THE MEDITERRANEAN CLASS. 



93 



Ibe ro-e comheil variety a Red 

 Wyaiuiotte. Fanciers of Ite(i8 

 try to malie the Rhode I>laiul 

 Red of a ebape iiuermediate 

 between Plymouth Rocks and 

 Wyandottes, but as tlie reader 

 who examines many specimens 

 of the three breeds will find, Ibe 

 breed shape is slill very rare in 

 the Reds. As a. matter' of his- 

 torical fact, the first Buff Ply- 

 mouth and Buff Wjandotlt-^ 

 exhibited were Rhode Island 

 Reds, and a good part of tlie 

 stock of both these Buff varie- 

 ties is of Rhode Island Red 

 origin. 



In Rhode Island Reds, then, 

 '""" we have two more varieties of 



Silver SpangUd Hamburg,. j^^ medium ^ized -enerai pur. 



pose fowl, not essentially different from Plymouth Rocks and Wyandottes in practical qualities. 

 It is from the varieties of the three breeds just descril>ed that most pnullr^men will make 

 choice of the fowl that suits them, and whatever else they may begin with or try, most poul- 

 trymen will eventually settle on a variety of this class. All these breeds have, with the excep- 

 tion of an occasional stock, the brooding faculties active. All lay tinted ei;i;s varying from 

 rich creamy color to very dark "brown." All are easily handled, and give fair to good results 

 when fed and cared for with ordinary good judgment and regularity. 



The Buir Orpington Is the only variety of that breed at all generally introduced Into this 

 country. Without denying it as great economic merit as any variety of the American class, 

 and admitting that as seen on exhibition Orpingtons have generally shown better table form 

 than the American varieties at the same shows, one is quite safe in predicting that their general 

 effect on the varieties with which they come into competition will be to improve rather than to 

 displace them. The other varieties of Orpingtons, Black, White, and Spangled, have attracted 

 little attention here outside the circle of enthusiastic Orpington exhibitors. Considered as a 

 commercially popular fowl, the question of the popularity of Orpingtons in this country turns 

 on the question of the continuance of American prejudice in favor of yellow skinned table 

 poultry. If one can convince himself that this is passing he may see a large popularity coming 

 for the Orpingtons. Otherwise he is likely to believe that the American varieties will continue 

 to give general satisfaction. 



Next to the American class in popularity comes the Mediterranean class, comprising Leg- 

 horns, Minorcas, Spanish, Andaiusians, and Anconas. These all lay white eggs, and are non- 

 sitters. 



Leghorns. In these there are seven varieties, of which only two have a broad popularity — 

 the S. C. Brown and the S. C. White. Of the two the White seems to be most popular through- 

 out the territory which contributes New York city's supply of fancy white eggs. Throughout 

 the rest of the country the Browns are generally more numerous. The Single Comb Buff Leg- 

 horn made very rapid advances in popularity for a while, but then went backward. The rose 

 combed varieties of the colors mentioned have never approached the single combs in popularity, 

 though the Whites and Browns are quite well distributed. Black Leghorns are not often seen, 

 and the Silver Duckwings are still more rare. 



The Leghorns' chief claim to attention is their laying propensity. They lay better under 

 indifferent care, except in early winter, than any fowls not of their class, and. except when 

 frost is severe enough to affect their large combs they are reasonably hardy. Average Leghorns 

 are too small to be of much value as market poultry. Many breeders breed to a size to mate 



