| ↑ 1 blocks not present in 1869 1872; present in 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
| That most skilful breeder, Sir John Sebright, used to say, with respect to pigeons, that "he would produce any given feather in three years, but it would take him six years to obtain head and beak."
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for different purposes, or so beautiful in his eyes, we must, I think, look further than to mere variability. We cannot suppose that all the breeds were suddenly produced as perfect and as useful as we now see them; indeed, in
cases, we know that this has not been their history. The key is
power of accumulative selection: nature gives successive variations; man adds them up in certain directions useful to him. In this sense he may be said to
for himself useful breeds. |
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| The great power of this principle of selection is not hypothetical. It is certain that several of our eminent breeders have, even within a single lifetime, modified to a large extent
breeds of cattle and sheep. In order fully to realise what they have done, it is almost necessary to read several of the many treatises devoted to this subject, and to inspect the animals. Breeders habitually speak of an
organisation as something
plastic, which they can model almost as they please. If I had space I could quote numerous passages to this effect from highly competent authorities. Youatt, who was probably better acquainted with the works of
than almost any other individual, and who was himself a very good judge of
speaks of the principle of selection as "that which
the agriculturist, not only to modify the character of his flock, but to change it altogether. It is the
wand, by means of which he may summon into life whatever form and mould he pleases." Lord Somerville, speaking of what breeders have done for sheep, says: — "It would seem as if they had chalked out upon a wall a form perfect in itself, and then had given it existence." ↑
In Saxony the importance of the principle of selection in regard to merino sheep is so fully recognised, that men follow it as a
the
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