32 POULTSY FATTENING. 



again what we want to secure the best body : (1) a 

 long body ; (2) a broad breast ; (3) a deep body ; 

 and (4) large wings. These points are carefully 

 regarded in the great poultry districts of IVance, and 

 in the La Bresse country the length of body receives 

 prominent consideration, a short-keeled fowl being 

 looked upon as inferior. 



In making a selection for breeding table poultry, we 

 strongly urge that, as far as possible, heavy-legged 

 and heavy-boned fowls shall be avoided, because, 

 as every one acknowledges, the best part of a fow 

 is undoubtedly the meat found upon the breast, and 

 it is in this direction that we wish to develop. The 

 legs of a fowl are composed of sinews and veins, 

 which are tougher and have less food value than the 

 breast meat, and we should breed as little for legs as 

 possible. A further point is that all feather-legged 

 birds ought to be avoided for table purposes. These 

 ornamental additions to the legs and feet have to be 

 maintained, and this can only be done at the expense 

 of economic qualities. It has been proved again and 

 again that since hock and leg feathers have been so 

 much developed on the Cochin and Brahma, both 

 these breeds have deteriorated in respect to egg and 

 flesh production, and the reason for this change must 

 be obvious to all who have studied the laws of 

 breeding. 



A further question is as to the relative weight of 

 meat and bone upon fowls, because in selecting table 

 poultry it is not so much size of frame that we must 

 look to as the amount of actual food thereon. For- 

 tunately we have some tables showing the result of 



