THE BOOK OF POULTRY. 



Neither can any given breed or cross be 

 relied upon, merely as such, to produce good 

 table fowls. Individual birds or strains of the 

 same breed differ greatly in their table quality, 

 and need to be carefully chosen in reference to 

 this. The flesh of the modern type of Lang- 

 shans may be excellent, but the immense length 

 of limb makes the trussed bird look repulsive. 

 Many Dorkings are short in the breast-bone and 

 coarse in skin, while others are long in body 

 and fine. Many modern Brahmas, since these 

 have been bred to the Cochin model, are unfit 

 for crossing, while others may be found which 

 produce admirable table fowls, having splendid 

 breasts and thin pinky skins. The modern 

 breeds of Wyandottes, Rocks, and Orpingtons 

 differ amazingly in their conformation and table 

 qualities ; and so do Indian Game as regards 

 their length and size of limb, and their effect in 

 producing white or yellow birds, a question 

 which still has a money value. One Indian 

 Game cock will throw chiefly white skin with 

 Dorking bens, and another yellow ; and one 

 strain of Dorkings will do the first, and another 

 the second, with the same Indian mate. 



The practical breeder will study these things 

 more than the precise cross, but chiefly of all 

 keep in view skin, breast, and bone. A thick 

 coarse skin, or which looks coarse from pin- 

 feather, means an appreciable amount off the 

 value of a bird equal in all other respects. 

 Objection to "bone "has been carried by some 

 to a ridiculous extent ; yet too massive shanks 

 also depreciate a fowl. But the chief thing of 

 all is breast. This must be broad, that from a 

 large fowl slices may be cut : this point is 

 judged from the front of the live bird, and is 

 most generally wanting in Langshans, and some 

 other Asiatics. The breast should also be deep, 

 so that the slices may be large ones. This is 

 judged from the side, which should resemble 

 roughly a parallelogram with the corners 

 rounded, as in a good Dorking, or a fir-cone 

 tapering from shoulders to the rear, as in good 

 Game ; and this point is most apt to fail in 

 Brahmas, Langshans, Rocks, and Wyandottes. 

 And the breast should be long, that the whole 

 carcase may be so, and carry much meat ; this 

 is best judged by feeling the actual keel of the 

 bone. Many turkeys fail here lamentably, and 

 so do many Dorkings, Brahmas, and even some 

 Indian Game ; but any student of the Smithfield 

 shows, or of fowls and their prices at a first-class 

 West-end poulterer's, will soon see that, supposing 

 good colour and finish, this point of length of 

 carcase is perhaps of all others most important 

 in determining the apparent size and value of a 

 fowl. Of all the races used, birds can be found 



good in all these respects, quite independently 

 of their feather points, which are of no table 

 value ; from such the intelligent rearer will 

 make his selections. 



Almost equal differences will be found 

 between strains and individuals of all breeds 

 and crosses as regards early maturity, and 

 aptitude to lay on flesh in response to food. 

 Nothing is more vital to the question of profit 

 than this, as exemplified in Mr. Cathcart's 

 results cited on page 137 ; and it has been 

 found that chickens reared upon ground oats 

 do much better upon this food when fattening, 

 than those reared upon grain. The rearer who 

 breeds his own stock will proceed upon his own 

 knowledge and experience in regard to these 

 points ; in regard to purchases he must rely 

 upon either observation or inquiry : if he knows 

 the real age of a bird, he will be able to judge 

 pretty well about its rate of growth and condi- 

 tion. Just as in breeding for egg-laying, the 

 intelligent development of such practical qualities 

 is vital to success, in face of the growing com- 

 petition from abroad and the extension of 

 poultrj'-rearing at home, and the effects of both 

 upon a market which has its limits, and may be 

 affected by greater production like any other. 



That the market has been affected to some 

 extent already has been shown above, and is 

 sufficiently evident. The greatest opening for 



successful effort lies in that editca- 

 Opening-up fig^i gf ^/^^ public to appreciate and 

 New Markets. P^3' ^^^ better poultry, which Mr. 



Brown has referred to on page 1 10. 

 It is doubtful if the London market can take 

 much greater supplies at present prices, and we 

 have seen that a perceptible portion of the 

 Susse.x product is already going into local 

 markets. Here there is room for expansion. 

 There are large districts, and even towns, where 

 only low-priced common poultry are as yet 

 practically known. The Hon. A. H. Cathcart* 

 reported in 1899 that is. 6d. was the lowest and 

 2s. 6d. the highest price for a fowl in any 

 market in East Yorkshire, while at York itself 

 3s. was thought high, and any more simply 

 exorbitant. Yet by experience people in York 

 had been taught to pay him 5s. each for larger 

 fatted birds, and educated to understand that 

 they were thus actually paying less per poimd 

 for actual flesh, and that of much better quality. 

 This arises from the fact that the bone and offal 

 grow comparatively little in the few weeks of 

 fattening, and that the weight added is nearly 

 all to the tdiblc portion of the bird. '* This has 

 already been illustrated by figures from two 

 English feeders ; it may be further so, perhaps 



* Journal of the Royal AgrUuUural Sorietv. 



