BREEDING AND CROSS-BREEDING. 255 
reduced to one-eighth ; after four years to one-sixteenth. 
One may have a flock of hens which have been carelessly 
bred, and into which no fresh blood has been introduced 
for years. They are small, hardy, active, fair layers, 
good sitters and mothers, and get their own living all 
summer—but the garden suffers. How can the flock be 
improved ? This, we conceive, is the question which 
may be put by ninety-nine in a hundred of the keepers 
of hens in the country. The answer suggests itself, but 
first we should know whether eggs, or broilers, or full- 
grown fowls for market (chickens in autumn or winter) 
pay best. The farmer must treat his flock of hens 
exactly as he would his flock of sheep or his herd of 
cows, or other stock ; that is, secure the use of full-blood 
males having the desired characteristics. Thus, if he 
wishes eggs, he will buy cocks of some one of those breeds 
famous for the number of eggs the heus lay. Size and 
beauty of eggs may be an object, or simply a large num- 
ber may be most desirable. The French breeds and the 
Spanish usually have large eggs; Leghorns, eggs of 
medium size; Hamburgs lay many but small eggs; 
while all are persistent layers of beautiful white eggs. 
The half-bloods, as a whole, will take after the pure 
breed in a good measure, and in so far may be said to be 
an improvement upon the old stock. The second year 
the three-quarter bloods will closely resemble pure-bred 
ones; some will only be distinguished from pure-bloods 
by an expert, while others will show their dunghill 
origin very clearly, and yet, as layers, these may be the 
very best. So improvement goes on. The flock will in 
two or three years assume the appearance of ‘‘fancy” 
poultry of the breed selected with which to produce the 
improvement. The question naturally arises, Will they 
be improved ?—be better and more profitable than they 
were before? Perhaps not for all uses, but as layers, 
yes. The hens will lay more eggs; they will be less 
