8 



Ground floors are more in favor than board floors, and cost much 

 less. 



In my own experience, the best results are obtained from keeping 

 20 to 25 birds in a flock. Some succeed with 60 to 75 in a flock; but 

 these are the minority. 



Breeds of Poultry. 



Plymouth Rocks. — There are three varieties of this breed, viz., 

 Barred Plymouth Rocks, White Plymouth Rocks, and Buff Plymouth 

 Rocks. The Barred variety is the oldest and most popular, owing to 

 it having been introduced some years previous to the last two named 

 varieties. 



The same general characteristics apply to the three varieties. 

 They are fairly hardy, good winter layers, fair summer layers, lay 

 brown eggs, make fair mothers, are sitters, have naturally yellow legs 

 and flesh, have single combs, and are all-round good general purpose 

 fowl. 



The standard weights are : Cock, 9^ lbs. ; cockerel, 8 lbs. ; hen 7^ 

 lbs., and pullet, 6^ lbs. 



Wyandottes. — There are several varieties of this breed, viz., White, 

 Black, Buff, Silver-Laced, Golden-Laced, Partridge, Silver-Pencilled, 

 and Columbian. 



The last two varieties are comparatively new, and are not at present 

 nearly so plentiful as are the other varieties. 



The White Wyandotte is bred by many market poultrymen, and 

 is very popular. 



This breed, in its different varieties, possesses the same general 

 characteristics as the Rocks, with the exception that they have a rose- 

 comb, and are more blocky in appearance. 



The standard weights are : Cock, 8£ lbs. ; cockerel, *j\ lbs. ; hen, 

 6$ lbs., and pullet, 5^ lbs. 



Rhode Island Reds. — This breed is bred extensively by the farmers 

 in the State of Rhode Island, where it originated. It has been admit- 

 ted to the American standard of perfection. 



They are said to be fairly hardy, fair winter and summer layers, 

 are setters, only fair mothers, brown egg breed, have yellow legs and 

 skin and mature early. They are a reddish buff in color, with a strong 

 tendency to black colored tails and wings ; also black ticking in the 

 hackle feathers. 



The R.I.R. Club gives the following weights: Cock, 7 lbs.; cock- 

 erel, 6 lbs.; hen, 5^ lbs., and pullet, 4! lbs. 



Orpingtons. — There are several varieties of this breed, viz., Black, 

 White, Buff Orpingtons, Spangled, and Jubilee. The Buff variety is far 

 more popular than the other two. Buff Orpingtons seem to be well 

 adapted to this country, and have the color of flesh sought after in 

 the British market. They will certainly be great rivals of the Rocks 

 and Wyandottes as the farmers' fowl. 



