A POULTRY COMPENDIUM. 2^ 



a hen having a strong or even, upright comb ; this will 

 give good, firm, erect combs on the cockerels. 



Mate hens with large combs, falling well over to side, 

 with cockerels with medium size combs ; this will give 

 good pullets. 



In other respects let your birds be good show birds, 

 with the exception of the color of the ear-lobe, which 

 should have a shade of yellow, instead of being white, 

 as the Standard at this writing demands, and with the 

 further exception in White Leghorn cocks of having a 

 golden tinge ' to the plumage, especially of the hackle. 



This yellow tinge in ear-lobes and in the plumage of 

 White Leghorn cocks is the usual attendant of yellow 

 legs and yellow skin, which make the fowls more desira- 

 ble when they are marketed. 



The Leghorns, in addition to their other good quali- 

 ties, it will be seen, are easily mated, the natural mating 

 throwing a good percentage of fine chicks. 



A careful study of the general principles laid down 

 for mating, and of the special examples given of mating 

 certain breeds, will enable any one to mate almost any 

 breed of fowls so as to produce fairly good results ; but 

 only a natural genius for mating stock, an eye which 

 can, from a glance at the sire and the dam, see the 

 figure and the markings of the future chick, will enable 

 a man to achieve the highest success as a breeder. In- 

 struction is valuable, rules are of service ; but the breed- 

 er, like the poet, is born, not made. 



INCUBATION. 



You have settled upon the principles of mating your 



