The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-08-09
THE POULTRY YARD.
Are Whites In Any Way SuperiOr?--
How The New Breeds Originated.

l. Are the White Plymouth Rocks
superior to the Barred as general pur-
pose farm fowls? If so, in what re-
spect?
2. Are White Wyandottes supe-
rior to the Silvers and Goldens? If so,
why:
3. Which Of the Leghorn breeds is
superior for general purposes and why?
4. How are these newer breeds
originated?
5. What Of the Bluffs in the differ
ont breeds.
The foregoing queries were replied
to as follows in the Rural New Yorker:
p. II. Jacobs said: l,2,3. There
is no difference whatever in the breeds
named, except in color. Any claim
made for one is also made for the 9TH
ers. They are alike in hardness, size,
market quality and prolificacy. 4.
Usually they are said to be sports, but
the majority originate from the selec-
ton of those which approach nearest
to the desired color. Sometimes cros-
sing is resorted to. Such breeds (?)
however, are in no manner uniform.
5. Some Of them are new and not
firmly established, but they differ in
quality, when perfect, from other
kinds in color only.
James II. Seely considered Q) the
White Plymouth Rocks superior as
table fowl, especially as young chick
ems, for they don't show the dark PIN
feathering when dressed. He said:
2. The same reason applies to the
Wyandottes as to the Plymouth Rocks.
They are about equal as layers, but
the white are superior for market 8.
With the same treatment, there is lit
tie difference. They are poor as table
fowls. The dark ones, when not in
perfect feather, make very poor show
ing. The White Leghorns are not
equal to the Plymouth Rocks or Wyan-
dottes for table uso, but l think they
are little larger than the dark or COL
ored varieties of Leghorns. 4. The
new breeds are mostly sports, but
some Of them are made by crossing
with other breeds. They require close
| lnbreedlng to make them breed true to
| color, and consequently are rather deli
cate for some time until new blood can
be obtained from other yards. l would
not advise new beginner to try them
until they had been thoroughly tried
and proved all right by older breeders.
5. The Bluffs are new diversion and
may prove to be of great value in a
few years, but at present they are
| rather weak and imperfect.
The White Plymouth Rock is not
superior to the Barred for any practi-
cal purpose, says Henry Hales, who
explains where the White comes
from. Select birds from either the
the barred or laced breeds with more
than usual white, mate them and select
the whitest till the progeny become
white. But shorter cut is to mate
Barred Plymouth Rock or Wyan-
dotte to white bird, especially if the
white one is of no special breed, and
select from their progeny the best types
in white, until the ideal form, color of
legs, SIZE, comb, ETC., are attained.
There appears no doubt but that such
white fowls have been used to hasten
the permanency of the perfect white of
| q L,
the birds show it, as few of the white
birds of most varieties are a perfect
type of the original colored breeds.
AS to 8 which Of the Leghorn breeds
Is superior for general surposes,'' none
OF them can lay claim to that quality
as they are poor sitters, if not nonsit-
tiers, and are not much esteemed as
| table fowls AS LAYERS thew are nm
surpassed. The White Law the largest
eggs. The Brown lay a few more eggs
in year, but their eggs are smaller
than the White. As to the making
of Buff Leghorns, it would not be as
necessary to cross on 4 buff Of any
breed, as there are SO many yellowish
fowls in this class that selections for a
few years would soon bring buff
variety.