18 THE HOME POULTRY BOOK 



Of the Mediterranean class, the Leghorns easily 

 take the lead in popularity. Probably there are 

 more heavy egg-laying strains of White Leghorns 

 than of any other breed. There are rose-comb 

 as well as single-comb white and brown Leghorns, 

 the rose-comb varieties often being recommended 

 for very cold climates, as the rose combs are not 

 frosted as easily as the longer single combs. The 

 single-comb white Leghorn is generally admitted to 

 be without a peer as an egg producer and the eggs 

 are valued so highly that the best trade in New York 

 often specifies them. 



Like all members of this class, the Leghorns are 

 non-sitters. They have yellow flesh and legs but are 

 too small to be considered as table fowls, and so are 

 not so popular in the country and in the yards of 

 many amateurs as all-round fowls like the Rocks 

 and Reds. The meat, however, what there is of it, 

 is especially fine-grained and sweet and the chickens 

 make fair broilers. Mature Leghorns are hard to 

 fatten, though, and must be set down as belonging 

 to a strictly egg-laying variety. 



The two varieties of Minorcas, white and black, 

 are somewhat larger than Leghorns. They, too, 

 are prolific layers of large, white eggs, but they have 



