408 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



are very generally kept b}"^ farmers to supply growers of this 

 class of poultry with eggs for hatching. 



Having obtained stock suitable for his requirements, the 

 farmer is ready to begin his work as a poultry breeder. The 

 difficulty of getting just such stock as he wanted will gen- 

 erally have convinced him by this time that there is not 

 nearly as much of it produced as there ought to be. There 

 ought not to be any consideraljle proportion of the poultry 

 produce each year that did not in a general way fill most of 

 the requirements for a good fowl for the farmer. Allowing 

 for differences in size and in purpose, it is still true that, 

 w^hatever the variety or whatever the purpose in breeding 

 them, the aim should be to produce well-developed, healthy, 

 vigorous fowls, and that these points should always be con- 

 sidered first. 



For the fancier, to whom superficial qualities, such as 

 perfection of comb or crest, or excessive development of 

 foot feathering, or accurate markings, or purity of color, 

 seem of prime importance, and really are made so in the 

 competitions for w^iich his birds are produced, we can find 

 some excuse for sacrificing the substantial qualities of fowls 

 to the superficial, or for being so impressed with features 

 that are for the time being a fad that he neglects the preser- 

 vation and development of useful characteristics ; but the 

 farmer, as a breeder, has no excuse for not developing in his 

 fowls the qualities of most value to him, and, having once 

 clearly apprehended for himself what these qualities are, all 

 his efibrts as a breeder should be directed to making them 

 uniform in his flocks. 



It does not take long to do this, if he can bring him- 

 self to adhere rigidly to the fundamental rules of good 

 breeding, i.e. : — 



First. — To breed only from the best obtainable speci- 

 mens, following this rule year after year ; demanding that 

 his breeding stock as individuals shall have the merit he 

 seeks in themselves as well as in their ancestors. 



Second, — To give the chicks of his breeding stock the 

 care and food necessary to make them attain their best pos- 

 sible development. 



