124 H. D. GOODALE AND GRACE MACMULLEN 



and add new facts and new points of view. Pearl's theory has 

 been ^'ery valuable, because it has drawn attention to the im- 

 portance of the male's influence on the egg production of his 

 daughters. That influence is demonstrated, even if it is not all 

 important as it seemed at first. 



Fortunately, in spite of the confusion of theories, there is a 

 solid basis of fact on which the poultryman may proceed who 

 wishes to improve his egg production through breeding. Pearl 

 and Dryden ha,ve shown that flock egg production is increased 

 by suitable methods of selecting and testing the breeders. 



We, too, find that selection gives results. The method of 

 selection, moreover, is so simple that anyone can use it who is 

 willing to use trap nests and keep the necessary records. The 

 essentials of the method are these, assuming that the start is 

 made with unpedigreed stock. First, the stock must be per- 

 fectly sound and vigorous. Second, select breeders that equal 

 or exceed some definite number of eggs and mate them to the 

 strongest males available. Third, put only strong (but not 

 necessarily large) healthy pullets in the laying houses. Fourth, 

 when the daughters' records are available, group them together 

 by mothers. Fifth, pick out the best and second best families. 

 Select the breeding males from these families, taking care to 

 pick the strongest and most vigorous individuals. Mate these 

 to the best pullets of the best families. Proceed in this way 

 testing each year the results of each mating by the records made 

 by the progeny. 



One should not depend wholly on the numerical record in 

 selecting the breeders. Look carefully to the age at which each 

 pullet commences to lay. Note whether or not she lays con- 

 tinuously or takes vacations. Note whether she lays rapidly 

 or slowly, or whether she lays late into the fall, and the number 

 of times she becomes broody. 



On the commercial plant it would probably be unwise to 

 trapnest more than 200 birds annually. The best 10 or 15 

 per cent of these should be used to produce the next flock to be 

 trapnested, and the remainder used to propagate the general 

 flock. 



