THE ASIATICS. 1 



31 



hold as a pleasant remembrance a conversation with Judge 

 Ball, of Massachusetts, who was a very enthusiastic lover 

 and breeder of this noble breed. Though he seemed to be 

 surprised at my knowledge of this breed, I was equally 

 pleased at his love and enthusiasm for them, because therein 

 laid the key to my success in mating and breeding them. 



MATING BY USE OF THE STANDARD 



One very good mating I find is birds of equai color, that 

 is, as near the Standard as you can get them, selected from 

 a promiscuous flock of hens and pullets, mated not akin, 

 all good individuals, cut not over one point in any section 

 as pullets, or one and one-half as hens, as all birds do not 

 hold their color at two and three years old. I find they 

 seldom do from the old strains, and that is why I value so 

 highly the strain that does. That in 

 why I described in the Reliable Poultry 

 Journal so minutely my choice matings 

 and my mode of keeping them, and why 

 I consider it so important that where we 

 have a hen, or several hens, that hold 



their color at two and three years old, t ( 



they should be put where every egg can 

 be carefully set and pedigreed. This is 

 the only way, I believe, by which we can 

 increase and "fix" the color of our birds, 

 or, rather, produce a strain that will 

 not fade at one year old, or even at two 

 years of age. 



In mating number two I mentioned, 

 we must select birds, both male and fe- 

 male, to come as near up to the Stand- 

 ard requirements as possible. The cock 

 or cockerel should be medium high on 

 legs, not too long nor too short — legs 

 of a deep yellow color, heavily feathered, 

 the feathering mottled with black. He 

 should be of Standard weight when in 

 good flesh, and if he is over Standard 

 weight (not too fat) , so much the better, 

 though I do not fancy the extra large 

 males, nor do I find them as good breed- 

 ers as the medium sized. Medium sized 

 cockerels mated with large hens make 

 the best matings. The comb should be 

 set evenly on the head, be deeply ser- 

 rated and extend well on top of the 

 head. The head should be broad and 

 short, with overhanging eyebrows and 

 a full, well-developed throat, full, well- 

 arched hackle, long and flowing, four- 

 fifths of the feather black. The 

 wattles and ear-lobes should be a 

 bright red, as well as the comh, 

 and well developed. A very particular point in this 

 mating (as well as in the first mating mentioned) 

 should be a deep bay eye in both males and females. 

 Wings of both male and female should be as near solid 

 black as you can get them and there is generally a white 

 rim on each wing feather, the web being black to the 

 flights. Our best breeders get fine colored backs, that is, 

 with bluish under-color, and if you practice the mating I 

 have first described you will soon have color in wings of 

 pullets as well as cockerels and have an even bluish under- 

 color in both males and females, with few black "ticks" in 

 backs of pullets — none in cockerels. This has been 

 my experience, and I believe it will be yours, and 

 as I have several pullets entirely free from the "ticks" 

 in back, also hens one and two years old that have almost 



solid black flights, I feel confident that I can in a short 

 time have them breed true enough to be entirely free from 

 them and be in color equal to the males. 



The coverts Of the cockerel for the pen mating called 

 number two should be, first row black, also main tail feath- 

 ers black; second and third row of coverts black edged with 

 pure white like the hackle. Breast, broad and full; body 

 long as compared with a Cochin; wings well folded and 

 tolded high enough to give breadth to body as well as to 

 back. He should be broad across the saddle, nearly as much 

 so as across the shoulders. The wings should be folded high 

 enough to give a broad, flat back across the' shoulders, well 

 rounded, yet broad as it sweeps in concave line to tall. I 

 like black mottling in the foot feathering of the females as 



The Boston First Prize Light Brahnia Pullet, Referred to in Mr, McGrew's Article, "I,ight 

 Brahmas In New England," Owned by J. W. Shaw. 



well as in malts, and believe it is impossible to get uniform- 

 ity of color in our males and maintain it, unless we are more 

 particular about the color in the females. It is time to ex- 

 plode the idea that males must have black in color whether 

 or not the females do. Of course it stands to reason that 

 where pullets and hens lack color the cockerel, if very dark, 

 can improve greatly the color of the progeny, for he is half 

 the flock, and any one knows that by adding one very dark 

 pullet it would only increase the color of her progeny. If all 

 the pullets were dark and the cockerel lacked color, it 

 would have the same effect that a dark cockerel would have 

 added to the pen of light pullets, yet. in establishing pedi- 

 greed stock I find that a very dark cockerel, when mated 

 to any pullet, is liable to produce cockerels with black 

 in back. Hence, my advice on my favorite mating 



