No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 226 



Black Java hen with the Dominique cock. It is said that the Black 

 Java and the Dominique cock were both pure bred fowls. This par- 

 ticular case is often quoted as a noted illustration — one of the 

 few that can be mentioned, one of very few, and in this you will 

 notice that the Plymouth Rock resembled the Dominique cock to a 

 greater extent than it resembled the Black Java, and as the Domi- 

 nique cock was the oldest and the best-established breed, its char- 

 acteristics were transmitted to a greater extent to the Plymouth 

 Rock fowl than those of the Java. 



The most noted illustration furnished in crossing of this kind was 

 that done by Charles Darwin when he bred together the White Silky 

 and the Black Spanish fowls. The Black Spanish was thought 

 to be one of the oldest and best established breeds that was bred 

 in Charles Darwin's time. The White Silky also was an old 

 well established breed. He bred these two together. He selected 

 them with great care, and the result was that in the second genera- 

 tion he secured a form that resembled very much the wild Jungle 

 fowl of India — the Gallusbankiva from which the domesticated 

 breeds are supposed to have come. 



My time has expired. I wish to thank you for your close atten- 

 tion. 



The CHAIRMAN: It is thought best that Dr. Thayer should pre- 

 sent his paper now, and then the Round Table will follow Dr. Thayer. 



The following subject was discussed by Dr. Thayer: 



FEEDS AND FERTILITY. 



By DR. I. A. Thater, New CastU, Pa, 



Mr. Chairman: I may say in beginning that I am going to 

 occupy only a few minutes. It is not expected that I have come here 

 to-day to teach any of you. This is a Normal Institute. I am talk- 

 ing to managers and instructors, and would not presume for a mo- 

 ment to think that I could instruct the instructors. My sole pur- 

 pose is to call your attention to matters, in my opinion, of vital 

 importance to the institutes which you will address, and it is going 

 to be a rambling talk over a brief period. I have nothing logically 



15_7_1904 



