276 RURAL CALIFORNIA 



of seasoned eggs by ship was displaced by the copious 

 receipt of fresh eggs by rail in carriers. As the 

 White Leghorn took clear precedence in commercial 

 production, the standard became the large white egg 

 now chiefly characteristic of California eggs both in 

 local and distant markets. Other breeds which now 

 share commercial production with the White Leg- 

 horn are judged as to availability by their ability to 

 rival the Leghorn in their large white eggs. In 

 smaller production by devotees of different breeds 

 and on farms and in villages, this character counts 

 for less and is considered in connection with other 

 forms of desirability in the breed. When shipments 

 of winter eggs are made to eastern cities, white or 

 brown eggs are sent to terminals in which a color 

 standard influences local sale, and for the same reason 

 white eggs are usually selected for shipment to Cali- 

 fornia from other states. 



As shown by the census figures, the hen and her 

 relatives comprise more than 97 per cent of the poul- 

 try interests of California and other domesticated 

 birds have not only relatively but actually decreased 

 in numbers during the last half century. If these 

 figures are accurate, the decline may be partly due 

 to the decimation of the Chinese population which 

 was great before the exclusion act of 1879, for the 

 Chinese would not accept wild geese and ducks, which 

 have always been abundant, as a substitute for tame 

 birds. Turkeys also show but little increase during 

 a half century and this may be attributed to two 

 new conditions which have arisen, viz., the progressive 



