INTRODUCTORY 



may be accomplished by domestication and careful breeding, and 

 man undoubtedly did wonderfully develop and improve by 

 domesticating and breeding such wild fowl as came his way and 

 took his fancy. 



That this is probably substantially true we have evidence 

 in our present day standard varieties. More than half the 

 varieties of fowls now illustrated and described in the American 

 Standard of Perfection have been' developed, or come into being, 

 during the past half century and even within the past thirty 

 years more than a dozen varieties have "arrived." Thirty years 

 ago there were no Silver Laced Wyandottes, White Wyandottes, 

 Buff Wyandottes, White Plymouth Rocks, Buff Plymouth Rocks 

 nor Buff Leghorns in this country. During the last dozen years 

 more new breeds have come into existence, and we now have 

 Partridge Wyandottes and Plymouth Rocks, Columbian Wyan- 

 dottes and still others, many of which are now described in the 

 latest edition of American Standard of Perfection. The majority 

 of these did not exist in the world twenty-five or thirty years 

 ago. 



ESSENTIALS OF SUCCESS 



New varities are being created from time to time, some 

 claim too numerously, others think not. Regardless of which is 

 right, the constant aim may be said to be improvement either in 

 utiUty or beauty, or both, and the goal sought at all times in 

 the breeding of every variety is greater excellence, and the man 

 or woman who is able to "mix the paints" and use "an eye for 

 outline" to the best advantage is certain to win a golden reward. 



;for the competition is keen and there is a widespread and con- 

 stantly growing desire to "own the best." 



THE STANDARD OF PERFECTION 



The American Standard of Perfection, an illustrated book 

 of some 300 pages, is often referred to as the national guide of 

 poultrymen. This book is published under copyright by the 

 American Poultry Association, a national organization devoted 

 to the advancement of the poultry industry. In the Standard 

 ■book each class, breed and variety is set forth, and each and 

 every variety is described with great care as to size, form and 

 color, and every breeder is aiming to produce fowls from year 

 to year that will come as near as possible to the standard require- 

 ments. The illustrations of ideal fowls will prove a great help 

 to all beginners. Wonderful progress has been made by intelli- 

 gent and persevering breeders, and the choicest specimens from 

 year to year are placed on exhibition at the annual poultry shows 

 by the breeders themselves, or are sold to other breeders for 

 exhibition purposes. At these poiiltry shows (some 500 or more 

 or which are held every winter in the leading cities of the country, 

 in addition to hundreds of poultry departments that are run in 

 connection with annual district, state or county fairs), so-called 

 poultry judges, or men who are well versed in the standard 

 requirements and who make a business of judging poultry either 

 by comparing two or more birds together, or by the use of what 

 is called the score card, judge the fowls on exhibition, and cash 

 premiums or ribbons are given to the birds that come nearest 

 to perfection, that is, to the standard requirements. 



