1905.] THOROUGHBRED POULTRY VERSUS MONGRELS. 1 53 



ren. Added both blacks and whites, and the next year the 

 Barred Plymouth Rock. 



The Langshans are splendid winter layers, excellent 

 mothers, and Ai flavor as table fowls. They have but one 

 serious fault. The black, feathered shanks and white skin on 

 the black variety, and blue shanks and white skin on the white 

 variety absolutely spoil them as high-class market poultry, 

 and make them second quality. These defects are all that pre- 

 vent the Langshan from becoming one of our leading general- 

 purpose fowls. 



The white shanks and white skin of the new English Or- 

 pingtons will prevent them, too, from becoming popular in 

 this country, as, to be widely bred, a breed must conform with 

 the general requirements of the public taste. So far they 

 demand yellow legs and skin on dressed poultry, and I have 

 seen no signs of their becoming educated to anything different. 



The Barred Rock filled a niche in my regard from which no 

 other variety has succeeded in ousting them. They are today, 

 and probably will always be, one of our leading general pur- 

 pose fowls. Their only drawback being dark pinfeathers when 

 dressed for market. The buff and white varieties combine the 

 good qualities of the barred, without this single defect. Their 

 light-colored pinfeathers make theirs a most attractive carcass 

 when picked by the expert. The Plymouth Rocks, barred, 

 buff, or white, are good winter layers, first quality table poultry 

 at any age, ideal mothers, and they are fine docile birds, stand- 

 ing confinement well, or able to hustle for themselves where 

 they are given the opportunity. 



The White Wyandottes were added to my yards in '98, and 

 have qualities that are unexcelled. Their rose combs, fitting 

 closely to the head, are practically frost proof with ordinary 

 protection. Their earlier maturity makes them lay a month 

 ahead of the Rock in the fall, and this about counterbalances 

 their being one pound smaller. Their laying qualities and 

 w^ell-rounded carcass when dressed make them the only serious 

 rival the Plymouth Rock has as a general purpose fowl. 



In 1900 when moving from New England to southern 

 New Jersey to start our present farm, I took with me a flock 

 of 600 Barred, Buff, and White Plymouth Rocks, and White 

 Wyandottes. That year added Buff Wyandottes to our flocks, 

 and sold the White Rocks. 



