good in the girth, and well down in the
fore-rib, are the qualifications most difficult to attain. Lightness of
the fore-rib shows a tendency to delicacy of constitution, and strength
and soundness are most important to the success of the breeder. Depth
of rib is more important in the male than in the female. Lightness of
the fore-rib may be tolerated when milk is the object (and many great
milkers are so characterised), but not where the production of beef is
the object. Then you must study to combine quality with weight. Quality
ought to be the first consideration, but we must never forget that all
must come to lbs. at last.

I have already given my opinion as to the shape and quality of a
perfect breeding and feeding animal. I shall only here remark that it
is indispensable in our cold climate that the animals should have a
good coat of soft silky hair to defend them from the cold blasts of
autumn, winter, and spring.

The Rev. H. Berry, in his Essay on Breeding, remarks: "A person
selecting a stock from which to breed, notwithstanding he has set up
for himself a standard of perfection, will obtain them with
qualifications of different descriptions, and in different degrees. In
breeding from such he will exercise his judgment, and decide what are
indispensable or desirable qualities, and will cross with animals with
a view to establish them. This proceeding will be of the
'give-and-take' kind. He will submit to the introduction of a trifling
defect, in order that he may profit by a great excellence; and between
excellences perhaps somewhat incompatible he will decide on which is
the greatest, and give it the preference. To a person commencing
improvement, the best advice is to get as good a bull as he can; and if
he be a good one of his kind, to use him indiscriminately with all his
cows; and when by this proceeding, which ought to be persisted in, his
stock has, with an occasional change of bull, become sufficiently
stamped with desirable excellences, his selection of males should then
be made, to eradicate defects which he thinks it desirable to get rid
of. He will not fail to keep in view the necessity of _good blood_
in the bulls resorted to, for that will give the only assurance that
they will transmit their own valuable properties to their offspring;
but he must not depend on this alone, or he will soon run the risk of
degeneracy."

I agree generally with the above extract from Mr Berry's most valuable
pri