Selecting for Improvement 145 



prove the. most satisfactory for egg production. 

 The capabilities of the fowls and the conditions 

 under which they are to be kept should both be 

 taken into consideration before fowls are selected 

 for a special purpose. 



The wide-awake, progressive poultryman will 

 ever be watchful to improve his fowls for the pur- 

 pose in view, after procuring those that seem best 

 adapted to his wants. He must not be content with 

 merely choosing a proper flock. Selection should 

 go on year after year, and the fowls be continually 

 improved for the purpose for which they are kept, 

 and under the existing conditions. 



Selecting eggs. In the attempt to still further 

 increase the productiveness of his flock it will be 

 well for the poultryman to study carefully, or at 

 least as best he can, the accomplishments that have 

 already been achieved along the lines of increased 

 egg production and the manner in which these 

 improvements have been brought about. 



It will not be questioned that the most prolific 

 fowls of today are, as egg producers, greatly superior 

 to the wild fowls from which they have descended. 

 And also that marked improvement has been made 

 well within the memory and even practice of poul- 

 trymen who are now maintaining flocks of fowls 

 for market products. Lessons drawn from these 

 achievements cannot fail to be of value to one 

 who aims to still further improve the medium by 



