THE PROBLEMS IN MATING AND IN EGG PEODXICTION 93 



black. The undercolor should be of about the same shade as 

 the surface color. 



In mating reds the birds should be of uniform brilliancy — 

 cherry red in both surface and under color. It is maintained 

 by some of the leading breeders that a small amount of smut 

 in either sire or dam is practically essential to obtain the best 

 surface and undercolors for exhibition purposes. The neck 

 hackle, wing bow, and saddle should be a uniform dark bril- 

 liant cherry red and the balance of the surface an even uniform 

 rich red color. In mating pluck a feather from the breast 

 of the cock or cockerel and compare it with the back feathers 

 of the hen. To obtain the best results with the mating these 

 colors should blend. 



The hen gives type and size to the progeny. The male 

 gives the color. These two points should be kept in mind in 

 mating Reds. 



If you do not make proper matings to produce proper color, 

 you lose variety characteristics. If you do not make proper 

 matings to produce the proper shape in the progeny, you are 

 losing the principal breed characteristics. 



Wyandottes. — In selecting Wyandottes it is well to keep in 

 mind that the breed characteristics call for a broad, deep, well- 

 rounded breast, with full saddle and hackle, raising with con- 

 cave sweep to the tail. Breed from cockerels and pullets 

 that are slow in developing tails. 



In selecting the male it will be well to keep in mind the fact 

 that a male that is ugly and crabbed to his hens, driving them 

 away from their food, is not likely to make a good breeder. 



An old experienced breeder of Partridge Cochins, in dis- 

 cussing the mating of this breed, says, "If you will take a 

 standard female and a male with rich dark standard surface 

 color, but white undercolor, you will get half of the pullets 

 show birds." 



Proper attention to undercolor is of the most vital impor- 

 tance in breeding parti-colored fowls. 



In selecting breeding birds in the Golden and Silver varie- 

 ties, see that the lacing is well marked on the thighs. 



In mating Silver Penciled Wyandottes for the production of 

 pullets, the cockerel should have some frosting on his breast 



