UNKNOWN

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3612, 20 January 1906, Page 4

UNKNOWN

The ll#e of Scrubs na a Foundation Has Retarded X’rctjrosa Wherever It Has Hecn Triad.

Any farmer who will use scrub hens and begin with them as a foundation for improvement will lose a year or two by so doing, as he can get fowls or eggs of pure breeds at such small cost ihai i t will be really extravagant to retain the scrubs. More effort has been made in improving scrub fowls than with large stock, but nothing of importance has been gaibed thereby. On the contrary, the use of scrubs as a foundation has retarded progress. The farmers mujt first get rid of the supposition that crossing breeds is an advantage. If they should judiciously cross, knowing what they are doing, they might probably accomplish something, but as it is they do more harm by crossing than is expected. For instance, let the farms have two breeds —Plymouth Bocks ail’d Hamburgs. The first he finds an excellent market fowl, well up to the average as layers, hardy and adapted to nearly all climates. The ilamburgs will lay more eggs than the Ply mouth Rooks (mostly in summer), but are small and not hardy in winter. Now, if we can combine the productive capacity of the ilamburgs with the hardiness of the Plymouth Hocks, the farmer considers that he will have a superb cross. He does not stop to consider ; that the breeders have crossed in every possible manner to get the same results, and that the pure breeds ai-e themselves crosses that have been fixed ifl characteristics; nor does the farmer consider that 90 farmers in every 100 have done just what he is about to do. So he makes his cross, and gets birds that do not lay as well as the Hamburg*, are ; not-aqual to the Plymouth Bocks in any , respect, will not endure severe winters, and which are of all colors and sizes. Then he ceases, as he makes no careful note of the cross, neglects the birds'be- ■ cause they have become scrubs, his interest in pure breeds has passed, and ! he Is on the down grade to ruin, so far ! as keeping poultry for the best results Is concerned.—Farm and Fireside, I