Domestic Fowls.

The Birds to Keep.

As so little capital is required to be sunk in birds to breed from, it is poor economy to keep any but the best.

The main flock should be half-bred, but in order to have these two or more pure-breeds must be kept. A small number of the pure-bred birds will do, for a hen is able to reproduce herself many times in a breeding season.

It is not enough to get the right breeds to cross with. In each breed there are families or strains of different value to the farmer, A good strain far him means one in which the useful points—viz., egg-laying or table qualities—have been studied and brought-out. This has to be done by breeding for several generations in succession from healthy birds that have been good layers or good table-fowls.