Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-06-15
USE STANDARD POULTRY
Uniformity Of Production, Whether
Eggs or Meat, Is Secured Through
Maintenance OF Well-Bred Flock.

standard poultry, as the phrase Is
commonly 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 standard of weight, volume,
or quality for any product or com
modify that is, to secure uniformity
and establish series of grades as a
basis of trading in the article.
In making standard for poultry
which apply in the process of produc-
ton the principal points considered
are size, shape, and color.
Size and shape are breed characters
and largely determine the practical
values of poultry
Color is not primary utility point,
but as a secondary point often comes
in for special consideration, For ex-
ample, white variety. and black
variety of the same breed are actually
Identical in table quality, but because
black birds do not dress for the mar
ket as clean and nice looking as white
ones, it often happens that they are
not as salable.
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 appear
ance of a flock of birds of the same
color justifies selection for color as
far as it can be followed without sac.
rlficlng any material point.
When a poultry keeper grows his
own stock year after year he ought by
all means to use stock of wel-es.
tablished popular standard breed. BY
doing so and by selecting as breeders
only as many of the best specimens OF
the flock as are needed to produce the
chickens reared each year, a poultry
Keeper maintains in his flock a 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.
To the novice in poultry keeping ii
often appears that there is no real ne.
cesslty for so many breeds and yarie.
ties us 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 per.
sons having different preferences for
color, the differences ilSshape and size
which make breed character have
been developed with a view to adapt
ing each to particular uses or particu.
lar conditions.
Leaving out of consideration the
breeds kept as novelties. most of
which originated before industrial pro-
gress created large demand for poul
try products, all the standVd Ameri
can breeds of fowls have been made
and developed on the general principle
of practical quality, tho foundation of
breed, character, and value.
In harmony with this principle the
common classification of breeds &C.
cOrding to their place in the general
scheme of poultry production divides
them into three principal classes,
namely, laying breeds--that is, breeds
that are not as ready and persistent
egg producers as the 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 AZ easy to fatten as the meat
breeds, yet combine in one individual
fowl very good laying capacity with
very good table quality.
The Leghon, Mlnorca, Andalusan,
Ancona, and Campne are well-known
breeds Of the laying class; the Brah-
ma, Dorking, and Cornish of the meat
class. the Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte,
Rhode Island Red, and Orpington OF
the general-pulpose class.
The breeds mentioned as of the lay.
ing class, with the exception of the
Mnorca, are relatively small, very
energetic and lively, mature early. and