The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1895-01-05

ways been favorite one with por,try
breeders, but this is not their only rec
ommendation to public favor, for they
are hardy and prolific.
The proper color of Plymouth Rocks
has been the subject of much discus
sion, some claiming that the bars
should be pure black and white, and
Others that the darker bars should be
more of a blue color. This breed
Sprung from two distinct sources and
these two branches. were. somewhat
different in color and shape, bnt they
have now been so thoroughly an1alga-
mated that they have become COM
posite of the two families, and the ex-
ceptions to- the regular shape, are
those which have bred back to remote
ancestry. / have bred Plymouth Rocks
Tor some years and my preference
is for the blush tint, for / think
1t easier 20 breed males and fe-
males to uniform color if this tint is
sought Birds of this color will grad
ually come to have lemon-colored
shanks, and no color looks better than
this Darker birds. will almost always
have orange-colored shanks, with a
tendency to show distinctly red in the
sides and black scales here and there,
though now a good many can be found
with pure orange shanks. A Plymouth
Rock hen with a pure yellow beak is
about the rarest bird that can be
sought for, but at the Ohio state fair
saw one or two specimens of this kind.
This is what breeders have been after
for some time, and it Is to be hoped
they viii succeed in getting them. for
when that is done the breeding of
Plymouth Rocks will have reached per-
lection. fa x
Black observation-disclosures Black
Langshans are among the most recent
acquisitions in the Asiatic class, they
have become quite popular in this
country. and much more so in England,
where they are bred to the greatest
perfection. The high prices which
they brought when first introduced led
good many tricky American breeders
to cross them with the Black Cochins
in order to multiply them rapidly and
get the advantage Of the good price
the great demand made possible, and
this has led to an incorrect ideal being
formed in the minds of a good many
who have not all the facts to draw from.
The Cochin shape is entirely distinct
from the true Langshan shape, and the
two will never be mistaken for each
other when one has seen and studied
the frua Tanuebou nc bas,c l,,.,l =, L -
gland by those who were among the
first toSiInport the breed from the hills
of northern China. The true Langshan
has an exceedingly short back and high
head and drawing a straight line to
the center of the feet and from there
to the highest point of the tail and
qack to the head and an almost perfect
triangle will inclose the bird. Some
one has called Lanshans the ''three
cornered breed on account of this
triangular boundary line. The. line
down the back of the neck across the
back and up along the tail is very
nearly the shape of the letter u
As a fowl for profit the Lang-
shan has proven itself the best
of all the Asiatics. They are
of brilliant greenish black. and theirr
feathers have metallic reflection that
shows the colors, of the rainbow when
the sun is reflected from them. Their.
flesh is white and juicy, and they are
the very best of the class for table use.
The bottom of their feet are pink. and
this is the final test of purity, for any
infusion of Black Cochin blood can be
told by the yellow bottoms of the feet
of cross bred birds. Farmer.
The Brown Leghorn Fowl In shape
the Leghorn is characterized by trim,
ness and sprightliness that few fowls
possess The carriage is very upright,
and the large and gaily-carried
tail of the cock increases his APP
parent size and adds greatly to
his beauty. The red, darkly-striped
haclsles of the male and his solid black
breast make very attractive combi-
nation in colors, and the warm brown
of the females possesses quiet beauty
scarcely less attractive in its way than
the richest colors of the male.
Brown Leghorns mature very early,
pullets having been known to lay when
four to five months old. This early
maturity makes the Leghorns a very
profitable fowl for the farm. Long be-
fore the heavier fowls think of laying
the Leghorn pullets have begun and if
early win frequently pay in
eggs for their raising before winter
sets in. Broiler raisers frequently use
. cross of Leghorn male on some
heavier breed to increase the growth
of the chickens in the first two
months. of their lives. Brown Leg
horns are reasonably shardy, but
do best when they can. have liberty
They are excellent foragers. and will
on farm during the summer months
pick up good share of their living.
In winter they need q good, warm
house, to prevent the freezing of their
combs, and If provided with such q
house will lay quite we'll even in very
cold weather. But it is during the