64 GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF POULTRY. 



be bred to give 60 per cent, more milk than most farmers are 

 content with. 



Where eggs are the chief thing and we believe they pay 

 best a different stamp of fowl must be kept from what 

 would be a good stock for chickens. On the latter head 

 nothing need be added to what has been before said ; broadly 

 speaking, fowls will be selected which tend to lay on flesh when 

 well fed. Fine laying breeds, on the other hand, always tend 

 to a spare habit of body, and are weedy by comparison, even 

 in the same breed : the best laying Houdans or Brahmas are 

 more weedy -looking than the best table fowls. Good layers 

 also generally tend to large combs. But the one rule is, 

 breed from the best only, and the stock will improve. 

 A cross of a good laying pure breed, for three years, on a 

 fine dunghill breed, selected by the " winter egg test " just 

 mentioned, will have become seven-eighths pure, while the 

 dunghill foundation will ensure hardiness ; and by thus using 

 crosses of Minorcas, Andalusians, Leghorns, or Black Ham- 

 burghs, a splendid laying strain may be built up in a few years. 



Fourthly, the selective breeding here spoken of, and which 

 lies at the very foundation of all profit, involves separation of 

 the fowls into distinct flocks, and a somewhat close personal 

 oversight. This, therefore, is also a crucial point. The fowls 

 must be made a business if they are to be made to pay. 



After examining the state of affairs on various farms, we 

 are convinced that on many it will be far the best to keep 

 enough fowls to occupy a man's whole time in looking after 

 them, with just a little general superintendence from the 

 owner, his wife, or daughter. This will need about 1,000 

 head ; and we have already seen that this means about 40 to 

 50 per annum from the night- manure alone. Female labour 

 is not adapted for this, since there will be heavy weights to 

 carry, and long tramps over heavy ground, while the work must 

 be done in al] weathers. The fowls want special attendance, 



