The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-11-14
THE BEST LAYERS.

Gnpecldlly Wlll lut olSll9 LII NlhtCl D approach before us do those who rear poultry for profit and talk freely about the same find their daily mail liberally
 besprinkled with inquiries relative to
 bullets for sale and the question as to the breed that will prove the best lay CTS.
 Pullets were never before in the poul-
 try history days of the writer so much in demand and so hard to obtain by those who would purchase literally
 and literally pay for them as well. The
 increased interest in poultry culture and egg production for market explains
 this situation. Every season marks
 wide extension of the poltry industry
 in every known direction and prepar- ing for winter eggs is becoming an im-
 portant item in the industry itself
 But when it comes to the best among
 the breeds, one who makes decided
 claims in such direction is taking a step
 too far. There is no such thing as q
 best breed A few breeds may be in some respects better than a few other
 breeds. There are special breeds that are better layers than their sister kind of different distinct type. The very
 heaviest breeds of fowls are not re- nowned layers, while the best layers aren ot capable of putting on the many extra rounds of avoirdupois and muscle that mark the heavyweight profitable market fowls.
 But among all breeds there are to be found the good layers, the poor layers and the exceptional layers. Too little attention has been given to this fact for many years past. Some two years ago, or, perhaps, a little earlier, the subject became one of so great import ance through agitation that breeders in general began to take greater interest in eggs and to devote little less at- tention to feathers.
 To breed for beauty of plumage, ty pical form, color of eyes and legs, gen. eral carriage and style and elegance was commendable enough, and to win at poultry expositions the fall and win ter through, and thus gain a. reputation as a breeder who would make ones poultry stock popular through much winning and thus profitable, the egg producing qualities of said flock were lost sight of. It became not an un- usual thing to find elegant specimens in the poultry room, both male and fe- male birds, that were, except so far as appearances went, strictly valueless outside the showroom-unless counted in at market price.
 Many a fancier has parted with his S10 and $15 for an individual bullet or hen that was beautiful to look upon and that had carried off first honors and first money, only to find her un- productive when spring came and when he was looking to her to reproduce an elegant lot of bids as valuable as he had supposed her to be. Perhaps this bird had not sprung from a line of layers to begin with Doubtless her first owner could not have answered the question had it been asked He sold her upon the strength of her appear ance and her winnings and score. He knew that he was getting a good price for her; hence wisely concluded it the time of times to let her go.
 Perhaps she was ruined when very young, however, by having been hur- ried and forced into growth Showing signs of unmistakably beauty in form and points" she had been given foods rich in flesh and fat produc- ing elements, and forced into develop | ment and weight. Many an otherwise | certain to be valuable bird has been in | this manner ruined except as a win ner
 But there came a season of trap nest f discussion and wide agi- pie began to understand that even the most popular of standard bred breeds must be good for something else than l the showroom That must be left as | a minor part of the industry, in fact. [ People began buying, inventing and | trap nests, and they be- gan trapping their layers, marking |