Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-10
PLYMOUTH ROCKS

That which is distinctively American
every American loves; and in the en-
tire poultry world no breed is or ever
will be held in greater esteem than the
Plymouth Rock; and in America they
are today the most plentiful of all
STANDARDIZED fowls From the fam
cier who breeds for all available good
points down to the practical farmer
or modest owner of town lot who
wants just eggs and chickens, "Rocks"
are the favorites, and there will never
be enough bred to more than equal
the demand. And for extra choice
specimens higher prices have been paid
than for birds of any other breed.
They have never disappointed
breeder or owner where given the
proper care.
The first fowls to get the appella-
tion of Plymouth Rocks were first
shown in Boston in 1S4S and were only
a high bred cross of Asiatic fowls and
the Dorking. But the Plymouth Rocks
of that early date in no way resem-
BILE the fowls known by the same name
today. But the name once given has
always stuck. and because of its his
torical association it is but right that
we should have a national fowl by
that name.
DIR. Benefits description of Plymouth
Rocks given in 1853 follows: 81 have
given the name Plymouth Rock to a
very extra breed of fowls which l pro-
duced by crossing a cockerel Of Bay
lies importation of Cochin-China with
a hen, a cross between the fawn col
ored Dorking, the Great Malay, and
the Wild Indian. Her weight Is six
pounds seven ounces. The Plymouth
Rock fowl, then, is in reality, a bird
of five primitive bloods-Shaa ghai,
Malay, Game, Turkish and Indian
Ill - 1t
of these breeds and their crosses, re-
spectively. There are several of these;
plumage is rich and variegated; the
cocks usually red or speckled, and the
pullets darkish brown. They are fine
fleshed and early ready for the table.
Their legs are very large, and un-
usually blue or green, but occasionally
yellow or white, generally having five
toes upon each foot. Some have their
They have large and single combs and
wattles, large cheeks, rather short
tails and small wings in propoIt on
to their bodies. They are domestic,
and not so destructive to gardens as
smaller fowls. There is the same uni
formity in size and general appear
ance, at the same age of the chicks,
as in those of the pure bloods of pri-
mary races. The demand for this
breed has exceeded all others during
the season, and they have been sent
into most of the New England states
and western New York"
In the same year a Mr.. Burnham
of Massachusetts, writes of them:
81 am satisfied that the Plymouth
Rock fowl, properly bred, will become
most valuable one to the poulterer
or the agriculturist; and 1 believe that
a pair of the specimens that 1 now
have will weigh eighteen pounds or
more by next spring 1 deem this
ample, for a size, and, with the other
good qualities of these fowls for lay
ing, quietness, easy keeping and hardi-
ness, 1 think these qualities VIII
cause them to rank among the very
best fowls in our country, eventually.
Mr.. Benefits production never at
tanned the dignity of a race of fowls,
and in a very few years became ex-
tinct; the first fowls to bear the hon
ored name of Plymouth Rocks being
but a passing shadow.
The nucleus of the bred as known
today made its appearance in the ex-
hibition of a trio of fowls "in color
barred in lines of dark
er hue" exhibited by d. A Upham
at Worcester Mass, in the show sea-
son of 1859 They were christened
Plymouth Rocks, and were the first
fowls of the name to become thorough
ly established as to size shape and
color markings. n
Since then the breed has been PER
fected by different breeders in differ
ent parts of America; and though the
Barred Plymouth Rocks are the best