March, i i 4 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
[67 
A dozen or more hens of the same size and marked practically 
alike in every way, compose a picture worthy of being put on 
canvas. Place them on a green lawn or in a clover field or a patch 
of rye and the setting is complete. The only place where they do 
not look well is in a garden, the reason being obvious to those who 
know what a hen can do with her feet. White hens are especially 
attractive against a background of green, and white varieties of all 
breeds are always in high favor. The popularity of the White 
Leghorn shows no sign of being dimmed as the years go by. As 
an egg machine she is without 
a rival, as the admirers of all 
breeds have had to admit. On the 
private place, though, she is found 
to possess several faults. She is 
extremely nervous, much averse 
to being petted, can fly over any 
ordinary poultry fence, and makes 
only a mouthful when she goes to 
the table at the end of her career. 
Two other popular white va¬ 
rieties, the White Plymouth Rocks 
and the White Wyandottes, are 
much larger, and are excellent for 
the table. The White Rock, in 
particular, is a prime favorite 
with growers who are fond of 
roasting-chickens. Both Rocks 
and Wyandottes are stylish and 
very handsome when well bred. 
The snowy feathers of some speci¬ 
mens are almost unbelievably 
white, while the 
plumage has a tex¬ 
ture which is de¬ 
lightfully soft and 
fine. These birds 
are easy to confine, 
and lay well, but 
their eggs are 
brow n, a point 
which counts 
against them in 
some sections. 
White Orping¬ 
tons are of English 
origin, along with 
all the Orpingtons, 
and are such all¬ 
round good birds 
that they have won a large following in the face of a powerful 
national prejudice against pink legs and white skins. Of course, 
there are no grounds for this prejudice. If there is any difference 
at all in the meat, the advantage is on the side of the birds which 
have light skins. Your French gourmet always picks out that 
kind. 
At any rate, White Orpingtons are to be found on the grounds 
around hundreds of handsome homes in suburban and near¬ 
suburban communities. They seem more popular there than in 
the rural districts, where, possibly, the prejudice mentioned is not 
so easily broken down. All the Orpingtons are exceedingly 
attractive, and have much to recommend them. They lay brown 
eggs, but often not very dark, and they lay generously. They use 
their wings but little, and become very friendly with the man or 
woman who keeps the feed-box full. Black, buff and blue va¬ 
rieties are bred in large and increasing numbers. It would be 
difficult to discover a more stylish-looking bird than a great Buff 
Orpington cock. Blue Orpingtons are new, but seem to have come 
to stay. Just now there is quite a fancy for birds with slate- 
colored feathers, passing for blue. For many years the Blue 
Andalusian alone boasted this color, but it appears even among the 
Leghorns now. 
Blue Orpingtons were secured by crossing black and white va¬ 
rieties, a noted English breeder, with a farm in Kent — Mr. R. C. 
Gilbert by name — being the originator. The first stock imported 
to this country was brought over by W. LI. Depper, of Lincoln, 
Mass. The Blues have the same 
characteristics as the other Or¬ 
pingtons, and are exceptionally 
ornamental. They make a little 
less striking appearance on the 
lawn than the white variety, but 
they show up well when yarded, 
and are very docile. All dark- 
colored fowls have some advan¬ 
tages over those with white 
plumage. Their feathers are not 
so easily soiled, and they are 
much to be preferred in sections 
where red clay abounds or where 
there is any other kind of earth 
which has a tendency to make 
stains. When confined in win¬ 
ter, white birds are pretty cer¬ 
tain to become soiled, unless an 
abundance of fresh straw is kept 
on the floor. Then, too, white 
chickens make a conspicuous 
mark for hawks, and are very 
often gathered in by those preda¬ 
tory birds if al¬ 
lowed their liberty. 
While Sicilian 
Buttercups are not 
new, like the Blue 
Orpingtons, most 
people have never 
even heard of 
them. Yet they are 
making friends at 
a remarkably rapid 
rate, and much is 
being said in their 
favor. The unique 
characteristic of 
the Buttercup is its 
comb, and it is that 
which gives the 
breed its name. 
This comb is large 
a n d cup - shaped, 
with points around 
it like those on a 
crown. It looks 
something like a 
full-blown flower, 
which led an im¬ 
aginative breeder to add the Buttercup appellation. The breed 
hails from Sicily, and one Capt. Josephus Dawes is reported to 
have made the first importation many years ago. It seems that 
he bought the birds to supply fresh meat on the voyage home, but 
they averted the fate he had intended for them by producing eggs 
with surprising regularity. The captain took them to a farm 
Well-bred stock in poultry has as much attractive¬ 
ness as among horses and dogs. Here are three 
thoroughbreds of good sort; chickens of these families 
lay well and are good general purpose fowls. Above, 
White Leghorn; left, Black Minorca; right, Silver- 
Spangled Hamburg 
