Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1898-10-28
BLACK MlNoRcA VARIETY,

On Old and Valuable Brood That Is In
creaslng Rapidly.
From the history as far as obtain
ehle. the Black Minorca must at ell
events be regarded as one of the varie-
IE1es and apparently a distinct and orig
knal variety OF that Mediterranean race
'Ehose general type is found all around
Pie margin of the Great Sea. or all
Phese varieties none equal the Black
Minorca in solid and real value. They
ICY as many If not more eggs. and
Eneir eggs are the largest laid by any
preed, SO that It is generally possible
70 pick out an exhibition dish that will
run about six to the pound They
we're known and valued many years In
fhe west of England before attracting
hpy attention elsewhere. All at once
fhey began to move. and their growth
70 popularity during recent years has
Heen enormous. In 1888, several years
&ter the movement began, the Crystal
Ralace show contained but two classes
Rnd thirty-two entries; in 1888 there
we're six classes and one hundred and
Forty entries; in 1889 there were one
pundred and fifty-seven entries in the
elk classes. About this time or a lit
tie earlier, they began to attract the
attention OF the American breeders,
end many importauons were made, and
their growth in popularity on this side
OF the Atlantic has been steadily on the
increase over since, more especially the
past three years. At the last club
meet at Madison Square Garden, New
York, they succeeded in bringing to-
gether the largest and strongest class
ever shown in America, and they were
we'll represented In nearly all the
shows throughout the United States
and Canada.
The original source of this fine breed
appears to BIO correctly represented In
Its name, but 1t seems to be derived
from moro than one importation. Mr..
Leworthy has said Mr.. Willis, whom
he knew we'll, had known the fowl In
Minorca, and Of importations from
there long ago. The Rev. Thomas
Cox, of Castle Cary. was personally in
formed by Sir Thomas Acland that HE
father, the former baron, brought some
from Minorca to England direct either
in 1884 or 1885. and that from this i'm
portation tho strain has been kept np
at Holnicate many years, and q great
deal distributed. There Is evidence
that the breed was known years before
this. and certain differences In certain
strains bear out the supposition Of dis
tlnot importations.
II Ia thnuPht hv cOnoo IF opr oorlIar
writer's that the Minorca may have
been tho original progenitor of the
Spanish, as the tendency of the Spanish
Is to revert to red in the face. How
ever 1t Is well known fact that they
are one Of our oldest varieties, and
originally game from Minorca. The
Black Minorca was noted from the
first for its great laying qualities and
for the extra large size OF its eggs.
While the present type of the American
Black Minorca has been much improv-
ed over that of the original importa-
tons into this country, they have not
been injured as to their great laying
qualities Of extremely large eggs; II
anything they have been improved in
this respect. The present American
type Is larger and deeper in body, moro
up on legs, closer feathered, and with
combs not so burdensome as those of
the original importations.-J. H. San
ltco, in "Black Minorca Club Catalogue"