112 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



been caring for the hundreds of pure-bred fowls, we have also 

 had hundreds of half-breeds, or direct crosses of our pure bred 

 birds. As a result, we have formulated the following table of 

 " ifs," which are wholly borne out by our experience : — 



If you want fun, . 



If you want flesh, 



If you want fancy, 



If you want ribbons, 



If you want big prices, 



If you want skill, . 



If you want fame, 



If you want small flocks. 



If you want a hobby, 



If you want beauty. 



If you want eggs, and eggs only. 



Raise 

 Raise 

 Raise 

 Raise 

 Raise 

 Raise 

 Raise 

 Raise 

 Raise 

 Raise 

 Raise 



IDure breeds, 

 pure breeds, 

 pure breeds, 

 pure breeds, 

 pure breeds, 

 pure breeds, 

 pure breeds, 

 pure breeds, 

 pure breeds, 

 pure breeds, 

 crosses. 



Supplementary to the last '' if," we would say that we be- 

 lieve there is no breed of poultry on earth that will lay as 

 many eggs as will the half-breed cross secured by breeding that 

 same variety on some other. This crossing should never be 

 carried to a second cross, as only mongrels will result, i^o 

 American variety should be crossed with a large breed, and no 

 Mediterranean with a small breed ; but by breeding Mediter- 

 raneans to American or Asiatics, remarkable results may be 

 obtained. This system is wholly unwise and impracticable 

 except on plants large enough to warrant the keeping of pure 

 strains of parent stock, or so located that one is able to secure 

 eggs for incubation from such plants. 



As to the breed we advise a man to keep, we would say, 

 get and keep the variety which you admire the most, and so 

 can learn to like the best. 'No, it is not the breed, but the 

 individual bird, that tells her story. Given the right man and 

 the right hen, no matter what the style of house, the area 

 of pasture or the nature of the feed, success is almost cer- 

 tainly insured from the first. There are hens that are not 

 hens, and there are hens that are regular egg machines. 



A few years ago we were riding through a village when a 

 man stopped us, and said he wanted to sell his hens cheap, for 

 they wouldn't lay. Going to his pens, we found about twenty 

 as beautiful White Leghorn hens as we had ever seen, with 

 great red combs and fine plnmago; these we purchased at 



