Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-12-15

The question is often a-kcl, Whiel
breeds OF poultry are the best aud it i.
pretty difficult question 10 answer; lol
there are 50 many different conditions il
which the fowls are to he kept, aud st
many different breeds Of poultry, that al
most each individual poultry keeper viii
have requirements different from others
and in answering the question We can
therefore, speak in general terms only.
There are two chief classes OF poultry
keepers, namely, those who, on consider.
able areas Of land, have large docks, and
those who have but limited space, and
generally keep their poultry in coudne,
meut.
The requirement Of these two classe,
are, Of course. in a measure, different
Again, some large poultry Keepers raise
but few chickens, aud depend on eggs Tor
profit, and other raise every chicken pos
.ibIe, looking to these for remuneration
while the village poultry keeper il pcner.
ally anxious 10 Get Eggs and chicken
AHd hli be can of both.
Eaeh breed Of poultry has marked
tsahs OF eharsstsri-..gs and Eacsa aso ~
we'll known and undersooi that Il Is az
easy matter 10 recommend special breed
10 meet the wants each individual.
The large breeds known as 'Asiatic,
in which are included the different Go.
chlns, Shaughaes,' etc, are not generally
distinguished as great layers, ami from
their strong setting procliyitics are most
valuable as breeders Of chickens.
The Cochins are generally slow in ma
turing, and uness crossed with the CON.
mon fowl are not very valuable to the
economics! poultry breeder.
The Brahma Is valuable and favori,e
breed, but 1t Is not 80 profitable when
thoroughbred Is it is when crossed: that
Is when the raising of chickens Is an OBJ
ice, IN view. We have had co slider bic
experience with all the larger breeds Of
poultry, aud We have iayarai.bly found
the aalf breeds the mos; profit be The
chicks Of the thoroughbred DO not ma
iure 50 rapidly. and they are, liom their
nakcdless Of feather, @; the most criti.l
period Of their lives, more subject to dis
ease tbaa the hall breeds.
The latter feather out mnch earlier
than the others AMI hi, j, largely in
their favor 10 ,his climate % sudden .ul
great changes OF temperature. To the
poury breeder. then, VINO wishes quick
growing uEd early maturing chickens,
who cares more for two pounds in q
Fourth OF July boiler than fve pounds
in September, cross between one OF the
varieties OF the Brahma anl the common
iow. is most desirable. \ very popular
and profitable cross has been found be-
tween the Brahma and the Leghorn, the
maturing quickly, and the pullets
being early and good layers To the
large poultry keeper, who wishes eggs
more than chickens, of course the non
incubating breeds, or their grades are
most valuable. Crosses OF Leghorns,
Spanish, or Polish, with the common fowl,
We have found to be on the whole, about
as profitable. or, rather, good layers, az
the thOroughbreds, and they stand our
rough climate much better
OF course, in the foregoing, We have
not intended to include the breeders Of
fancy fowls, to be sold at fancy prices,
but we intended to treat simply Of ordj-
nary poultry keepers.
There are not a few practical men who
ale Of the opinion that good selections,
that Is selections of perfectly sound,
healthy dunghii fowls, are as valuable to
he large poultry keeper as are the
.horoughbreds. Our common barnyard
owl is q conglomeration, OF rather mix
.ure, of almost every breed that has been
n existence here, and the good points of
ome OF the thorOughbreds ancestors are
,ften apparent. We once owned a hen
which had the FIVE toes of Dorking. the
White face Of the Spanish, the crown Of
he "rahma breeds Thus it wod!d be "a
70 der if the birds uniting such a yalie.
Y { good blcods We're mot as valuable
: the carefully bred varieties. To the
mall poultry keeper who wishes eggs only,
he Brown LeghOin, Black Spanish, and
White Leghorn breeds are most desirable,
nd most valuable in order in which We
ave named them. To the viIlager who
ishes early chickens and cary eggs