This it is which renders so impressive a sire which is descended from
closely bred parents. Each of its forbears has handed down a proportion
of its own particular characteristics so that the larger the number of
animals amongst its forbears which possessed these particular points the
greater the certainty of their being possessed by the produce. The
meaning of this may be made more clear by pointing out that the result
of the mixing together of various mixtures will depend entirely on the
proportion of the substances used in the manufacture or compounding of
those mixtures. In each animal is embodied the characteristics of its
forbears.

There exists generally an opinion that the produce of two parents of
distinct breeds, or as it is termed a first cross is commonly superior
to a pure bred of either of the two breeds represented by the parents.
It is difficult to discover the cause of this, if it be a fact. If one
of the parents were deficient in stamina the produce might conceivably
be more robust, and it might also occasionally happen that the mixture
of the qualities or properties possessed by the parents would result in
improvement, as happens when a distinct new breed is originated; but as
a rule the good and the bad qualities of the produce from the mating of
two animals of diverse breeds are in direct proportion to the qualities
possessed by the parents.

The mere mixing of the blood of two animals differently bred cannot
increase the good or bad properties, but the combination might possibly
result in a blend more suitable for the purpose in hand.

Another claim commonly made for the crossing of animals is that the risk
of that delicacy of constitution which they assert is far too common
amongst pure bred animals, and is due to close breeding, is hereby
avoided. It must be admitted that in times past there was a certain
amount of cause for this complaint of want of constitution amongst
pedigree animals, but the cause has been considerably if not entirely
removed by the more careful recording of the breeding, and by the more
drastic screening out of any animals suspected of delicacy of
constitution.

The buyers of pure bred animals for crossing purposes have also become
more careful in their selection. They have ceased to imagine that
because the owner of certain animals most of which he has purchased is
successful in winning prizes at the chief agricultural shows, the whole
of the animals in his stud, herd,