y4 POULTRY FATTENING. 



entirely upon the breast. The legs are shortish and 

 have not much muscle. Of the four varieties Darks 

 are undoubtedly the best for practical purposes, being 

 largest and probably having the greatest amount of 

 vigour. Next we should place the Silver Greys, and 

 these two are the best for economic purposes. It 

 has sometimes been said that the Dorking is delicate, 

 but we think that this stateme^it applies chiefly to it 

 in damp situations, as the breed is able to withstand 

 cold quite easily. Our contention is evidenced by the 

 fact that Dorkings are not only bred in the south of 

 England, but as far north as Banffshire in Scotland, 

 down the east coast of that country, in the north of 

 Ireland, and in the hill country of Cumberland and 

 Westmoreland. Strange though it may seem, many 

 of the best Dorkings of late years have been bred in 

 Scotland and Ireland. Dorkings grow to a great size, 

 and a dozen pounds is no uncommon weight for an 

 adult cock. 



In selecting Dorkings for table purposes, the follow- 

 ing points are most important : (1) that the bird shall 

 be large and broad in bodj^ with a good square frame 

 and a straight keel or breast-bone — a weak breast-bone 

 being met with in many families of Dorkings ; (2) that 

 it shall have good flesh qualities ; (3) that the legs and 

 feet shall be pure white ; and (4) that the bone shall 

 be fine. This question of bone has been somewhat 

 neglected of late years, probably due to crossing with 

 other breeds in order to obtain size ; Isut we should 

 urge attention being paid to it. A coarse-boned 

 Dorking is obviously against common sense. I have 

 been glad to see at some of the shows recently held 



