HORSES :-AN EXPLANATION GIVEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1502, 28 August 1880, Page 7

HORSES :-AN EXPLANATION GIVEN.

(1.) How is it that eight good heavy up. standing Clydesdales do less work than eight mongrels t To give an explanation such as will keep up the reputation of the Clydesdales is difficult, because we do not know all the circumstances of the case. However, we will attempt a few statements whioh may indicate that the apparent deficiency is not entirely due to the animals themselves. In the first place, it is well for us to remember that the pure Clydesdale is a comparatively heavy horse, but not a fast-going one, and that it is by no means the heaviest and slowest of horseß. The mongrels might be in some way connected with the English black horse, to which breed the dray horses of London owe their size and strength, or with the Suffolk horse and the Cleveland breed, which is distinguished for its quick work. This would indioate that the owner had dropped upon eight good horses at a minimum cost, out whose qualities he oould by no means be sure of transmitting. Then we should, in the second place, remember that the Clydesdales are a distinct breed, over whioh great care haß been exeroised, and to whioh considerable attention has been given. In order that the true points might be fully developed, oleanHnees has been regularly observed. The breeders were probably kind and oareful men, giving the animals their food at frequent intervals, and in proportions suitable to a state of rest or to conditions of work. In order that those Clydesdales may show their true worth, it is important that this kind treatment should be continued, and that in a uniform manner. The mongrels may have had to rongh it, and now they may be treated kindly and regularly. The mongrels may be able to rough it without injury, bat the Clydesdales cannot,

An acquaintance of mine in the Home Country bought six shorthorn bullooks at the beginning of winter. As he had keep, he purposed f«eding them till the spring, when he hoped to sell them to profit. The treatment to whioh these animals were subjected was not so kind and tender as they had previously received. The spring oame, but the animals had not improved. The owner declared them worthless, and sold them for less than he purohased them at, A friend of mine bought them, and after six weeks' kind, judicious management sold them at a profit of £2 per head. The market was about the same on each occasion. Now the treatment that enabled the bullooks to lay on fat and increase in muscle will impart working power to horses.

Then we ought to remember in this particular oase the horses may differ in age. The work that the Clydesdales are doing now may be more than the mongrels will be able to do in the same year of their life. The true value of these sixteen horses will be found out by a work of years, together with their purchase money, cost of food, attendance, and medicine. There are other statements that might be made, but probably these will be Buffioient for the present.

(2.) How is it that a thorenghbred stallion, &c, leaves behind him, with few exceptions, a set of useless mongrels, while a son of his, narrow-chested, &c, produces stock all of which are perfeot in form, shape, fto.?

The oharaoter of any particular breed of animals is obtained by selection, careful management, and reproduction in the offspring. In the first instance this character may have been only a peculiarity ; in some of the second generation it will be more marked, and about the fifth generation the character may be established, but with every reproduction it will become more powerful. If the stallion referred to has a long pedigree, you might expect for certain that the oharaoter of the Ulydesdale would be stamped upon the stock. So it_ would, if the mares were of the same pedigree ; but you could not depend upon it otherwise. Here is a oase in pomt :— Rams of good pedigree were sent to France, as it was thought if the charaoter of the English flock oould be stamped upon the French sheep a most desirable result wonld follow. All attempts to reproduoe the character of the ram failed.

A ifrenoh breeder knowing that there were four distinct breeds of sheep which had been kept apart from any other breed, and consequently in whioh the hereditary power was strong, this power he thought was too strong for the English ram, and he decided to oross these breeds, so as to break down this hereditary power and enable the rams to make an impression upon the offspring. This proved a success.

By way of illustration, A, B, C, and D shall represent the four breeds. In each of these we will suppose the hereditary power to be 1000, 750, 500, and 250 respectively, and the English ram 100. Now, if Ais crossed with B, the difference in the power of A over B will equal 250. This will represent the hereditary power of the offspring of A and B. A similar result will be ob> tamed if C and Dbe crossed. In their offspring the hereditary power will equal 250. If now the offspring of A and 13 is crossed with the offspring of C and D, the hereditary power will neutralise eaoh other, and in the offspring it will be nil. Now, if the ram with its 100 nnits of power be put to the sheep last named, it is easy to see that his character will reappear In the lamb.

The same reasoning will apply to horses. Where the parents differ in any particular power or power*, there a contest takes place, and. the strongest is reproduced in the offspring. It is an old saying, "Like will produce like." This is true when the parents are both alike ; but when the parents are unlike, the strongest gives character to the offspring. In the case of the stallion, he did leave some, though not many, that were considered good, showing that in some instances his power did predominate. The reason that he did not leave more may be found in the foregoing illustration. There are such circumstances as favourable impreaaiens, when two or more are made. Bearing this fact in mind, and the illustration we have given of hereditary power, the oharacter of the offspring of the son may to a certain extent be acoounted for. William Jenneh. Rothesay, August 17th.