No. 4.] POULTRY KEEPING. 67 



of the factors that must be taken into account when an at- 

 tempt is made to create new or improve functional charac- 

 teristics in a breed of fowls. 



When we compare the physical characteristics of the Wy- 

 andottes or Rhode Island Reds of ten years ago with those of 

 to-day, we are impressed with the progress that has been made 

 in the improvements all along this line, as indicated by a 

 more uniform conformation and color, a larger percentage 

 of well-formed combs, and other equally desirable points of 

 conformation that are typical of these breeds. It will be 

 interesting to compare, a decade hence, the results of the 

 numerous experiments that our experiment stations are 

 carrying out to improve the laying qualities of fowls with 

 the progress of the last ten years in the improvements of 

 conformation characteristics, to see if the functional char- 

 acters are as easily modified as are the physical. 



Regardless of breed, color or conformation, every poultry 

 keeper ought to procure a strain of birds possessing a strong 

 constitutional vigor. In years past we have in medicine 

 been accustomed to attribute all defects of life, the cause of 

 which has been obscure, to the effects of heredity. Many 

 of the false ideas that have prevailed have been dispelled by 

 the brilliant achievements of modern bacteriology, so that 

 to-day those diseases formerly thought to be transmitted 

 direct from parent to offspring are known to be the residt 

 of direct infection, due in a large measure to environment. 

 The present generation of poultrymen is inclined to take 

 refuge behind that indefinite thing designated " constitu- 

 tional vigor," when an apparent cause for some undesirable 

 condition that prevails is not readily discovered. Constitu- 

 tional vigor to me means that condition of the system de- 

 rived from ancestral sources or environment that is favorable 

 to a strong and rapid development of the body, a full func- 

 tional activity of every organ, and a maximum degree of 

 resistance to disease. In practice it stands for early devel- 

 oitment of birds, the production of a normal number of eggs 

 with germs of full vitality, strong chicks that live and thrive 

 even in the face of obstacles, and fowls that resist the attack 

 of those diseases that far too often devastate our flocks. 



