250 PROFITS IK POULTRY. 



remember them, but they had elements of great value. 

 White seemed to predominate, and the single-combed 

 white fowls were separated from the others and care- 

 fully bred. It was several years before a fixed breed was 

 established, even with this excellent foundation. The 

 foundation was good, because all the birds had the same 

 general characteristics, which were peculiar and valua- 

 ble, such as were possessed by none of the then existing 

 favorite breeds. So when the Leghorns were intro- 

 duced, with the uniform points of a fancier's fowl, they 

 became at once great favorites and had deserved success. 

 Then this excellent and unique breed was made to carry 

 forward with it, towards popularity, a number of allied 

 breeds, all decidedly inferior to it Browns, Blacks, 

 Dominiques, etc. and now it seems this breed, which 

 properly affiliates with the Spanish, is to be Hamburg- 

 ized and given a rose comb, and for aught we know blue 

 legs. It is true that irregular rose combs occasionally 

 appeared in the original stock ; but they were regarded 

 as abnormal. Now it is really absurd to introduce them 

 for no merit, but simply to add another breed, or three 

 or four breeds perhaps, to our already too long list of 

 the Leghorn family. 



Some time ago a cross was made, which had Domi- 

 nique plumage, with large size, hardiness, small bone, 

 yellow skin, quick growth, and the characteristics of a 

 good "general purpose," fowl. This is the Plymouth 

 Eock variety. It was not a breed, but a cross. How- 

 ever, after years of breeding to a fixed standard, it is now 

 worthy of being received as an established breed. But 

 it is still shaky. Left alone a few years, it will revert, 

 more or less ; and in the best regulated families, black 

 fowls are constantly putting in an appearance. 



As if one such breed were not enough, another has 

 been introduced, with no merit, that we are aware of, 

 that the Plymouths have not. It is a speckled, mongrel- 



