216 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



enetgics are letiuired to carry them through the mauy adverse con- 

 ditions, some of wiiich may occur at critical periods of life. 



A farmer who has maintained a tloclc of fowls for years under very 

 ordinary conditions may desire to secure a greater number of eggs 

 than his fowls produce. He feels that he is not secuti«g so large 

 returns as are some of his acquainlenanci s who perhaps are taking 

 better care of their stock and conse(piently maintain a higher stand- 

 ard. It is but natural that this farmer should try to imitate those 

 who are doing- better than himself. He perhaps recognizes that they 

 have better machines to work with and are therefore able to produce 

 more economically. He decides to obtaiu a better breed or variety 

 of fowls than those which he has maintained for so long, and perhaps 

 purchases from a skillful breeder some fowls of a breed or variety 

 that is noted as being among the foremost of egg producers. The 

 fowls which he obtains are used as foundation stock for his future 

 flocks. They are more economical egg producing- machines when 

 properly maintained than were those which he mai'utained for years 

 under somewhat adverse conditions. These new foAvls bring an in- 

 creased egg production for a time, even under the conditions to which 

 he subjects them, consequently he is pleased with them and thinks 

 that a marked improvemei>t has been made hj the change. The fowls 

 of the next generation have most of the characteristics of their 

 parents; they are perhaps a little smaller and do not lay so many 

 eggs, particularly during the Avinter months. Each succeeding 3-ear 

 finds him with a Hock that is less satisfactory than the one of the pre- 

 vious year, until a flock is secured that is no better than the fowls 

 which he kept before the improved breed was tried. In other words 

 the change brought him improvement for a time but the improved 

 stock deteriorated to the level of the unimproved Avhich was as high 

 a grade as the conditions which he provided would maintain. Those 

 who do not provide improved food and care for the improved varieties 

 of domestic animals cannot maintain the improvement which has 

 been secured hy skillful men at the expense of years of painstaking 

 labor. Improvement in the so called useful qualities cannot take 

 place to any great extent without corresponding improvement in food, 

 care, and environment. AVithout exception all those who have be- 

 come noted as improvers of plants or animals have maintained them 

 under the most congenial conditions. All noted improvers of do- 

 mestic animals have been skillful feeders. Careless and indifferent 

 feeders have not improved a breed or variety. 



The breeders and promoters of the so-called improved breeds and 

 varieties of animals and plants have sought to impress upon their 

 patrons the superiority and advantages of the improved qualities and 

 have largely failed to impress upon the purchasers, both actual and 

 prospective, the necessity of maintaining as favorable conditions 



