ORIGIN OF THE R. I. REDS 



9 



blood, the Red fowls were spoken of as R. I. Reds. In a 

 certain section where the Leghorn blood was not used, today 

 old settlers speak of their fowls as Red Malays; in this sec- 

 tion ten years ago, the Reds were all single combs, whereas, 

 ten or twelve miles further south were to be found rose combs 

 in abundance. 



Rhode Island Reds an Out-Cross Breed 



The Rhode Island Reds have been subject to a good 

 deal of criticism by fanciers of other breeds who claimed that 

 the Reds had no breeding back of them, that they would not 

 breed uniform, etc., and they have been called scrubs, 

 barn-yard fowls, etc., etc. 



This breed derives its name Rhode Island Red from the 

 male bird. The utility farmer of that section of Rhode 

 Island, known as Little Compton, for nearly sixty years, 

 has been selecting red males and leaving the females to be 

 what they may. By this means, they have carefully out- 

 bred this now famous breed. 



Probably today there is not in the whole world another 

 breed produced by fifty years of out-breeding. If it were 

 only so, how much more vigor our several breeds would have. 

 The Rhode Island Reds stand as the proof of what out-breed- 

 ing will do. We fanciers do not live years enough to com- 

 pose a breed deliberately, unless we inbreed, but it was not 

 so with the original R. I. Red breeders, they knew the Red 

 cock was the most vigorous and almost unconsciously they 

 made a breed. 



In reviewing this subject, one thing has struck me very 

 forcibly, and that is that Red cocks were numerous in 1850; 

 just think of the different breeds that produced them. At 

 the first Boston Poultry Show held at the Public Gardens 

 on November 10, 1849, Red Shanghais and Cochin Chinas, 

 "the cockerels were generally red," were exhibited, as well 

 as Plymouth Rocks, which were said to produce Red males. 



At this time, we also find Red Malays and Red Chittagongs. 

 The Shakebag fowl was imported to this country by Mr. 

 J. L. Tucker, of the Tremont House, Boston. Mr. Mow- 

 bray thus writes of one in his possession, "The only one I 

 ever possessed was a red one in 1784, weighing about 10 

 pounds." I do not need to quote more to prove that Red 

 cocks are nothing new, even though the world did lose sight 

 of them, except isolated Little Compton, R. I. The red 

 rooster of fifty years vanished to a small country village, 

 but has now returned to the larger world. We all know 

 how the old-time, in-bred chicken crank hates this new (old) 

 out-bred breed. I am thankful that they are worthy of this 

 narrow, mistaken, in-bred contempt. Little Compton, R. I., 

 and Westport, Mass., are adjoining towns, lying to the south- 

 ward of Fall River, Mass. One small vessel of 1827 to 1860, 

 made about twenty^five trips annually between Westport 

 and Providence, R. I. The number of eggs brought on each 

 trip to Providence, R. I., averaged 400 dozen. The total 

 brought from that port by this single vessel in the term men- 

 tioned, was 3,450,000, and the value of them was $35,500. 



This gives you some idea of the value of the ancestors 

 of the Reds in 1850, since which time the poulterers of this 

 section have constantly been increasing their business and 

 improving fowl and methods. Finally a few of us discovered 

 the Reds, and the "Colony Plan" of raisiiig fowls. We have 

 tried to give the world the benefit of Litte Compton's breed 

 and experience, and trust that the R. I. Red Club will prove 

 as careful a guardian of the Reds as the whole-hearted 

 farmers of Rhode Island did. 



Note — These closing remarks seem like a bequest left 

 to the breeders of this grand breed by the one who did as 

 much, if not more, than any other to bring them before the 

 public, and who was so suddenly taken away when the Reds 

 were fast forging their way to the front strictly on their 

 utility merits. Ed. 



COCHIN CHINA FOWLS. BURNHAM'S IJVJPORTA TION. 



Reproduced from "The Poultry ^Book" by Dr.,J. C. Bonnett, 185a 



These fowls were imported by a Mr. Bumham in 1850. In writing of them in his book Dr. Bennett 

 says: "This representation of -Mr. Bumham's fowls is believed to be the only correct delineation of the 

 species extant, and I flatter myself will henceforth be deemed the standard of comparison." As this breed 

 was one of the ancestors of the R. I. Reds, breeders will no doubt readily recognize the oblong type of 

 the Red athough they would hardly consider them the standard of today. 



