102 BOARD OF AGEICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



the stock demanded by practical producers, and is sufficiently 

 well known, can sell all he can raise at a good price, and 

 make the most money. The skilful fancier will have a great 

 advantage if he is on a farm instead of a village lot. If I 

 were going into the business to-day, to sell pure-bred breed- 

 ing stock, I should follow either plan, according to circum- 

 stances, and I think I could make more money than by 

 breeding poultry or eggs for market. 



Every year there is more and more demand all over the 

 country for pure-bred males to improve stock, and every 

 year there will be a greater demand. I have a friend who 

 sold eighteen hundred dollars' worth of pure-bred cockerels 

 last season. There is a chance in this line, but not every 

 one is cut out for the work. Others will do better to let the 

 breeder improve and perfect, and regularly get their males 

 fi'om him. The male is the most important part of the flock. 

 I am out of all patience with this idea of buying the meanest, 

 cheapest specimen of pure-breds. Get the best, — not the 

 exhibition birds, but those having in the greatest excellence 

 the qualities you desire, and pay what you must to secure 

 them. A good bird at from two to five dollars is a wise in- 

 vestment, even for grading up common stock or making 

 crosses. If you reckon the difference it makes in the in- 

 crease in egg-production alone, you wdll be convinced. The 

 size and marketable qualities of the whole flock depend 

 greatly upon the superiority or inferiority of the male. 



Producers of cattle, sheep and hogs for market have 

 found they usually get stronger animals and better market 

 stock by producing first crosses and high grades. By using 

 a male of the same breed year after year, we secure grades 

 that are hardy and have the qualities of the pure breed. If 

 males of difierent breeds are used each season, the stock 

 soon becomes rather inferior. The more they are mixed in 

 this way, the more breeds they are composed of, the worse 

 they become. By crossing two pure breeds that are very 

 dissimilar, we secure an increase in hardiness in the first 

 cross, as well as the special qualities of each breed in a 

 high degree. More of the chickens will live, and the feed- 

 ing power is also greater. These first crosses, the males 

 especially, should be marketed, never bred from. 



