BREEDING FOR POINTS. 135 



which we were able, by care and system, to build a 

 " strain " ; the other pair represents work done, a point 

 fixed, a " strain," which only requires ordinary care to 

 preserve its character. 



Breeding for one point only is thus an absolutely simple 

 matter. But the reader will be aware that every fowl is 

 bred for many points which must be combined. Here the 

 puzzle really begins, and the novice usually finds that, as he 

 attempts to deal with any one of those points which need 

 improvement, he is very apt to lose in some other already 

 attained. Obviously the reason of this is the fact that the 

 faults as well as the good points in a parent, tend to be 

 reproduced. But even more, it is impossible to say when 

 the tendency to revert to any past fault apparently over- 

 come is practically lost : absolutely lost it never is, and the 

 fault may crop up again on any provocation after even 

 twenty generations of absence. Hence every time a bird 

 is purchased to cross with, it may introduce tendencies 

 towards features which are not wanted, and may even not 

 appear in itself at all. Thus we can understand the ill- 

 success of most novices in breeding. As each fault becomes 

 distinctly apparent to such an one, he is apt to select or buy 

 a bird to correct it. And every time he does this some 

 influence really is exerted, and if this were followed up the 

 ground gained might be secured. But little is done towards 

 fixing the point by this one step ; while the following season 

 some other point probably appears to need correction, and 

 he goes off after that. And so he is apt to go on, apparently 

 getting little further. Some, on the other hand, do get out 

 of this uncertainty, and found a real u strain," as shown by 

 their steady improvement. The uncertainty, therefore, can 

 be overcome : how are we to find our way through the 

 maze? 



Let our young breeder consider this fact. While there 



