THE ORPINGTONS 



31 



Evolution of Orpington Ideals in America 



A. O. Schilling, who has made a careful study of Orp- 

 ington type at our leading poultry shows and examined 

 and handled many specimens in prominent breeders' 

 yards, in the Reliable Poultry Journal, July, 1910, clearly 

 illustrates the evolution of Orpington ideals in America 

 by pen and ink drawings with explanatory remarks, which 

 are reproduced as follows; 



"We desire to show by the accompanying cuts and this 

 short article the variation or changes in the ideals that 

 have from time to time pleased the fanciers. A little study 

 of the accompanying pen and ink illustration will show 

 what has been done to the Orpington type by American 

 breeders. On pages 22 and 23 we show a pair of ideal Buff 

 Orpingtons drawn to conform to the ideal of their orig- 

 inators, Wm_ Cook & Sons, and of other promineni breed- 

 ■ers of that time, which was prior to the revision of the 

 - Standard of 1905. It will be noticed that this type is 

 much shorter in body, which emphasizes its great depth 

 and the fullness of the breast and it shows to good ad- 

 vantage the U-shape in body and back of male, which was 

 an expression used by the late Wni. Cook in describing the 

 typical Orpington. It is quite evident that breeders on this 

 side of the Atlantic are striving to produce a longer bodied 

 liird than was originally advocated. In Figs. A and B we 

 have illustrated the difference in type between the earlier 

 ideal and the present-day Standard Orpington. 



"There has been some discussion among prominent 



breeders in regard to the advisability of doing away with 

 the short shank and thigh of the present-day ideal, mainly 

 for the reason that it will not fit the Buff variety. Whether 

 or not this will be done or whether it will benefit the 

 breed or the breeders, remains to be seen. In the writer's 

 opinion an ideal that fits one variety should also fit all va- 

 rieties of the breed in order to enable us to have a Stand- 

 ard that will not be open to criticism and productive of 

 much argument. 



"Even though we have an accepted standard and ideal 

 which meets the approval of a large majority, differences 

 of opinion will always exist in regard to standard poultry 

 as well as in other matters, but we shall aim to show in 

 the forthcoming Standard an ideal that will represent the 

 modern Orpington as it is exhibited by the most success- 

 ful breeders in this country. 



"We have in our possession photograpfaic stttdiea ofc 

 many prominent winning specimens in nearly all varie- 

 ties of Orpingtons that have been shown at the greatest 

 exhibitions held in this country for a number of years and 

 the new Standard ideal will be a composite made from the 

 ideal parts of the best specimens shown in recent years. 

 These ideals will be submitted to the specialty clubs for 

 approval before final adoption by the American Poultry 

 Association at the next annual meeting. 



"There is no doubt in our minds that adding to the 

 length of body which seems to be the general tendency in 

 most of our American breeds today, has been of benefit 



STANDARD BLACK ORPINGTONS. ENGLISH TTPBS 



Tii„=tv!.tinT, i<! rptiroduced from "The New Book of Poultry," by Lewis Wright, published in 1902 by Cassell & Com- 

 n>,T,vl^mHedLondoS Paris and N™w York. Delineation is by J. W. Ludlow, England's best poultry artist now living. 

 r^I'Ji^^t^' kJiff^'t Mvirietiesot Orpm^^ fowls is identical, male and female respectively, therefore this picture 

 IlJ-ts^the InglishType o1 shSe iutlPneV Orpingtons, as interpreted by Mr. Ludlow. 



