SELECTING THE STOCK. 63 



fecundity must not, and cannot, be expected from the stock 

 bred by fanciers. These breed for the points of the show-pen, 

 which have their own use in preserving the distinctive races ; 

 but in seeking these chiefly, laying properties are apt to take a 

 second place. Still the fecundity is there, and capable of 

 development like any other property. Probably a hen which 

 lays less than a hundred eggs per annum hardly pays ; but it 

 has been proved, over and over again, that an average of one 

 hundred and fifty per annum can be obtained by those who 

 will breed for it, and the process is as simple as possible. 



The first thing, on most farms, will be a rigorous weeding 

 out of all the old stock. Mr. Fowler has left it on record that 

 in one case where this was done, and a " general slaughter " 

 made, the change to young fowls alone made a difference of 

 20 per annum, without any special selection of birds. But 

 selection is desirable. Laying breeds may be selected,* or, if 

 there is a prejudice against "pure breeds," there is a very 

 simple plan which every farmer will understand in a moment, 

 and which has been repeatedly tried with good results. Watch 

 the neighbouring market, and find out who brings in a good lot 

 of eggs in winter. Buy his eggs, and set them ; and a fairly 

 good laying stock will be ensured to start with. Next, 

 cockerels of the laying breeds can be purchased to cross on 

 these. Then the best layers only of these birds should be 

 bred from for the laying stock, and a few cockerels also kept 

 from these best layers to cross with the pullets so bred. It is 

 as simple as A B C ; but in this way the average can be 

 infallibly raised ; exactly in the same way as cows can readily 



The most successful direct cross we ever heard of in actual fact 

 was the produce of two Light Brahma hens with a Black Hamburgh cock. 

 From six of these chickens and one of the Light Brahmas were produced, 

 from Jan. 1st to Dec. 31st, 1879, a few more than 1,500 eggs ! This is 

 considerably over 200 each, and is the highest number from half-a-dozen 

 fowls we evor heard of. The Brahmas were themselves good layers. 



