409               TiHE WISCONSIN FARMER.

   ment, find themselves relieved from "weevil,' by wool-growers, as
disease is sure to aecom-
   and from many other evils to which they have pany degeneracy, and degeneracy,
it is be-
   been subject. We noticed a short time since l'lieved, is sure to follow
"breeding in."  We
   an account of disease having been developed i are aware that in expressing
this sentiment,
   in the silk worm in France to such an extent we are treading upon disputable
premises.-
   as to seriously threaten the destruction of the The lion. 11. S. Randall,
whose writings upon
   silk crop. The remedy proposed for this evil the subject of sheep husbandry
have a well-
   is suggestive of the sound pliloEoplhy with deserved  and  widelv extended
influence
   which the French people conduct their affairs. among intelligent wool-growers
throughout
   Their representative at Shangbai was direct- the country, declares that
"it is by no means
   ed to procure a large number of cocoous and true that it is either unsafe
or improperto in-
   send them to bis government, and by thus terbreed tninials of any degree
of relation-
   intermingling a new element it wns thought ship.  lie also says, '-a majority
of the
   the disease W;ould disappear. l is plain fron  muost celebrated breeders
:m1lL improvers of
   these facts that the disease iniong the silk English cattle have been
close in-and-in
I worms was believed to have bteei causeJ by Lreeders.'  Such testiuaoliv
fronm so high au-
  degeneracy, produced by -breeding in,' and tiority is entitled to great
respect and cousid-
  there cannot be a doubt tha: the Jenme1y prt- eration, vet wve cannot,
believe but that the
  posed will prove eflectual.              great cattle t'eeders'refeired
tonttained their
    Natture left to itself, withoutt the ingenuity success mainly in crossing
the breeds. After
 of uan in taiitgling varieties and croysing having produced it distinct
breed through the
 breeds, produces stinted growth and degene- process of crossing they no
doubt bred "in-
 racy in both vegetable and animal life. Aa nd-in ' to a considerable extent
to preserve
 few illustrations by compariron will serve to l it, but without an occasional
intermixture of
 prove this fact. Contrast for example the new blood, we think the tendeney
would be
 wild strawberry with the immense garden va- decidedly in the direction of
degeneracy, and
 rieties-the wild plumb with the "green gage" in this opinion istc
are confirmed by Mr. Ran-
 -the wild cherry with the " Oxhearls'-the dall himself, who sayst "
there comes a time
 crab apple with the " bellflower " and " gold- generally
when close in-and-in breeding be-
 ert pippin "-the wild pear with the * Bart- tween the artificial species
which have been
 lett" and "Virgaloo "-the wild peach with partly moulded
by man, produces loss of vig-
 the "clingstones ' and others-and the wild or and degeneracy, and sometimes
this fatal
 rose with the "moss rose."                   overthrow is biat
one step away from the pin-
   In the animal kingdom, contrast the wild nacle of apparent success."
In breeding
cattle of Texas and Mexico with the Alder- sheep it is not necessary to keep
constantly
neys, the Derhams, the Devonshires, and oth- crossing breeds, but a frequent
change of rams
ers-the sheep of Mexico and South America of the same breed, and obtaining
them from
with the " Southdowns," the " Merinos," the flocks as
remote as possible, with occasional
"Leices'ers," and  - Cotsaolds "-the  wild 'crossing, is believed
to be the most effectual
horses of Mexico and Indian pony of ourown !method of keeping up the vigor
and health of
country, with the *' Glencoes," the '  Eclip- the flock. In England
the growers very rare-
ses," the 'lHerods," the 'lBostos," ' the "Fasli- |y
breed front an ewe over seven years old,
ions," the "Lexingtons," the iPatchens," and never before
they are two years old. By
"Flora Temples" and "Idlewilds."         a careful selecrion
of the breeding parents a
  It is the inin2qling of di'tcrent eletmeitts that constant improvement
is kept tip, and there
produces the healthy and rigorous grourthi, both in lis no country in which
crossing breeds has
the vegetable and animal kingdoms, and this been practiced to a greater extent
or with
principle cannot be too strongly adhered to greater success, as we shall
attempt hereafter