1168 CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND COMPLEX?: STOCK DOCTOR. 



XV. Breeds for Market. 



The Dorkings are superior table fowls ; they are, however, rather ten- 

 der and hard to rear, and have not gained special favor in the United 

 States. The Dominiques are hardy, good layers, and good table fowls ; 

 the Plymouth Rocks are larger, and perhaps better if you have the stock. 

 A Dominique cross on Brahmas or Cochin Chinas, will give chicks that 

 grow fast, feather well, and make plump fowls. A Dorking cross on the 

 large Asiatic breeds, is regarded in England as excellent. All things con- 

 sidered, we think the Brahmas and the Cochins will give the best results, 

 and the Brahmas especially are good winter layers. In this, however, 

 every breeder will have his own fanc}'. The Houdans and La Fleche are 

 in good repute among breeders, but the price of the original stock must, 

 of course, be taken into consideration. 



XVI. Breeds for Eggs. 



As laying fowls simply, we have found the Polands all that could be 



desired. The Leghorns, Houdans, Hamburgs and Black Spanish are 



fully as good layers, and all of them are non-sitters ; but the Leghorns 



and the Hamburgs have the reputation of being tender, and the Spanish 



are decidedly so. The Houdan and La Fleche have hardly been tried 



sufficiently in this country to warrant a decided opinion as to their true 



value. 



XVII. How to Fatten. 



The fattening of poultry, if they are in good flesh to start with, does 

 not take long. In fact the bulk of the chickens marketed are taken direct 

 from the yards without extra feeding. This is bad econom3^ Fifteen to 

 twenty days' feeding, if they are confined in a dark place, will render them 

 fat. When fat, market immediately, since they wdll soon begin to shrink. 

 Market when they cease to teed full. Corn meal, made into a thick 

 mush, with as much additional meal as can be worked in while boiling 

 hot, and allowed to cool, is the best feed. Put the fowls in coops so 

 small that they cannot turn round, and feed three times a day, allowing 

 to take what water — skimmed milk is better — and clean gravel they will. 

 The last week omit the gravel, and keep the pens clean and well littered 

 with straw all the time. 



XVni. Killi n g and Dressing. 



Let the fowl fast at least twelve hours before killing. No man ever 

 made money by selling a fowl with half a pint of raw corn stuffed in the 

 crop. Tie the legs of the fowl together, hang it up, open the beak, 

 pass a sharp thin-bladed knife, into the mouth and up into the roof, 



