Cumberland white-egg blood, the rest (one-eighth) being the 

 "new native" blood. If bred again to the Cumberlands this year, 

 the progeny will be only one-sixteenth "new native" or green-egg 

 blood. If they laid in exact proportion to their blood, they might 

 give about six eggs to the hundred showing the color more or 

 less. No one knows just how they will lay, of course. Hence^ 

 the future of the Runner as affected by the new blood is as yet 

 uncertain. 



That is, it is a bit uncertain as regards the market egg. As 

 to the fancy quality, it is perfectly certain that the new blood will 

 improve it, wherever it is used. The bodies are better, the backs 

 straighter at neck, the feathering more compact, the penciling^ 

 more in accordance with the breed Standard, and the markings 

 very nearly as good ; probably quite as good in the best specimens. 

 The heads and necks are better, the carriage more graceful, the 

 running gait not only faster, but decidedly better than any hither- 

 to shown even in New York's best shows. 



It works out about to this, as a commercial proposition : If 

 a buyer wants to go into fancy stock and is willing to do a mod- 

 erately good business, without any trouble in answering ques- 

 tions about the green egg, it is better for him to stick to the pure 

 white-egg Cumberland stock. If, however, he wants to get a 

 look-in at the best prizes in the best shows, or if he is going to 

 raise Runners for market eggs only, the Cumberland-Fairy-Fawn 

 stock bred to a white egg is the best stock for him. The small 

 proportion of green-egg ducks which the future will give may 

 be sold with the surplus males for more than they cost to produce, 

 and a few years will weed them all out, if we may judge by the 

 American Standard breeders' claims. The faint-hearted would 

 better take the Cumberlands. We do not have to argue that the 

 white egg is the more attractive: it shows for itself. But, at 

 present, the proportion of Irish people in New York insures, 

 there, the sale of the green eggs. Later, they will be fewer, if 

 proper selections are made in the stock. 



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