Page 20 Advertisements Column 1

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21284, 2 October 1934, Page 20

AUCTIONS. H. MATSON AND CO. [WHAT ARE THE FUTURE PROSPECTS OF THE WOOL MARKET? HPHIS is certainly a vitaL question. Your clip, however small, is safe in capable hands. Highest prices always obtainable. Lotting and displaying a speciality in our business. Experience counts in critical times. H. MATSON & CO. have had Fifty years' experience in Wc offer you—EFFICIENT and CONSCIENTIOUS SERVlCE—every bale of wool is dealt with by experts "who give studied consideration to your interests. LET MATSON'S HANDLE YOUR CLIP THIS YEAR. IS IN-BREEDING HARMFUL? EVIDENCE SCIENTIFIC AND PRACTICAL. This question would be answered by the majority of dairy farmers most emphatically in the aflirmative, and yet strangely enough there is an abundance of scientific evidence to show that it is not necessarily harmful. Moreover there is also plenty of practical evidence from our leading breeders. Many of the most noteworthy animals in the history of breeding have been the result of very close inbreeding, and this fact in itself should bo sufficient to show that there is even merit in the practice. The evidence shows that in-breeding tends to promote uniformity in characteristics, but without rigid selection there is the danger of its accentuating harmful factors. Experiments have been carried out in which rats have been bred under a system of brother to sister matings for twenty-five generations, and though in some strains there was deterioration yet in certain selected ones no reduction in vigour, size, or fertility resulted. It has long been recognised that high class inbred animals arc prepotent, but as previously mentioned closely inbred matings are just as likely to accentuate defects. This tendency is very frequently seen in the human race where certain heritable defects such as feeble-minded-ncss if present in a family, tends to show up following marriage within that family. In fact the human illustration of heritable defects has possibly been the greatest factor in drawing attention to the dangers of unregulated in-breeding. The marriage laws forbidding as they do the affiliation of certain degrees of consanguinity have been responsible for the general conception of the dangers attached to intensive in-breeding. CANTERBURY GROWN RAPE SEED—6Jd per lb. IMPORTED TURNIP SEEDS—--1/9 per lb. WHAT IS IN-BREEDING? In its broadest sense the term implies breeding between related individuals, and as there are varying degrees of relationship so there are varying degrees of in-breeding. If the animals are very closely related it constitutes intensive inbreeding, but if the animals arc more distantly related the practice is regarded as line-breeding. The experience of all leading breeders shows that a considerable measure of inbreeding is necessary if uniformity in type is to be attained.

Probably one of the earliest of ■breeders to recognise this was Robert T<akev,ell, of Leicestershire. He is rienerally regarded as the originator of modern breeding practice, lie was born in 172P, and died in 1795. Bake-vv-ell was not, however a breeder ol dairy cattle. He was a breeder of beef cattle and sheep, and it was :n these directions he had Iris successes sind attained .fame. VALUE OF A GOOD BULL. Unfortunately many dairy farmers end breeders dispose of their bull when the progeny become fit for service and secure another. They do not retain the animal sufficiently long to determine its value, which can be clone only by seeing its heifers on tne bucket. Bakewell's success was directly attributable to his retaining his sires until he found a better. This was no doubt a more simple matter Sor determination in beef stock than dairy cattle, but there is a lesson to be learnt from his practice. How many of our dairymen and breeders have wished they could again e-cure some sire whose worth was proved only after they had disposed tif him? In hi? sheep-breeding operations Tiakewell would not sell rams. He only lease them to farmers and =!!rus retained the right to bring home j.«ain those that bred the kind of stock he desired. The practice ot t electing successive sires from his own <tock was continued throughout his lifetime. One of his sires was at least T> or 13 years old before being disTosed of. This meant that bis stock r/as very closely in-bred. However, it must be stated that intensive in-breeding should be used ~nly in cases where the breeder is prepared to cull drastically. The small breeder cannot do this, and consequently should not be encouraged to St the practice. He should however, follow the practice of line-breed-ing, which is a moderate form of inbreeding, which by its promotion ot a concentration of factors .from related n-n-onts tends to uniformity and at >ne LmT time limits the acccnt.ua ion ot defects, thus giving a .coas.de, able measure of control over nerecatj. STATION S UPPME S—PASTORALI Your requirements in: FARM SUPPLIES, SEEDS. FERTILISERS. 7»ND GENERAL STATION LINES will be filled Efficiently, Economically, j.nd Satisfactorily if you get in touch ■with us. Our goods are rc.-iow n?d throughout Canterbury for their standard quality, .nut our experience as General Merchants extends over a period of more loan SIXTY YEARS. Orders 'ire executed from our stock--, avoiding vexatious delays, and you arcassured of our careful attention at all times. It will be to your advantage to place your order;; in our hands, as being direct importers we offer you the best buying facilities in Christchurch. "WRITE FOR QUOTATIONS TO H. MATSON and CO., J47 CASHEL STREET. 'CHPJSTCHURCH. H. MATSON and CO