198 AMERICAN POULTRY ASSOCIATION 



generally considered the originator of the breed. As early as 

 1880 these were called White Plymouth Rocks, as I remember 

 of my father having some of them when I was a small boy. 

 While I am not positive about the matter, I incline to the belief 

 that the Dirigo was the same strain of birds. The name, Dirgio, 

 which is the motto on the State seal of Maine, would indicate 

 the breed to be of Maine origin. At that time the idea of sports 

 had not come to be understood and there were many of the 

 breeders who doubted the sport origin of the breed. At the 

 same time, as often occurs when a new breed is in the making, 

 others besides the originator attempted by cross-breeding or in 

 other ways to produce birds with similar characteristics, yet 

 with different or partially different blood lines, and then, as 

 sometimes happens, if these birds are bred with the originator's 

 stock, it makes it much more difficult to trace the breed history." 



Other breeds and varieties were included in that report, a 

 little of which should be mentioned here. The presentation of 

 five new varieties of white fowls for admission to the Standard 

 was a matter of vital importance, and there was considerable 

 opposition to the admission of the White Plymouth Rocks, the 

 Dirigos, and the White Javas. This was because it was plain 

 that there could not be so many kinds, all true to breed charac- 

 teristics. Ultimately, White Wyandottes, Golden Wyandottes, 

 White Plymouth Rocks, Jersey Blues, White and Black Minor- 

 cas and Pea-comb Plymouth Rocks were, all of them, admitted 

 to the Standard under one resolution. 



Later, a resolution was offered asking for the admission of 

 the Dirigos to the Standard, although they were the same as the 

 White Plymouth Rocks. A memorial was presented to the meet- 

 ing demanding their admission, and great claims were made for 

 their qualities. An argument developed the fact that Mr. Ferris 

 had first shown these fowls in Bangor in 1875. They were 

 judged and admitted to be the first White Plymouth Rocks ever 

 shown. They came frcm the farm of Mr. Ferris, this being 

 called Dirigo Farm. Mr. Beal, Mr. Ferris and others claimed 

 the credit of originating the fowls and the right of naming them. 

 An attempt was made to read the memorial. This, however, was 

 denied and the document was never admitted to the records of 

 the meeting. I now regret that it was not preserved, although 

 at that time I objected to its admission to the record. It would 

 doubtless reveal some interesting facts concerning the origin of 

 this fowl. 



