92 MAKING POULTRY PAY 



that where farmers do not care to breed pure stock 

 no better fowls can be obtained than this cross. 

 One must necessarily keep a pen of pure Brahma hens 

 in order to get the eggs. 



THE BREEDING PEN 



It will pay generally to have a house and yard for 

 a breeding pen. In this should be placed a dozen or 

 fifteen of the best hens and pullets and one or two fine 

 males. These will provide eggs enough to raise 200 or 

 300 chicks, and give better results than if the eggs are 

 saved promiscuously from the flock. 



THE TEST OF BREED 



"Uncle, what breed of chickens is the best ?" 

 "Well, sah, de white ones is de easiest found, and 

 the dahk ones is de easiest hid arter yo' gits 'em." 



The old darkey who made the above sage remark 

 was just about right. The white fowls, although they 

 show off the best on a lawn or field, are easiest seen by 

 hawks and other chicken thieves. For this reason many 

 farmers who keep fowls on the open range prefer dark- 

 colored birds, for the losses by hawks and crows are 

 less. On the other hand the white fowls dress off the 

 nicest, as the pinfeathers do not show as plainly. 



VARIETIES OF POULTRY 



There are thirty-eight breeds, with 88 varieties; 

 in all 104 kinds recognized by the Standard. There 

 are several not yet recognized by the American 

 Poultry association. For practical purposes these 

 can be divided into four classes, viz : those 

 adapted for the production of meat, eggs, general pur- 



