Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-29
Rhode Island Reds

nHOuo fSiHHu nCuo
Rhode Island Reds are coming into
large share of favor with Southern Call
fornia fanciers, and the following from
the report of the agricultural experiment
station at Kingston, r. l., for 1901, is Of
interest to all who see favor in this breed.
The late VIM. Trip of Little Compton
r. l., is accredited with having bred the
foundation stock. Mr.. Geo. T. Howard
of Little Compton writes as follows
"The Rhode Island Red originated on
the farm of VIM. Trip, now deceased.
This man raised them for a good many
years, and after time other people
around town got them. They were called
Bill, Trip fowls. Finally someone from
out of town came through the town,
bought up some of the best of them and
took them to a poultry show and called
them Rhode Island Reds
Capt Benjamin E. Tripp Of New Bed
ford, son of VIM. Trip, in letter written
January II, 1900 kindly furnished the fol-
lowing information: ITO begin with, as
far back as 1854 Jno. Macomber of West
port diving near what is now called Cen
trail village( but ther called Westport
townhouse) and my father, VIM Trip,
both of them ran teams to New Bedford
as marketmen. They took the matter in
hand to see If they could not, by crossing
different strains of fowls, get better layers
than the fowls in the surrounding country
and also better looking poultry for the
market.
'The result of their trials was the pro-
duction of the so-called Rhode Island
Reds OF today. Previous TO that they
were called the 'Jno. Macomber' or the
VIM. Trip fowls. 1t is only about eight
years since they were called the Rhode
Island Reds. My father and Mr.. Macom-
ber exchanged, think. twelve hens and
coekerel, and II was rivalry between
the two who would get the better results.
My father obtained the better results, and
In doing 1t he crossed the fowls through
two generations by putting a Chitagong
cock with the pullets he raised from what
was called the Cochin China; these being
the original fowls that they both started
with. The result proved so satisfactory
to both Mr. Macomber and my father
that they kept picking out the best look
ing pullets and cockerels that they both
raised and exchanged cocks until they
came up TO the present standard, On the
start it was the intention of both my
father and Mr.. Macomber to get the best
layers and what would dress off as best
looking fowls for the market.
"The original Cochin China, as they
were called at that time, were all feath-
cred on the legs and also on the feet, but
by continuous picking out of pullets and
cockerels without feathers on their feet
and legs he got the feathers out OF them.
He also picked the pullets and cockerels
with bright yellow legs and marketed
those that were off-colored. After the
death of Mr.. Macomber no one in West
port seemed to take an interest In the
fowls My father still kept changing and
crossing, but did not get any that suited
like the old sort as he used to call them.
He also tried to cross them with Light
Brahmas also Plymouth Rocks, but was
not satisfied, as the chicks did not seem
SO hardy as the originals. When his fowls
began to take the lead as winter layers
(Which, IL my memory is correct, was
about thirty-five years ago.. people want
ed to get some of the Trip fowls, and
commenced to come after eggs to set, as
they found that his fowls were great lay
ers and he also got three or four cents
more per dozen for his eggs than the rest
of the farmers In the town. AT that time
the farmers were doing quite a business
with fowls, but nothing compared with
the present time"
Miss Rebecca Trip, daughter of VIM.
Tripp, now resident at the old Compton
farm, corroborates the foregoing as being
the true history of the Rhode Island Reos.
orpnatons
Writing on Orpingtons In The Pouitry
Keeper. fancier says:
''There are ten varieties of Orpingtons
buff, black white, spangled, jubilee
and these are all bred with single and
rose comb-but the American Standard
OF Perfection recognizes but three vari-
eties-buff, black and white, with single
combss The Orpingtons are large
fowl with long, round, deep bodies,
standing on rather short legs. The breast
is carried well forward, with a long.
even breastbone; the wings are of good
size and carried close to the body; the
head is small and neat the peak .strong
and the comb of medium size where