158 POULTRYI-CRAFT. 
217. Mating Silver and Golden Wyandottes.— These varieties being 
alike except in ground color of plumage, the rule for mating to get correct 
markings is the same for both. The breeder of Golden Wyandottes has an 
added difficulty in the task of getting the desired shade of golden bay in the 
ground color. The methods of mating to establish a good ground color are 
similar to those used to produce a uniform buff. (See { 226). To produce 
the finest Standard specimens of both sexes a mating of exhibition males and 
females is the best that can be made. The rule as given specially for Silvers, 
by A. C. Hawkins, in Farm-Poultry, is :— 
“Mate a male of good size, fine in form ; medium short legs, giving a blocky appearance ; 
medium sized comb, even and well pebbled on top, and curving with thé head; breast 
medium dark, with no edging on the feathers; a strongly striped hackle and saddle; 
white wing bow, clearly defined double bar on wing, flights free from extra white; with 
females of full or over weight, good combs, clear open laced centers on breast and back; 
well striped hackles, white wing tips, tails not too high; both males and females with good 
legs.” 
The females with /arge open centers all over, favored by some judges and 
breeders, are not Standard birds. (The Standard requires medium, not large 
centers in back). Still, the method of producing them is of interest to 
Wyandotte breeders, for if large open centers all over are demanded, notwith- 
standing the Standard, breeders must produce them, and if the fad persists, 
the Standard will eventually be changed to conform to it. It should be noted 
that the rules given below do not properly constitute a system like the double 
mating systems used for Barred Plymouth Rocks and Brown Leghorns. 
Ira C. Kellar’s rules (condensed and arranged from a series of articles on 
Golden Wyandottes, in Reltable Poultry Journal): 
(1). Yo Produce Large Centers on Cushion.— In breeding for large centers of cushion, 
depth of breast lacing in the female is lost. To produce these large centers, mate females 
that have them with a male that has a strong well laced breast, with not too large centers, 
with neck, beak, back, saddle, and wing coverts well laced. Such a mating should pro- 
duce a fair per cent of pullets with good sized centers all over, and nice very open laced 
cockerels. 
(2). To Produce Strongly Laced Males,— mate cockerels from above mating with 
fairly heavily laced females. 
(3). Lf Females are so Openas to Grow Weak in Breast,— mate witha Standard male. 
Some of the pullets from such a mating will be well laced all over, with quite heavy 
lacing. These mated to a male well laced zz every section will produce some pullets up 
to Standard, and a good per cent of Standard marked cockerels. 
(4). To Produce Pullets with Clear Open Large Centers all over, a Jatr Per Cent of 
which will Moult into Clear Centered Hens,— breed year after year from males well 
laced all over. Clear centered hens cannot be obtained by breeding Wyandottes heavily 
laced. 
218. Mating Light Brahmas.— The mating of Standard exhibition 
birds, as bred by the best breeders, is the best that can be made, and will 
produce a very small per cent of inferior specimens of either sex. In shape 
