Parents of the Egg. 17 



"It should not be overlooked that each breed possesses only one 

 dominant trait, or talent. It may combine several desirable characteristics, 

 but it will excel in one only. No breed is perfect, as it will surely be 

 found lacking in some respect. For instance, the prolificacy of certain 

 breeds may be offset by lack of hardiness, exceedingly large combs, very 

 small size, inability to endure confinement, etc., while the breeds preferred 

 in market may not equal some others as layers. 



"When two purebred fowls are crossed — that is, when birds of different 

 breeds are mated — such breeding cannot possibly add to the progress more 

 than is possessed by the parent individuals. The crossing of Leghorn and 

 Brahma fowls does not prove beneficial, for the reason that such a cross is 

 not only what may be termed a 'violent' one, but the progeny is not a non- 

 sitter, like its Leghorn parent, does not possess greater activity than the 

 Leghorn, nor it is as hardy as the Brahma, losing in size as well as in 

 adaptability to exist under the same condi- 

 tions as either parent. A cross of Ham- 

 burg and Leghorn (within non-sitting 

 breeds) made by me, produced progeny 

 with persistent inclination to become 

 broody, while every attempt to secure 

 vigor, hardiness, improved market quality, 

 or prolificacy, by crossing dozens of 

 breeds, in various matings and selections, 

 has always failed to give me satisfactory ..^^^^^ johN""trap NEST. 

 results. It is better to rely upon pure 



breeds, and select them especially for the purpose one may have in view, 

 as each breed will be found adapted for accomplishing certain objects more 

 than others. 



"Crossing is always disastrous to him who abandons the pure breeds. 

 The next generation (if the cross-bred fowls are used) produces nonde- 

 scripts, having no uniformity of color, size, or characteristics, seemingly 

 reverting to all the ancestors in their breeding, the whole being a motley 

 lot, on a par with scrubs. The first cross of two purebred fowls usually 

 shows the progeny to resemble the male parent in general appearance, 

 rather than the female, and the points of excellence of the parents are 

 lost rather than intensified. My experience has been that no one has ever 

 attempted the crossing of pure breeds who did not eventually find his flock 

 composed of scrubs, and crossing has done more to disgust admirers of 

 poultry than anything else, as by so doing they destroy the beauty of their 

 flocks and gain nothing from a utilitarian standpoint. If one wishes to 

 add vigor and hardiness to the members of his flock he can do so by pro- 

 curing males from other well-known sources, while even the common flock 

 may be improved by the use of purebred males every year." 



