The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-01
BLACK JAVAS LIKELY TO
CROWD PLYMOUTH ROCKS
Excellent Breed, Which Lost Its
Favor, May Return With
Change in Styles.
~ EDWIN MEGARGEE.

half century ago the Black Java
was an exceedingly popular breed. and
though It's numbers have decreased until
II Is rarely found IN large nocks II IL
still the favorite Of many poultrymen.
When properly bred the Java 10 hardy
and productive, possessing all the desir-
able characteristics OF typical breeds Of
the American clasA The females are
usually good layers Of large. brown
shelied eggs and make excellent sitters
and mothers. Though the plumaGe and
shanks are black. the skin 10 a rich yell
low. 20 that well Creased carcasses are
acceptable in the best markets.
Resarding the oriE'n OF the breed under
discussion there 10 much uncertainty.
Some authorities believe that II was i'm
ported direct from Java, being merely re-
fined by American breeders. Possibly
breed with Java Games. OF which several
knportations were rnNde many years ago.
The weight OF evidence seems. to favor
the claim that the Black Java Is q
strictly American product and that II
was brought out IN Missouri, whence II
was carried 90 New York State some time
prior TO 1850. In ~ new home II was
soon recognized as being useful a. we'll
as beautiful. and for a time Il was very
widely bred. with the advent Of the
Plymouth Rock the Java began to lose
ground and this has never been reclaimed.
II Is generally believed that the Ply
mouth Rock resulted from a mixture Of
the blood OF the American Dominique
and Black Java, though some we'll In
formed poultryrnen hold that the latter
was really a clean legged Black Cochin
and not the true Black Java Possibly
this point never will be settled definitely
However. II is true that when Barred
Rock hens are crossed with White wyan-
dotte males some Of the resulting pullets
will he let black and closely veaeO,hlA
In both form and color typical Black
Java pullets. In fact a crossbred pullet
OF this character once was shown a.
Black Java and was aiven a very high
score by Judge having an intimate
knowledge Of the latter breed.
An En- sl!sh writer 10 authority for the
statement that black pullets OF this kind
were used In making UP the Black Or
p!nEton and that tho latter ''undoubt-
eddy borrowed its chief qualities from the
Java blood. which had been infused into
the Black Rock hens from which the
OrpinGton was bred"
1t 10 to be hoped that she poultry breed
ers Of America will soc 10 II that the
Grand old breed 10 perpetuated in its
purity. a. being representative of the
early type Of the typical American gen
eral purpose fowl as well as because OF
It's sterling utility value and remarkable
beauty.
In body conforms alton the Black Java
10 long and deep. OF course this insures
| considerable weight, the males scaling
, to 81 pounds and the females 81 to ~
pounds. according to age.
The plvmsge II . lustrous. greenish-
black throughout and should be free from
any trace VI purple. Deak. shanks and
fee: are black. the latter with yellow
bottoms The skin 10 the rich yellow de-
| manded by our best markets. Face, ear
lobes, combs and wsttles are red eyes
black or dark brown.
Fashions change In poultry breeding a.
| IN other things. Just why this excellent
fowl 10 not moro generally bred cannot
he explained. Possibly we will sec Il
| taken up again and restored TO Its former
| hig1, place in popular favor II richly
deserves better treatment than IL now ac-
| corded IL.
| Copyright, 1914. BY George A. KcDevttt
| Company