The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-03-30
HENS ON THE FARM.
Nbout Good Stock and the More Com
mon Breeds,

One of the first features to be no.
ticed in regard TO farm f1ocks is the
treat variety to be found. If one
: 1vels far enough, and look with suffi-
mt care, he will meet with every
Z ecd in the Standard from Asiatics
> r:at1Es. Either in their purity or
ossbred. Every man who takes an
.2@est in fowls is to some extent a
: @cier. and when he sets out to i'm.
Owe his Rocks he is likely to choose
breed which accords with his taste
''ithout always considering location
nd other conditions. However, utility
= the chief criterion in selecting a
breed for the farm, as by far the great
or number of improved flocks show.
GOOD table fowls and egg producers
IRE in the majority, as is to be ex-
bected, while handsome plumage and
fancy points are not popular, though
met with now and then.
But there is one class which de-
serves more than a passing notice,
though it has not risen to the dignity
of breed, and that is the much-ma-
Hgned nondescript known as the mon
grel or native. The "old hen" began
her earthly career in a corner of the
hay NOW or under the barn where the
hest had been hidden. She was left
to shift for herself at a tender age.
which, according to popular belief.
did not last long; at any rate, she had
reputation for toughness from child
hood. Life was for her an unceasing
round Of stern realities. During the
summer she laid eggs when they were
cheapest, dug in the garden as much as
she could, pulled up the corn and al.
ways had an eye on the granary door.
The largest Strawberries were none
too good for her, and sire had no diff
Guilty in reaching the heart of the
choicest melon. In the winter she
hunted about the stacks and yards.
managing somehow to gain living,
assisted now and then by the corn
which the owner threw out for her,
but never finding enough to satisfy
her appetite. After several years of
toll she sometimes found her way to
the market, where she was sold as
spring chicken.
Such was once the common barn
yard fowl, which is becoming yearly
more uncommon as the cross bred
takes her place. She was not an at
IloSIlNO SlClIulC. IIGI Ill
points were as great as was possible.
But she had her place. She was bred
in accordance with natures plan of
development, which produces the nor
NAL animal. Nature develops every
quality to fit the environment, so her
production is as good as it ought to
be, but no better So it is with the
old hen when left to herself She
may have descended from good stock,
but indiscriminate inbreeding will
bring her to the common level no mat.
ter how good the blood may have
been.
But the mongrel has some points
in her favor. She is the result of that
law of evolution, survival of the fit
test" as applied to ability to find a
living where more delicately nurtured
hens would fail. She has a strong
constitution. Roup and cholera have
few terrors for her, and she can endure
rigors of climate that would injure
thoroughbreds. Such stock makes
one of the best foundations for a
flock. An infusion of good blood pro-
duces a flock which inherits the vigor
and hardness of the old stock with
the most valuable characteristics of
the new giving an excellent fowl to
those who wish something better than
the mongrel Such a flock is able to
take care Of itself for the most part,
which is an important consideration
where the interests are so varied as
on the majority of farms.
In regard to the breed most desira-
BILE for the farm there is variety of
opinions. If table fowls are desired
some of the heavier breeds are, of
course to be preferred; where eggs
are the chief object, the Mediterran-
cans are most in demand. Thus far
we have found more of the Plymouth
Rock than of any other, with the Leg
horn a close second. The objection
to the latter is the large comb, which
is liable to be frozen. Were it not for
this the Leghorn would be much more
Popular than at present, for the cross
upon common stock is hardy, a good
forager and a prolific layer. But in
egg production much depends upon
the one who cares for the flock.