88 POULTRY BREEDING AND MANAGEMENT 



at the same time the 'egg-laying characteristics may be in- 

 jured. The explanation is that the reproductive organs, 

 i.e., the egg-laying organs, are more closely related to vigor 

 than is the shape or type of fowl. 



It is denied by many that a loss in vigor necessarily 

 results from inbreeding. By careful selection of breeding 

 stock, it is claimed, no loss in vigor will follow. Let us 

 see. 



What is the Purpose of Inbreeding. It is to fix desired 

 characteristics. If a superior fowl be found, one that 

 possesses in a high' degree certain points of value to the 

 breeder, it is claimed that by breeding her to her son her 

 characteristics will be more quickly fixed in the offspring 

 than would be the case by any other system of breeding. 

 The points of superiority may be color of plumage, shape 

 of comb, shape of body, or number of eggs laid, and various 

 other points that the breeder wishes to fix. If the hen has 

 proved to be a good layer, the theory of inbreeding is that 

 by breeding her to her son, there will be more probability 

 of getting good layers than if she be mated to a male that 

 is not related to her. 



If the point bred for be color or type, it may be that 

 inbreeding or line breeding will give a larger proportion 

 of offspring strong in those points than would outcrossing, 

 even though the males in either case be equally good in 

 those points. But it is a different matter when the point to 

 be bred for is one that has to do with their productive or 

 reproductive qualities, because those points are so inti- 

 mately related or correlated to vigor of the fowl that it is 

 doubtful if the theory will hold. 



Inbreeding Experiments. Recent experiments at the 

 Oregon Station indicate that the evil effects of inbreeding 

 overbalance the possible good. Fowls with no apparent 

 lack of vigor, and no defects in external points of shape and 



