The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-07-24
our Anerican EowIs.

for m all-purpose fowl the PlymontAl
Rock is kt Il much adored. There il no
disputinq the fact that the great boom it
had several years ago has considerably
weakened dne, without doubt, to The
raans new breeds thrust upon the mar
kef. ccgnizanf Of the fact that the de-
rnand for Plymouth Rocks WAS lessening,
some enterprising breesiers went about 10
work out q new type. which gave .s the
bIue-barred and the peacombs. Are these
any better than the original bloody We
doubt Il. But are there no improve
ments2 Yes. indeed. The Plymouth
Rocks Of to-day are far ahead OF the
original specimens. then breeding has
come down to more Of science What
recommends the regular barred bird are
medium sized wattIes, broad back, broad,
deep. full breast and small comb.
Joseph Wsliace. in his excellent treat
ise on the breeds, thus refers: "The pop
ulariiy and sterling merits Of the barred
and white Plymouth Rock fowls, amid
the past and present booms on new
breeds, have evoked vast and inereas-
ing interest in standard and commercial
poultry culture. The magnitude Of the
poultry interest at home and abroad, the
evolution Of new breeds 10 meet the de-
mands Of poultry taste and elevate the
character Of our native fowls for table
use. have stimulated theinborn skill and
genius OF our faneiers TO new efforts, who
can now look back with supreme pride
and exultation to those grand and useful
breeds they have evolved and given to
the world, which stand to-day vast and
imperishable monuments to their origi-
naliiy, skill and enterprise. The interest
manifested in the barred Plymouth Rock
breed. the first born Of native skill, is
only equalled by the birth of its first
cousin in spotless robes Of white. These
matches cousins are Americas grandest
and proudest triumphs, and while they
hold the post Of honor for comeliness
and utility we must accord TO their new
rivals all the merits to which they are
justly entitled
Speaking Of the Plymouth Rocks re-
calls 10 us the fact that We Americans
have all good breeds. There are the
barred, peacomb barred and the white
Plymouth Rocks, already referred to, the
silver. golden and white Wyandottes
come next. The silver formerly sailed
under the name Of LACED Wyandottes,"
but after the golden variety was estab-
lished it made the change to what 1t now
has, to be in keeping with its cousin. The
white breed is Of no more value than the
silver, BIT meets the white craze
sweeping over the country. The Wyan-
dottes are very good birds for all purpos-
es. They come Aery close to Plymouth
Rocks, and in many respects are better
liked. There seems to be somewhat Of
standstill with the Jayas. We see no
reason why. They are excellent in ev-
cry respect, and come to us in three dis
tinct colorings, black, mottled and white.
Between the Wyandottes and the Amer
lean Dominiques there seems TO lie a close
call. This latter breed is full Of merit
and has stood the severest tests ever Civ
en- 10 fowl. Purely American, they are
always on hand and I'll the bill i'll every
respect.
One more, and we have said all. We
dare not leave out the Jersey Blues. For
egg production they rival any of our
breeds. For hardness they are unex-
ceIled. But. for some cause or other,
they are outdistanced in estimation by
oil our other varieties. Perhaps there is
q future awaiting them.