Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-02-07
USE STANDARD POULTRY.

standard poultry. as the phrase Is COM
monty used in America, is poultry bred to
the standards established by the American
Poultry Association.
The object Of making standards for
poultry is the same as the object of
making standards of weight, volume, or
quality for any product or commodity;
that Is. to secure uniformity and estab-
fish series Of grades as a basis of trad
ing In the article.
In making standards for poultry which
apply In the process of production the
principal points considered are size, shane
and color.
BREED CHARACTERS.
Size and shape are breed characters and
largely determine the practical value of
poultry. Many standard breeds are d.
vided into varieties differing in color but
Identical in every other respect.
Color Is not primary utility point, but
as secondary point often comes in for
special consideration. For example, a
white variety and a black variety of the
same breed are actually identical in table
quality. but because black birds do not
dress for the market as clean and nice
looking as white ones. 1t often happens
When a flock Of fowls is kept for egg
production only. uniformity in color is
much less important than approximate
uniformity of size and type yet the more
attractive appearance Of flock Of birds
of the same color justifies selection for
color as far as 1t can be followed with
out sacrificing any material point.
When a poultry keeper grows his own
stock year after year he ought by all
means to use stock Of a well-established
popular standard breed. BY doing so
and by selecting as breeders only as many
of the best specimens of the focks as
are needed to produce the chickens reared
each year. poultry keeper maintains in
his flock highly desirable uniformity of
excellence in every practical quality and
with little extra care and no extra cost
can have a pleasing uniformity in color.
EACH BREED HAS ITS PLACE.
To the novice in poultry keeqing it Of
ten appears that there is no real necessity
for so many breeds and varieties as have
been standardized in America. Further
acquaintance with them, however, shows
that although color differences are in
most cases made merely to please the
eyes of persons having different prefer
ences for color the differences in shape
and size which make breed character have
been developed with view to adapting
each to particular uses or particular con-
ditions.
Leaving out Of consideration the breeds
kept as novelties. most Of which originat-
| ed before industrial progress created a
large demand for poultry products. all
the standard American breeds of fowls
have been made and developed on the
general principle of practical quality,
the foundation Of breed, character and
value.
CLASSIFICATION OF USEFUL
BREEDS.
In harmony with this principle the
common classification Of breeds accord
ing to their place in the general scheme
Of poultry production divides them into
three principal classes. namely, laying
breeds, meat breeds, and general-purpose
breeds-that Is. breeds that are not as
ready and persistent egg producers as the
laying breeds. and not as meaty and as
easy to fatten as the meat breeds, yet
combine in one individual fowl very good
laying capacity with very good table quail
ity.
The Leghorn, Minorca, Andalusian, An
coma, and Campine are well-known breeds
Of the laying class; the Brahma, Dorking,
and Cornish Of the meat class; the Ply
mouth Rock, Wyandotte Rhode Island
Red, and Orpington of the general-purpose
class.
CHARACTERISTICS OF EGG BREEDS.
The breeds mentioned as of the laying
class. with the exception of the Minorca.
are relatively small, very energetic and
lively, mature early. and are easily kept
in good laying condition. The Mnorca
is of larger size and modified somewhat
in the other particulars mentioned. yet
has more the character of the laying class
than of any other.
CHARACTERISTICS OF MEAT
BREEDS.
In the meat breeds there is not the
same uniformity of type that is found
In the laying breeds. The three men,
toned are all quite different. The Brah-
ma is most popular because it is at
the same time the largest and the most
rugged In constitution. The Dorking ex-
cells in quality of meat but is generally
considered somewhat lacking in hardi-
ness. The Cornish Is rather hardmeated.
but being very short-feathered has it's
special place as a large meat-producing
fowl In southerly sections where the
more heavily feathered Brahma does not
stand the summers well.
CHARACTERISTICS OF GENERAL
PURPOSE BREEDS
Among the popular breeds of the gen.
eral-purpose class there are also differ
ences In type, adapting breeds to differ
ent uses. The Plymouth Rock Is generally
regarded as the type meeting the widest
range of requirements In the genera-pur-
pose class,
The Wyandotte is a little smaller and
earlier maturing. but still very well
meated and easy to fatten.
The Rhode Island Red has nearly the
same standards of weight as the Wyan-
dotte, but is a more active bird, not put
ting on fat so readily; consequently 1t
approaches the laying type and is popular
with those who want eggs and meat
but want eggs most.
The Orpington is at the other extreme
In the general-purpose class, being a
heavier. meatier fowl than the Plymouth
Rock.
A BREED FOR EVERYONE AND
EVERY PURPOSE
Such a list of breeds affords so wide a
range of choice that poultry keepers can
always select a standard breed better
adapted to their locality and their pur-
pose than any nonstandard stock they can
procure. and having the further advan-
tage of reproducing true to type.
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