92 POULTRY 
easier to pick out a good male than when 
they reach adult size, because the difference 
between a rapidly growing male which now 
weighs two and one-quarter pounds and a 
slower growing male which weighs only one 
and three-quarters to two pounds is easily 
noticed. We have a better measure of the 
maturity of the birds at this time because, if 
the comb and wattles of any particular male 
bird have developed much more than the 
average of his brothers, it shows that he 
possesses the factor of early maturity. It is 
known, further, that the factor of early 
maturity is transmitted from the male bird 
to his offspring. In short, if we pick out 
from our male birds as breeders the earliest 
maturing, the quickest growing, the strongest 
and most vigorous, we will have the best 
breeding stock it is possible for us to select. 
Select Double the Number Needed. At 
the time of selection, twice as many male 
birds as will be required for breeding should 
be chosen. This gives the poultryman an 
opportunity to eliminate later any birds 
that do not keep up with their brothers. 
Even among the so-called best birds there 
