PROFITABLE EGG FARMING. 
Rhode Island Red Cock, 
Bred By P. R. Park, Reading, Mass. 
birds from a Malar-Brahma cross, while Mr. 
Macomber got his from putting a Chittagong 
cock with pullets he had raised from what was 
called the Cochin-China. The result of a uniting 
of these two varieties proved so satisfactory 
that they kept on improving them by selecting 
the best laying pullets and cockerels, and in that 
way improved their laying qualities and got 
birds that would dress off with the best appear¬ 
ance for market fowls. As would naturally be 
expected with so much Asiatic blood in them 
most of the birds had feathered legs and feet, 
but by continuous picking out both pullets and 
cockerels that were clean legged, and also those 
that had the brightest yellow legs, the objection¬ 
able characteristics were gradually eliminated. 
A visit to the Tiverton, Little Compton and 
Westport farms on which the Reds are so ex¬ 
tensively raised, shows them as breeding all 
sorts and conditions of legs and combs, and Mr. 
Isaac Wilbur of Little Compton, who usually 
wintered four thousand of them, once told us 
that he commonly got clean legged and feathered 
legged, also single-comb and pea-comb birds, 
from every hatch. 
A Dr. Aldrich of Fall River became interested 
in this popular farm-fowl, bought a few pullets 
and cockerels and exhibited them at New York 
in 1892, and won prizes on them there in the 
miscellaneous class as “ Rhode Island Reds.” 
With the reputation of being most prolific 
layers of good brown eggs and of being plump 
bodied and fine meated it is not strange that they 
have proven very popular as all-purpose fowls. 
Writing of them in the Reliable Poultry Journal 
of November, 1901, Mr. Theo. Hewes says: 
“ In our candid opinion there is a great future 
for the Rhode Island Reds. The fowl itself is 
attractive. It has a deep keel-bone, plenty 
of meat in front, good hams and stands well up 
on its legs. The females are remarkably good 
layers and keep at it almost constantly both 
winter and summer. They make good mothers 
and. owing to the amount of crossing that has 
been done to bring them as near perfection as 
they are, they have all the vigor of several breeds 
in one. in fact it is so great that a large per cent, 
of the eggs hatch and ninety per cent, of the 
chicks hatched should live. This is not exag¬ 
gerated in the least, especially when proper care 
is given in the management after the chicks are 
hatched. The vigor of the young chicks is 
something remarkable and their growth to 
maturity is rapid and they are laying eggs before 
other breeds begin to think about it. Still, 
they are heavy enough for table fowls and in 
some cases are heavier even than the Wyan- 
dottes or Plymouth Rocks.” 
The Orpingtons, Black and Buff. 
An English variety named Orpingtons, because 
originated at Orpington House-Farm, is giving 
evidence of great practical qualities and has de¬ 
cided merit as a combination eggs and meat 
breed. There are several varieties of Orping¬ 
tons, the Blacks and Buffs being most popu¬ 
lar; and of the Blacks and Buffs there are both 
rose and single-combed varieties. 
The Black Orpingtons were the first origi¬ 
nated, and were made with the intention of 
creating an all-purpose fowl,—that is, a fowl 
that would combine the qualities of great laying 
ability with superior meat production. In 
making the Black Orpingtons, Black Minorca 
cocks that had red ear-lobes were mated with 
some black Plymouth Rock pullets, which were 
sports from American Barred Rocks, and with 
the choicest pullets of that cross was mated a 
good Langshan male of the old, short-leggecl 
type,—the tendency to feathered shanks coming 
in with the Langshans was bred out by selection 
and careful breeding. The result was birds that 
were unusual late-autumn and winter layers 
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