CHAP, II.] FARMING FOR LADIES. 51 



they may have previously attained. Thus, 

 Sir John Sebright, who has made many in- 

 teresting experiments on fowls, found that 

 when bred in that manner, " they became 

 long in the legs, small in the body, and bad 

 breeders." The better way is, indeed, to 

 change him every year, and place with the 

 hens a cock, not of a different breed, because, 

 if it be of any peculiar sort, that would destroy 

 its purity; butofadifferent/aw2'Zy. Thus cocks 

 of the same breed may be placed along with 

 hens of the same species ; but, in that case, 

 they should be interchanged with some neigh- 

 bour : so that the fowls, although of the same 

 kind, may not be of the same family. The 

 best plan is, however, to fatten off such cocks 

 at once ; for they will then be not only more 

 fit for the table, but, if left alive, they will 

 not easily accustom themselves to associate 

 with strange hens when separated from those 

 with which they have been brought up. 



In making the choice of a cock, Parmentier, 

 the French naturalist, recommends the plan 

 of putting two cocks of equal size, breed, and 

 age, into the yard along with the hens which 

 he is to espouse : the immediate consequence 



e2 



