Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-25
FACTS AND FALLAC|ES
IN BREEDING ME- HODs
Blood, Except for Definite
~ Purpose, Is Wrong.
EXPERT PoULTRYNLaN's ADVICE
Definitions OF Breeding Methods and
the Number of Males Required.
Crossing of Pure Breeds Sale to
Re Mistake
ny ROnERT ARMSTRONG;.
ENpcrt POuItrymnn md Writer.

Expert Foultrymnn md Writer.
II Is pretty generally agreed that
the greatest impeachment ~ success In
poultry raising is the inability TO
mate birds Of the required type. The
custom with most poultry raisers is
10 trRp-nest their hens. or else guess
ut their proliacnesS. and then use the
sons OF these heavy layers 10 head
future breeding pens. This is n step
In the right direction, but the trouble
with this method is that while the hen
may lay a large number OF eggs. she
may not have the faculty to transmit
her laying Qualities to her offspring.
Mo'coter, her cOctercs may he de-
ficient In both cgg-lnyinE qualities
and the ability to transmit certain
other good characteristics which they
might possess. The following article
Is n discussion on breeding methods
setting forth some facts and failacies:
In the minds OF many who raise
chickens and other fowl there is hut
one idea and one Kind OF breeding
that OF mating males ana females. re-
CARELESS OF type. strain, variety. pro
likeness or relationship. Needless to
add. that such matiuss sooner or later
usually sooner--provc Of little value
TO their owner. ana are finally com
plctely dissipa;ed. II Is natures way
OF eliminating tho unit,
To be precise there are the follow
ing methods: 'In-brccdinc." line
breeding" out breeding" and cross
breeding; aud-shau We say-no
breeding at all, meaning rank mon
Erelism.
Definitions Of Breeding Methods.
Primarily. it is not advisable to make
practice of mating birds more closely
related than first cousins and the more
distant this relationship can be drawn
apart, tho better the chances for sue
cess: In making start with a flock
of fowls, however, II ono wishes 10
preserve the same strain OF blood. or
In creating a new breed il is usually
necessary TO breed fairly close for "A
number OF years. or until certain
qualifications become intensified and
hXed. If this breeding Of related birds
Is done intclligcntly, with the view to
hyinG superiority In color shane and
80 on, II is called Zine breeding If
the breeding of related stock is done
indiscriminatcly and brothers ana sis
ters are bred together for generations
ior no particular purpose. il is called
''in-brecdinE."
In other words, 'line-brcedinr." as
breeding in line, is Keeping to the
same ancestry-the same blood lines.
without the disastrous effects of in
breeding" 1t is carefully selected
systematic in-brecding.
out-brecdins' Is a term applied to
inc practice OF Introducing new blood
every year. but such blood is of the
same breed Gross breeding" is in
toduclhE entirely u"w blood of 4 dis
tinctly different breed
Through fear OF the flock dcrcnerat-
ing many poultry raiscrs consider it
absolutely necessary to bring in new
males each year. Very often they
make practice of exchanging males
with nearby farms, which is the vogue
among farmers, especially This is in
spired by the right idea. but ii is likely
To be accompanied by trouble II il is
m IA l,n
rule should be to do so--not Just be-
cause II Is new blood, but also. be-
cause II is superior to your own in
vigor and other ways
|, is very difficult TO raise standard. .
bred birds If new blood is added to the
flock each year You may buy pure
bred male 10 mate with Your pure
bred females. and later lind that tn.
two strains failed 10 nick" properly.
That is. the mating may throw off
spring with defective combs. dlSpro-
portion or poor color, which Viii take
seve,a! generations Of special breed
ing 10 eliminate. In short. the advent
OF new blood is a speculation.
Tw" Divisions of the same Strain.
\ better way TO introduce new blood
is To take two years TO do It. and en-
pertinent with individuals. Purchase
few hens of thc desired strain and
mate them To your best males. or Sc
cure couple nl OUTSIDE males ana
mate them TO your best females. then
study their OFFSPRING for q year. and il
satisfactory. mate the new blood to
the bala ~ oC rac hock.
There 10 10 evidence TO prove tina;
linc-brcedinc" initiates dcgcucracy
providing reasonable care is exercised
each year in selecting only vigorous
breeders. and there is "a large number
of fowls from which 10 choose The
danger becomes even more remote II
Two divisions OF the same blood are
KEEP; going year after year, This con
sisis OF keeping two distinct strain,
or matiupS on the same farm, both oi
which have common ancestry, bUi
which grow farther apart every year
Every season thu males OF one lin,
are mated 10 tn" females OF tn" other
line, and vice versa, these lines hay-
ing been started h> mating the best
mnlc 10 thn hes, iemnLe. ana confirm