IN THE POULTRY YARD, 55 
say, they should mature early, reach a good size, and present a 
fine appearance when dressed. This excluded all dark varieties, 
such as Black Spanish, Minorcas, Black Hamburghs, Javas, etc. 
‘These varieties rarely look well when dressed. On the other hand 
full grown, and well-conditioned birds of the Light Brahma va- 
riety always look well, but the young birds look “leggy” and poor. 
The Leghorns look well and mature early, but are too small. 
Dominiques mature early and look tolerably well when dressed. 
At this time the Plymouth Rocks had not been generally intro- 
duced, or I should certainly have used them, as I have since done. 
In the common strains of this breed, the cockerels are generally 
light and the hens dark. 
And here let me note the absurdity of the fancier’s rules, which 
demand that for exhibition purposes the cocks and hens ought 
always to be as nearly of the same color as possible. ‘lo a sen- 
sible poultry man, the fact that the cockerels are always light and 
the pullets always dark is one of the greatest advantages and for 
these reasons: In the struggle for existence the dark will always 
supersede the light. White fowls never have the stamina of the dark 
ones, and perhaps it was a knowledge of this fact which led me to 
-select the Brown Leghorn in my recent experiment. Now the 
dark hens of the Plymouth Rocks, are to be kept for breeders and 
layers and with chem strong constitutions are of the utmost impor- 
tance especially for winter layers. But, if the cockerels were dark, 
it would -be a great drawback in marketing those that must be. 
killed, and fortunately the cockerels in common strains are quite 
‘light. 
And let me here add in favor of the Plymouth Rocks, that they 
reach a good size, and if reared in a good run, have a most ex- 
cellent flavor. As layers, the hens do not equal the Leghorns 
and Hamburghs in summer, though they are quite the equals of 
these famous breeds during winter, and as I have had an average of 
137 eggs per year from a flock of thirty Plymouth Rocks, it is evident 
that they are not so very far behind the best, 
‘But, not having the Plymouth Rocks that season, I. was forced 
to adopt some other breed, and weighing carefully the good and 
