COLUMBIAN PLYMOUTH ROCKS 



165 



The originator. The iclcn nf making- a Liijht Plymoiitli Rock first 

 occurred to V. I\L Cleiiieiis, Mechanicsljurij;, Ohio, an experienced 

 breeder who in tlie eighties liad been prominently identihcd with the 

 origin and early development of the Black Wyandotte. 



It was in \'-^02 that Clemens found a male that was a Light Brahma 

 colored, good sized bird, of good Rock shape with a line type of 

 Plymouth Rock comb. This male was mated to two Bradley Brothers 

 Barred Rock pullets, two Philander Williams Light Brahma pullets 

 and two U. R. I'ishel ^\"hite Rock pullets. 



The following year a cockerel and four pullets that were single 

 comb sports from Columbian W'yandottes were secured from an 

 eastern breeder. To this sport cockerel were mated the pullets from 



Typical Columbian Plymouth Rock Male and Female. 



the first cross, for that first mating, having produced results that 

 were various, gave from each cross that had been represented in the 

 pen a few birds that were of value. 



The single comb sport Columbian Wyandotte pullets from the 

 eastern breeder were mated to a cockerel obtained from the 1902 

 crosses. "That fall." writes Clemens, "I was able to pick out some 

 good ones." He then proceeded on this foundation, and later on, in 

 commenting on his work, said that it was remarkable how soon 

 distinct type had been secured by selective breeding. 



Clemens always advertised his strain as possessing Light Brahma 

 color, true Rock type, and e.xtra good size, bone and vigor, and 

 emphasized the fact that his strain traced largely to the cream of 



