CHAPXEIR VIM 



What Breeders Say 



Orpiufitaus of the Past, I'rpspiit and Future — Prominent Breeders Express Their Views on Type 

 iiud Color — The PJew Standard Will Help Improve The Breed 



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O get the views of prominent and successful 

 breeders of Orpingtons, on the progress 

 made in attaining a more uniform type and 

 color in the different varieties, also under 

 the further improvement of the breed under 

 the revised American Standard of Perfec- 

 tion, we sent a list of questions to leading 

 fanciers in the east and west. The contributors to this 

 symposium are: 



A. L. Goodwin, Massachusetts. 



H. H. Kingston, Jr., New York. 



C. A. Moxley, Illinois. 



Milton W. Brown, Ohio. 



E. A. Haring, Con- 

 necticut. 



Paul Kyle, New York. 



Archibald B. Dalby, 

 New Jersey. 



Henrietta E. Hooker, 

 Michigan. 



C. S. Byers, Indiana. 



C. E. Fisher, Ohio. 



E. B. Miller, Indiana. 



J. M. Williams, Mich- 

 igan. 



W. H. Gifford, Massa- 

 chusetts. 



Goodes and Palmer, 

 Michigan. 



David N. Foster, In- 

 diana. 



Henry B. Prescott, New 

 Hampshire. 



1. How do Orpingtons 

 of today compare in typical 

 shape, size and color with 

 those bred and exhibited 

 five or more years ago? 



"There has been a 

 steady improvement in 

 shape and color in all varie- 

 ties of Orpingtons in the 

 past five years. As to shape 

 this is especially true of the 

 Buffs and Whites. Tfiere is 

 some doubt whether there 

 has been any great advance 

 in the matter of size, with 

 the possible exception of 

 the Blacks."— A. L. Good- 

 win. 



"Taking it for granted that American birds are meant, 

 the Orpington of today is superior in every respect to his 

 forbear of five years ago. showing better type, size and 

 color."— H. H. Kingston, Jr. 



"A wonderful improvement." — C. A. Moxley. 



"There has been a startling improvement. Winners 

 at big shows five years ago would be worth about ?3.UU 

 today. A few individual specimens then approached the 

 present type, but the general average was extremely far 

 from the present ideal." — Milton W. Brown. ,^ 



"They are much better, especially in shape and color. 

 — E. A. Haring. 



"I remember very well the Orpmgtons that were ex- 

 hibited for the first time at the Madison Square Garden, 







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which was in 1899. I then noticed the peculiar shape, which 

 indicated to me that the Orpington can grow more meat 

 on her deep long breast than any other fowl. I was so 

 much impressed with that one good point that I bought 

 some and ever since have kept them to my greatest sat- 

 isfaction. The American fanciers have certainly improved 

 the shape and size of the Orpington hens, compared with 

 those from England exhibited at the Madison Square Gar- 

 den Show for a number of successive years. The color, 

 particularly in the Buffs, has been improved also, if not 

 changed to a lighter buff than formerly shown. All fan- 

 ciers, I think, agree to the present shape of the female 

 Orpingtons. In the S. C. Black male classes, however, the 

 American Standard is open for discussion. The Black 

 Orpington male cannot have as long a back as his cousins', 

 the Buffs or Whites, because one of the ancestors of the 



Black Orpington was a 

 Black Langshan. Conse- 

 quently the back of the 

 black male will always be 

 short with broad shoulders. 

 Although a long back has 

 been well established in 

 Black hens, I doubt, how- 

 ever, if fanciers will ever be 

 successful in breeding a 

 long back in the Black Orp- 

 ington males." — Paul Kyle. 

 "I think the color has 

 improved but the shape and 

 size have gone back." — 

 Archibald B. Dalby. 



"I think the color has 

 improved wonderfully, but 

 have been fearful that this, 

 desirable as it is, would be 

 emphasized at expense of 

 type, and an Orpington is 

 nothing, once the type is 

 lost." — Henrietta E.Hooker. 

 "In proportion to the 

 number bred Dy experts 

 there are now many more 

 specimens that approach 

 the present Standard type 

 than there were five or more 

 years ago."- — C. S. Byers. 



"They compare fairly 

 well, but they seem to have 

 lost in color." — E. B. Miller. 

 "I saw five years aga 

 what I believe to be as good 

 shaped birds as are found 

 today, but not so many of 

 them. I believe the color 

 has improved more than 

 the shape." — C. E. Fisher. 



"Both color and shape 

 have been much improved — 

 especially the former. We are 

 practically away from that Rhode Island Red that both- 

 ered so many." — J. M. Williams. 



"There is improvement in shape, but not in size and 

 color."— W. H. Gifford. 



"Size and color have improved. In some respects the 

 shape has deteriorated. There is too much difference in 

 shape in the different varieties of Orpingtons." — Goodes- 

 and Palmer. 



"As the market is demanding a different shaped bird 

 now, it is very hard to say how the Orpington of today 

 compares with the Orpington of five years ago. Five 

 years ago the Orpington ran to the Dorking in shape, 

 while now the fancy market demands a broader and 

 deeper bird, more like the brger breeds; also, a shorter 



