386 BROILERS, ROASTERS, AND CAPONS 
ing is undoubtedly more profitable when carried on as a side line 
to some branch of agriculture, for its season is short, and the 
amount of labor required from hatching time to finishing is small. 
The returns are very satisfactory, but the cost of producing 
varies greatly, this depending upon the amount and kind of range 
for grazing. There are two great advantages which the roaster 
growers of the New Jersey district have,—namely, large fields 
for range after grain crops, or green pasture following the first 
cutting of hay. These areas serve admirably for supplying plenty 
of the required nutriment at so little expense that the cost of 
production is materially reduced. 
In many of our Eastern Roaster Districts, the growers have 
attempted to improve the quality of their stock with reference to 
roasting qualities by cross breeding; attempting to combine the 
qualities of fairly quick maturity with large size. The most not- 
able result that has been attained in this line of work is the 
development of a local breed known as the Black Giants. This 
has been attained by the careful and persistent efforts of roaster 
* growers in Monmouth and Burlington Counties, in New Jersey. 
These Black Giants are larger than Langshans; they have black 
plumage, clean shanks with yellow legs and skin. They are birds 
of exceptionally fine quality,and owing to the number of years 
which they have been bred, the type is becoming more or less 
fixed and the product more uniform. 
Most roaster growing is characterized by systematic marketing. 
In some districts it is carried on through the efforts of local 
buyers who reside in the district and make a practice of purchasing 
the birds from the raisers in the name of some reliable commission 
concern, after which they are crated at the point of loading and 
shipped to various centres of distribution. In other districts the 
roaster growers all codperate and hire their own selling agent. 
To succeed in the growing of prime roasters, a poultryman 
must become familiar with the following general’ factors: (1) 
What the team “roaster”’ implies; (2) market types of roasters; 
(3) natural seasons of demand and variation in price; (4) features 
of a desirable roaster; (5) breeds best adapted to roaster growing; 
(6) special points in management. 
What the Term Roaster Implies.—A roaster is a quickly-grown 
bird of either sex, tender meated, and of good weight, and, owing 
to its large size and fine quality of flesh, is in fine condition for 
roasting. 
