THE POULTRY YARD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 770, 3 December 1886, Page 15

THE POULTRY YARD.

FOWL FACTS IN AN EGG SHELL-

The breeds of fowls having the quality of laying and not sitting, may be classed in four groups— all layers of white eggs. First— Single-combed fowls including the BlackSpanish, Minorcas, Andalusians and Leghorns in variety. These all are distinguished by large, erect, single combs in the cocks, and drooping combs in the hens. Second — : the rosecombed fowls of tho Hamburg group. Third The true * top knots ’ White-crested, Black Polish, GoldCn-spangled Polish, Silverspangled Polish, White Polish, all of which have split or double combs, or the rudiments of suoh combs. Fourth—The Galio group of fowls, some of which, like the Crevecceurs and the Houdans, have crests like the Polish ; others, like the Gelderland fowls of Holland, La Fleche and La Bresse of France, show the split or bifurcated combe, or the rudiments of it. Among all these the most useful, simple as egg-producers, are to be found in the singlecombed group. The cock of the Whitefaced Black Spanish breed, is characterised by lustrous black plumage, gay with rainbow tints, and only a little less glossy in the hens —red combs or wattles and white faces. They lay eggs of the largest size and pure white, of course. 1 The Minorcas are like them but with red face, and the Andalusians are blue. Leghorns, White and Brown are desirable, hardy, prolific, and breed generally true to feathers and style. The Leghorns—and there are several other breeds—are by no means so high bred as the Spanish, yet they are hardier, and the eggs, though smaller, are more abundant, bo that so long as eggs sell by the dozen, rather than by the pound, they are very profitable fowls to keep. Houdans are favorite French fowls, and combine egg-laying and flesh-production in a high degree ; they are, besides, hardy, prolific, and, like all the other Gallic fowle, excellent eating, which can hardly be said with truth of

tbe fowls of .any other of the groups; of nonsitters.—American Agriculturist.