PROGRESSIVE POULTRY CULTURE 39 



producing capacity. Excessive use or abuse of an or- 

 gan may result in impairment or impotence. This fact 

 applies to the generative organs and is one of the ex- 

 planations of chicks dying in the shell. Frequently the 

 female fowl is forced to excessive egg-production or the 

 male bird is mated to numerous females or both of these 

 conditions occur together, and the wonder is that any 

 of the eggs hatch or that any of the chicks live. 



Direct and sudden variations of fowls may be 

 caused artificially. For example, a bone of the body 

 may be broken or a part of a wing removed by acci- 

 dent. Such variations from the normal condition are 

 not transmitted from parent to offspring. 



Game birds that are bred for fighting usually 

 have the comb and wattles "dubbed" i. e. trimmed, and 

 the process is repeated generation after generation but 

 the birds never transmit the mutilated condition to 

 their chicks. 



IN-BBEEDING. LINE BREEDING. 



The breeding together of birds of close blood-re- 

 lationship is termed in-breeding. Every fine flock of 

 fowls contains a best male and a best female bird, 

 whatever may be the standard according to which they 

 are selected. Pairing these two birds, particularly if 

 they are prepotent in transmitting their valuable qual- 

 ity, should secure offspring of exceptional excellence. 



In seeking to develop and improve a family pos- 

 sessing the excellence of the offspring, decided and rapid 

 progress can be made if pairing is confined to mem- 

 bers of this closely related group. 



If, however, birds are bred together which have a 

 like fault, defect or weakness, notwithstanding the fact 

 that they possess other very valuable characters, the 

 fault, defect or weakness is very sure to be transmitted 

 in double degree to their chicks. 



On the other hand, if the birds are sound of con- 

 stitution and in perfect health, their blood-relationship 

 need not prevent their being mated together for the 



