ioo THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER. 



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 the hens should be bred from, 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 be bred to give 60 per cent, more 

 milk than most farmers are content with. 



Where eggs are the chief thing and on an ordinary 

 farm 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 for the table which tend to lay on flesh when well 

 fed. Fine laying fowls, on the other hand, tend to a span 

 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 alsc 

 generally tend to large combs. Put the one rule is, breed 

 from the best only, and the stock will steadily and rapidly 

 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 Hamburghs, a splendid laying strain may be built up 

 in a few years. Of late years skilled breeders have devoted 

 attention to specially breeding good layers, with as much 

 care as others breed exhibition poultry, and either eggs or 

 stock can be had from them at a moderate price. 



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 is n crucial point. The 



