Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-18

example, we speak or the Brahma type,
which conveys the idea OF 4 tall. heavy
bird. with feathercd shanks Or we
refer to the Lcghorn type as meaning
small. nervous. active bird.
Strain refers to ancestry or blood
lines, and must not be confused with
the terms breed or variety. For in
stance. John Doe is wcll-known
breeder of White Leghorns: he has been
in business for many years: perhaps he
has exhibited a great dca. won at
the sS-layinS contests: he is recos-
nized for having stock OF definite
ability: therefore. we SPEAK OF that
stock as the John Doe strain OF Leg
horns. In other words. the name Doc
CORES ponds 10 trademarks
Some poultrymcn. especially begin
ncTs. are pleased to advertise their
stock as being OF such and such strain.
II carries a certain amount OF weight
The ultimate aim OF the poultryman,
however. should be to so establish
himself as 10 make reputation for
his own stock, SO that It will be known
AS a particular strain. Advertising the
other fellow can BE overdone, and is
being evecdone in many instances.
BREEDING TERMS AS
USED NJ PROFESSIONALS
To the lay mind all female chickens
The experienced poultry raiser uses
;incr distinctions. The word hen Is APP
p!ed 20 = female which has completed
her hrsi laying season and entered the
frs; mott. Shn may be any number OF
years Old, but scarcely under sixteen
months. For example. let us say she is
six months OF age when she starts TO
lay. in November. From that time un-
til the following summer. along about
SO NJ har Sla No al
she is reckoned as pu!let. The second
laying season she is hon. although
some breeders prefer closer designa-
ton, and call the second season the
''yearling period"
A pullet. then, is a young feEal. COM
mencing her first year OF laying.
Similarly. n cockerel is q young male
commencing his first year o: service
as mature specimen. After he has
completed this first season and entered
the mott. or at the same time the pull
let becomes yearling, the cockerel
becomes cock.
Strictly speaking, the word rooster
has no place in the poultryman's YER
nacular, except that it applies to males
generally.
The foregoing distinctions are un-
Important except where breeding prin-
ciples are concerned If pullets are
forced for esq production. or IL they
lay heavily without undue forcing,
their eggs are not so good as hens
eggs for Matching purposes. The mott
ing period. which lasts about three
months wherein practically no eggs
arc laid, gives the pullet a long rest;
therefore. when she commences TO lay
again. as year!inE bird. she is much
stronger especially her eggs.
On the other hand. well-maturcd
cockorels are better birds to head
breeding pen than cocks, unless the
latter show unusually good form the
second season. 1t is customary to mate
cockcrels to hens. and cocks TO pullets.
In the minds OF many who raise
fowls there is but one idea and one
kind OF brecdinE-that Of mating males
TO females. regardless OF relationship,
blood lines or other considerations
Sooner or later these indiscrtminate
matinEs prove disastrous. 1t Is natures
way OF eliminating the unfit.
To be precise. there are four breed
ing methods: inbrcedinG. line-hree ding,
outhrccdinE and ross-hrccding; and.
shall we say, no breeding at all, mean
ing rank mongrelis,n.
It Is not advisable to make prac-
tice OF mating birds more closely re-
lated than first cousins and the moro
| distant this relationship can be drawn
| apart the better the chances for sue
cess. In making start with flock
| or fowls, however. II one wishes to
! preserve tho same strain O. blood or
! in creating a new breed. IT is usually
! necessary 10 mate fairly close for a
number of years. or until certain
! qualifications become intensified and
| hXcc
IL this mating OF related birds Is
/ done intclligently. with the view to flS-
Ing superiority in color, shape and so
I on. 1t is called line -brceding, or breed :
| irT in line. If the breeding OF related
| stocks is done indiscriminately, and
brothers and sisters are bred together
/ for generations for TO particular pur-
| pose, il is called inbreeding.
| In short, nebreeding is keeping to
! the same ancestry, the same blood
| lines. without; the disastrous effects OF
/ inbreeding. 1t is carefully selected
/ scientific !nbrecding. There is no owl
hNu n ubl as u EYE n qxs a -