Milford chronicle., 1910-04-22

contention in the choice Of a breed TO
commercial poultry keeping seems L
be between White Leghorns kept fol
egg production and Plymouth Rocks
White Wyandottes. Rhode Island Reds
or other general purpose fowls. AT the
present time the latter type Of fowl,
is more popular upon the genera
farm The LeghOrns are gaining IN
popularity. however and will probably
continue TO do so as the use of incu
batOrs and public hatcherieS increase
The Leghorn has a much smaller
carcass, and hence there is NOT So much
income from the sale of young cock
erels and Old hens As a matter OF
fact, the smaller size of the Leghoru
fowl is not as much OF an argnmen'
against the breed as is commonly sup
posed, for Leghorns eat less food. oc.
cupy less house room and when not
confined are better hustlers and secure
larger portion of their living of the
range than do the larger breeds OF
chickens a more important objection
10 Leghorns is that artificial incubatOrs
and broOders are necessary 20 keep up
the flock Again. Leghorns are wild.
nervous and thinly feathered. and II
III treated and poorly housed the egg
yield, especially in winter. will be less
than that Of the general purpose fowl
LeghOrns when kept in large numbers
by those who give careful attention to
poultry keeping can be made very
profitable. but for the reasons just Civ
eD the farmer or the beginner at poul-
try keeping should be slow in taking
up this breed.
Strain or Family Important.
In the mind of those who are not
experienced in animal breeding too
much stress is laid upon the breed and
not sufficient consideration given 10
individuality OF particular families or
strains Of the breed. The reason for
this will become clear when il is OK
planned that the majority of our com
mon breeds Of poultry have originated
in the last forty years and have been
than for meat, egg yield or genera
vigOr This does not mean that pure
bred chickens will be any less prac
tical as meat and egg producers than
mixed OF scrub chickens ON the 9th
er band standard bred poultry are bet
ter from any viewpoint than scrub
chickens, but one strain of a breed
may be vigorous growers and excel
ent layers, while another flock Of the
same breed whose ancestors have been |
'arelessly selected with regard to prac
ical points may be poor in these quail
ties
Egg laying tests Of few lots from
lifferent breeds Of fowls are of little |
-alue in determining the worth of |
Dreeds, for II is quite possible that g
rood strain Of the poor breed may eX
el poor lot Of the best breed and
he results Of such tests be exactly op
.osite to the real truth For this rea
on consider the majority Of the
reed tests as published by poultry II
apers and government experiment
tations as Of little value.
In Australia. however. the govern
lent has conducted egg laying tests
Il such a large scale and with pens
ntered from hundreds Of different \
reeders that the average Of their re
llts is worthy Of more consideration
he ranking Of the three leading
reeds i'm the Australian tests Is Single
Omb White LeghOrns. Black Orpiug
ms, Silver Wyandottes Ii should be-
ated. however. that Barred Plymouth
ocks. White Wyandottes and Rhode
Hand Reds. the favorite general pur
1se American breeds. are practically
lknown in Australia.
Principles of Breeding Simple.
The art Of breeding fancy poultry is
IS complicated than many old breed
5 would have us to believe Va
Dus so called systems Of breeding
i've been advertised and much talh
about. but any breeder having
orough knowledge OF the desirable
ints In the breed and who breeds
ON the best birds has about all the
stem necessary. \
means the mating of
lividualS that are related. but be-
use of the analogy taken from hu
III relationship a deep seated popu
prejudice exists against this Gus
H. lnbreeding is the shortest and
ickest way Of intensifying any
lracterlstic. The reason for this is
cause outside qualities are not
ought in to interfere with family
its; hence the lnbreeding Of fowls
other animals that have a tendency