10 
Chaptkk II. 
SELECTION OE BREE1)IN(; STOCK. 
As housing and acconiniodation arc of sucli grave importance in I'oullry undertakings, eiiuaily so is tlic 
selection of the breeding stock, (|iiitc as man)' failures resulting ami arising froiu lack of knowleilge on this 
heatl as from an\- other. Certain breeds adapt themsehes to the serrouiulings much better than others : and, 
remembering that Poultry differ so widely in their habits and characteristics, all these are matter^ for c(jn- 
sideration. It is acknowledged that the art of man has de\elo[)ed antl ])erpetuated |)oints ol excellence in 
the laying capabilities of certain breeds, and sacrificed this same ([uality in many others to gain a distinctly 
different object ; thus, a strain or l)reed of high-class laying fowls will be found to possess but moderate or 
poor table reciuirements, and, on the other hand, a breed which excels in ([uantity and quality of meat will 
invariably prove very indifferent la)'ers. 
There are s(jme breeds, such as the Plymouth Rock, \V)'andotte, Orpington, and Langshan, which 
combine the two < jualilications to a great extent under faxourable conditions, but these have been artificially 
cultivated, and it will be found that the rule holds gootl as to the two virtues being fairly wide apart. Many 
persons, in starting, imagine that it is onl\- necessary to buy up a few hundred head of Poultry, without 
respect to breed, si/e, age, or quality— veritable mongrels, in fact. They have to begin all over again, or 
struggle along in the ruck with a very remote prospect of success attending their efforts ; so that it behoves 
tho.se desirous of making Poultry Earming, in its true sense, a payable undertaking to devote a little.time and 
forethought to the selection of the .stock, which will, with proper care and attention, ultimately give good 
results, as any selected breed or first-cross Eowls will give higher returns in eggs or meat than a lot of non- 
descripts picked up ha[iha/ard. Would any breeder of live stock — sheep, cattle, dogs, pigs, etc. — expect to 
obtain good or lasting results from an inferior addition to his present stock? Rather otherwise, we should 
state; and this applies to the woulibbe Poultry-raiser, only more so. 
If a Spanish, Eeghorn, Hamlnirg, Minorca, or Andalusian cock is turned down with a lot of the 
commonest of common hens, the progeny from any one of those birds will have their la)'ing powers increased 
to a considerable extent ; and if a Malay, Indian (lame, Dorking, Australian Came, or Houdan cock is used, 
very little, if any, improvement in the laying capabilities of the stock thus bred would be noticed, but the 
result would show in the quality and quantity of meat and increased size. At the same time, Leghorns, Anda- 
lusians, or Minorcas kept pure, and the best layers' eggs selected for hatching and perpetuating the race, will 
eclipse all other cross-bred varieties in the number of eggs obtained from a given number of hen.s. This state- 
ment does not apply to Poultry bred for table purposes, as cros.s-bred birds such as Malay 1 )orking, Brahma- 
Dorking, Came Orpington, Indian Came-Rock, Indian (lame-Dorking, Houdan-Brahma, or Came-Langshan. 
will in every instance be superior in size and quality of meat, and arrive at maturity quicker than pure-bred 
birds. 
To classify the principal breeds of Poultry as to their comparative values, the following order will be a 
good guide, though under different circumstances and surroundings they may vary slightly : — 
As Layers. — Leghorns, Hamburgs, Minorca.s, Andalusians, Orpingtons, Langshans, Houdans, 
Brahmas, Wyandottes, Spanish, Plymouth Rocks, Polish, Scotch Greys, British (janie, Cochins, 
La Fleche, Bantams. 
For Quality of Meat. — All varieties of (iame, Malays and Aseels, La Eleche, Dorkings, Creve-Cceurs, 
Houdans, Polish, Wyandottes, Brahmas, Scotch Creys, Orpingtons, and Langshans. 
For Size and Weight. — Malays, Australian Game, Indian Game, Brahmas, Cochins, Orpingtons, 
Langshans, Dorkings, Plymouth Rocks, Creve-Coeurs, La Fleche, Wyandottes. 
