52 THE AMERICAN BREEDS OF POULTRY 



with white varieties where the color consideration is all but elimi- 

 nated. 



It should be understood that these characters or different factors 

 which make up the complete fowl, are not always sharply separated 

 from one another, or rigid and immutable as atoms are. Experi- 

 ence indicates that they may become somewhat contaminated in cross- 

 breeding. Two apparently distinct characters are sometimes asso- 

 ciated together, as for instance: pure yellow shank and pure black 

 neck plumage in a Black Wyandotte male is never found in the same 

 individual, it being impossible in this case for nature to give full 

 expression to the shank character unless a sacrifice is made in under 

 color of neck. Some of the other points in which the breeder is 

 interested will be found not to yield to simple analysis, and all of 

 the processes of heredity cannot be reduced to simple terms. 



Values that command good prices. In the sale and distribution 

 of Standardbred poultry there are three measures of value (A) the 

 individual merit that the specimen exhibits, (B) the breeding that the 

 bird possesses, say its pedigree, (C) the record of the bird as a 

 breeder or producer of choice specimens. An occasional bird may 

 qualify in all three respects but such a one is almost priceless. 



The majority of buyers insist on individual merit, assuming that 

 the bird would not possess the desired quality unless it was properly 

 bred. This point is carried to the extreme by many farmers who 

 require cockerelbred Barred Rock males. At the same time they 

 complain that their females run too dark, yet it is only on the 

 strongest representation of a con c cientious breeder that they will 

 accept a pulletbred male which is too light in color to appear well 

 yet is what is needed. 



High priced buyers commonly insist on "a good looker" asking 

 "what is the use to buy breeding value unless the bird is itself a 

 demonstration that the breeding will produce"? This argument holds 

 good nine times out of ten, but now and again you find a good looker 

 that has been produced from an excess color mating and is a full 

 brother to a number of wasters; and unless you have some idea of 

 his breeding it may be difficult to mate him to advantage. On the 

 other hand, a full brother to a winner, even though the brother is a 

 little coarse, may prove a splendid purchase. 



A few buyers will buy breeding, figuring that breeding alone will 

 come cheaper than breeding coupled with individual merit. In this 

 case it is necessary to rely on the reputation of the seller to ship 

 something that is bred right. This emphasizes the importance of 

 buying only from an established breeder who has some standing in the 

 poultry fraternity. When such a purchase is made, the buyer may 

 feel that his bird carries the best of blood and though not presenting 

 the best appearance, the quality is there as a latent factor and blood 

 will tell. A striking instance of such a purchase was brought to the 

 writer's attention at the Washington (D. C.) show of January, 1917. 



