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IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The Brown Leghorns (fig. 20) are one of the prettiest, as well as the 

 most commonly bred of the Leghorn varieties. They are the most diffi- 

 cult of all to breed to feather. They have merited the confidence of poul- 

 try lovers for a long time and their hardy constitutions have thwarted 

 rough usage and promiscuous interbreeding to efface their character- 

 istics. They are a fixed breed and their merits are noticeable from the 

 newly hatched chick to the oldest specimen; they are stamped with 

 the indelible marks of royalty only to be found in a thoroughbred. 



In mating Brown Leghorns opposites must be considered. Should 

 the male be fine in all points except comb or leg, select; females strong 

 in this point to mate with him. The most successful breeders use a 

 double mating, one pen to produce exhibition birds of each sex. Fine 

 birds, both cokerels and pullets, can be bred from the same pen by using 



Fig. 21.— Feathers of Brown Leghorns; a, back and hackle of female; 6, hackle and 

 wing feather of male. 



slightly different types of females. The same male often will breed the 

 finest of both exhibition cockerels and pullets, but it is a rare case to 



