14 GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF POULTRY. 



furthest, and continue, more or less, till the February or 

 March following. They may then either be disposed of and 

 replaced as before, which we should ourselves prefer, as they are 

 just in prime condition for the table; or, as they will not stop 

 laying very long, the bost of them may be retained till the 

 autumn, when all but very excellent layers must be got rid of ; 

 such are generally worth keeping for another year. For if fowls 

 be kept for eggs, it is essential to success that every autumn 

 the stock be thus replenished with pullets hatched early in the 

 spring.* By no other means can eggs at this season be relied 

 upon, and the poultry-keeper must remember that it is the 

 winter which determines whether he shall gain or lose by his 

 stock ; in summer, if only kept moderately clean, hens will 

 pay for themselves treated almost anyhow. 



The stock to be selected, if a pure strain be chosen, are, 

 for confinement, Houdans, Leghorns, or one of the Spanish 

 varieties j either, in favourable circumstances, will give a plenti- 

 ful supply of eggs, and give no trouble on the score of sitting 

 propensities. The Spanish breeds ]ay five or six very large 

 eggs a week in spring and summer, but are not very hardy or 

 free-laying breeds for winter, and must have a warm aspect 

 and perfect shelter from wind, if the supply is to be kept up. 

 Leghorns lay about the same, or perhaps better, but their 

 eggs are small ; on the other hand, they are hardy. Houdans 

 are hardy, and many lay capitally ; others do not. 



With eggs still the object, but more space, Hamburghs 

 may be kept. They are fairly hardy on a good range, and 

 produce then more eggs in a year, on an average, than any 

 breed, but small ; in fact they lay nearly all the year, except 

 when moulting. In confinement they do not, as a rule, answer so 

 well, black or silver-spangled standing it best, and sometimes 



* That is, if the greatest amount of profit be the object sought. The 

 question of " pets," and the pleasure to be derived from them, we are not 

 considering. 



