452 
The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 
qualities, I will point out their failings. The question which will be asked by most of my readers 
is — Is this variety really any better than the Orpington, and if so, where does the advantage come 
in ? Firstly, a fancier or lover of fowls usually likes something different from his neighbour, more 
especially if eggs can be collected daily during the winter months for breakfast ; and this can be 
done by those who keep the Rose-combed Orpingtons, for they stand far before other varieties as 
winter layers. Their eggs are somewhat small, but are brown in colour. 
“ I have told my readers how I raised the single-combed Orpingtons, so that those who felt 
inclined might set to work and breed them ; and I will now show how the rose-combed variety was 
formed. Many years ago there were some Langshans with a rose comb imported into this 
country ; their having a rose comb was merely a sport of nature in the first place. I very much 
admired them, and began to breed from them. Whenever there was one imported I bought 
it, if possible. In a few cases our English breeders of Langshans have produced the same sports 
of nature, and these have usually fallen into my hands, and I used them in forming this new breed. 
I mated them with the same two breeds in the same way as I did by the single-combed Orping- 
ton, only I used the Langshans that came with the rose comb. These birds were not a recognised 
breed, and, had I not utilised them, would have had their heads cut off. I have five strains ; so 
that fresh blood is obtainable to go on with for some years. The pullets breed very true to colour : 
I have not had more than two mismarked in every hundred the last two years ; but occasionally 
one may come with feathered legs. The cockerels do not breed so true, as they often throw 
coloured feathers in the neck, hackles, and saddle. Therefore, good coloured cocks are valuable. 
Sometimes not one cock or pullet in three or four broods will come without the rose comb, and 
then you may get two with single combs in one brood. I mention this, so that those who go in 
for them may not be disappointed if all the birds do not come like the illustrations given. 
“ Although the eggs are rather small, they are very saleable on account of their brown colour. 
The birds are not non-sitters. They make excellent sitters and mothers ; at the same time they 
are easily put off from broodiness if shut from the nest, and come on laying again in a few days. 
As chickens they are very hardy, and can be brought up in cold and damp places, and many of them 
will lay when they are six months old. They fledge well, and rapidly grow into good table birds, 
their flesh and skin being whiter than that of any other breed of fowls. They stand confinement 
well, both as chicks and grown-up birds, and they cannot be put in the wrong place. As 
layers, they have beaten all other breeds in the autumn and winter months. Their colour is 
right for a town, as they are black, and they always look nice, as they do not show the dirt. 
I can strongly recommend them as the best all-round fowl in regard to the number of eggs 
laid, whether they are kept in a confined town run or a grass field, and at the same time one 
of the handsomest fowls in existence. 
“ It is not necessary for me to dwell long on the different points. Their plumage should be 
black throughout, both cock and hen ; both with rose combs set close to the head, with a small 
peak at the back, and the neater it is the better ; red face, red ear-lobes, black or hazel eyes, 
black nicely-curved beak, black legs, and white toe-nails. The cock’s tail should be made up 
with very fine hanging feathers on each side, with a brilliant metallic green on them. The tail 
should be carried fairly well back ; carried too near the neck is a fault. A brilliant gloss should 
always be aimed at in mating these birds. If a cock have a large comb, mate him with hens that 
are deficient in size of combs, and if the hens lack gloss, mate them with a cock that has a few red 
feathers in his hackles, as this will bring the gloss up very much in the pullets produced. When 
first hatched the chickens should be black on the back and white underneath, and are usually 
pale in the legs, which darken as the birds grow and fledge.” 
