AMERICAN BREEDS. 171 



of their merits alone they have worked their way up, 

 and earned for themselves a lasting reputation for gen- 

 eral utility. 



This breed is deservedly becoming very popular among 

 those persons who keep fowls for profit. First among 

 the good qualities of a fowl, is size. This the Plymouth 

 Rocks have in an unusual degree. There are many ex- 

 cellent breeds of poultry which are all that can be de- 

 sired except as to size, and the lack of this is fatal to 

 their popularity; for, after all, profit is the chief object 

 with most people in choosing a kind of fowl to keep. 

 Hardiness of constitution and vigor, pleasing form, 

 handsome and attractive plumage, and prolific produc- 

 tion of eggs are all very desirable qualities in fowls, and 

 these all belong to the breed. The future of the Ply- 

 mouth Rocks will depend greatly upon the care or fortun- 

 ate success with which they are bred. Difference of taste 

 leads breeders to favor different styles, and thus " strains 5 ' 

 are originated. If these styles are made to depart too 

 much from a rigid standard, there is danger that an im- 

 portant and essential point may be sacrificed for some 

 minor fancy. To prevent this, and to induce or enforce 

 care and consistency in breeding, it would be well that 

 a very close adherence to the standard be insisted upon 

 in all exhibitions, and that a very rigid one be adopted. 

 In the case of the birds here represented, they come fully 

 up to the accepted standard of excellence of American 

 breeders, and meet it in every respect. The points re- 

 quired are: The breast to be "broad, deep, and full," 

 and the body to be "large, square, and compact." The 

 form of these birds is therefore nearly perfect, and if 

 breeders of the Plymouth Rocks vie with each other in 

 taking advantage of favorable accidents in breeding, and 

 in fixing them upon their strains, or in using care in 

 selecting birds for breeding, as any skillful breeder may 

 readily do, the future history of this breed will be a very 



