ON BREEDING FOWLS. 205 



the most loose and unscientific manner, and no real dependence 

 can be placed on other than the purest stock. By selecting it, 

 the articles early maturity, large size, and liberal produce, are 

 surely to be depended upon ; whereas, by indiscriminately 

 adopting impure stock, there is no security that these will 

 result. 



Under the loose system of breeding referred to, it is equally 

 impossible to keep up, as it is to establish, a distinctive breed of 

 poultry. To conserve the purity of any variety, so that ' like 

 will produce like,' in appearance and properties, is of the highest 

 importance is, in fact, (next to the securing of these in a dis- 

 tinctive shape,) the grand aim of the scientific breeder. There 

 are no errors, or indications of the work of chance, in the law 

 and order of the Great Ruler of the universe, as these apply to 

 either the animal or vegetable kingdoms. The farmer may as 

 well collect a miscellaneous list of seeds, and strew them 

 athwart his soil, in the expectation that an excellent crop of 

 corn should be produced from them, as the poultry-breeder 

 depend on the heterogeneous admixture of mongrel breeds of 

 fowls, to produce improved specimens. A chance appearance 

 may be made among them, to be sure, that might look promis- 

 ing, in the same way that one ear of corn might appear among 

 the farmer's produce ; but, unlike the ear of corn, the ' bird of 

 promise ' can never be depended on to produce its like : the 

 absence of mathematical exactitude in the animal composition 

 forms an organic error in it, which nothing can obviate, so far 

 as itself is concerned. It may produce all or any of the kinds, 

 or crosses, concentrated in itself, but none of them in their pure 

 distinctiveness ; the leaven of deterioration will always be found 

 a ruling element in their composition. 



We have alluded above to a difficulty involving the greatest 

 care in preserving the different varieties of fowls distinct ; and 

 this difficulty attaches to the improved crosses as well. To 

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