H- I. REDS AS EXHIBITION 



ing to get the markings in the male birds that are lacking in 

 the females. Be sure that the male has a good, deep red 

 under-color in hackle and saddle, red to the skin Mating 

 in this manner we have never had any trouble in getting 

 good shape and we think the color of our Reds will compare 

 favorably with the best breeders, as our old hens have as 

 good color as the pullets. 



As color is far from being entirely satisfactory at present 

 it is far better to maintain shape and take a little time in 

 • perfecting the color than to lose that for which the Reds 

 are noted, and which makes them the best all-purpose fowl 

 of today. If we lose the long back, full breast, long keel 

 and deep wide fluff we shall soon lose that for which everyone 

 is looking, viz.; the greatest utility fowl. 



The Reds have advanced until they equal, if they do 

 not exceed in popularity, any other breed of fowls in the 

 United States. 



Of course, it is a good 

 thing to pay attention to the 

 improvement of the feathers 

 and other show points, but 

 we must not overlook the 

 utility side of the question, 

 remembering always that size 

 of carcass and egg-laying 

 qualities are ever an impor- 

 tant feature and that these 

 qualities have done more than 

 any other to secure the per- 

 manent popularity of the 

 breed. We do not believe 

 it is a good thing to be a 

 crank on any one thing, but it 

 seems as if many of the Red 

 breeders have become so on 

 color. 



We believe by keeping up 

 the good points of the breed, 

 we have in them as good as 

 the best. They have shown a 

 great improvement during 

 the past six years. By keep- 

 ing up the utility qualities 

 that have made them the 

 choice of so many people 

 who are raising poultry to 

 make money, they are certain 

 to stay at the top. 



Chester A. Hartley, New York 



I have noted in breeding 

 my R. I. Reds that a cockerel 



very strong in wing markings mated to pullets or hens that 

 had plenty of ticking in the neck, resulted in cockerels that 

 had too nauch ticking in the neck to be of any use as breeders. 

 Now I try to get pullets and hens with as little ticking as 

 possible to mate with cocks or cockerels having good wing 

 markings. 



I look to the female for shape and to the male for size 

 and stamina and also expect to produce rich red color through 

 the male. 



B. M. Billings, Ohio 



I try to mate my very best birds, that is, those nearest 

 my ideal in both shape and color, as it gives a better chance 

 of getting what one wants in their offspring. These birds, 

 both male and female, must have long bodies and long 

 straight backs with tails carried well back, but not too high 

 and they must have the best colored combs and eyes that 



FOWLS 



45 



FIRST PRIZE ROSE. COMB RHQbE ISLAND REb COCK 

 CHICAGO SHOW bcC- 1910 BredS'Ownei K 

 MALTB1E& SHELLEY 



L, /f ■ , J^" °*'''' ^^'"^' '^ I ^^^e '°^^ excellent 

 colored females that are rather short in back, I try to over- 

 come this defect by mating to them a male that is very long 

 in back and body, but never do I breed a short backed male 

 on long backed females. You would naturally expect the 

 result to be the same, but it has not proved to be so in mv 

 experience. The long backed male bird will produce young 

 that are nearly all of his type and so will the short backed 

 one, no matter how you mate him. 



I want my male bird to be as nearly perfect as possible 

 but m case he is good in every way except that he has not 

 quite enough black in the primaries and secondaries of the 

 wing, I select females to mate with him that are exceptionally 

 strong in this respect. If my male is a little weak in eye I 

 select females that have very red eyes. I try to balance 

 any defects in his comb with females that are particularly 



strong in that section. 



I want my male bird to 

 be a brilliant red with hackle, 

 back, saddle and wing-bows 

 one shade of color and free 

 from slate in the under-color. 

 If there is anything I de- 

 spise in a R. I. Red male 

 bird, it is a light or straw 

 colored hackle. It would be 

 hard to mate such a bird to 

 overcome this defect. For 

 myself, I would much rather 

 use a male otherwise good, 

 but having some smut in un- 

 dercolor of back. 



The females are selected 

 with as much care as we use 

 in the selection of the male. 

 The best is none too good. 

 Permit me to say that while 

 I do not pretend to know all 

 there is to learn about the 

 breeding of R.I. Reds, the 

 results of my efforts have been 

 quite satisfactory'. 



W. S. Harris, Massachusetts 



As an all-round fowl, I 

 believe the Rhode Island 

 Red stands first. In their 

 veins flows the blood of the 

 best breeds, thus giving them 

 all that could be desired — 

 good size, vigor and beauty 

 and the ability to lay a- large 

 number of nicely colored eggs. Their hardiness, their even- 

 ness in feathering while growing, and the fertility of their 

 eggs make them a good, practical as well as a fancy fowl. 

 Their vigor and laying ability should not be allowed to 

 deteriorate when breeding them for fancy points. 



Shape is essential and must not be overlooked. It is 

 the long backed fowls that are the great egg producing ones. 

 Some of the successful show room breeders of Reds prefer 

 some smut in the under-color of the male or much black in 

 the wings when breeding, as they are sure to get a larger 

 per cent of show room birds. 



3. Alvah Scott, New Jersey 



The mating of Rhode Island Reds is not merely a ques- 

 tion ef mating a good male to good females, but it must be 

 done more on the compensating mating principle. The 

 strong or weak points of the birds mated, or of the parents 



. s-uvvned its, 



GENEVA OHIO. 



