62 WYANDOTTES. 



varieties have proved themselves worthy members of the Wyandotte 

 family in every point save color ? 



The spurious fowls representing White Wyandottes, and falling 

 short of those qualities so highly commended in the laced birds, 

 ought not militate against the pure bred fowl, any more than bad 

 members of a congregation ought militate against the purity of the 

 religion which they claim to represent. Self-interest is a strong 

 passion in the average man, and when every inducement and oppor- 

 tunity present themselves whereby he can turn a ready dollar to his 

 own advantage by a little shrewdness, which suggests a choice be- 

 tween honest and dishonest dealing, the latter is often taken to mean 

 cuteness of ability, or taking advantage of another in a trade or sale. 



The Rev. F. H. Parsons writes of the White Wyandottes, in 

 1887: "I am forced to the conclusion, from what I have bred, seen 

 and learned by correspondence with breeders of White Wyandottes, 

 that from stock strictly first class, birds can be raised that will be as 

 uniform and give as many superior birds as the standard variety, 

 and for the careless breeder better results will be found ; but if you 

 have fine standard birds, be slow to give them up, expecting to get 

 something very much superior. For general purposes there is little 

 difference, the birds being almost identical in characteristics, but 

 White are one-half pound short in weight, and here is found a tend- 

 ency in unscrupulous breeders to use a White Wyandotte cockerel 

 with Rose-Comb White Leghorn hens of large size, and sell the 

 cross for White Wyandottes. They may suffer reproach in this way, 

 for they are hard to detect, the ear-lobe being the surest test. They 

 are deservedly popular and will in a few years be one of the leading 

 farm fowls, as when dressed no colored pin feathers are seen; their 

 bodies are good size and plump, with yellow skin and legs; matur- 

 ing quickly and easy to raise, with a white plumage, and are but 

 little trouble to mate, and breed well. * The more I see of them the 

 more I admire them,' is the universal testimony." 



GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS. 



As egg producers and table fowl, the Whites are equal to the 

 Laced. They have the same plump bodies, constitutional vigor, 

 physical beauty, commanding carriage, standard points, and the 

 only difference is the color. They can be used at an early age for 

 broilers and roasters. The adult males will weigh from seven to 

 eight pounds, and the females from six to seven pounds. These 



