14 
The Australasian Book of Poultry. 
saiiic in a limited degree, witli tlie natural C(jnse(iuenc-e that the majorit)- of i)ure-bred l)irds are more 
vigorous, have vastly inrreased stamina, and the utility qualities are slightly increased, much more so than 
was the case some vears hack. 'I'he evil effects of in-breeding continuously must of necessity drain the 
constitution of the birds, though fixing the fancy [joints or markings definitel)". 
Moreover, crossing is not so objectionable where a careful selection of the stock l>irds is made, and 
where there is an object to be attained. To simply cross two breeds, without knowing or heeding what the 
probable result will be, is to court certain failure. Some breeds will cross with others to advantage, but when 
breeds not suited to each other are crossed the progeny will be decidedly inferior.. To exjilain this : A 
Urown Leghorn cockerel crossed with a Partridge ('ochin hen. The birds so bred will be hardy, of good 
si/e, atid fair lavers. In both breeds the cocks possess black breasts, single combs, antl are fairly similar in 
])lumage, though there is a marked difference in si/e and shape. Should, however, a Polish cockerel be 
crossed with any of the Asiatic varieties, veritable mongrels will be produced ; the cross being too sudden or 
violent, the progenv will fail, in being either delicate or wanting in prolificacy, and inferior to either breed 
pure. This is the cause of most failures in crossing, that is the haphazard or careless manner in which the 
breeding stock were mated ; and, under the circumstances, where [>ractical knowledge i> wanting, it is lietter 
in every way to keep the lireeds pure than to cross them with birds that have nothing in common. In 
a few words, there is an art in crossing to obtain good results. 
To prove that the main (jualities of the different breeds are often sacrificed will be shown by the 
following experiment : Select a number of hens of various breeds, or of one breed only, and cross them with 
a Houdan cock. The [)rogeny will lean strongly towards the Houdan type, many appearing almost true 
Houdans (as the Houdan possesses such prepotency). It will ai)pear at first sight to be an excellent cross, 
and is undoubtedly so the first year, but if the.se cro.ss-bred fowls are allowed to breed together nothing but 
an inferior class of fowl will result. The first cross was successful because the Houdan was pure and selected 
for the purpose, but the second would turn out a failure owing to lack of affinity in the stock. No cross can 
be made, that will improve qualities that cannot be found in pure breeds, without sacrificing in some degree 
other (lualities ; if the pure breeds are not jjerfect, the same may confidently be said about the cros.s-breds. 
If a breed possesses one cjuality more dominant than another, part of this is lost by crossing, as a perfect bird 
cannot be produced by crossing two different varieties. Without doubt it requires more than two to blend 
into one the good qualities of all, and when one [joint or ([uality is gained some other is necessarily .sacrificed. 
Any desired virtue may be found embodied in one or other of the pure breeds, there being so many 
breeds of Poultry (now recognised as standard breeds) which were produced by a very long series of 
systematic selection and judicious crossing, that to further attempt to produce a bird of superlative all-round 
merit by crossing would be the same as carrying coals to Newcastle, and a waste of energy. Again, crossing 
cannot unite extremes ; a breed intended to be contented in a confined space cannot of necessity become an 
active forager, and an active forager, such as the Leghorn, Andalusian, or Minorca, will not give satisfactory 
result.s, in keeping with thciv recognised qualities, if kept in close confinement, so that nothing would be gained 
by crossing two breeds of such widely different habits. The pure breeds, being in such great variety, offer 
quite a wide enough scope to select from ; some are extra hardy, of early growth, some highly prolific, some 
of great size, others small. Beauty of plumage, grand carriage, undoubted courage, and quality of flesh are 
qualities not possessed entirely by every breed, yet each will excel in one or other of these distinct characteristics. 
Poultry P'armers should take the greatest interest in the selection of their breeding stock. The only and 
certain way to make Poultry pay is to breed stock which converts the raw material (food, etc.) into eggs and 
meat in the shortest po.ssible time, and it will be found that the pure-bred birds are capable of yielding the 
greatest number of eggs and the best and heaviest carcases at the least cost, if the two qualities are desired 
in combination. The cross-bred fowl or mongrel is more or less an uncertain quantity, having no definitely 
fixed qualities, and being unable to transmit uniformity to the progeny, after all occupying a position which 
can be filled to immense advantage by pure-breds. 
