A detailed Leghorn breed reference
Standard-Bred Leghorns, edited by J. H. Drevenstedt, examines the history, appearance, breeding and practical qualities of Leghorn poultry. Published in 1911, it brings together contributions from breeders and judges, with illustrations that connect written descriptions to the birds being discussed. Its scope includes Brown, White, Buff, Black and Silver Duckwing Leghorns, as well as non-standard varieties.
The title page states that the text and illustrations are based on the requirements of the 1910 American Standard of Perfection. That makes this a specific historical breed book, useful for studying the relationship between utility poultry and the exhibition ideal of its period. The introductory material describes it as a new and enlarged edition of an earlier Leghorn work, without giving a numbered edition.
History and the development of type
The opening material traces the Leghorn’s development and discusses differing accounts of its early history. Drevenstedt’s introduction emphasizes research, observation in breeding yards and experience in judging. Readers should understand the historical arguments as the book’s own account, rather than assume every early claim represents settled modern knowledge.
A contribution on the evolution of Leghorn type by F. L. Sewell adds a visual and descriptive dimension to that history. Other illustrations show standard shape and divide the bird into shape and color sections. These features help readers follow the language of breed descriptions and see how individual traits were related to the desired whole.
Varieties and mating questions
The contents devote substantial attention to Brown and White Leghorns, including color breeding, single-comb birds and rose-comb strains. Contributors discuss the requirements used in selecting and mating breeding stock. These chapters make the book more specialized than a general poultry handbook: the concern is not only how to keep a flock, but how particular qualities are maintained or improved within a breed.
Buff Leghorns receive several treatments, including their past, modern development, color problems and mating for shape and color. Black and Silver Duckwing Leghorns are also covered. Material on Red Pyle Leghorns and other non-standard varieties broadens the discussion beyond the most familiar forms. Readers researching an individual variety can use the subject-based contents to locate relevant accounts.
The different contributors give the volume a range of practical voices. A reader can compare the emphasis of a breeder concerned with color against that of a judge considering the whole bird. The book preserves these distinctions rather than reducing them to a single short list of desirable points.
Judging and illustrated descriptions
A chapter on judging Leghorns by D. E. Hale complements the breeding material. Separate subjects address heads, combs and wattles, as well as White Leghorn bodies, tails and legs. These sections are particularly helpful to readers learning the terminology of historical poultry exhibition and to researchers comparing changes in breed standards over time.
The introduction credits the art of Franklane L. Sewell and also names other illustrators who contributed pictures of exhibition specimens. Photographs and drawings serve different purposes: some record actual birds or farm arrangements, while others explain the ideal being discussed. Their combination is a major part of the book’s reference value.
Commercial egg production and management
The book extends beyond the show pen into commercial Leghorn farms. Its contents include egg farming in Greater New York, California Leghorn farms, making White Leghorns pay, feeding and housing, and feeding for results. These accounts place the breed in a working poultry economy and show why its practical qualities mattered to the contributors.
The commercial material includes photographs of buildings and appliances. Such illustrations help readers visualize how a specialized laying flock was housed and managed. Historical prices, production claims and business conditions belong to the 1911 setting, but the accounts remain useful evidence of how the breed was promoted and used.
Audience and book details
Leghorn enthusiasts, heritage-poultry readers and researchers of early commercial egg farming will find a substantial specialist reference here. The strongest feature is the connection between history, breed selection, judging and practical flock management. It is best used as a historical source and compared with current standards and husbandry guidance when considering present-day breeding decisions.
The illustrated PDF contains 154 digital pages, including the cover and preliminary material. The scanned title page and copyright establish the editor and 1911 date; the year is retained here as a book detail.
- Title: Standard-Bred Leghorns
- Editor: J. H. Drevenstedt
- Publication: American Poultry Publishing Company, Buffalo, New York, and Reliable Poultry Journal Publishing Company, Quincy, Illinois
- Year: 1911; new and enlarged edition, no edition number stated
- Language: English
- Format: Illustrated PDF, 154 digital pages, 14,565,811 bytes
