SILVER WYANDOTTES MATING. 25 



" The females must be as free from penciling as possible, but 

 always give the preference to those standard birds that may be 

 slightly mossed on cushion, before those non-standard birds with 

 good, clear backs. 



"Good pullets do not always grow into good hens, and as at 

 least one-half the general run of matings will consist of second 

 year's females, a word of warning will not be out of place: Do not 

 discard hens that were good standard pullets, because they have 

 moulted with spangled breasts as a rule fowls breed to their first 

 feathers but mate these birds that have so faded, with a somewhat 

 darker cockerel than you would use to a full standard female. 



" Of course, whenever it is possible, use hens that have moulted 

 to full standard form, and use the full standard mating. 



" No matter what we may wish, think, or do, we cannot upset the 

 first law of nature, " Like produces like," which, being interpreted 

 as regards Wyandottes, means that standard males mated to stand- 

 ard females will produce standard chickens of both sexes. Excep- 

 tion proves -the rule. I am aware that standard males and females 

 can be and have been produced by matings other than this; but 

 from no other mating is it possible to obtain such a large per- 

 centage of good chickens of both sexes, as from the mating in ques- 

 tion. 



" I cannot too often repeat, and I will be very dogmatic on this 

 point, that light males should never on any account be used; I will 

 go even further than this, and say that even standard males of the 

 progeny of a light sire must be thrown out. 



" This remark is also applicable to females, for no matter how 

 fine a hen may be in her own personal charms, if she is the offspring 

 of light, off-colored parents, she is nearly useless as a breeder and 

 is certainly unreliable. 



" The above questions as to mating include both the .Golden and 

 Silver varieties. 



" UNDER-COLOR. There is one other item that generally appears 

 to be ignored in the mating of Wyandottes of all varieties it is 

 under -color. 



" Now, possibly, I may be told that so long as the surface is all 

 right, what matters the color below ? Well, it only matters so much 

 that it influences the whole progeny for generations. In the laced 

 varieties this should be dark slate color, and were this always taken 

 note of, we should not be troubled with the many off-colored birds 

 that we are now. 



