294 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



wholly excepted, since the late reaction is left alone to do his 

 own crowing on his own dung-hill. Good traits just as cer- 

 tainly run in the blood of certain races of fowls as they run in 

 the blood of certain races of horses, cows, sheep and swine. 

 Why, then, should there not be as much outlay of labor and 

 expense, in proportion to their value to the community, to pro- 

 cure pure races of excellent fowls as pure races of other stock ? 

 Among the pure blooded breeds, the Black Spanish, Dorking, 

 Bolton Grey, Guelderland, and a variety of the breeds which 

 are known by the name " Brahma-poutre," stand highest in 

 practical value ; yet the poulterer will find it triS of all highly 

 bred fowls that a finer nervous organization is usually accom- 

 panied with less hardiness of constitution when young ; which 

 in pure breeds is often aggravated by too close breeding. Let 

 the amateur, tlierefore, not be discouraged if in endeavoring to 

 introduce either of the above varieties into his collection they 

 should prove very delicate ; let him try the same variety from 

 some other stock, before he finally rejects them on such grounds. 

 To state briefly the characteristics of the above breeds, which 

 have established characters for themselves : of the Black 

 Spanish we affirm that they are ready for the table at an early 

 age, when they prove full breasted, small boned and fine fleshed ; 

 they begin to lay at an early period, are almost " everlasting" 

 layers, being seldom or never broody, and their eggs of supe- 

 rior quality, are noble sized, weighing from twenty-five to 

 thirty ounces to the dozen. Their rich plumage with its green 

 gloss renders them very attractive. The objections to them are 

 their wandering propensities and their nervous, fly-away organ- 

 izations, which takes away one of the greatest attractions of 

 fowls, docility. The Dorking is the fowl of old England. 

 They mature very rapidly and have the fullest development of 

 " white meat" of any fowl brought to the table. The eggs are 

 very large and of excellent quality, and for all natural uses of 

 fowls, for the table, for laying and setting, this breed ranks very 

 high. The dorking is spreading fast over the country, and no 

 doubt tlie public will gain thereby, provided only the hardier 

 breeds are propagated. The white dorking is a smaller sized 

 race than other varieties and of greater delicacy of constitution ; 

 some of the large speckled varieties will also be found to be so 



