60 
The Australasian Book of Poultry. 
Indian (Jame- Wyandotte, Indian Game-Orpington, Brahma-T^orking, Cochin-Dorking or Langshan-Brahma, 
and the difference in tlie delicacy, ([uantity and (juality of the meat between the latter crosses and the first 
mentioned is very pronounced in favour of any of the (".ame crosses with the Dorking. The Langshan cross 
will undoubtedly give increased size and make hardy useful chickens for local consumption, but it will not 
produce a really high-class table fowl suitable for e\i)ort. \\ here the Brahma or Cochin cross is used with 
the ] )orking, though size is often increased, the result is a coarser bird which does not improve the quality 
of meat nor the amount of flesh on wings and breast. The Indian Came or Old Style British Game cock 
crossed with Brahma hens will produce a fairly good bird in some respects, but generally too coarse in the 
bone and wanting meat on the breast. The Malay, that is if a short legged cock is used to cross with Dork- 
ing hens, also gives excellent results, but, as a rule, the chickens so bred are rather unsightly on the table 
owing to the length of limbs. The Aseel is also one of the best breeds for crossing with the Dorking, 
though trouble is often occasioned in the rearing of the progeny owing to their combative nature. As the 
Indian Game is in itself a combination of the Malay and the Aseel, it is a decided improvement on 
either of those breeds for crossing purposes. 
The Langshan is often quoted as a breed possessing first-class qualities as a table fowl, and is undoubt- 
edly the best of the Asiatic breeds as a table bird, but the coarseness of the flesh and objectionable colour of 
the legs ])lace an effectual bar on this cross ever becoming very popular. It is without a shadow of a doubt 
one of the most useful all round breeds for general purposes ; but the same applies to the Plymouth Rock, 
Orpington, or \\'vandotte, all thoroughly good utility fowls, though not specially adapted for table Poultry 
owing to the yellowness of the skins. 
Old Style British Game and the same class of Australian (lame are in a very front rank for delicacy in 
flavor and abundance of meat in proportion to the amount of waste offal and bone, but their small size and 
rather slow maturing deters them from being bred pure for export purposes, the cross with the Dorking does 
not detract from the quality of the meat, being, if anything, sweeter and whiter, and, as greatly increased size 
and early maturity are gained, cross-bred birds are preferable. The Dorking pure bred being of delicate 
constitution, is therefore, not suitable without aid from some other source to rear for table or export. 
To breed ducks for export, cros.s-bred birds are again superior, maturing quicker than pure bred, and this 
is an important point to bear in mind. We recommend the Aylesbury drake crossed with Pekin ducks or the 
Aylesbury drake with Rouen ducks, or the Pekin and Rouen crossed both ways, or the Common duck 
crossed with the Muscovy drake, using a pure bred drake of one or other of the varieties for stock purposes 
each year. There is an ecjual prospect of making duck farming [lay by breeding for e.xport, as they mature 
so quickly for the table, much speedier than fowls. Young ducks, if well-fed and attended to should be quite 
ready for market when they are nine to twelve weeks old. One drake to each five or six ducks will be the 
best for breeding stock, and the duckHngs should be hatched in June, July and August to catch the English 
market at a time when top prices can be obtained. An incubator will be far and away the best method to 
adopt for incubating the eggs, and their food, when hatched, should consist of pollard, crushed oats or barley, 
and potatoes mixed with bran and pollard, and a little meat. This should be continued until they are three 
or four weeks old : scalded wheat or oats and a little corn may be given after this period, bone meal mixed in 
the morning meal will assist growth considerably, and green food in some form must be supplied. 
The feeding and attention to the drinking water should be regular and systematic. If well cared for and 
fed properly a duckling from any of the crosses mentioned should when 3 months old scale 41b. live weight, 
and as they command in the London market from 8s. to 12s. a couple, should pay handsomely. It will be 
understood that inferior specimens will not fetch anything like the price quoted, this being for birds of prime 
quality, and attention must be given by getting them hatched early. Cleanliness, good sound food, separation 
of the sexes and yearly change of blood will obtain results worth working for. 
In breeding geese the best cross is between the Toulouse and Embden, but even the ordinary run of 
geese can be highly improved by using a pure-bred gander of either variety. The eggs should be given them 
to hatch themselves, the nests made on the ground, and the goslings when hatched should be fed on the 
