126- Profitable Poultry Keeping. 



of which can easily be attained, by any one having ordinary 

 common sense. If crosses are made without relation to the 

 characteristics of the birds so used, or without due apprecia- 

 tion of what is wanted in the progeny, or, again, simply made 

 for the sake of crossing, then the result can hardly fail to be 

 unsatisfactory. 



It will be asked by those who have large numbers of fowls, 

 which they keep for the sake of profit only, and who do not 

 care or who have no desire for pure-bred fowls as such, whether 

 it is better to keep the birds pure or crossed. We certainly 

 prefer the cross-bred birds for profit, but there must be pure- 

 bred fowls to supply the stocks of layers or table birds, and 

 these will have to be mated together in a systematic manner. 

 There are many advantages to be obtained by crossing, the 

 first, and perhaps principal, of which is the greater hardiness 

 of the birds so produced. The tendency of all high-class 

 breeding is to develop some point or quality, which is generally 

 secured only by the sacrifice of others, and thus, as these 

 points or qualities are by no means general, a certain amount of 

 in-breeding must take place ; or, the strength and constitution 

 of the animals are regarded as minor matters, and the result 

 is a weakening of the system. A first cross remedies this, 

 but, strange to say, the second generation begins to go back 

 again ; and the promiscuous crossing and in-breeding among 

 farm-yard fowls is undoubtedly the great cause of their de- 

 terioration. There is a natural law for this, but we have not 

 space here to enter into the details of it. Another great ad- 

 vantage is, that certain qualities can be bred for, which are 

 only to be got in pure-bred stock after many years of labour, 

 and not even then if feather is made the chief point. For 

 instance, Leghorns are good layers, but only moderate table 

 birds. To remedy the latter defect, without injury to the 

 laying powers, if present outward characteristics were to be 

 preserved, would be a long and weary task ; but in one year, 



