208 NEW ZEALAND GARDENING. 



farming is carried on on a large scale, the houses are made 

 moveable, the runs are fenced in with wire so that the whole 

 can be removed each year, and the lately-occupied portions 

 are cropped. Those who are desirous of going in for the 

 business of fowl farming will do well to procure a standard 

 work on the subject, and work to it always, taking surrounding 

 circumstances into consideration. 



No homestead should be without a few fowls, which if 

 well managed should be a considerable source of profit. A 

 dozen or fifteen well-selected and well-fed young fowls will 

 supply eggs for a family of twelve persons throughout the 

 year. It is a difficult thing to advise as to the best breed of 

 fowls to keep, combining excellence as layers, and as table 

 birds. For general purposes most authorities agree that the 

 Gray Dorkings and Shanghaes will give quite as good a 

 return for the care bestowed upon them as any other breed. 

 The Dorkings are fine Summer layers, while the Shanghaes 

 excel as Winter layers. The Dorkings are best as early 

 Spring sitters, mothering the chickens for a much longer 

 period than most fowls. 



The following crosses have been proved to answer 

 admirably for producing ordinary fowls : A cross between 

 the Dorking and Game hen produces a plump table fowl 

 and a good layer ; the cross with a Brahma cock and Leghorn 

 hen are unsurpassed as layers, and fairly good table fowls ; 

 the cross between the Dorking and Brahma are better table 

 fowls, but not so good for laying. The Langshans are also 

 grand fowls for table and Winter eggs, but are not so early 

 ready for table as Wyandottes or Dorkings. 



Breeds. There has been a vast improvement in the 

 breeds of fowls during the last few years. The various 

 breeds may be classed as follows : 



British breeds, viz. : Dorking, Game, Cornish Game, Red- 

 caps, Scotch Greys and Hamburgh s. 



French breeds, viz. : Houdans, Crevecoeur, La Fleche, &c. 

 Mediterranean breeds, viz. : Spanish, Minorca, Andalusians, 



and Leghorns. 



Asiatic breeds, viz. : Brahmas, Cochins, Malay, and Lang- 

 shans. 



American breeds, viz. : Dominique and Wyandotte, 

 Plymouth Rock, and other varieties, as Polish, Shino- 

 warapas, and Japanese Bantams. 



