PLYMOUTH ROCK STANDARD AND BREED BOOK 423 



to force them too rapidly for fear it will stunt their growth, 

 that is, it is not best to force early laying at the cost of size, 

 bone and muscle, if the pullets are to be used subsequently 

 as breeders; but if they are intended for broilers or roasters, 

 they may be fed heavily on growing and fattening foods, upon 

 which they will develop very rapidly and reach the broiler age 

 in nine to fifteen weeks, depending upon the size and type of 

 broilers desired. (T. E. Q.) 



CHAPTER HI. 



THE PLYMOUTH ROCK AS A MARKET FOWL. 



The fact that the Plymouth Rock rapidly gained popu- 

 larity and still is the most popular breed of poultry among 

 farmers simply means it has stood the test for more than 

 a quarter of a century and has not been found wanting. A 

 farmer's fowl which represents ninety per cent of the entire 

 poultry crop of the continent is no mean fowl. A farmer wants 

 meat as well as eggs. Step into almost any special finish- 

 ing or feeding plant and watch the superintendent smile when 

 a crate of Plymouth Rocks arrives or go into the dressing 

 room or finally into the dressed poultry boxes. Ask a dealer 

 to see a sample of the boxes of dressed poultry of prime 

 quality that he has to offer the trade and in nine cases out of 

 ten he will show a box of Plymouth Rocks. All of which 

 must mean that to date the Plymouth Rock is still America's 

 banner market chicken. It has stood the test of time and is 

 yet the market fowl. 



'What is there to the Plymouth Rock that makes it so popu- 

 lar as a market bird? First they are vigorous. That is, they 

 withstand disease and are good feeders. You do not want a 

 bird that is not a good feeder. Fowls, the whims of whose 

 appetite you have to study hourly, will never stand the test of 

 time. The Plymouth Rock is a good feeder, and stands second 

 to no breed under forced feeding or special finishing. Right 

 here is where its abundance of vigor comes worth while. 



The second consideration is that the lean meat or muscles 

 are well distributed over the various parts of the body. The 

 breasts are well muscled. There are very few Plymouth Rocks 

 with long, high, bare breast or keel bones. There is fair dis- 



