240 State Board of Agriculture, &c. 



and keep them at it all winter. Eggs are always high in the 

 winter. We must have early pullets or we do not get eggs 

 at that season. It will be cheaper in the end for the farmer 

 to get some pure breed ; start with a trio, and get good 

 built fowls of good constitution. Let the f^ncy points take 

 care of themselves, and breed only for eggs and salable 

 chickens. Any breeder has enough disqualified chickens 

 that he will sell cheap, which are just as good blood as any 

 in his flock. Another good way is to save your earliest and 

 best shaped pullets, and get a cock of some pure breed and 

 put with them. The chickens will almost invariably prove 

 good layers. Either Brahmas, Cochins, lloudans, Ham- 

 burgs or Leghorns, crossed with common hens, will give 

 good results in eggs and dressed poultry. My own prefer- 

 ence for layers are the Hamburgs. They have justly been 

 called '' everlasting layers." They are small eaters, good 

 winter layers, non-setters, and continue to lay well into the 

 fall. They are not first-class market poultry, as they are 

 small, and dress otf rather blue. 



The Cochins will lay the best in the winter, with cold quar- 

 ters, of auy breed I have ever kept. If kept in large num- 

 bers, they will be rather troublesome, on account of thei 

 propensity to set. If any breed but Hamburgs are kept, 

 they must be fed stimulating food, and be made to lay all 

 the eggs possible until about July ; then all but those with 

 young chickens should be sold alive. They will usually 

 bring as much alive, at this time of year, as they will dressed 

 in the tall, and it saves much feed. 



Hamburgs will lay well nearly all summer, and will con- 

 tinue to lay well until three years old, while uiost breeds are 



