SMALL HOLDINGS 175 



These birds are large, they possess good 

 constitutions, and produce a fair quantity of 

 flesh, while they make useful crosses; but they 

 cannot compare with the Dorking in the quan- 

 tity of meat which they produce, especially 

 on the best parts of the carcass, or with its 

 quality. For this among other reasons we 

 strongly urge the poultry-breeder who devotes 

 his attention to the production of chickens 

 for the table to employ the Dorking either in 

 its pure condition or by using it for crossing 

 with his hens. If he adopts the latter course 

 he should make a point of selecting the best 

 half-bred hens — those which resemble the 

 pure Dorking most nearly — and again crossing 

 them with the Dorking cock. By the con- 

 tinual introduction of Dorking blood he will 

 improve the size and the table properties 

 of his birds. If, however, a first cross is 

 preferred between two pure breeds, the best 

 plan is to select large-framed Dorking hens 

 — for the size of the chickens is influenced 

 by the size of the female parent — and mate 

 them with an Indian Game cockerel. In 

 this case the two pure breeds would of 

 necessity be employed each year as breeding 

 stock, the chickens, all of which would be 

 half-bred, being sold for table purposes. 



