MANUAL ON POULTRY. 



13 



mon hens or Brabmas should be kept for the purpose of hatching 

 and rearing the chicks. The Brahmas are reliable sitters and good 

 mothers, besides, they are good winter layers, thus supplementing 

 the supply of eggs at the season when the Leghorns lay least. Leg- 

 horn pullets, of the early spring-hatching, commence to lay early in 

 the fall and continue, under good treatment, through the winter. 



Again, the cross of the Leghorn upon the Brahma produces a 

 hardy, thrifty, early-maturing bird, with superior table qualities. 



The Brahma hens may be required to hatch some of their own 

 eggs in the latter part of winter for a supply of early spring chick- 

 ens. 



The Leghorns should not be hatched very early in the spring, ex- 

 cept enough to supply pullets for fall layers, so that a supply of 

 early spring chickens may thus be grown before commencing to 

 hatch the Leghorns for stock fowls. 



The Leghorns mature so rapidly that they can be hatched out later 

 in the season than the larger breeds. The young Leghorns make 

 very choice broilers equal in quality to those of any other breed 

 at the same age, though smaller than some of them. The pullets 

 mature very rapidly, and often commence to lay at from four to 

 five months if well fed or allowed their freedom on a good range. 



If kept for several generations in small enclosures the Leghorn 

 will decline in size, while, if furnished a large range on which they 

 find an abundance of food, a decided increase in size will result in a 

 few generations. 



A dozen Leghorn hens will furnish an abundant supply of eggs 



for an ordinary family for about 

 /nine months in the year, and, if 

 well treated, will furnish some 

 during the remaining three 

 months. 



As egg producers they have 

 no superior. 



Mr. Felch mentions a state- 

 ment made by Mr. Whitman in 

 ~ 1873. He says: "With fifty- 

 one Leghorns, which laid two 

 hundred and seven eggs each, 



WHITE LEGHORN?. 



