Evening star., 1915-03-21
@slJlTRy

healthy: If the balance Is in favor Of the
dlsease-carrying army of agents the fowl
, is sick. and if this condition is allowed to
exist for great length of time they will
succeed in entirely overcoming the dis
ease-resisting army of agents, which. OF
course, means death.
As the breeding season advances main-
| tain a close watch on the fowls in the
breeding pens. As soon a hen or pull
let begins to lose the bright red color In
comb wattles, which turn pale, remove
fer from the pen. and the same with the
| male birds. The combs and wattles Of
fowls are the surest indicators of condi-
ton: if these are bright red the birds are
| in good health. while if they are pale the
fowls are not well and should not be used
| as breeders.
Constitutional vigor is the foundation
Of poultry husbandry. A constitutionally
strong bird controls large number of
disease resisting and tissue building
agents This large number finds it an
easy proposition to keep the disease-caus-
ing agents from invading their domain.
A const1tutionally weak bird does not
carry or control as large a number Of
! dfsease-resisting agents as constitu-
ttonally strong bird, hence the constitu-
tlonally weak bird is more easily invaded
by the enemy, and it is natural for every
thing and everybody to follow the line of
least resistance. For this reason the con-
stltutlonally weak bird is Obliged to fight
more and harder battles than the con-
! Stltutionaily strong bird. During these
battles it is generally a case Of the sur
Vlval of the tittest. The isease-carrying
! agents, being in a larger number in tho
coilstltutlon;tliy weak fowl, after repeated
attacks finally succeed in landing force
anu invading the domain. If this is al
| lowed to go on the bird grows weaker as
,he battie progresses in favor of the dis
ease-carrying agents
ne BIRD now is sick and diseased.
II the disease is allowed to go on un-
checked, the bird soon dies Of exhaus-
ton, being overcome by the invading
army. But if at this time man steps
IN IN ana lends helping hand by build
ing up the undermined constitution and
administers drugs with deadly mis-
SION 10 the invading agents. it is some-
times possible to thus cure a fowl for
d snort while. until again invaded, in
the case of constitutionally weak fowls.
The flock that must fight disease with.
OUT mans help should be left wild for
best results. N
rms brings out the Importance OF
constitutional vfgor as a factor in
poultry health and diseases con.
stitutionally strong bird is not apt to
pe aItacked by disease, while a con-
stitutlonaily weak bird is in great
ndser and is ,og OF nelng attacked at any time.
w ME a bird is fighting off disease it is
~ ne anu cannot be profitable producer
on onr esgs sts,n,ana and meat; hence this proves
W.. veal sfea.ement fa,,',n that constitutionally
i,tably Kept. They are worth more
oead than alive. This ought TO brine
OUT very forcibly the importance nf
constitutional vigor in successfn1 no,,J
try keeping III poui-
according to all this, it is doubtful
W., Incl. better advice than the follow
sa s,as was ever uttered or expressed in
but constitntf Nprns: Breed from nothing
means that you should not breed or
Keep constitutionally weak birds In
seeiieeting your breeders select for CON
esf, trpl,d, nrnd,g ,igor first. In selecting for
or for fancy points, select for cnnstit1,'
tlonal vigor first. ''' 'ohs'i'u-
The general purpose breeds are me-
dunn in size. good winter Iayars na'se
nedlum-s size headgear. are more
aooseiy feathered than the egg breeds
hau hntt nence @ can stand the cold a trife
rather quiet eeS dispesit}9n a5e Of gentle and
rha r1.ellent q, settlers and good mothers.
Ihey do well in confinement. Thev ave
ana a 1p o,9cky appearance. compact body
1,nu nitnra ratner ne snort legs. They do not
.r sariier Than most heavier or meat
breeds; They are fairly good foragers.
niaH IN. viii PICK up quite little of their
iiElhs II allowed free range.
a general purpose fowl holds tha
same same position in poultrydom that
general purpose COW or horse foes IN
tne ANIMAL Kingdom. They are eco
montreal feeders. making good growth.
&C, consistent with the feed consumed
Ihey 90 not use their wings much and
Ia 1aielv attempt to make long flights
heif small wings and weight maze II
l,i!nposSlole -! for them to fly over a me-
dium-helght inclosure The general
purpose breeds are generally consid
efed as halfway between or a me-
dlum position between the light and
.he neaVy breeds. like the Leghorns of
.he former and the Brahmas Of the lat
yer. Ihey mature fairly early. pulIets
beslnning to lay frequently at i've and
u half months old o
Inc value of a food is largely, do
teffnlned by the amount of digestih1a
protein IT carries. There are. Of course.
some exceptions"to this, as for instance
IN the case of feeding for fatteninr
oods rlch in protein generally are
hlSf IN price. Beef scrap, being very
rlch IN protein. is rather high in nrfce
IN other words. in poultry foods the
protein constituent apparently deter-
mines the price and value of the food
! ms is true because most foods are de-
hclent in protein "