The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-03

This history of this breed starts about
1885, and is contemporary with Buff Wy
andottes. The origin was largely due to
Rhode Island Reds, which have been
bred for many years in Massachusetts
and Rhode Island. Some fanciers Sc
lected lot of light-colored Rhode Island
Reds and exhibited them as Buff Ply
mouth Rocks and Buff Wyandottes.
Fanciers were attracted by their pos
sibilities, and later used cross of Buff
Cochins and Light Brahmas. The mix
ture of these bloods and the addition of
crosses with Buff Cochins and Buff Leg
horns, made rapid improvement in the
breed, although 1t inherited black in the
wings and tail from all it's ancestors,
white in wings from some, feathered legs
from the Cochins and Brahmas and white
ir the earobes from the Leghorns. Some
of these still crop up today, despite years
of patient effort expended upon the pro-
duction and perfection of this variety.
White in the earlobes, white and chest
nut in the wings and tails, and feathers
on the shanks still bother the breeders f
Buff Rocks, but by constantly culing
such specimens, these traits can be bred
out
Much of the work of producing this
variety was done previous to 1893. In
that year splendid specimens were ex-
hibited at the Worlds Fair in Chicago
and admitted to the American standard Of
perfection.
In addition to their beauty the splendid
utility qualities of this variety appealed
to their breeders and the popularity of
Buff Plymouth Rocks increased steadily.
The fowls are large and active, being
tainty. The size of the carcass can be
counted on weeks or months before the
chick is Matched The plumpness of the
poultry meat and the percentage of Eat
may be foretold almost with the GER
tainty of an eclipse or the rising of the
sun. Do you doubt the value of this to
the poultryman? If you do, consult any
proprietor of city poultry market that
is worthy of your patronage.
Standard bred stock will produce eggs
of uniform color and size. The dark egg
is in demand in certain markets, the pure
white egg is in demand in other markets.
Whatever color your market demands
that you should aim to supply. The mon
grel is utterly Indispensable in this re-
spect This one fact should instantly put
the mongrel out of the consideration
1t is truly amazing what heteroge-
neous mess of eggs in size and color and
shape the breed of mongrels will bring
to market! An attempt to classify them
is usually hopeless Every egg is likely
10 De Unlike every OIner egg! HOW ulI-
ferent the shipment of the really up-to-
date poultryman who handles only pure
bred stock Every egg is almost the
exact image Of every other egg. The
only classification necessary is on the
basis of breeds OF course there will be
now and then an egg that must be
excluded, because inferior in size or
shape. An occasional double yollx egg will
be withheld also. But pure bred stock
will classify their own eggs. Exemaining
the proposition therefore from every pos
sible angle, the advantage of keeping the
standard bred bird instead of the mongrel
is very great to the man who aspires
to things worth while in poultry cul-
ture.
Prices of eggs are gradually soaring
and in the large markets they will soon
be worth Z nickel apiece. To insure the
greatest profits from his flock the poul-
tryman must prepare his pullets to COM
mence laying before cold weather Prof.
James B. Norman has written an article
or this subject for next week.