Selection of Stock, 31 ■ 



variety. If yon are livin,8; in a country district awa^' 

 from any other fanciers, >-ou will have to rely entirely 

 upon your own judgment in selecting a breeder to 

 whom to apply. But should it happen that you are 

 resident in a district where a number of fanciers reside, 

 it will be wise to consult them, and ask their advice, 

 not only in deciding whom to get birds from, but also 

 in the choice of a variety. They, -with their knowledge 

 born of experience, will be able to give sound ad\-ice 

 fill both i)oint,s. 



A F.^N'CIER 'S honour. 



The decison having been made, as to the breeder 

 and the breed, you, my young aspirant for fame, should 

 write to the faiicier you have selected, and place your- 

 self unreservedly in his hands. Tell him how much 

 money you have to spend, also that >'ou know nothing 

 whatever about the breed, and wish him to do his best 

 in mating you up one, two, or three pairs of birds as 

 the case may be, to the best of his knowledge and 

 ability, and with a view to their producing something 

 which may be able to give a good account of itself in 

 the show pen. B_v so doing you are almost certain to 

 get better served than if you approach the big breeder 

 on his ow.i level, jiretending to know all things when 

 you know little or nothing. Most breeders, when put 

 on their honour, will give a new hand a bit more for his 

 money than they will the man who knows as much as 

 themselves. Not infrequently have I known fanciers, 

 having sold a young hand a pair of two of birds, and 

 given him full value for his money, to at the finish 

 give the young be,ginner a pair of birds for luck. 



The .great advantage of going to a man with a name 

 and reputation to sustain is that he is not likely to do 

 anything to besmirch his fame, also that the birds 

 secured will be of one particular family and thus more 

 or less related. This is a most important factor in the 

 success of a loft. Generally speaking, it is useless 

 expecting to breed winners if the stock birds are un- 

 related. 



HOW not to po tt. 



Some short time as'o I was consulted by a well- 

 known Southern exhibitor as to the selection of a hen 



