146 Farm Poultry 



means of which ordinary commercial feed is trans- 

 formed into desirable poultry products. Whatever 

 may be learned from these improvements will surely 

 have the important quality of being practical. 

 Imitators of the successful are following a safe 

 guide, even though they may seem to be "making 

 haste slowly. " 



Some of the noted, if not the most noted breeders 

 and improvers of fowls for egg production, have laid 

 great stress on egg selection. They were careful to 

 select the best layers of the pullet year for breeders, 

 and from these hens eggs were selected for hatching. 

 That is, year-old hens, that were used for the main- 

 tenance and improvement of the flocks, were the 

 best layers during their pullet year. This practice 

 carefully pursued year after year, by these poultry- 

 men, resulted in the steady improvement of the 

 fowls for egg production. 



Without doubt all of the improvers who have 

 achieved success have been skilful feeders and also 

 have provided congenial homes for their fowls. 

 It will be impossible to say just how much of the 

 improvement has been due to egg selection, to feed, 

 to environment, and how much to the influence of 

 the males; but surely the noted breeders who have 

 secured marked improvement in egg production 

 have laid much stress on egg selection. 



Whenever it is convenient to do so, a few of 

 the best-laying hens should be placed by them- 



