642 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



cause they cost less. They sometimes reason that youuj; heus com- 

 mence laying- sooner and do not steal their nests out as bad as old 

 hens, not once thinking that tvvo-^-ear old hens or older give stronger 

 poults and are much easier raised, and will, therefore, raise much 

 hirger per cent, than those hatched from poor and immature stock, 

 not saying anything of the excess of weight you would get. This 

 practice is not confined to the poor and least intelligent people, as 

 would be expected, but on the other hand is followed by those well 

 informed and who appreciate and pay long prices for horses, cattle 

 and sheep that are bred in the blue. If such a course was pursued 

 in this stock and followed up very long the best stock in existence 

 would be ruined in a few generations. 



To breed from poor or immature specimens is a violation of one 

 of the first laws of breeding. Selection of the best for generations 

 has given us the improved and most profitable breeds of stock. 

 The hereditary influence of such selections is of great value. The 

 most inferior bird out of such a flock of blood-lines may "throw 

 back" and breed very fine stock and do better than a much finer 

 bird from a haphazard breed strain. But the repeated selection 

 of inferior birds for a number of generations makes this inferiority 

 hereditary. The. future of the flock depends almost entirely on the 

 parent stock or its ancestry. If valuable birds are used in the 

 breeding, their oft-spring w^ill be like them and will amply repay 

 for all your expense and trouble. The best are the cheapest and 

 are none too good. 



BREEDING STOCK, ETC. 



In the selection of breeding stock one should aim to use those 

 birds that are fully matured, as from such the young stock will be 

 of large size and greater vigor than from young and immature 

 birds. A cock of from two to four years of age, with hens of 

 from one to three years of age will give excellent results, much bet- 

 ter, as a general thing, than from younger stock. Turkeys will often 

 breed well up to five and six years of age. One should not look 

 for excessive weight in breeding stock, but ratlier for good-sized 

 frame and vigorous constitution. An over-fat bird is seldom a 

 good breeder. One male bird is sufficient for 4 to 6 females, the 

 number varying somewhat according to the vigor of the male bird. 

 Turkeys do not bear confinement well and require plenty of range 

 and are, therefore, more easily raised on farms than when the range 

 is limited to small enclosures. On a farm they will range at will 

 and pick up much of their living and utilize much that would other- 

 wise go to waste. 



Turkey chicks are. very delicate and tender for the first six weeks 

 or two months of their (Existence up until tho time they begin 



