Light Brahmas, Black Langshans, Buff and Partridge Cochins; 

 in the American class the Barred, Buff and White Plymouth 

 Rocks, all the Wyandottes and the Rhode Island Reds ; in the 

 Mediterranean class the Black Minorcas, Brown, White and 

 Buff Leghorns. These are the great money-making varieties. 

 The Asiatics are excellent table fowls and prolific layers of 

 dark brown eggs. They are good sitters and mothers, although 

 somewhat clumsy. They are inclined to be sluggish and read- 

 ily take on fat. They stand cold well, and make good winter 

 layers. The Mediterraneans are egg machines, turning out 

 great quantities of white-shelled eggs. They do not stand 

 cold as well as the Asiatic and American breeds, and are not as 

 good fowls for the table. The Americans on the whole are the 

 favorites. They are all-round birds, good layers of brown eggs, 

 excellent for the table, good sitters and mothers. They stand 

 cold well, and are the birds for farmers and breeders. The 

 danger with every breed is that it will get into the hands of the 

 fanciers and be bred for points rather than for utility. Stam- 

 ina is the important thing, and not the show card. It will be a 

 great day for the poultry business when farmers keep more 

 pure-bred fowls, for then the great standard varieties may be 

 kept up without danger of deterioration. 



HOW MANY VARIETIES SHALL I KEEP? 



After studying the matter carefully, I have come to the con- 

 clusion that it is better for' the average poultryman to confine 

 himself to one variety. He will get better results and make 

 more money if he concentrates his energies than he will if he 

 dissipates them. After a man has made a success with one 

 variety he may perhaps add another, and even a third ; but the 

 best poultrymen do not handle many varieties, and some of the 

 most successful confine themselves to one. Where several 

 varieties are kept I would suggest that there be some principle 

 of unity determining the choice. Let the birds all be of one 

 color say white, black or buff or let them all be of one fam- 

 ily, like the Leghorns, Wyandottes or Plymouth Rocks. 

 Where the fowls are all of one family they will have the same 

 characteristics and respond to the same treatment. In case of 

 an accidental mix-up the damage is reduced to a minimum, for 

 the birds are all of the same size, comb and contour. 



HOW MANY RECORDS ARE WRECKED. 



Some time ago I received a letter from a young lady who is 

 an enthusiastic poultrywoman, in which she said that she was 



