176 COMMON SENSE 
tried it, and met with a small measure of success, but food alone 
will not accomplish a great deal. 
Others, again, depend upon the breed. It is well known that 
some bfeeds—Leghorns, Hamburghs, etc.—are known as summer 
layers, while the Asiatic fowls—Brahmas, Cochins, etc.—are win- 
ter layers. ‘here is a good deal in this, but not enough to turn 
the tables. ‘ 
Others try to get eggs in winter, by raising very early chickens, 
and this is the most efficient method of all, provided other con- 
ditions are favorable. 
The fact is, that it is useless .to depend upon any one or two of 
these conditions; we must bring them all into play if we would 
have eggs in winter. We must have hens of a suitable breed; 
they must be properly houséd and fed, and they. must be of the 
proper age. A failure -in ay one of these’ conditions will be fatal 
to success. “These three things are like food, clothing and air 
to a human being: No amount of elothing will make up for 
want of food, and no amount of food will énable us to do without 
air. We must have-all three together if we would keep in good 
health. 
As regards the best breed, I had long ago made up my mind that 
a cross between the Hamburgh or Leghorn and some heavy Asiatic 
fowl was altogether the most promising in this respect, and in 
making up my breeding coops, I had this in view, though not 
quite as clearly as I would have done, if at that time I had had 
more experience. When I came to fairly face the problem of 
producing eggs in December, I mated White Leghorn and 
Spangled Hamburgh cocks with good hens having a large propor- 
tion of Asiatic blood. Some of the latter were pure Brahma, 
others were apparently Cochin crossed with Dominiques, and I 
found that I got better results from these: crosses than from any 
other breed. 
Raising chickens in January is oublesame work, and unless the 
poultry breeder has good facilities and considerable experience, 
the outgo will exceed the income. Of this I was well assured, but 
I resolved to try the experimeiit, : ands 
’ 
§ 
