48o POULTRY CULTURE 



the "American Standard of Perfection"^ published by the Ameri- 

 can Poultry Association. Stock bred for any definite purpose or to 

 fix or maintain any character or combination of characters is, prop- 

 erly speaking, standard bred. The Standard of Perfection is a hand- 

 book for judges and exhibitors rather than a complete guide for 

 breeders ; for, although the breeders object is to produce birds of 

 the descriptions the Standard calls for, in all varieties many birds 

 of great value as breeders are found which the Standard disqualifies 

 for exhibition, while in every variety in which double matings are 

 used the exhibition type is regularly produced from matings of Stand- 

 ard birds of one sex with non-Standard birds of the opposite sex. 



Relative value of characters in selection. When fowls are 

 bred for eggs, without special attention to increase of egg produc- 

 tion, there are only two essential points to be considered, — vitality 

 (vigor, good constitution, and development) and size , and in respect 

 to the latter point, all that is necessary is that the fowls shall be 

 large enough to lay eggs of the average size that the market de- 

 mands. All other points may be disregarded. In breeding for the 

 table, shape also must be considered, making vitality, size, and shape 

 the essential points. In breeding for exhibition, carriage, color, 

 comb, crest, and other superficial features become of importance. 

 In applying standards in accordance with the original and rational 

 intent of the written standard, superficial characters are not given 

 valuations which make it possible for a bird inferior in substantial 

 characters to win by superiority in superficial characters, and espe- 

 cially not by exaggeration of valuation of a single character. The 

 common effect of the use of written, accurate standards is to bring 

 a variety quickly to a high state of development in superficial char- 

 acters. After this stage has been reached and the birds (with the 

 usual slight individual variations) are actually of very uniform 

 quality (on a fair interpretation of the terms describing the various 



^ In a general way the practice of the American Poultry Association has been 

 to give recognition to breeds or varieties at an advanced stage of develop- 

 ment whenever a considerable number of persons showed interest in the matter, 

 but it has frequently happened that breeds that were quite popular were refused 

 recognition, while others in which few were interested have been admitted. 

 Recognition in the Standard of Perfection usually implies that considerable 

 progress has been made in fixing the type. The fact that a breed or variety is 

 not in the Standard tells nothing as to its quality. 



