1^2 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



Our thoroughbreds have averaged nearly as well at six weeks 

 age, and after that time have run right away from both mon- 

 grels and grades. For two years, now, we have raised nothing 

 but thoroughbreds, and the lapidly increasing number of 

 broiler raisers who are willing to pay $60 per 1,000 for eggs 

 from good thoroughbred Plymouth Rocks, and Wyandottes 

 proves that my experience is not unique in this respect. Last 

 year we sold nearly 30,000 eggs for hatching, and this year our 

 trade promises to exceed this amount. Am citing this merely 

 to give you an idea of what the demand is for thoroughbred 

 products at prices well in advance of market rates for eggs. 



During the fifteen years since 1889, I have tried nearly 

 every popular variety. Will give you a brief synopsis of my 

 experience, and reasons for choosing and retaining the varieties 

 I now breed. 



My first thoroughbreds were Brown Leghorns, and Light 

 Brahmas. At the same time I had a flock of cross-bred buff 

 fowls, very similar to the present-day Buff Plymouth Rock, 

 but several years before the latter were introduced as a dis- 

 tinct variety. The Leghorns were good layers of medium- 

 sized eggs. They were nervous, impossible to confine without 

 mutilation with ordinary wire, and color of egg shell was 

 against them on Cape Cod, where I had my early experience 

 with poultry. 



The Brahmas were quite good winter layers of brown- 

 shelled eggs of splendid size, and found them very profitable 

 from that point of view. They were slow in growing to mar- 

 ketable condition, and in maturing, and made poor market 

 poultry below the roasting weight of eight pounds. The hens 

 are also heavy awkward mothers. 



My buffs were good layers of fair-sized eggs. Made splen- 

 did mothers, and were comparatively easy to break up from 

 sitting. The chicks made rapid growth, and were ready to 

 market in July and August, when my summer resort trade 

 demanded them. They filled every requirement for me, ex- 

 cepting at that time I did not consider them thoroughbred. 

 Can trace my present fondness for the Buff Plymouth Rock 

 right back to this flock of single-combed buff fowls that gave 

 me such excellent results when I was a boy. 



The Langshan boom now came on in full blast, and I dis- 

 carded Brahmas to make room for their lordly Chinese breth- 



