PLYMOUTH ROCK STANDARD AND BREED BOOK 347 



Size played an important role in the early days of the stand- 

 ard-bred fowl industry, judging by the instructions to judges 

 found in the 1874 Standard, as the following extracts will prove: 



"In figuring size or weight, the fowls which shall be compara- 

 tively small in proportion to a weight that indicates excessive 

 fat shall be estimated in the same ratio as those which present 

 large size and are deficient in weight compared to size." 



"Judges must in all cases make a pro rata reduction for any 

 fractional part of a pound that a specimen falls short of the 

 largest or Standard bird." 



In the Asiatic class, the specimen largest in size and weight 

 was deemed the perfect specimen and allowed full number of 

 points in size and weight, provided always that the cocks did not 

 weigh less than eleven pounds, cockerels less than ten pounds, 

 liens less than ten pounds, and pullets less than eight pounds, 

 under the 1874 Scale of Points. As an illustration : 



"When the largest cock specimen in size and weight weighs 

 thirteen pounds or more, the remaining specimens shall be fig- 

 ured comparatively, losing two points for every pound they fall 

 short of the weight of the per Standard specimen. When the 

 largest cock weighs under thirteen pounds, and not less than 

 twelve pounds, then the remaining specimens shall lose four 

 points for every pound they fall short of the weight of said 

 best or Standard specimen." 



The same rule was applied to Asiatic cockerels, hens and 

 pullets, and all judges in other classes were instructed to first 

 establish a corresponding size and weight that shall apply to 

 their class and shall be in keeping with the spirit of the fore- 

 going : 



MODERN SCALE OF POINTS FOR PLYMOUTH ROCKS 



(An Adaptation From Mr. Drevenstedt's Article on Wyandottes) 



But what Plymouth Rock breeders are interested in today is 

 the valuation placed on their breed by the American Standard 

 of Perfection. In 1888 the Scale of Points for the three varieties 

 of Plymouth Rocks then recognized Barred, Pea-Comb and 

 White allotted to the different sections relative valuation as 

 indicated : 



