BULLETIN 280 



APPLIANCES AND METHODS FOR PEDIGREE 



POULTRY BREEDING AT THE 



MAINE STATION. 



John W. Gowen. 



This bulletin is largely a reprint and compilation of Bul- 

 letins No. 159 and 165 with the similar titles which are now 

 out of print, by Raymond Pearl and Frank M. Surface. The 

 appliances and methods now in use are those which the experi- 

 ence of these men have found most worthy of perpetuating and 

 in addition the new practices and apparatus which the further 

 years of experience have found advantageous in pedigree poul- 

 try breeding. 



Since the time of the publication of the previous bulletin 

 on this subject the growth and demand for pedigree stock has 

 so increased that little argument is required to convince the 

 live poultryman that an accurate and trustworthy pedigree sys- 

 tem for the birds in his flock is a business proposition. The 

 technical problems that arise in the arrangement of the system 

 for pedigreeing often seems to be quite intricate and complex. 

 In its breeding work the Station has a working solution of 

 some of these technical problems that appear to have the ad- 

 vantages of accuracy, simplicity and completeness. Since 

 these methods have proved to be useful in actual practice and 

 are in considerable demand, it seems desirable to revise and 

 republish them for the benefit of other breeders who wish to 

 keep exact pedigrees. 



OUTLINE OF STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED. 



In order that a concrete idea may be gained of the nature 

 of the technical problems which present themselves in pedigree 

 breeding work with poultry, it may be well to trace the opera- 

 tions which demand attention in the production of a chicken 



