94 POULTRY 
as the span of those pullets which have laid 
for some time, but the difference in span 
between a good producing pullet and a poor 
producing pullet will be as marked or nearly 
as marked previous to the time of her laying 
as at any future time. By “span” is meant 
the distance between the back end of the 
breastbone and the pelvic or lay bones. 
See illustration showing method of spanning. 
In selecting pullets for the breeding pen no 
pullet should be considered which will not 
span at least the width of two or three 
fingers. 
Culling. From time to time these pullets 
should be culled, just the same as the poul- 
tryman will cull the rest of his stock during 
the winter. The characteristics which he 
will have in mind will be given in the chapter 
on Culling. 
Final Selection. After pullets have laid 
from early July or August until the middle 
or latter part of January the poultryman 
will have an opportunity in January to go 
into his flock of birds which he has set aside 
as breeders and make a final elimination of 
the poorer layers. The birds which he has 
