CROSS-BRED POULTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXII, Issue 7413, 2 December 1884, Page 3

CROSS-BRED POULTRY .

(4grka(l*nl 04wt1«.) Mr Gwrgw Payne writes a* follows r herewith submit for the information of those of your readers who may be interested in the tame, the result of an extensive series of experiments in crossing, both for the table and laying qualities, as well m for exhibition purposes. I ha vs for *om»i year* past bred several t.t the recognised varieties, such as light Hrahimwi, silver-grey iterkings, brown and white leghorns, and (hiring the present year Indian gnm... Consequently I have plenty of good material to hand (with occasional purchases of h Uw ()f otb|!r TlU . i(^^a> for an unlimited nntnVr of trials and ex* pcrinwmU, with the most important and essential mature--w-veral acres of land covered with brtuW*,d a nd trees, eivißk plenty of shade fr.m the son and shelter from the rough weather. ( Beginning aU«t the time when the ' Brahma-Dork vng -rate at iu height, Brahma- Dork ing it stir| one fteki more safe with the majority. BrahmaDork ing it must be, or rattier, as I reversed the order, Dorking-Brahma it Wcatne, v»a., silver-grey Dorking cock with hght Brahma hens, the average result being a very pleaging lot of young birds with many useful qualities, such as white tegs supporting a good medium frame, carrying a fair proportion of breast-meat. In fact, at that time, so far as I was concerned, they mad« all-round birds, notably one pullet hat. bed on June I, and killed on Dec. S 4, weighed 81b 3oz. She had not laid an egg nor had been shut up to fatten. The coloured Dorking amt Dark Brahma crews will make larger birds, but altogether coarser in limb and and wilt not fatten m readily, and many of them are very poor layers, tor which reason they were abandoned. Next came those which prov«-d. in my cose, the very beet of Dorking-Brahrna creases—white Dorking cock with light Brahma hens, producing some of the most beautiful pullets I ever saw as cross-bred*, pure white in colour, short, white legs, very neat head, with coral appendages—some , with rose combs, others single ; altogether close, compact birds, with a good plump breast, in many respects superior to some white Dorkings I have seen in the show pen, many of the latter Wing very utilty and rakish-looking- Not that I deprecate white Dorkings, for witbodV them how could the crow be obtained ? Before going farther I must digress a little to explain the muon 1 have made no alludon. to the cockerels. As your readers have observed ere this that my remarks have been entirely confined to the pallets, which, if extended to the sexes generally, and the human family particularly, would imply that the lab sex, being the weaker vessel, very properb require our constant care and protection,'whilst the opposite sex con very well take care ofthtaselve*. lowever, that is not the reason I have omitted to describe the cockerels, it being that in crowing the different breeds of fowls our object is to obtain pallets; therefore, as jn the majority of cases, the cockerels are doomed to die at an early age, a ctescriptionof them would be useless. The laying qualities of the last-named cross are such as 1 have never known equalled by any (and rarely surpassed by the non-sitting pure breeds), os by a natural tendency to sit occasionally, they cease for a short time, then return to their laying duties with increased vigour. I tried the Light Brahma-Houdan crow, which calls for no special comment, save that they are very fair layers; in other respects they are by no means even paaa-able-looking, being a dark or black plumage, with dark legs, ,and a fulness about the bead and neck,reminding oa of the old-fashioned hind of mourning or the military bearskin, almost enough to topple one over. So they (the bum I mean) were sent the way of all flesh. The silver-grey Dorking cock and buff Cochin hen will. If judiciously selected, • produce a good even tot of pullets of a light, or almost steel-grey plumage, inclining to white on the under porta, the breast with a little of the salmon tint, and dean white legs. These and their offspring, if bred back with the Dorking cock, will be fit to show and win under a great many judges as table fowls. They are average layers, bat with a trifle too much of" the Cochin propensity—vir., sitting. However, they have a great redeeming feature, inasmuch as they are excellent sitters, and make capital mothers —the very best I have tried. A black-red Game cock with silver-grey Dorking hen produces a superior table fowl, which, in point of fact, is their only recommendation, or they would be more extensively raised. As layers they are scarcely the average, in size not nearly so largo as we might expect, and certainly not of a strong and robust constitution. ’ Token as an all-round bird, the Game-Brahma is a long way ahead. Coming to the more modem breeds, we find plenty ol new material. Amongst the foremost of these are the Game-Langshan and Leghorn-Dorking, the former consisting of black-red Game and Langshan, the latter white Leghorn and Dorking respectively. The game Langshan is much larger than fame Dorking*, or rice tvrs.i. being a very Handsome, compact, and well-proportioned bird, carrying plenty of breast meat, dean legs of a slate or olive - green colour, with a plumage of a more orange tint than game, rich and lustrous ; as lavers of good sized tinted eggs, they have few superiors. A pair uf pullets were exhibited at Sandhurst Show, awarded a prize by Mr Tegetmeier. and were very favourably commented on by a contemporary. I find six pounds a common weight for a pullet to attain before commencing to lay. Being of a quiet and gentle disposition, not so fond ol roaming as some of the more active kinds, they are suitable for such aa cannot give them a wide range. Of all modern crosses, taking into consideration their good, general qualities,, deducting the weak points and disadvantages (if any—l confess to none), add to which their extreme beauty and symmetry. I think the pahu may be awarded to the Leghorn- Dork ing. lu this breed will be found smart, active birds of a snow white plumage, while in tog*, com to. and toes honours are divided, some with bright yellow legs and five claws, in others tos legs are white with four toes only. much for their appearance externally. Their laying propensities “ Utf " “ guarantee their owner from 110 to ISO eggs per annum, as well as to bring up »‘ hreod of chicks once » year for the table. When matured and fattened they will weigh from Gib to 51 lbs. What can man want mow, except that they will often wm in a class for table few Is ?