c A ' less Buying . 
Evils of Re 
i ig 
“ y 1 M 5 a Va,UaWe pr0geny - But * knowledge and a trained 
eye thus to safely pronounce upon a fowl's real value, and for the tyro the risk is too great 
every way, espec.a ly when we consider the danger of losing the costly purchases afterwards 
improper treatment. * 
In some few cases we have known the reckless system of purchasing at any price to be kept up 
for years, and an apparent continuance of success thus procured. The merely personal pride which 
can find any gratification in this sort of thing is rather hard to understand, and would be 
diminished somewhat were it known that such success is always discounted at its true value by the 
initiated, and only imposes upon the ignorant or the outside public. We mention it thus because 
in several ways such “ poultry-fancying ” does harm. As we have already hinted, the usually 
inferior character of the progeny from even the best biids thus procured and mated haphazard 
brings the whole pursuit into contempt and disrepute amongst those who purchase eggs or chickens 
from such random stock, and are justly annoyed at the character of the produce. Another evil 
is caused in the opinion thus fostered that prizes are the sole or even the chief end of poultry- 
breeding , and still another perhaps the most serious of any — is the idea which such individuals 
help to spiead, that only peisons of wealth, who can afford such great outlay, can engage in the 
pursuit with any piospect of success, and which prevents many to whom it would be a benefit in 
every way, and who both could and would succeed, from attempting it at all. 
On the other hand, trying to obtain “ cheap ” birds will almost invariably cause loss and 
disappointment, for really good fowls being always in demand, and the supply never large, they 
can always command a fair price. For breeding purposes alone — apart from any idea of exhibiting 
the birds themselves, but looking only to the progeny — good, reliable, carefully-bred birds of what 
may be called the “ major” breeds, can rarely be obtained under two to five guineas each ; other 
breeds, such as Hamburghs, are not worth so much. A thorough judge can occasionally pick up a 
good bird for a small sum ; but for the beginner to attempt any such “ dead bargains ” in fowls is 
perfectly hopeless, for the simple reason that he knows nothing about them. For birds to be 
“ good breeding-stock ” (in these and following chapters we speak of breeding with a view to 
exhibiting the produce) implies a great deal, but chiefly, that whatever qualities they have be not 
accidental, but the result of careful breeding for generations. This will appear if we consider that 
every desired quality is simply the result of repeated and continuous selection year after year of 
those birds for breeding-stock which exhibit that particular point in the greatest perfection. 
Without this mere appearance is worthless. For instance — to borrow an illustration written by us 
many years ago* — “ the Grey Dorking is a breed which assumes within certain limits almost every 
variety of colour, and occasionally amongst others, that now known as Silver-Grey. By breeding 
from these birds, and selecting from the progeny only the Silver-Greys, that colour was established, 
as any other might be, as a permanent variety which breeds true to feather with very little 
variation. Now a pen of birds precisely similar in colour and appearance may, as at first, be 
produced from ordinary coloured Dorkings, and shown as Silver-Greys, and the most severe test 
may fail to discover any apparent difference between them and the purest-bred pen in the same 
show. But breeding would show the distinction instantly, for whilst one pen would breed true 
to itself, and produce silver-grey chickens, the accidental pen would chiefly produce ordinary 
Dorkings, with very few Silver-Greys amongst them j and though in time , by continuing to select 
these, a pure strain would be established, for immediate put poses the pen (as Silvcis) would 
be worthless.” It may seem strange that it should be possible for two birds to be similar in 
appearance, and for one to be of little value while the other is woith a large sum , but it is so, moie 
* “Practical Poultry Keeper,” p. 76, First Edition. 
