74 



POULTRY BREEDING AND MANAGEMENT 



breds or grades ; third, that the great bulk of animal prod- 

 ucts of all kinds come from grade stock. Those who are 

 making money out of pure-bred, fancy-bred livestock are 

 those who are in the business partly or wholly of producing 

 and selling breeding stock. Fourth, there would not be 

 enough standard-bred chickens in the country to stock 

 up the farms. 



Advantages of crossing. (1) The crossing of two dis- 

 tinct breeds usually results in greater vigor. This is more 



apparent where pure- 

 breds have suffered 

 from close breeding or 

 inbreeding. Many breeds 

 of poultry have been in- 

 jured from too close 

 breeding. It is common 

 history that several 

 breeds, once prominent, 

 are now practically ex- 

 tinct as a result of too 

 much inbreeding. A 

 number of years ago 

 the Black Spanish had a reputation on two continents as a 

 splendid egg-producer, but as a result of insensate breed- 

 ing for a fancy point it is practically unknown to-day. Its 

 most striking characteristic is its long white face, and the 

 fancier set about making it longer, sacrificing every other 

 point, with the result noted. It may not follow that close 

 breeding is necessarily fatal. It may not be impossible in 

 the hands of expert breeders to intensify fancy points, or 

 any other points, by long-continued inbreeding, without an- 

 nihilating the breed. It means a great sacrifice in the mean- 

 time ; its numbers are so diminished, its breeding powers so 

 impaired, that practical poultry-keepers cast it aside. 



RESULT OF BREEDING FOR A FANCY 

 POINT 



The photograph on the left shows the head 

 of the original Spanish male. The one on 

 the right is the modern bird. (From "Poul- 

 try for Table and Market.") 



