Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1882-07-06
QGghe Aunlhy Nard
THOROUGHBRED POULTRY.

1t is to be regretted that there are 80 many
among whom the impression seemingly
prevails that pure-bred poultry is not any
more so, if as profitable, as that Of the mon
grel class, and that in consequence is not to
be indulged in but by those who can afford
TO keep it, without any reference to gain be-
ing derived therefrom. No more fallaciOus
notion could be entertained, as the many
thousands can testify whose experiences
range all the way from the common dung
hill up through the different stages of i'm
provement, to the highest type of our pres
ent pure-bred poultry We have now our
noll-sitters, and our varieties best adapted
where meat is the object, with which, in
either line, the old-fashioned fowls are not
at all to be compared.
Throughout all periods Of the worlds
history there have been those seemingly
content to not only live in the shade of pro-
gress, but to hold fast to old-tine notions
and ideas, to the utter exclusion of any
thing in the line of advancement, and it is
tor this class more particularly, that this ar
ticle is intended. You may tell them that
horses are bred to certain points in order to
accomplish an object-the greatest speed
endurance, strength or some ether valuable
quality, and that they are as tar ahead of
the low-bred scrub as can we'll be imagined;
that the skill Of the breeder has developed
characteristics in our cows that make them
of ines,imable value, as compared with our
common stock, and perhaps they will con-
cede that part OF this is true, but chickens
oh, that is different thing! How readi-
ly they present the very Ito them) exhaus-
tive argument that chicken is a chicken,
and that is all there is about it. Well, that
is all very true; a chicken is chicken, but
in the same sense that a horse is horse
| and no one can fail to see the great contrast
between the finely-bred race-horse and the
scrub. There is just as great difference
between fowls of our improved varieties
and the old-tashioned dung ill, as in the
case of the horse, but it is a little less gen
orally noticed, from the fact that the horse
ministers to the wants of man in such ca
pacty as to bring him more under observa.
ton.
When improvement is effected, whether
in horses, chickens, or other animals, sew
eral good things are brought out-beauty
symmetry, tineaess and gloss of hair or
plumage, greater nerve force, endurance
all these seem to come together in the blood
ed stock. Ten years ago scrub fowls were
vastly more common than at the present
time, and although the people of this coast
are not yet apace with those in the East and
West, it is matter OF congratulation that
the past two years have witnessed gigantic
strides in poultry culture. The most enter
prsing farmers have cleared out the stock
of their forefathers, and now keep only the
improved breeds Others more conservative
have introduced pure bred males, which has
resulted in Improvement in sze health anC
productiveness. If, then, the addition of 6
little good blood works such vast improve
ment why will the introduction of all pure
bleod not improve it still more? Excellence
is what we want. How much better it is II
have pure breed of poultry that excels il