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COCKER S MANUAL. 25<br />
CROSSING OF THE GAME.<br />
There can be no doubt that crossing as practiced by the more experienced<br />
and cautious breeders is of real benefit as it hardens up the<br />
feather, increases the size and gives us more bone and muscle, and<br />
also helps lessen the amount of superfluous flesh, the last being one<br />
great point for an old cocker as a less amount of work is required to<br />
prepare him for pit fighting. The game fowl is unlike many others,<br />
consequently the benefits of crossing can be realized in a single season,<br />
the results of which can well be shown, perhaps in some of our fowls<br />
in days gone by, but well<br />
remembered by many old fanciers and who<br />
still speak with as much pride of their Claibornes, Heathwoods, Baltimores,<br />
etc., as our great horsemen do of their Longfellow, Bassett,<br />
etc. Here the benefit of crosfing was shown in its full force, as no<br />
fowl was ever produced that excelled them in an old cocker's e\e, as<br />
determination and force in fighting could here be found. Many<br />
think as they have two strains of games that is all that is needed to<br />
make a cross, consequently their fowls in time show much worse than<br />
their old ones. Nothing can be gained in crossing without regard to<br />
form, size and general characteristics of your breeding stock. Experience<br />
of old and reliable fanciers everywhere have shown this, and all<br />
breeders should seek to be as near perfect as possible. We believe it<br />
cannot be disputed that old cockers have made the game what they<br />
are, giving him his ferocious disposition, hardness of feather and perfect<br />
build, and it never could have been done without care and study<br />
in breeding them.<br />
By crossing is meant the mixing of breeds, and if two Jowls of different<br />
breeds cross a third is invariably produced different from either<br />
and partaking to a large extent of the qualities of both is frequently<br />
and it may be invariably said better than either. The following article<br />
upon this subject was written by Newmarket in the Journal of<br />
Horticulture<br />
"Some breeders assert that in crossing, color and form or shape are<br />
derived chiefly from the cock, and that size, vigor and constitution:<br />
come from the hen. I would not, however, "giye much for any brood<br />
cock that did not impart all qualities to his progeny in excess of the<br />
hen. ******* As to crossing and mixing the different<br />
colors I think that Piles and Red Duns cross best of all, both being of<br />
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