STANDARD VARIETIES OF CHICKENS. II. THE 
MEDITERRANEAN AND CONTINENTAL CLASSES. 
Importance of egg production... 
Characteristics of the egg breeds 
Breeds and varieties . 
Leghorn. 
Minorca. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
3 
3 
G 
G 
15 
Breeds and varieties—Continued. 
White-faced Black Spanish... 
Blue Andalusian. 
Ancona. 
Campine. 
Page. 
19 
20 
22 
24 
IMPORTANCE OF EGG PRODUCTION. 
E GG production doubtless is the leading branch of poultry keep¬ 
ing, and, in addition, is a very important agricultural activity. 
According to the last census the eggs produced in the United States 
in 1009 numbered more than 1,591,000,000 dozens, with a value of 
more than $306,000,000. Eggs, of course, are produced wherever 
chickens are kept, and by far the greater part of the egg crop comes 
from the general farm, yet large so-called egg farms have been de¬ 
veloped with the main purpose of producing eggs for market. The 
largest of these egg farms and the greater number of them are located 
near markets which pay a premium for white eggs; and for this 
reason, together with the fact that eggs are primarily desired, the 
breeds kept are those known as the egg breeds, such as the Leghorn, 
Campine, Minorca, and Ancona. The Single Comb White Leghorn is 
undoubtedly the most popular and the most widely kept variety of 
the egg breeds. These breeds comprise the Mediterranean and Con¬ 
tinental classes, as given in the American Standard of Perfection. 
The egg breeds frequently are found on general farms also, particu¬ 
larly in those sections near markets preferring a white egg, and where 
considerable flocks of poultry are kept. 
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EGG BREEDS. 
These breeds are smaller than the general-purpose breeds, such as 
the Plymouth Rock, and for that reason they do not make a particu¬ 
larly desirable table fowl and are not in as good favor with the 
poultry packers as the larger general-purpose breeds. Surplus cock¬ 
erels, however, turned off as broilers when they weigh from three- 
quarters of a pound to a pound and a half, find a ready market. 
The egg breeds in general are characterized by their activity'and 
sprightliness, and are of a much more nervous temperament than 
3 
