland Society of Scotland, proposed as the
subject of prize essays, the solution of the question, "whether the
breed of live stock connected with agriculture be susceptible of the
greatest improvement from the qualities conspicuous in the male or
from those conspicuous in the female parent?" Four essays received
premiums. Mr. Boswell, one of the prize writers, maintained that it is
not only the male parent which is capable of most speedily improving
the breed of live stock, "but that the male is the parent which we can
alone look to for improvement."

His paper is of considerable length and ably written--abounding in
argument and illustrations not easily condensed so as to be given
here, and it is but justice to add that he also holds that "before the
breed of a country can be improved, much more must be looked to than
the answer to the question put by the Highland Society--such as
crossing, selection of both parents, attention to pedigree, and to the
food and care of offspring."

And of crossing, he says, "when I praise the advantage of crossing, I
would have it clearly understood that it is only to bring together
animals _not nearly related_ but always of _the same breed_; never
attempting to breed from a speed horse and a draught mare or vice
versa." Crossing of breeds "may do well enough for once, but will end
in vexation, if attempted to be prolonged into a line."