Chapter 61

11 page 539; Dr. Samesreuther on 'Cattle' in volume 12 page 181; Percivall in volume 13 page 47. With respect to blindness in horses see also a whole row of authorities in Dr. P. Lucas's great work, tome 1 page 399. Mr. Baker in 'The Veterinary' volume 13 page 721, gives a strong case of hereditary imperfect vision and of jibbing.) So it is in regard to cattle, with consumption, good and bad teeth, fine skin, etc. etc. But enough, and more than enough, has been said on disease. Andrew Knight, from his own experience, asserts that disease is hereditary with plants; and this assertion is endorsed by Lindley. (12/22. Knight on 'The Culture of the Apple and Pear' page 34. Lindley's 'Horticulture' page 180.)

Seeing how hereditary evil qualities are, it is fortunate that good health, vigour, and longevity are equally inherited. It was formerly a well-known practice, when annuities were purchased to be received during the life-time of a nominee, to search out a person belonging to a family of which many members had lived to extreme old age. As to the inheritance of vigour and endurance, the English race-horse offers an excellent instance. Eclipse begot 334, and King Herod 497 winners. A "cock-tail" is a horse not purely bred, but with only one-eighth, or one-sixteenth impure blood in his veins, yet very few instances have ever occurred of such horses having won a great race. They are sometimes as fleet for short distances as thoroughbreds, but as Mr. Robson, the great trainer, asserts, they are deficient in wind, and cannot keep up the pace. Mr. Lawrence also remarks, "perhaps no instance has ever occurred of a three-part-bred horse saving his 'DISTANCE' in running two miles with thoroughbred racers." It has been stated by Cecil, that when unknown horses, whose parents were not celebrated, have unexpectedly won great races, as in the case of Priam, they can always be proved to be descended, on both sides, through many generations, from first-rate ancestors. On the Continent, Baron Cameronn challenges, in a German veterinary periodical, the opponents of the English race-horse to name one good horse on the Continent, which has not some English race-blood in his veins. (12/23. These statements are taken from the following works in order:--Youatt on 'The Horse' page 48; Mr. Darvill in 'The Veterinary'