LINE BREEDING AND MENDEL'S LAW 197 



all line-bred strains, in order to save himself from dis- 

 aster if he should by chance fail with the first. The 

 idea that the same laws can be used to produce the kind 

 of market fowl which the country or the choice of the 

 handler demands is slowly permeating the thinking of 

 the poultry contingent. Despite our belief in the old 

 proverb that like produces like, there was a stumbling- 

 block somewhere, and for many years no one could find 

 just where it lay. Apparently at random, like produced 

 unlike upon occasion. With a law that shows under 

 just what circumstances like will produce unlike, we 

 have the key to the situation. Our proverb may be 

 useful after all. 



Brevity Points 



Every bird will inherit from the heads' of the line. 



Close interbreeding may intensify defects as well as 

 virtues. 



Selection culls out defects ; selection holds virtues. 

 (Application limited.) 



Narrow head, small comb, for the breed, lack of size 

 or color mean lack of vigor ; strength of color in eye, 

 face, furnishings, and plumage denote vigor ; as does 

 also a strong voice. 



Extra size, color, vigor, are demanded in the founda- 

 tion birds of a line. 



It is folly to breed from a bird lacking in size, weight, 

 color, or "snap." Intelligence, interest in food, in life, 

 and in people are marks of thoroughly good stock. 



Extra size, vigor, color, are demanded for the birds 

 which are of the Line Foundation. They must be of 



