J
A Weekly Page of Poultry Hints to You
Here is a Department Full of Bright Ideas For Readers of the Home and Farm Magazine Section.
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
W. II. Haven, of Seattle,
writes of the Barred Plymouth S
& Rock of today, and what they $
$ are and how to mate them. J
3
JPO CLAIM that double mating is
I necessary to produce exhibition
stock is to cast a doubt on the term
thoroughbred poultry. Any breed that
cannot be mated so that a single pair
Ttfill produce first class males and
females alike ought not to be consid
ered as worthy of a place in the stand
ard. I am glad to see so many of the
old Barred Eoek breeders coming around
to what I have advocated all my life.
I have been a middle mater, so to
speak. This has been termed single
mating, and have for many years prac
ticed both double and single mating,
and have produced a much greater per
Cent of very high class exhibition
birds, both male and female, from a
single mating. The trouble has been
brought about by some judges favoring
the black and excessively narrow barr
ing in males. And this has been a great
damage to the grand old breed of
America 's favorite.
Question of Color.
The first class pullet and the first
class cockerel should be of one shade.
In a general way the mala may look
lighter though be is of the same shade
or color as the female, for the reasou
that while he has as many bars to the
feather, his feathers are I i much longer
that the lighter color si ws wider be
tween the dark bars. Wlrj judges pun
ish dark blue barred in Waek and pro
tect the specimen that is grayish white,
barred in a darker blue that shows no
black or metallic black in the dark bars,
then will it be possible for man to
raise a majority of his birds, both male
and female, that will score 91 to 95.
The standard makers had no moral
Tight to describe as perfect a male and
fjmale that will not when mated pro
duce chicks like themselves. It is no
uncommon thing to see a Barred Rock
that by the literal' description of the
standard scoro 93 or 94, standing out
Side of the several awards, while the
specimcnt winning had black bars and
black, or nearly black sickles, and off
color in beak and legs, and if honestly
judged could not have been worthy of
fourth place, and this is why so rhany
breeders are disgusted with some of the
judges. It is too much "hobby judg
ing." The judges give too much prefer
ence to singlo feathers, A bird may be
absolutely standard in the two colors,
but because thoro are not more than
five bars in the back plumago it is
forced to take a back seat in favor of
the one that is absolutely false in stand
ard color, but that, is stronger in under
color and barred 'o the skiu on the
back.
Unfair Judging.
If there is a defect it should be pun
ished, but only a fair per cent, and the
judge ought not to let his decision for
or against tho bird rest on any one sec
tion, but right here is when many
judges fall down. That is not fair or
first class judging. Let the Barred Ply
mouth Rock to their original color light
bluish gray barred with a dark blue
that stops short of black. Then we can
mate males and females of self-same
color. Then, and not until then, can
wo have the progeny like sire and dam
and more than 85 per cent of them will
score 90 to 93. Then will the Barred
Plymouth Rock take its rightful posi
tion as the prime favorite of the fancier
and farmer. The writer has bred Barred
Plymouth Rocks for 35 years and pro
duced birds both male and female, by
the singlo mating, that have won the
blue in the best shows in the United
StateB. Forcing breeders to use two
matings to be able to win iu both
classes is robbing both the breed and
tho breeder of Rocks.
Proper Mating.
I claim that by proper mating of the
bred stock one can havo all speci
mens barred to tho skin, and have five
bars in the short plumago. Any excess
is unnatural, and nature should be
our law, not man's ideal. Our standard
should bo such that it can bo endorsed
by nature. The first description of
each breed when we took it in hand
and honestly described it should still
be the ideal. All tinkering since has
been unjust and detrimental to them.
My many years of experience has
proven that the mating of all breeds
should be governed by one of the same
rules, to-wit: Standard males should
be mated to standard females. Then, if
properly line-bred, 80 to 85 per cent at
six months old should score 91 or more,
and no specimen should be mated that
falls below an honest 90 points. Males
should be as near standard shapo as
possible, in color, a distinct bluish gTay
in fluff and ground color, this gray
color being a combination of bine and
white, the web of the feather should
be barred with five distinct lines of
dark blue stone color free from positive
black.
This should be the color of the female
also, but if seen in the yard the male
will appear to be a lighter shade, to
have more of a silver gray general
plumage. While we demand this bluish
gray in underfluff, we do not admit
white or a "cotton black," but dis
tinct bars. The barB in the web should
result in giving us parallel lines upon
tho breast and thighs. Absolute white
or positive black is a defect wherever
found in a Barred Plymouth Rock.
All judges should be held up to the
law. The day of black-barred winners
has gone if the grand old breed is to be
kept in the front rank.
Perfect Single Mating.
I have endeavored to describe a per
fect single mating. We must mate three
fourths of our stock, and if it is prop
erly done tho progeny from' all of them
when penned together will look even
colored and alike. At six months old
take out all that score 91, and better
sort them into four lots, the lightest in
the first lot, he second lightest in the
second lot, the practically perfect in
the third lot, and in rot four put the
darkest birds. Mate a perfect colored
male bird with lot 2, and a trifle light
er male with pen 3, and a dark male
with pen 1, and one of the lighter males
with pen 4, and there will he no per
ceptible difference in the best of the
progeny of each pen. All black barred
specimens, if any, should be sent to the
market or kept for table use.
If all breeders would follow this plan
the Barred Plymouth flocks throughout
the country would look very much alike.
When a few generations of such mat
ings have been used we must see uni
form flocks the rule. Most of our breed
ers have been obliged to use the few
best birds for show purposes and then
fall back on their second best and re
sort to extreme matings. Many have
become disgusted and discarded the
Barred "Rocks. ("Breeders, let us put
the Barred Plymouth Bock where it be
longs) " by demanding such a standard
for male and female that we can show
birds from a single mating and pro
test when judges ignore the standard,
its many of them do today, and demand
that his standard of color shall bo blu
ish gray barred in five or more of dark
er blue.
CLEAN EGGS.
When eggs are being produced for
market purposes, it is well to make a
point of keeping the nests clean. Dirty
eggs are in a class by themselves, and
do not command as large a prico as the
clean ones. Whero straw is. used for
nesting material, see that it is clean
and bright. The nosts should be cleaned
out now and then and sprayed with
some disinfectant. The nests should be
so covered that the hens cannot stand
on tho Bides and dirty the straw in the
nests.
If a slanting cover is placed over the
nests it will do away with all roosting
on the edges of the neat boxes. The
eggs should also be graded according
to Bize. 'the pullet eggs which will be
forthcoming at this time of year should
not be placed in with the regulars. Put
them in a class by themselves and sell,
as pullet eggs. You will probably have
to take a little less for the first crate
or so, but after a time they will bo large
enough to go in with the regular eggs.
When sending to private customers,
have the egg boxes clean, and the eggs
packed so as that they will present a
good appearance when the box is
opened. There are many little qnirks
to the selling of fresh eggs- that will
either mean more or less money accord
ng to the way they are handled.
When In Seattle
Try The
m r
Iff I ft if f i wins
-.-n'm. mm
Frye
IT'S NEW
IT'S CLEAN
IT CAN'T BURN
"IT LOOKS LIKE A. HOTEL"
That's What They All Say.
LOCATION IS EIGHT
Only 3 Blocks From Depots
and Docks.
THE RATES ARE RIGHT 1
$1.00 Per Day and Up.
THE FRYE IS THE RIGHT
HOTEL FOR YOTJ.
BUSH & LANE POLICY
FROM-
1
FACTORY TO HOME
No one has ever solved the problem of getting bet
ter values than you get here.
We manufacture our own Pianos and sell them
direct. This, saves you the large dealer's profit.
A dealer must purchase from the manufacturer, House of Originality
and then sell to you, thereby charging two profits instead of one.
Then, again, when purchasing from a dealer you have no assurance
that ho will keep tho agency of the Piauo he sells you. He may change
over night.
As manufacturers with a reputation to maintain and no one on whom
to throw the blame in case of dissatisfaction, you are assured of the
best Piano values obtainable.
If you determine on a certain policy and have tho ability to put it in
execution, and stick to it long enough, the public will place reliance in
your work. Thus it is with the Bush & Lane Piano Co. Proof of piano
making, skill and constant adherence to an artistic ideal, have given the
public absolute confidence in the makers of the Bush & Lane Pianos and
Player Pianos.
A fair value for your old Piano or Organ in exchange.
Satisfaction or Monev Refunded.
Bush & Lane Piano
433-5 WASHINGTON STREET;
MANUFACTURERS . 0 aoo
WHOLESALERS 05Ve " o
RETAILERS 3 VA ay
Portland, Oregon.
House of Originality
Free Homesteads
We mako a specialty of Western Canada homesteads and are the nlv
reliable party on the Coast that is locating settlers on Canadian land.
We locate you on the very best mixed fanning land in Western Canada!
We can locate you on 320 acres on good sandy loam soil, mostly prairie,
located east from Edmonton. Wo can locate you on 160 acres of black
loam soil north and northwest of Edmonton.- All, the lands that we
locate you on will be close to town and railroad. Some is mostly all
prairie and some is mostly all timber. The lands north and north
west of Edmonton have good drinking water from 8 to 10 feet from
surface. A great many of the claims have creeks through them and
there is plenty of water for irrigation. The lands east of Edmonton
are more adapted to wheat raising. We locate you for $50. Parties
are leaving our office daily. You will never again get an opportunity
of getting a homestead in Western Canada as good as you can get now.
We also have a few nice claims in Southeastern Oregon of 320 acres
each that we can locate you on and that we can recommend and guar
antee. CANADIAN HOMESTEAD CO.
73 SIXTH STEEET, PORTLAND. OREGON.
YOU WANT THE
BEST SPRAYER
You want to we time,
temper, trouble and tree.
You want to raise froit that
brings the highest prices.
You want to know ail about
our sprayer before you buy.
!. B7 VPknow. Do You W.n. T.
minis lemnaiN. Tl ?na
IUMiiMMri l2Hwti$M$L,PrUuaOi
Cash Register Bargains
Our prices about half other dealers. W
'pay highest price for second hand regis,
ters. We do expert repairing and guar
antee our work. Will exchange to suit
our requirements. SUNDWALL CO- 80S
l?nd aveaua, Seattle. Pbimm Vail UM,