PLYMOUTH ROCK STANDARD AND BREED BOOK 269 



Produced Exhibition Quality. "The progeny of the six 

 fairly successful matings of 1900 showed better color of both 

 sexes as a rule and some improvement in comb. At the end 

 of this season several specimens of each sex were exhibited at 

 small poultry shows, attracted some attention, and several sales 

 were made. 



"Realizing the necessity of a sufficient number of matings 

 in order to improve rapidly, ten pens were mated in 1901, using 

 cock birds and hens for the first time. Special attention was 

 given to shape in these matings, with the result that little ad- 

 vancement was made in color, but the improvement in shape 

 was noticeable. This year was quite discouraging, and much of 

 the stock was marketed. On the other hand, there was con- 

 siderable interest shown in the Partridge Plymouth Rock and 

 a number of matings were sold. Some of the very best oi 

 these were placed in this vicinity, as it was evident that their 

 offspring might subsequently be of value in getting 'new blood' 

 for future matings. 



More Satisfactory Results. "A few of the fowls produced 

 in 1904 were quite satisfactory. There were now some pretty 

 good colored males and fair colored females. As a whole they 

 were much better in Rock shape than previously. Several birus 

 were sold for breeding purposes. 



"For 1905 six matings were made, using two of the cock 

 birds which had proved to be fine breeders, and four cockerels, 

 two each from these two cock birds. With each male were 

 from two to four females. In one of these pens a single-comb 

 Partridge Wyandotte pullet was placed, keeping her eggs sepa- 

 rated and carefully marking all her chicks, as had been done 

 with all from the beginning. 



"The result this year showed that blood began to tell, for 

 the males not only improved, but there were actually some good 

 Partridge colored females, while with the exception of the 

 chicks from the Wyandotte sport they were fairly good in 

 shape. These youngsters were culled down very closely, al- 

 though real culls were now in the minority, and every chick with 

 stubs, with other than good shape or with a poor comb was 

 discarded. The chicks from the Wyandotte sport, together 

 with their mother, were all disposed of, as most of them had 

 dark legs and very few of them even passable shape, so they 

 were considered worthless as breeders. 



"At minor shows where a few of the best specimens were 

 placed on exhibition, the judges complimented their quality, and 



