Plymouth Rocks. 
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Australia. His number of breeding pens the last three or four years has been something tremendous, 
and for the past few years lie has reared some SOO chickens each season, all from high class stock. 
In the situation of his property Mr. Maxfield has a big advantage over any other of our leading 
breeders, situated as it is right in the heart of South Gippsland. Added to a gloriously cool summer 
climate, he has that great boon so helpful to the proper development of the breed, green grass all 
the year round, it being only a very exceptional summer in which the feed in that di.strict becomes 
at all parched ; and, as his country consists mostly of exceptionally steep hills (though having an 
ample rainfall), the runs are well drained and dry. Owning a large dairy, his birds, I am told, 
are reared from the shell on milk, this grand staple diet being used exclusively instead of water both 
in the drinking vessels and for mixing the soft food. Possessed of so many natural advantages, and 
having such a vast number to select good breeding pens from, it is not to be wondered at that he has 
bred some of the best Rocks that have seen the light in this or any other land. Breeding on such an 
extensive scale, Mr. Maxfield had to take up a General Utility Fowl, one in which the large surplus stock 
would find a ready sale on the open market, and in selecting Rocks could not, considering the adaptability 
of the breed to his district, possibly have improved on his choice. A couple of seasons back he sent his 
cull cockerels to the Old Country frozen, and obtained the top average price of the season against 
all breeds on the London market (Eng.). In the Show pen he had a hard nut to crack in the Messrs. 
Franklin Bros., who in his first two years had a long lead, but in '93 and '94 he ran them a good second, but 
in '95 and '96 got level with these famous breeders, and in '97 came out right on top of all. I will content 
myself with describing the two best birds he has bred. With ' Champion Perfection,' crack pullet of '95, he won 
at Sydney Show, first Pullet Class, Champion for best Rock female, and his first leg-in for the Champion Cup 
for best bird in the Club breeds. She also won first Pullet Class at the Exhibition, Melbourne, same year, 
and would have won the Champion Breeds Cup right out at that Show but for being a bit off in condition. 
During '96 and '97 she has won many firsts at the principal Shows. As a Show pullet, 'Perfection' is 
certainly the best we have seen in this Colony (it being remembered that the great ' Champion Tremlett ' only 
came to Victoria in her second or third year). At ten months she was wonderfully developed — bigger than 
most big hens, her body the ideal Rock type, and her colour the ' true blue ' throughout ; her failing was 
want of bone, her legs being too fine and not wide enough apart for such an immense frame. As a hen I 
consider her only behind our two illustrations. And now for ' Champion Wonder.' As a cockerel, this bird 
was the most perfect specimen of a Rock of either sex — Barred or any other colour — that a person could 
hope to see, if one lived for another 100 years ; in fact, he was an ideal bird, and, till he entered his second 
year, practically faultless, with a chest and front like an alderman, a back like a cart-horse, legs so strong and 
wide apart, and perfectly parallel from hock to heel, that they resembled two yellow box gate-posts. Tail 
small, conical, and correctly carried, head all quality, big and strong wings, but neatly folded and 
almost hidden by hackles, legs and beak of the brightest orange, plumage true blue right throughout, 
and evenly and regularly barred from the crown of his head to the tip of every tail-feather, and with 
a well-defined and decided hackle, he was a bird to marvel over, and one a lover of the breed 
could look at and admire all day. I had the extreme satisfaction of judging him at his first Show, 
viz., Essendon ('96), where he won first Cockerel Class and Champion. He gained the same awards 
at the Exhibition, '96, and i a '97 won at Essendon, Williamstown, the Exhibition, the Royal, and several 
other Shows ; in fact, he still holds an unbeaten record. Wanting a Barred cockerel of good type to 
top-cross on to my Goldens, I felt I could not go past this exceptional youngster, and so after 
the Exhibition Show '96, I leased him for the one season, but had to give Mr. Maxfield ^^20 for the 
use of him for six months only. From the type of the cockerels he has left me, I am convinced that 
he has a great future at the stud, and that he will rival his progenitor, 'Champion Toff,' as the crack 
sire of the nineties. Though still a great bird, as a cock he is not to be compared with his form as a 
cockerel. His type, shape, bone, and size are, of course, the same as ever ; but he has gone off very 
much in hackle, and his tail is becoming light at the butts of the feathers. However, as a cockerel, we are 
