The Washington times., 1901-07-22
TYPES OF AMERICAN FOWLS
Highest development in Fine Poul-
try Strains Reached Here.
Remarkable Record of the Plymouth
Rocks. the Most Popular Breed
Ever Produced - WynndOttes md

| Hemarl<1bIe Recoru Oh the PlymOufh II
Rocks. the Most Popular Breed
| Ever Produced WynndOttes md
| DominiGues Hold High Position.
| T. f. McGrew of the Bureau of Animal
| Industry, in a pamphlet just issued from
the Agricultural Department on Amer
| lean Breeds of Fowls. says that the time
has come when Americans no longer need
| go abroad to obtain either beauty or pro-
ductiveness in fowls. He says that the
best breeds that exist have been produced
in this country, and that when their
merits are fully understood there will be
ar incre ising demand for them in other
parts of the world Continuing in his
treatise Mr.. McGrew says in part:
The introduction of the Asiatic- bred
| fowls into the New World had great in
| fluence for good among our so-called do
nestle fowls. The Shanghai or original
| Cochin. and also the gray Asiatic fowl
| that was the original foundation stock
from which our Brahmas were formed
| brought increased size and better egg
production, and their use as cross upon
| our barnyard fowls created a desire for
more and better poultry of true breeding.
I'm the efforts put forth for the ad
vancement of quality in our farm-bred
stock use was made. without any con-
certed understanding. of all the breeds
that came to us from other countries.
These new and highly esteemed fowls
were mixed promiscuously with our home
bred fowls. the result of which gave us
the foundation for all of our so-called
American breeds. The original founda-
tion stock that has been developed into
our Plymouth Rock fowl came from an
Ata
united on account of their egg-producing
qualities. The start of what came TO be
known as Jersey Blues and Rhode Island
Reds began under like conditions
THE Brahma was the first breed of
fowls that was credited to us as an Amer
lean production: and, while they are
clnssed as an Asiatic fowl, they are the
outcome of great skill in handling the
very crude original by our American fan
ciers, who's have given over fifty years of
attention to perfecting them. While
Americans are given credit the world over
for originating the Brahmas, these birds
are grouped in our standard of perfec-
ton as belonging to the Asiatic class
In the formation of the breed classes
in the American standard of perfection
all breeds and their subvarieties that
have been made in this country by cross
ing and by the improvement of other
crosses are classed as belonging to the
American breeds, or families. These
comprise the Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte.
Java, and Dominique. They are the ac-
knowledged breeds of our standard, be-
longing tc what are known as the Amer-
can classes.
THE fowls of the American classes
have their distinct style OF combs, which
L. sl.e rrl.
comb is SO marked as to become the guide
for the uniformed in selecting the fam
lilies one from another. The Dominique is
known the Rose Comb Dominique,
from the fact that it has the so-called
double, or rose, comb 1t is low, thick
comb, the upper surface of which is COW
cred with small points, the rear end of
which comes to point called a spike
This spike in the DominiqueS should be
elevated at the end.
The Wyandotte also has the rose
comb. but it is of smaller pattern than
the comb of the Dominique, and the end
or spike turns down to follow the shape
Of the head; the points on top of
spike so long as is proper for the Domi-
nique. The Plymouth Rock and Java
have what is known as she single comb,
which Is upright and nicely serrated. The
combs are so distinctly different as to be
easily recognized.
The American breeds are often termed
the 'general-purpose fowl, from the fact
that when young they make the best of
broilers and when matured most perfect
roaster. Their natural formation inviting
plumpness. makes them the desirable
market poultry. In addition to all this
they have the beautiful yellow skin so
much sought after by our people: they
are of quick growth as compared with
other good-sized fowls, and as egg pro-
a
any other breed; they lay medium-sized
brown egg of the very best quality: Iney
are easily kept in good condition, and are
among our best winter layers; they are
very vigorous and hardy and able to
Withstand our most changeable climate
with as little inconvenience as any known
fowl
THE Rose Comb varieties are least
liable to injury by the extreme cold of
our Northern climate. At the same time
the medium-sized combs of the other
varieties are not so large as to be frosted
wnen properly housed. all poultry
should be during the cold months of win
ter
The American Dominique was well
known in early days throughout New
Jersey and eastern New York as a fowl
of great merit egg producer The
eggs of this fowl graded Al in the New
York market, and as table poultry it had
no superior. AT that time the plumage
was of light-grey color, barred across
with darker shade. it had both the
single and double comb. and the shanks
and feet were yellow in color 1t is
claimed for this variety that 1t was
brought to this country by both the
French and the Dutch. This is of but
little Importance. for such birds might
be produced at will
THE Dominique color is a combination
of black and white. 1t comes as one of
the results of crossing black and white
fowls. The nothing of the Java and
Houdan and the Ancora are other results
of the same methods of mating pure black
and pure white fowls together. When
the poultryman Of the past began select
ing the Dominique for improving into a
breed that would reproduce itself. he pre-
sweeping tail. and the light-grey ground
color barred with the blush grey In or
der that we may have better conception
of the top cross that produced our Ply
mouth Rocks, the American Dominique
as seen in its prime will be described.
The general appearance of the Ameri-
can Dominique was not unlike our present
large-sized Brown Leghorns. They were
somewhat fuller in breast and deeper in
abdomen. The female had slight incli-
nation toward both fun and cushion for
nation, main tail feathers like our pres
ent Leghorns. only not quite so extended;
breast full and carried rather forward
the male being quite like large Brown
Leghorn male In shape. with a tail almost
as full as seen on the Hamburg Their
combs were rather larger than the HAM
burg comb. but of the same form, type,
and carriage. the rear end. or spike.
turned upward. quite unlike the Wyan-
dotte comb, which follows the shape of
the head. They had neck that was
arched and covered with very full hackle
plumage. Back broad and medium in
length: in color and barring quite like
an inferiorly marked Barred Plymouth
Rock of the lighter shade of color. Such
was the general makeup of the Rose
Comb American Dominique.
When first produced no other name