SECTION IV. 



CHAPTER I. 

 BUFF PLYMOUTH ROCKS 



THE ORIGIN AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT 



THE Buff Plymouth Rocks were admitted to the Standard 

 of Perfection in 1892, and were the third of the Rock 

 family to be so honored, preceding by fifteen years the 

 Silver Penciled, the next variety to follow, which was in turn 

 closely followed by the Partridge and Columbian varieties. We 

 have, then, two groups separated from one another by the dates 

 on which they were recognized by the American Poultry Asso- 

 ciation, the older comprising the then more plainly garbed vari- 

 eties. Barred, White and Buff, the general effect of each being 

 that of a solid color ; and the later group, Silver-Penciled, Part- 

 ridge and Columbian, which display more intricate and striking 

 markings. 



The Origin. The first Buff Plymouth Rocks were undoubt- 

 edly derived from stock that was contemporary with the pro- 

 genitors of Rhode Island Reds, a breed, though then unnamed 

 and unauthorized by the American Poultry Association, that 

 was being developed by certain communities of Rhode Island, 

 located not far from Fall River, Massachusetts, where the Buff 

 Plymouth Rock originated and where one of the earliest strains 

 was developed. This association by location of the early Rhode 

 Island Reds with our American-made buff varieties and the nat- 

 ural outcome is at once noteworthy and later becomes significant. 



The First Exhibit. The credit for first showing Buff Plym- 

 outh Rocks under that name belongs to R. G. Buffington of Fall 

 River, Massachusetts, who gave the variety its initiatory exhibi- 

 tion experience at Providence, Rhode Island, in 1890. At the 

 same time and place Dr. Aldrich, also of Fall River, shffwed 

 fowls of similar breeding and type which he called "Golden 

 Buffs." 



Though Golden Buffs and Buff Plymouth Rocks were similar 

 in breeding and appearance in every way, Golden Buffs failed 

 signally to command public attention. It would be difficult to 



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