110 THE HOME POULTRY?BOOK 
high egg production. A small advertisement in one 
of the papers often helps to bring in a few dollars 
for eggs and if the amateur starts with a breed not 
common in his locality, he will be sure to be asked 
for setting eggs. 
The chickens raised must be carefully culled and 
on this point the amateur will need advice the first 
season. Not more than fifty per cent. can rea- 
sonably be expected to prove of value as fancy 
stock. 
To be a fancier does not necessarily mean to keep 
what are commonly spoken of as the fancy breeds. 
Indeed, some of the best-known fanciers specialize in 
Plymouth Rocks, Rhode Island Reds and Leghorns. 
The Barred Plymouth Rock breed, by the way, is 
one of the most difficult in which to secure first- 
class specimens. 
There are many amateurs, however, who are not 
fanciers, strictly speaking, but who keep the more 
ornamental breeds because their beauty of plumage, 
stylish carriage or pert manners appeal to them. 
The Houdan and Polish fowls, for example, with 
their curious topknots, have a host of admirers, who 
try to keep their pens filled with high-grade birds 
just because they enjoy looking at them and being 
