CHOICE OF BREEDS. 35 



would guard against introducing them into 

 the poultry-yard. I have found them to be, 

 at best, very indifferent layers. 



Most persons are desirous to have fowls 

 of a large size, but this may be carried too 

 far. When very large, they consume a 

 greater quantity of food, and do not, even 

 with this, fatten well ; they are, in general, 

 indifferent layers, and not very steady sitters. 



The better practice would seem to be, ir> 

 order to make a poultry-yard most profitable, 

 to select no particular breed. Commence 

 with pullets and cocks of the first year, of 

 all the breeds mentioned above, except ban- 

 tams, and without any regard to colour ex- 

 cepting those of a pure white. It would be 

 well, if possible, to select the cocks from the 

 same yard. Every year exchange a nest- 

 ful or two of eggs with your neighbours, or 

 such as have good fowls. In transporting 

 eggs from a distance for breeding, jt should, 

 however, be borne in -mind, that much mo- 

 tion will destroy the germinating power. 

 However carefully packed, the rude motion 

 of a wagon will render them unfit for hatch- 



