8 The Business Hen. 



passes them in color and size of egg. Second, the Plymouth Rock equals 

 or excels the Wyandotte as a table fowl, and surpasses it in weight. The 

 latter point I consider the strongest. Anyone raising poultry for market, 

 and especially farmers, 1 think should have the heaviest fowls, provided 

 they are good layers. Good laying and large size are best combined, 1 

 think, in the Plymouth Rocks." The picture of a serviceable Barred Ply- 

 mouth Rock hen is shown at Fig. 2. This hen is known to have laid 

 237 eggs during her first year. 



A Wyandotte breeder, in reply, makes these claims : "White Wyan- 

 dottes are smaller birds, maturing quicker, commencing to lay two or 

 four weeks earlier than the Plymouth Rocks. I am aware that this will 

 be disputed by Plymouth Rock breeders, especially those with flocks 

 below standard size, and I am willing to admit that Rocks of Wyandotte 

 size may lay as quickly. The White Wyandottes when dressed for market 

 have no dark pin feathers, but show a clear yellow skin, while the Ply- 

 mouth Rock chicks have a mottled appearance, owing to the coloring 

 matter in the pin feathers. The Wyandottes do not have so deep a breast 

 bone, consequently are rounder breasted and have a meatier look than 

 the P. Rock chicks of the same age. The larger the breed is the longer 

 it takes to reach the egg-laying stage, and in selecting a breed of fowls a 

 man must determine whether a month's earlier production of eggs in 

 November or December isn't worth more than an additional pound ol 

 meat, which by the way cannot be produced for nothing, but must be paid 

 for in feed. Another point in favor of the Wyandottes is uniformity of 

 color, without the trouble of special matings for cockerels and for pullets, 

 which are necessary to obtain uniformity in breeding Barred Rocks. 

 This objection does not obtain as against White Plymouth Rocks, of 

 course, but all the other objections hold. Another factor in determining 

 me to change breeds was that my Wyandottes seemed to be much better 

 layers. Against the Wyandottes was the fact that in muddy seasons the 

 plumage would get badly soiled, giving the flock a dirty appearance, not 

 noticed in Barred Plymouth Rocks. As layers the White Wyandottes 

 are not excelled by any other breed except possibly the Leghorns, and in 

 Winter months, under similar conditions, I think they will surpass the 

 Leghorns." The White Wyandotte shown at Fig. 3 laid 219 eggs in 

 her first season, and kept up her record later. 



THE ASIATICS.— The Light Brahma is the most popular type of this 

 class, a large, slow, well-feathered and well-shaped bird, quiet in disposi- 

 tion, laving a fair number of dark brown eggs. The legs are well feathered, 

 the comb small, and the hens seem well dressed in fur for Winter work. 

 The Brahmas and Cochins are docile and stand confinement well, but 

 they fatten readily, and it is harder to keep them free from vermin than 

 the lighter and thinner-feathered breeds. The feathers on the legs are 



