POULTRY. 187 



Game is notoriously the most delicate of all poultry. If any 

 one has a stock of poultry which has degenerated by breeding 

 in and in, there is nothing like a good game cock to rejuvenate 

 the yard. There are many varieties of Game, but perhaps the 

 most desirable for the farmer are the English, Derby, Lord 

 Sefton, and L'ish varieties, as these are of larger size than the 

 others, with the exception, perhaps, of the Sumatra. The last 

 is not so hardy a bird, and therefore not so reliable. 



The Dominique is an excellent breed, too well known to need 

 a particular description here. They should have yellow legs, 

 and the cocks should have neither red nor yellow upon their 

 wings ; rose combs are preferred, though not indispensable. 

 The Poland breeds are beautiful, but not usually profitable for 

 the farmer. 



There have been lately imported three French breeds, the 

 Houdan, Lafleche and Crevecoeur. They have a high reputa- 

 tion in France, and are very beautiful birds. The Houdans are 

 speckled, and have large top-knots and muffles. Their legs 

 should be slate-color, with five toes. We hope, another year, to 

 see some specimens in our poultry exhibition. 



We have taken the liberty to describe briefly a few of the 

 prominent breeds, because from year to year, specimens of some 

 of the above are exhibited as thoroughbred which have not the 

 requisite marks of purity. For instance, coops of Dorkings 

 have been exhibited having yellow legs. Breeders should 

 remember that pale pink-colored legs or nearly white are more 

 indispensable than the fifth toe. It is a singular fact that 

 frequently a bird, not more than one-quarter Dorking, will have 

 the fifth toe well developed, while many pure bred birds have 

 this imperfectly formed. 



IMPORTANCE OP RANGE. 



Perhaps there is no greater or more common blunder made 

 by the inexperienced, than in the estimate they make of the 

 space required for a flock of poultry. Not less than half an 

 acre of ground, at the very least, and of this two-thirds should 

 be in grass, is sufficient to keep a flock of twelve in perfect 

 health the year round. An advantage would be gained by 

 giving even more than this. Yet how often do we see flocks of 

 thirty and forty confined, during the whole year, to a space 



