Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-11-19
For tho vERNoNT Farmer.
Breeding 70 Feather.

Our agricultural editor seems 10 be some
what "in the dark" as to fancy points in
poultry. We do not 60 for utility alone in
this business, any more than breeders Of
ShortHorns, or in fact anything We may
name. We must remember that our clothes,
carriages, etc, have been made with view
to the looks of the thing, rs we'll as utility.
We claim to combine utility, and beauty
Of form and feather in most of our so-called
fancy breeds Of poultry. Ii we can get breed
of hens that are good layers, good for the
table, and will breed true to feather, We can
always find plenty Of customers. Breeders
do not get credit for the time, and study
it costs to breed frst-class birds. Just the
mere cost Of keeping the fowls, and feeding
the chickens is not all. 1t takes brains. We
have q "standard" to breed 10, so as to Sc.
cure uniformity in form and feather. Take
for instance the Houdans, 100 points is sup
posed to be perfection. Symmetry counts
ten size fifteen body-iepth and breadth
ten condition ten. In the Asiatio class
size and form, count higher. II is impossible
for poor shaped bird to stand any chance
at shows. Another thing-auy deformity
is disqualification. And no honest breeder
will send out such birds.
We claim that most of our breeds oi
poultry have been improved as far as utility
is concerned, as we'll as in the fancy points.
A good lot of blooded fowls are bettel
worth Sl.00 each than common hens are
fifty cents, just for the eggs and poultry
They are more uniformly good layers, and
can be relied upon to produce chickens like
themselves. The breeders of pure bloOds dc
not check the production Of eggs but Dc
not feed especially for eggs in the winter
Those that do SO usually have cause to com
plain Of their poor success in Matching eggs
1 would not breed from bird that wa
perfect 10 marking, if it did not have good
constitution and form. My pure blOOds viii
lay more eggs on the same feed than an!
mOngrels | ever kept. And the HOudan
will dress one-6fth more according TO tn
live weight, than any other breed or mong
rels.
If we have grades VIC must have pur
blOods to make grades with. 1t is not to b
supposed that every farmer can make sue
cessfuI breeder Of fancy poultry, for it take
more skill than the breeding Of anything els
kept on our farms.
l believe eur agricultural editor is not
convert to the fashionable pedigree" nor
sense. am not very we'll posted in Short
Horn breeding, but have been told thI
animals Of certain fashionable families woul
: bring three times as much, as one equal
good but Of some questionable famil
Some Of our cattlebreeders might bo accuse
; of breeding to hair and pedigree instead I
the more useful qualities. once heard
? Short-Horn breeder say, "no calf with
$ black nose ever lived twenty.four hours
3 my stables" claim that the breeds
fancy poultry generally combine utility an
beauty to a greater extent than almost AT
, breed of cattle, sheep or hogs
D JoHN G. MoKEEN.
South Ael0Orth, ~. II.
9 [0ur correspondent defends his pOsiti,
n with ability and with the earucstness of o.
who believes he is right. We did not intend
be understood as saying that the beautii
in form and plumage Of fowls ia to be ignor
4 aud nothing regarded but utility. II
" world would be barren place indeed
It everything beautiful in nature and art "
excluded. We confess to exquisite delig
). in viewing the comely forms and handsoI
le OolOrs in our own pastures every day. WI
N We regard rs Questionable in breeding
g feather, as in breeding other fancy stock,
q the making utility subordinate to SOL
,r popular standard, more or less reasOnble,
A. beauty, and worse yet, losing sight Of utili
II. altogether 1t may be that poultry breed
be do not indulge in this weak concession h
false policy, but it is certain that many Q
to tie and sheep breeders have been guilty
% fragrant disregard of the most obvious d
It. tates Of good sense aud honesty in
y. matter,
As To follow our friend one step farther
" his illustration. 1t is true enough that {
y. clothes, etc, are made, and very proper
al with view to the looks. Our corresponds