be a Taint, if it is not a very fevere one, indeed 

 it may in a great Meafure be extirpated, by a 

 due Obfervance of Youth for two Generations, 

 or three at the moft. There remains yet another 

 Obfervation that 1 have made, which is, that a 

 Cock will get better Fowl out of Feather, than 

 the Year after when in Feather, and tho' this 

 may feem contrary to Reafon to a great many 

 that have not try'd the Experiment, yet 1 have 

 met with fo many fufficient Proofs of it in my 

 Time, that the IfTue of the former have prov'd 

 exceeding good, and that of the latter quite the 

 reverfe, from the fame Hens ; the Reafons be- 

 ing thefe. -After a Cock has once fought, and re- 

 ceived no Damage by it, and if due Care be ta- 

 ken of him after coming out of warm Pens, and 

 he be bred out of in the Month of /ipnl, fo 

 that the Chickens may come off in May, and 

 put to a young blooming Hen, he will get 

 pretty aftive Fowl, and even then I fhould 

 deem their IfTue unfit for a prefent Engagement 

 for a large Sum of Money, till they were renew- 

 ed once more with Youth and Vigour, and on- 

 ly commend fuch in Comparifon of the fecond 

 Year's Produft, which I will endeavour to ex- 

 plain. All Breeders muft allow, that during the 

 Time of a Cock's being out of Feather, he is li- 

 able to a great many Cafualties and Misfortunes, 

 which render him incapable of fliedding his Fea- 

 thers after a regular Manner and at a proper 

 Time of the Year, which if he does not it is im- 

 poffible he fhould be healthful ; this is upon 

 Suppofition, that a Cock be generated with a 



G good 



