THE MEAT BREEDS 



427 



ferent purposes on the farm. Light sheep, for example, 

 produce wool; light cattle, milk; and light hogs, bacon. 

 Among poultry we have also the two great types, the 

 light breeds, to produce eggs, and the heavy breeds, to 

 produce meat. In addition to these two types, as might 

 have been said of all the 

 great divisions of live 

 stock, a third type is 

 often recognized, a 

 middle, or " general 

 purpose," type. 



316. The Egg Breeds 

 belong to the " Mediter- 

 ranean Class." The 

 breeds and varieties of 

 this class are small and 

 nervous. They are 

 good foragers, but poor 

 sitters; they mature 

 early and lay white- 

 shelled eggs at an early 

 age. Two common 

 breeds are the Leg- 

 horns and the Minorcas. 



317. The Leghorns, which are white, brown, buff, or black 

 in color, have long slender bodies and white ear lobes. 

 They lead all others in laying qualities. 



318. The Minorca is distinctly larger than the Leghorn 

 and has a larger comb. Black is its most popular color. 

 It lays fewer but larger eggs than the Leghorn. 



319. The Meat Breeds are known as the " Asiatic Class.'' - 

 The meat breeds are heavy, slow in movement, poor 

 layers, but good sitters. All the members of this class 

 have feathers on the shanks and feet. The three breeds 



MINORCA COCK. 



