AMERICAN POULTRY CULTURE 
man who breeds Leghorns of a good size can also 
look after the market side of the business, too, be- 
cause Leghorn chicks are very hardy, grow fast and 
feather out quickly, and have nice yellow skin and 
legs. Though they never get “‘ big,” they make 
their first pound of growth in a comparatively short 
time. 
The Minorcas, while larger than the Leghorns, 
are not nearly so well adapted to American mar- 
ket requirements. In this country birds with yel- 
low skin and legs always sell first and at a higher 
price than the other kinds, though this is a mat- 
ter of prejudice and is being gradually done 
away with. 
With regard to the color of eggs, some markets 
prefer a white-shelled egg and others a brown- 
shelled egg; the beginner should ascertain the pref- 
erence and consider this as a factor when selecting 
his breed. All American varieties lay brown- 
shelled eggs, while all Mediterranean varieties lay 
white or light-tinted eggs. 
White-plumaged fowls are not the most desir- 
able for dirty, smoky locations, or for sections of 
the country where hawks and other prowlers 
abound. Fowls with dark plumage do not make 
the best market variety, on account of the black 
pinfeathers on the dressed carcass. 
Here are a few additional points the beginner 
can well bear in mind when selecting a breed: 
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