PROGRESSIVE POULTRY CULTURE 167 



cramming method they make especially toothsome table- 

 fowl and in certain city markets command an extra 

 price. 



IMPROVEMENT IN CONDITION. 



Improvement^ in the quantity and quality of his pro- 

 ducts should be the watchword of the progressive poul- 

 tryman. 



A clean, new-laid, limpid, fine-flavored egg is a 

 source of delight, while a dirty egg of uncertain age is 

 very liable to occasion disgust. 



The poultryman can certainly insure the freshness 

 of his eggs by prompt collection. He can secure clean- 

 liness of the shells by keeping fresh straw or hay in the 

 nests, dry floors and neat arrangements in the laying 

 house. 



If pure, white-shelled eggs are desired, these can be 

 obtained by the right selection of breed and proper 

 housing, feeding and management. 



If brown or tinted shells are in demand he keeps 

 breeding stock that produces eggs of the desired color 

 of shell. He further selects for breeders the best layers 

 and those that yield eggs of desirable size and shape. 

 By the use of trap-nests and careful rejection of non- 

 layers, poor egg producers and layers of eggs of undesir- 

 able color, size or shape, a "brown-egg-lay^ng strain" is 

 soon established. Eggs of such fowl command the best 

 prices in the brown egg market. 



Breeding Stock: A similar plan of selection will 

 apply in case stock is raised to sell for breeding or exhi- 

 bition. Improvement in fancy fowls as well as in birds 

 yielding market products, may be made by using pure- 

 bred parent stock of the best family to be found and 

 proceeding according to the principles of breeding (See 

 Chapter TI.), selecting and mating judiciously, and cull- 

 ing courageously. Increased profit must follow in due 

 time. 



Market Fowl: In growing chickens for market it is 

 desirable to have a flock of breeders which produce birds 



