1907.] 



Fowls for Table Poultry. 



269 



to 10 lb. Above this size the tendency is to develop heavy bone, 

 which means a corresponding extension of the period of growth, 

 increased cost of production, and lessened quality of the flesh. 

 The best results are obtained with birds which have a well- 

 developed frame without heaviness of bone, and upon which 

 the meat can be increased by fattening. The heaviest-boned 

 fowls are usually those with the longest legs, and the tendency 

 to elongation of the limbs and neck seen in a few breeds means 

 slower growth and lessened meat properties. Further, excess 

 of feather has a similar influence, and means greater cost in 

 production. Bone and feather are both essential, but are 

 undesirable beyond what is absolutely necessary. 



The structure of any animal or bird is largely influenced by 

 the extent of use of its various organs, limbs and muscles. 

 In a state of nature fowls fly as much as they walk, and thus 

 the development of the wing and leg muscles is about equal, 

 while under domestication fowls fly less and walk more. Un- 

 doubtedly the change is largely due to increase of size of body, 

 as the wing power has not developed proportionately with the 

 weight to be lifted. Under these conditions the constant 

 tendency is to diminution of the size of wings, and consequently 

 of the motor muscles, so that, if unchecked, the result would be 

 largely to increase the leg bone and muscle and to decrease the 

 breast meat. Such changes are evident in many breeds of fowls, 

 more especially in the Asiatics and such as are descended there- 

 from, in which long legs, heavy in bone, big thighs, with small 

 wings and breasts, are characteristic. It is not too much to say 

 that increased size of body would always be accompanied by 

 these changes unless the tendency were corrected by careful 

 selection on the part of breeders. In spite of all that may be 

 said as to the evils arising from an excessive development of 

 arbitrary points, it speaks volumes for the practical results of 

 poultry-breeding that breeders have, in the purely table races, 

 maintained and developed the breast qualities against a constant 

 tendency to reduction in that direction. We may fairly claim 

 that the fine meat properties in our table fowls are due to 

 definite and persistent breeding, and not to natural conditions 

 or to chance. Recognition of the fact here explained is 

 necessary in order to ensure a continuance of such methods in 

 the future. 



