AMERICAN BREEDS. 171 
of their merits alone they have worked their way up, 
and earned for themselves a lasting reputation for gen- 
eral utility. 
This breed is deservedly becoming very popular among 
those persons who keep fowls for profit. First among 
the good qualities of a fowl, issize. This the Plymouth 
Rocks have in an unusual degree. There are many ex- 
cellent breeds of poultry which are all that can be de- 
sired except as to size, and the lack of this is fatal to 
their popularity; for, after all, profit is the chief object 
with most people in choosing a kind of fowl to keep. 
Hardiness of constitution and vigor, pleasing form, 
handsome and attractive plumage, and prolific produc- 
tion of eggs are all very desirable qualities in fowls, and 
these all belong to the breed. ‘The future of the Ply- 
mouth Rocks will depend greatly upon the care or fortun- 
ate success with which theyare bred. Difference of taste 
leads breeders to favor different styles, and thus ‘ strains” 
are originated. If these styles are made to depart too 
much from a rigid standard, there is danger that an im- 
portant and essential point may be sacrificed for some 
minor fancy. To prevent this, and to induce or enforce 
care and consistency in breeding, it would be well that 
a very close adherence to the standard be insisted upon 
in all exhibitions, and that a very rigid one be adopted. 
In the case of the birds here represented, they come fully 
up to the accepted standard of excellence of American 
breeders, and meet it in every respect. The points re- 
quired are: The breast to be ‘‘ broad, deep, and full,” 
and the body to be ‘‘ large, square, and compact.” The 
form of these birds is therefore nearly perfect, and if 
breeders of the Plymouth Rocks vie with each other in 
taking advantage of favorable accidents in breeding, and 
in fixing them upon their strains, or in using care in 
selecting birds for breeding, as any skillful breeder may 
readily do, the future history of this breed will be a very 
