Fdrm PouUinj. 
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fancy fowls. The common black Mediterrtanean breed, known as 
Minorcaa, are amongst tlie very best layers at the present time, 
provided that ordinary farm-yard specimens and not show 
breeds, bred solely for size and regularity of comb, are selected. 
Leghorns, or a somewhat similar breed, have been, since their 
first introduction from America by myself in 1868, so closely 
interbred and shown as fancy fowls, that their size and vigour 
have much deteriorated. Their general colour is white, but 
recently they have been crossed with game fowls, to produce 
what are called Bromi and Pile Leghorns, by which their 
vigour has been considerably increased. Andalusians, birds of 
the Spanish type, are also good layers, but they are now bred 
more exclusively for fancy marking than for profitable considera- 
tions. Spangled Hamburghs, or so-called pheasant fowls of the 
North of England, were formerly most profitable layers, but they 
also have been so exclusively bred for feather, that their valu- 
able properties have been greatly lessened. 
On the whole, I should be inclined to recommend ordinary 
farm-yard black Minorcas as the best breed that a small farmer 
can have, if the production of large white eggs is desired. I 
am sure, however, that no breed of fowls in existence will pro- 
duce on the average anything like the number of eggs which 
is sometimes stated as a common result. If a farmer can 
obtain an average of one hundred and fifty eggs per annum 
from his stock, he may consider himself to have done very well. 
In many localities, as near towns and other populous places, it 
will be found desirable to use every effort to obtain new-laid 
eggs in the early part of the year, when they often fetch very 
high prices. For this purpose reliance must be placed on early 
hatched chickens, as the May broods do not lay freely in the 
cold weather. 
When birds are required for market or the table, Meditei'- 
ranean breeds, such as Andalusians, Minorcas, and Leghorns, 
are of very small value, not carrying much meat on the breast 
or being capable of furnishing plump and saleable chickens. 
For table poultry, Dorkings have a very great reputation, but 
the markets of London are chiefly supplied with what are 
knowia as Surrey fowls, which have been derived from the old- 
fashioned Dorkings that existed before the time of competitive 
shows. The modern show Dorking derived its greatly in- 
creased size from being crossed with the Malay breed, and what 
it gained in size it lost in quality and plumpness. It has also 
the disadvantage of being delicate. These defects may be 
removed by judicious crossing, and there is no doubt that the 
best table fowls at present pi-oduced in this country are those 
