114 THE AMERICAN BREEDS OF POULTRY 



ary, 1914. Such continuous victories made the Latham female line 

 the most sensational in America and it was looked upon by many 

 breeders as the most valuable one into which to purchase. 



Persistent and close study made master breeders and the popu- 

 larity of the variety resulted in national reputations. No breed of 

 fowl in the history of the world ever had as much thorough and hard 

 work spent upon it as the Barred Plymouth Rock. No prizes in the 

 history of purebred poultry were ever as hotly contended for as the 

 prizes in the Barred Rock class at the annual exhibition of the New 

 York Poultry Association held in Madison Square Garden. To win 

 at New York was the height of the Barred Rock breeder's ambition. 

 The fact, however, that certain of the leading New England breeders 

 would show one year, and stay out the next, gave rise to an impres- 

 sion throughout the West that there was some form of collusion 

 among these breeders and by pre-arrangement the entries at New 

 York were restricted to some one or two breeders who would show 

 all the good birds that the entire group had been able to produce 

 during the year. 



This impression, however, was dispelled at the New York show of 

 December, 1907, when four of the giants of the Barred Rock fancy 

 met in competition. Thompson, Latham and Welles were there; also 

 Grove Hill Poultry Farm of Waltham, Mass., owned by Wm. Ellery 

 Bright and under the management of Arthur C. Smith. 



Being a December show and coming the week before Christmas, 

 the attendance at this Garden show was small. The w r eather was 

 broken; some days good, and then, again, rainy. The classes of all 

 varieties were well filled, and considering the time of year, the birds 

 were well finished and in good show condition. 



No display in any breed was of as much importance or attracted 

 as much attention as that of the Barred Rocks. While the New York 

 show is reputed to be a show of masters of the breeder's art in which 

 each presents for inspection and approval of the judge and interested 

 public, only his most brilliant stars, the strongest of the strong lined 

 up for battle in the Barred Rock aisle. Four hundred and eighteen 

 Barred Plymouth Rocks were cooped. Henry P. Schwab officiating 

 as judge, placed the ribbons, and exceedingly careful he was. 



In cocks, first honor went to E. B. Thompson, and again 1st place 

 on cockerel went to Thompson. At the time we wrote: 



This winning cockerel was a wonderful bird ; his type could hardly be improved 

 and his barring was truly "Ringlet," while his color was as clean and clear cut on 

 his back and tail as on his breast. He stood up straight and strong in his coop, 

 and was shown in the pink of condition. Other than the blue ribbon there was a 

 sign on his coop like this: "King of the Garden, Worth His Weight in Solid Gold." 

 But this was not the only sign. C. H. Welles put up a card on the coop 

 of his first prize hen: "The Queen of the Garden. Worth her weight in diamonds." 

 The joy of winning is great and Mr. Welles in his enthusiasm tied up the second 

 sign: "Fluffy Ruffles. Ten years ahead of the times." 



But Mr. Welles' signs were only suggestive. He could say nothing that would 

 describe the worth of his hen to a breeder of the strain, nor could he express his 



