The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-01-06
Which Breed is the Best,

one or more inquiries similar 10 tire
above in tenor. Beginners all over
the country ask "What shall l com
mence with?" "What do you con
cider Che best varieties9'' "How shall |
I begin, with choice of breeds2" &c.
"A general answer to this sort of a,
query, can only be, given in brief,
iuasmneh as itdepends largely upon
what the amateur intends to do, what
his facilities may be, what his loca-
tion is, and whether he purposes to
breed as q fancier for the showrooms;
as farmer for marketings simply;
for egg producing mainly, or for eggs
and chickens in general way. For
she reproduction of the largest guam
titles of eggs, the Leghorns, Spanish,
Houdans, and Hamburgs may be
counted as the best. These varieties
are generally non-sitters, and during
the milder portions of the year they
lay generously ifattentively cared for.
If fowls arc Intended to be raised for
marketing purposes, with a view to
produce the most meat at given
age, a cross of those lessor sized vari
cites with the Cochins and Brahmas
is desirable to get good average
chickens.
The Asiatics are usually moro
hardy than the others, and the infu-
sion 16 sliis blood with the SIN all
breeds aos only Increases thesize of
the progeny, but the cross approach
esVmaturity more rapidly if we'll feed
from chickenhood up. TheBrabams
and "Cochins are persistent sitters,
however, and though they are good
winter layers if the pullets are got
out early in tue season, they are not
100000, q, fowl ,(pure bred) as the
others first mentioned for Summers
layers, while as mothers or for hatch.
ing purposes they are unrivalled.-
We have found the partridge Cochin
and dark Brahma varieties excellent
layers in cold weather, and this is
desideratum with many fanciers.
For the show room, as a general
thing, the Cochins Of different colors,
from black to white, and the light
and dark Brahmas, taken as class,
have long been foremost in the con-
sideration of American BREEDERS
TIfey are placed at the head of all the
premium society lists, and probably
moresiR numbers of these huge birds
are bred than of others. Then come
the Gray Dorkings, the Plymouth
Rocks, the White Dorkings, the
French fowls, and the lesser sized
ones. We have hitherto advised,
and still recommend to amateurs, the
policy Of commencing with hnt one
or two Kinds only at first. And in
answering the general question,
(which are the best?" We can only
first decide the object had in view,
and thia will determine whether the
novice should try sitters or non-sit-
tiers, pure bred or cross bred birds.
Having 80 resolved, choice of kinds,
as above enumerated, will result in
satisfaction and profit, if any of these
popular varieties are properly
cared for.
We have bred nearly all kinds,
first or last, and bringing it down to
fine thing, we have found that,
taking the year through, the Asiatics
will lay as much in value, on an av-
crage, as any of our domestic varie-
ties. For numbers of eggs, the Leg
horns will excel the others, perhaps,
in twelvemonth. The French fowls
lay good sized egg, but not SO many
as either of the other varieties, and
the chicks Of tho latter arc far more
tender and difficult to rear than those
of anv of tho Aeiotic varietioo Tho