FLOCK IMPROVEMENT. 349 



erels. If the old cock has given a good account of himself, 

 trade him with some breeder for another of equal merit, so 

 that you will not have to in-breed your stock. In-breeding is 

 likely to lead to weakness in your stock, though it is used 

 much by poultry breeders to intensify the blood and cause 

 greater prepotency in the transmission of desirable charac- 

 teristics in producing show stuff. By following this system 

 of procuring only pure-bred cocks and selecting the best fe- 

 males, in four or five years you will have a high grade flock 

 (practically pure-bred so far as utility is concerned). 



