POULTRY. 443 



Poland varieties will be found especially unprofitable, since with these conditions they would 

 be liable to roup tendencies. The Spanish lays well in the spring and summer, but is 

 regarded by many as a poor egg producer in winter; the eggs are, however, very large and 

 delicate in flavor. The Poland varieties are prolific layers, non-sitters, and their flesh is 

 remarkably good, but their great fault, as we have previously stated, is a tendency to 

 roup, being easily affected by the cold, dampness, or bad weather. 



If the object of the purchaser in the choice of fowls is the meat quality, or the produc 

 tion of poultry, we can recommend no better breeds than the Dorkings, Houdans, and 

 Brahmas. The Dorking, which is regarded with so much favor in England, and is the 

 favorite fowl in the London market, has probably no equal as a table fowl; its fineness of 

 meat fibre, and delicate flavor, have placed it first in this respect, though it is not a very 

 desirable fowl for egg production. The chickens, however, are very delicate in constitution, 

 and sensitive to cold or wet weather, and in consequence should not be hatched before May, 

 and should be kept where the soil is dry, with plenty of range. 



The Houdans nearly equal the Dorkings as a table fowl, are extremely hardy, good 

 layers of large-sized eggs, making them in all respects a very desirable fowl for the farmer. 

 They will bear a moderate amount of confinement, but never sit; consequently when keep- 

 ing them it will be necessary to keep a few hens of some other breed, Brahmas, for 

 instance, for purposes of incubation, unless an incubator be used for hatching chickens 

 artificially. Brahmas are quite hardy, grow rapidly, and make an excellent table fowl, as 

 well as an egg producer. 



J. K. Felch, .Esq., of Natick, Mass., one of the best-known poultry breeders of this 

 country, furnishes us the following for this work, as his opinion on the comparative merits 

 of different breeds of poultry: 



&quot;To write of the comparative merits of different breeds of fowls cannot fail to run in 

 opposition to the opinions of many breeders, for the reason that, as a rule, men follow the 

 bias of their own individual taste and fancy on the subject of poultry keeping, as well as 

 other matters; consequently, they are especially interested in their choice, and the fowls get 

 excellent care, which results in a good profit to the breeder, who, being more than satisfied 

 with his experiment, straightway votes the breed he keeps as the best. 



To say what we know upon this subject, in the fewest words, we will briefly mention a 

 few of the merits and defects of different breeds in the order of their respective excellence, 

 as we regard them. 



Of all the Asiatic class, Light Brahmas must be acknowledged as being the most per 

 fectly bred. A large number of the chickens reach ninety or more points as show birds; 

 besides, they are the best winter layers, and more apt to lay through the moulting-season 

 than any of the large breeds. Their eggs bring from five to seven cents more per dozen in 

 the market than do the eggs from the small breeds. A Light Brahma hen will lay one 

 hundred and fifty eggs, and hatch and rear a brood of chickens in a year; the chicks make 

 nice broilers at from eight to ten weeks of age, and retain the tender and juicy excellence of 

 meat quality as roasters from eight to thirteen months of age. 



Their demerits, as we regard them, are a tendency to over-fat, as fowls, which necessi 

 tates great care in feeding; and also that between the age of from three to six months, the 

 time when they grow so rapidly in bone, they are not during that time as desirable for 

 table use. Taken all-in-all, we do not hesitate to say, that they are practically the best of all 

 the breeds. 



Of the balance of the Asiatic class, for a bird of real merit, we place the Black Cochin in 

 the front rank. These fowls are short- jointed, and quick to mature, and will lay equally as 

 well as the Light Brahmas; the hens being also good mothers. They do not hold their excel- 

 lence as roasters beyond the age of ten months; the principal plea in favor of the Light 



