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", > ► •' 3> ■ ■ v 3 > 3J) 3 "> ; 3>>.> 3 .» - > ■ -j : 3> - > »3 » 3 'J 2» > D > ii 3 >3 '3 _._^ > »> 3 >> ^> -=C ► > -•"> 3 > '> '3> .3> > -o 3 >3 3 ^> 33303333 3>vo ;> 7- »•>•> 3 _>3 -3 .^ 3> '3 ; ."» » ' > - 3>-. • ■> 3>> 3 3 > .3>> :> 3> > >> 2> _ 3 ^» 3 3> 3 ■ > •> 3> j 3>- :. ,;> 3> '-> , > 3> > ■ r>> 3B* > > >.;» -> 3 > >73 i> > » 3> » ' 3> >> 3 »> ~3> i*> .3> 3» r :» 3» >3 >» - >> > 3> :3> 3» j 3 > j > J ;3 * > ^3 ?► 13 ► » > > 3> 3 ~> '3> araraiaPiF! w wwM w wwM r \ * ww* |i'---»y >^if >jj|ir >jj|r "N HOW Price, 25 Cents TO Raise Poultry F0R PLEASURE AND PROFIT Breeds, Breeding, Rearing and General : : : : : : Management of all kinds of Poultry ILLUSTRATED WITH OVER ONE HUNDRED ENGRAVINGS No. 41 Nov., 1895 EXCELSIOR LIBRARY Issued Quarterly Subscription $ 1 .00 per year How to Raise Poultry FOR PLEASURE AND PROFIT A PRACTICAL WORK ON Breed, Breeding, Rearing, and General Management OF ALL KINDS OF POULTRY . • Li-' . y -Al BY S WILL^Tfc£,EWIS 0. y IAN 23189611 ^% ILLUSTRATED WITH OVER ONE HUNDRED ENGRAVINGS NEW YORK EXCELSIOR PUBLISHING HOUSE 26 CITY HALL PLACE Entered at the Post Office, New York, N. Y., as Second Class Matter, October 1, 1892 Copyright, 1895 EXCELSIOR PUBLISHING HOUSE (fo ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE. Artificial Hen 166 — Mother, Graves' 167 Aylesbury Drake 80 Bantam Cock, Fertile Hen - feathered Game 169 — Hen, Barren Full-feathered Sebright 168 Bantams, Black-breasted Red Game.. . . 57 — Duck- wing Game 57 — Golden Sebright 68 — Pekin or Cochin 67 — Silver Sebright 67 Brahma Cock, Dark 30 — —Light 33 — Hen, Dark 31 Capon Operating Table 146 Caponizing Fowls — Implements used.. 145 — Position of Fowl on Operating Table 146,148 Chicken Coop and Wire Run 138 — House, Exterior of "Van Winkle's.. 127 — — Interior of Van Winkle's 128 Cochin Cock, Buff. 35 — Hen, Buff. 36 Cochins, Pair of Partridge 37 Coop, A Close 130 — Barrel 130 — Pen 129 — Pent or Lean-to 129 — Rat-proof. 129 — The Tent 129 Creve-Cceurs, Pair of. 62 Dominique Cock 66 PAGE. Dorking Cock, White 43 Dorkings, Pair of Gray 44 Drake, Aylesbury 80 — Rouen 81 Duck, Black Cayuga 85 — Crested 83 — House, Rustic 137 — Tent-house 138 — Wood or Summer 85 Ducks, Feed Box for 136 — Trio of Musk or Brazilian 83 Egg Carrier, Suspension 178 — Case, Canvas-covered 178 — Transportation Case 178 Eggs, Fertility of. 20 Farmer Fogy's Fowls 70 Feed Box for Ducks 136 Feeding Hopper, A Cheap 132 — —Double 133 — — Funnel and Cone of 132 — —Perfect 131 — — Scotch 131 — — Standard Self 132 — — Stool 132 — Troughs (4 Illustrations) 134 Fountain, Barrel 135 — Bottle 135 — Ordinary 135 Fowl, Points of. 10 — Vulture-hocks 15 Frizzled Fowls, Pair of. 41 Games, Black-Red 53 IV THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. Gaines, Duck-Wing 55 — Earl Derby 52 Geese-, Canada or American 89 — Embden or Bremen 91 — Toulouse 94 Goose, White Chinese 95 Guelders, Pair of 64 Hamburgs, Pair of Golden-Spangled. . . 46 — Silver-Spangled 46 Hen-house, Mount's 118 Hennery for 200 to 250 fowls 121 — Plan of Double 113 Houdans, Pair of. 61 Incubation — Process illustrated 18, 19 Incubator, American 159 — Brindley's 156 — Geyelin's 154 — Graves' 160, 161 — Schroder's 157 — Wortley's 158 La Fleche, Pair of 63 Leghorns, Pair of 51 Malays, Pair of 40 Nest, Turkey 139 — Wicker-work 140 — Wooden Box 140 Poland Cock, Silver-Spangled 47 — Hen, Silver-Spangled 48 Polands, Pair of Golden-Spangled 49 — WUite Crested Black 50 PAGE. Poultry Fountain, Ordinary 135 — House and plan for 100 fowls 119 — "Virginia 114, 115 — yards, Van Winkle's 110 — — Browne's 107, 108 — — Cheap 115, 120 — — Elevation, plan and yard 122 — —Fancy 125 — — Interior of Van Winkle's Ill — — Octagon 117 — — Octagonal (3 Illustrations) 123 — — Poor Man's 106 — — Rhode Island 114 — —Rustic 106 — Mode of Packing 27 Rouen Drake 81 Shanghaes, Pair of White 39 Silky Fowls, Pair of. 69 Spanish Fowls, White and Black 59 Trap, Barrel 171 -- Skunk 173 — Common Box 171 — for Mink 172 — Geyelin's Vermin 173 — Miles' Vermin ....'• 174 Turkey, Bronze 74 — Crested 77 — Domestic 73 — House and nest 139 — Wild 75 [fOR GENERAL INDEX SEE PAGE 219l] FOWLS-THEIR GENERAL MANAGEMENT. There is a great diversity of opinion in regard to the management of fowls, the particular and desirable breeds for all purposes, &c. First of all, their PROPER CARE AND KEEPING is essential to success, for a person may have the best known breeds, and if they are not properly cared for they will, in nine cases out of ten, prove a failure. Therefore we wish to impress upon the mind of the breeder, in the outset, that this needs attention more than purity of breed or superiority of kind. As a friend of ours said, " there exists gross neglect of the poor birds generally." This neglect is not confined to persons who have no fancy for fine poultry, but extends even to many who have the reputation of being fowl fanciers. Still, as before stated, for poultry to be remunerative there must be good management. In STARTING OUT IN THE BUSINESS, plans should be well matured and digested before hand. A good, convenient poultry house should be properly constructed, sufficiently large to contain the number of birds one desires, warm and dry in the winter, well ven- tilated, and it should be kept scrupulously clean. The house should not be over-crowded, but just large enough. Nothing is made by over-crowding the hennery ; on the contrary, it will prove detrimental. The fowls must be fed regularly and at stated periods. They must have plenty of pure water at hand at all times — this is of as much importance to the health of the brood as proper food. If possible, they should also be given, in addition, a plat of grass for a run. Place within the hennery a dust heap ; this may consist of wood or coal ashes, sand, or dust from the streets. It should be kept under cover, so that it will not become drenched with rain or snow, and to it the fowls should have access at all times, to dust, and thereby rid them- selves, in a great degree, of the numerous parasites which infest them. The habit of GIVING TOO MUCH POOD, to poultry, in a short space of time, is a very bad one. If one notices their habits he will perceive that the process of picking up their food under ordi- 8 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. nary, or what we may call the natural condition, is a very slow one. Grain by grain is the meal taken, and with the aggregate no small amount of sand, pebbles, and the like, all of which, passing into the crop, assist digestion greatly. But in the " hen-wife's " mode of feeding poultry, a great heap is thrown down, and the birds are allowed to " peg away " at such a rate that their crop is filled too rapidly, and the process of assimilation is slow, painful and incomplete. No wonder that so many cases of choked craw are met with under this treatment. Many other diseases which affect chickens might be prevented by breeders, were a little precaution taken in the simple matter of feeding. TO PRODUCE EGGS. More eggs can perhaps be obtained from hens by mixing breeds than by any other mode ; and it is generally conceded that crossing also promotes the health of fowls far more than the vile practice, as some are pleased to term it, of in-and-in breeding. Little trouble need be apprehended from roup, ^apes, cholera, and other diseases in poultry, if that care is observed in breeding and crossing that is so essential to all well regulated poultry yards. POSITION OF THE HENNERY AND RUNWAYS. As we said before, the hennery should be placed in a warm, dry location — (not in a damp, out-of-the-way place) — with runways ample to allow of plenty of exercise. Above all, care should be taken that vermin do not get a foot- hold in the hennery; for if they once make their appearance, it is difficult to exterminate them, and before the breeder is aware of it, his flock is over-run with them. Let the hennery be thoroughly cleansed with lime, (whitewash put on hot,) as often as once a month. If any of the fowls show symptoms of disease — which is frequently the case when in confinement — see that they are removed at once from the flock. Give good, wholesome food, with plenty of clean water ; have the laying boxes cleaned and renewed frequently with straw, hay or shavings, and, with the help of the good housewife and children, there need be no fear of failure to profitably raise poultry. If one does not succeed in the first undertaking, he should not become disheartened, but persist in his endeavors to find out the cause of failure, and obviate it in the future. MR. LELAND'S EXPERIENCE. In this connection we give the reply of Mr. Warren Leland, Rye, N. Y., an experienced and extensive breeder of fowls, to inquiries from a gentle- man who desired to engage in the poultry business in his old age. Mr. Le- land says: — " I have found that for every hundred fowls you must give up at least an acre. But rough land is as good as any. Hens naturally love the bush, and I lop young trees, but leave a shred by which they live a year or more. These form hiding places and retreats for them. In such places they prefer to lay. I have great success, and it depends on three or four rules, by observing which I believe a good living can be made by hens and turkeys. I THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 9 give my fowls great range. Eighteen acres belong to them exclusively. Then the broods have the range of another big lot, and the turkeys go half a mile or more from the house. The eighteen acres of poultry-yard is rough land, of little use for tillage. It has a pond in it, and many rocks, and bushes, and weeds, and sandy places, and ash heaps, and lime, and bones, and grass, and a place which I plow up to give them worms. " When a hen has set, I take her box, throw out the straw and earth, let it be out in the sun and rain a few days, and give it a good coat of whitewash on both sides. In winter, when it is very cold, I have an old stove in their house, and keep the warmth above freezing. There is also an open fire-place where I build a fire in cool, wet days. They dry themselves, and when the fire goes out there is a bed of ashes for them to wallow in. Summer and winter my hens have all the lime, ashes and sand they want. Another reason why I have such luck is because my poultry yards receive all the scraps from the Metropolitan Hotel. Egg making is no easy Avork, and hens will not do much of it without high feed. They need just what a man who works re- quires — wheat bread and meat. Even when wheat costs two dollars I believe in feeding it to hens. As to breeds, I prefer the Brahmas, light and dark. I change roosters every spring, and a man on the farm has no other duty than to take care of my poultry. I frequently turn off three thousand spring chickens in a single season." BREEDING AND MATING. Too many fanciers and farmers, otherwise earnest in their business, are very careless concerning their fowls. Interbreeding certainly degenerates — particularly when so promiscuously permitted in a flock of fowls as is com- mon. There are the same good reasons for MAKING CHOICE OP THE BEST BREEDS OF FOWLS as for making the same choice in other stocks. For while a prime breed is as easily reared, fed and housed as a poorer one, there is a decided difference in the returns in favor of the former. If properly cared for, we do not hesitate to say that fowls of superior order do yield the farmer, even, the largest interest for the outlay he makes of any other stock he keeps. 10 THE PEOPLE S PEACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. In giving our own, and the opinions of others on the general principles of breeding and mating fowls, it will not be out of place to give here an illus- tration and description of THE DIFFERENT POINTS OF A FOWL, so that the reader may be able to name them, and judge therefrom, in his selection of stock for breeding purposes : — A, Neck-hackle ; B, Saddle - hackle ; C, Tail; D, Breast ; E, Upper Wing Cov- erts ; F, Lower Wing Coverts ; G, Primary Quills ; H, Thighs ; I, Legs ; K, Comb ; L, Wattles ; M, Ear Lobe. SELECTION OF COCKS AND HENS FOR BREEDING PURPOSES. A desirable thing in breeding is the selection of the cock. This, as all should understand, is a very important matter to be looked after ; another is the proper pro- portion of hens to be given to the cock. To breed a good fowl of any kind requires thought, skill, observation and study. The cock in all cases should be of good size, perfectly healthy and vigorous ; carry his head high, and have a quick, animated look, a strong and shrill voice ; the bill thick and short, the comb of a fire red, bright color ; a membraneous wattle of a large size, and in color resembling the comb. He should be broad-breasted, with strong wings ; the plumage dark, the thighs muscular, and spry and trim on his legs; free in his motions ; crow often, and scratch the earth with constancy in search of worms, not so much for himself as his mates ; when he is brisk, spirited, ardent and clever in caressing them, quick in defending them, attentive in soliciting them to eat, in keeping them together in the day, and assembling them at night, he will prove as a general thing, just the bird to breed from. The good qualities of hens, whether intended for laying or breeding, are of no less importance than those of the cock. The hen is deservedly the acknowledged pattern of maternal love. When her passion of philoprogenitiveness is disappointed by the failure or separation of her own brood, she will either go on sitting, till her natural powers fail, or she will violently kidnap the young of another fowl, and insist upon adopting them. But all hens are not alike. They have their little Avhims and fancies, likes and dislikes, as capricious and unaccountable as those of other females. Some are gentle in their manners and disposition, others are sanguinary ; some are lazy, others energetic almost to insanity. To succeed in the matter THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. H of the selection of hens for mating and breeding purposes requires care study and a considerable degree of patience. THE NUMBER OF HENS TO A COCK, ETC. We have no hesitancy in recommending to breeders the following ratio of hens to a cock of the breed named : — Houdans, twenty hens to two cocks • Creve-Coeurs, eight hens to one cock; Buff Cochins, twenty-four hens to two cocks ; Gray Dorkings, ten hens to one cock ; White Leghorns, four- teen hens to one cock ; Spanish, twelve hens to one cock ; Brahmas, twelve hens to one cock ; Hamburgs, fourteen hens to one cock ; Polands, twelve hens to one cock ; Game, ten hens to one cock. With this proportion of hens to a cock the vitality of the eggs will prove good, and at least eleven out of twelve eggs set will produce " chicks." For breeding purposes, we inclose in a yard ten or fifteen hens of each variety we desire to propagate, and with them one cock ; if we have two or more cocks whose qualities are equal, we think it preferable to change every two days, leaving only one cock with the hens at a time. Two weeks are necessary to procure full bloods, and we prefer the eggs the third rather than the second week. We are told by a breeder of some considerable experience with fowls that to determine the exact proportion of cocks and hens to be allowed to run together for breeding purposes is not an easy problem. He says : " While with some varieties, as the Cochins, three or four, or even two, are ample, (though we have seen cocks of that variety that would serve ten or a dozen ;) in others, twelve to fifteen are not too many. It is impossible to give any definite number for a rule. We have had pairs that did well, the eggs hatched well, and the hen did not suffer from the over-attention of the cock ; and again, we have been obliged to put in one, two, three, four and even more additional hens of common stock, with a trio of- pure-bred fowls, to keep the blooded hens from being injured. Especially is this the case with the Houdans and Creve-Coeurs ; the cocks of both these breeds seem to be very vigorous, and require not less than four or six hens to run with them. The Dark Brahmas also need not less than four hens with the cock when he is young and vigorous. It was a favorite theory of ours, some years since, that poultry should be bred in pairs or trios. Because in the wild state, they ran in pairs, so also, should they do in the domesticated state. It is needless to say that our theory would not work when carried into practice. Perhaps, were a pair of fowls given a range of ten, twenty or more acres, and left to forage for themselves, one or two hens would be all the cock could attend ; but confined to an acre or less, and fed on stimulating food, the bird's nature becomes, as it were, changed, and he feels himself qualified for greater deeds. We have seen a hen's back and sides all cut open by the cock's spurs, and the owner was complaining that the hen did not lay. If he had given her three or four companions his cause of complaint would have ceased. The only mode of deciding the question is by watching the fowls. We have 12 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. known instances, though rare, of a cock serving twenty to twenty-five hens, and the eggs being very fertile. Again, a cock was cooped up with four liens, asid it was found that when penned with two the eggs hatched twenty- five per cent, better than with the four. We think the latter case is of rare occurrence ; a safe average is four to six hens to a cock. A lew days' ob- servation will enable one to tell whether more or less hens are needed. A young cock that has had a dozen or twenty hens to run with the first year is rarely fit for more than three or four the second. But if well cared for the first, and allowed not more than six hens, he is usually good for three or four years' service. We know many are prejudiced against using old cocks, and usually their prejudice is founded on experience like the above. A young cock with old hens is our preference for breeding stock, though many reverse it and put an old cock with young pullets. We know the hen lays a larger egg than the pullet, and a large egg must certainly bring out a larger chick than a small one ; and, as a rule, (to which there are many exceptions,) a young cock is more vigorous than an old one. Therefore we think this selec- tion preferable. Some, we are aware, contend that the cock lias more in- fluence on the progeny than the hen, and that an old cock, being more mature and developed, will throw better chicks. Such has not been our experience, however, after a close observation of several years' duration." PREMIUM BIRDS DO NOT PRODUCE THE BEST CHICKENS. For the purpose of more fully carrying out our idea of breeding fowls to perfection and pointing out their imperfections, we have selected the Brahma as an example, (the principle will apply to any other breed,) and in this connection give, from Moore's Rural New-Yorker, the experience and advice of a gentleman who makes the breeding of fowls a science. He says: — "Premium birds do not always produce the best chickens. Good results may often be obtained from moderate stock, provided that they be so selected that the defects of the cock may be counteracted by those of the hens. Size in the Brahma is not of so mueh importance as most people give to it. Fine, large chickens may be reared from small parents by proper care and attention, and good, regular and judicious feeding. INFLUENCE UPON THE FANCY POINTS. " The cock has the most influence upon the fancy points, while the hen has most upon the form and size. If more attention were paid to the shape and straightness of the comb of the cock, we should see less of those grave defects which so frequently mar whole pens. I have seen magnificent birds with such crooked and fungus-like combs as would almost disqualify them in my opinion. Judges have been too liberal with these defects. It is quite time such liberality was stopped. Crooked combs should be bred out and not tolerated. The comb is one of the most prominent characteristics of the bird, and almost the first object which meets the eye. It touches our sense of the beautiful immediately to see a small head and straight comb, THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 13 and docile look. And the head of a Brahma fowl should possess these quali- fications ; too much importance should not be given to breeding for weight or largeness of carcass, over other qualifications. I admire in the Brahma fowl a large frame, of symmetrical proportions and corresponding weight ; but a fattened fowl is only fit for the table. I should rather breed from a small cock with a perfect comb than a large one with a crooked comb. A lively cock, mated with large hens, is preferable to a sluggish cock and small hens. Length of legs in a cock is of less importance than in a hen ; and in order to get size and proportion you must have due length of legs ; and even in a hen, it maybe counteracted by judicious mating. A narrow cock and a very wide hen are more likely to breed well than the reverse. It is to the male bird the breeder must look for perfection or defects in the comb, the beautiful yellow color of the legs, and all the fine points of the Brahma. " As to the penciling, I am convinced, by considerable experience, that the two sexes bear a projaortionate influence to each other, although I should not hesitate to say that there is more probability of breeding good chickens from a perfectly and darkly penciled pullet or hen and an inferior cock than from a badly colored or marked hen and a cock of superior blood. A hen with a bad comb, mated with a cock whose comb is small and fine, will throw some very fine chickens. A cock with a drooping back and saddle should be mated with a hen very high towards the tail ; and if his hackle be short or scanty, that of the hen should be unusually sweeping and full. If any white stain should appear in the ear lobes, it is very apt to perpetuate itself, and particular care should be taken that the other sex has no sign of it, through several degrees. In shape, style and carriage, the Dark and Light varieties of the Brahma fowl should be precisely similar. In the Light, I think the breeders of this country have surpassed the English. The Light now stands almost on equality with the Dark in size, shape, and in general popularity. The comb of this fowl especially must be more closely looked after. A defective comb tells wofully against the bird. You must breed them even, low and straight. You cannot, I know, get this point to perfection in the cock until a strain has been bred for years. No pure strain ought to breed a comb in which the peculiar triple character is not perfectly distinct. SHAPE OP THE COMB AND HEAD. " There is a diversity of opinion as to the shape of the comb. It should *iot exceed half an inch in hight, and instead of rising from the front towards the back and ending in a peak, I should prefer to see it, after arising for half or two-thirds of its length, decrease again towards the back, forming a kind of arch. This kind of comb not only looks well and symmetrical, but according to experience, is likely to breed far more true than any other. The head of the Brahma cannot be too small in proportion to the body. There is no point in this fowl that so truly indicates the high breeding or the blood of the strain as the smallness of the head, and you will find that a small head i 5 * accompanied by fineness of flesh, a point never to be lost sight of in this 14 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. class. I placed a dark hen of this variety in a coop by itself on exhibition at our poultry show merely to give those interested in the matter those points in perfection which I claim we must reach before we can say we have finished our labors in this respect. THE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS. " In all the original Brahmas the deaf-ears fell below the wattles ; and this point was mentioned by Dr. Bennet as a characteristic of the breed ; and the perpetuation of this should be carefully looked after. The neck- hackle should start well out just below the head, making a full sweep, and marking the point of juncture between the head and neck very distinctly by an apparent hollow or depression. The hackles can hardly be too full, and should descend low enough to flow over the back and shoulders. The more perfect you can get this, the nobler the carriage and appearance of the bird. A short or scanty hackle is a very great blemish. The hocks should be well covered with soft curling feathers. A cock with hocks a little out should not be deprecated, and as sometimes is, by the inexperienced, discarded. This class of hock, when properly mated with fine built hens, scantily feathered on the legs and toes, throw very fine full-booted birds. While I should con- demn all vulture-hocked fowls to the gridiron, there are exceptions where I have bred from a very large, finely-formed hen, with handsomely and dis- tinctly marked pencilings, with great success, by mating them with a clean shanked cock with the proper marking ; and have thrown four good birds to one hocked. No bird of this species should, when full grown, be considered fit for exhibition, unless the cock weighs twelve pounds, and hens from eight to nine pounds ; and if a cockerel does not weigh eight pounds at six or eight months, he will rarely prove a show bird. breeding and mating for size, etc. " In breeding for size, select a short, compact, deep-bodied cockerel, which need not be large, and mate him with long backed hens, even if their legs are longer than usual. Although length of back is a decided fault, such a cross will generally breed well ; the hen supplying the form, while the cock fills out to the proper proportion. Long, dangy, large-boned cocks may be mated with compact, short-legged hens, with the same result; but the first mentioned cross will produce better results. Fine chickens may be reared from the eggs of pullets ; but the best chickens, as a rule, are got by mating either a two-year-old cock or a cockerel, with hens in their second season ; their chickens fledge more quickly, and attain maturity sooner. Hens mated with cockerels turn out more male birds, while cocks mated with pullets, will produce a goodly proportion of pullets. I should not hesitate mating cock- erels with pullets, if they be fine, strong-boned birds, hatched in March or the early part of April. A great many birds are spoiled by breeding from a cook of one strain and hens of different strains, and different styles of pen- cilings. If my presumption may be excused, I should advise the different THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 15 breeders of this country to make up their minds respectively, as to the style and markings of the birds they deem most desirable to breed, and breed them uniformly and closely to the standard they have adopted. The popular taste will soon settle the question. You can always have fresh blood, if you keep two or three pens, and you can go on for years without crossing your breeds, and running the ri^k of bad blood or a motley brood, with no uniformity of shape or markings. BREEDING IN-AND-IN. " Do not teel too much anxiety about breeding in-and-in. Parent and offspring, and even brother and sister, may be bred from with safety and suc- cess for several years with this class of fowls. No breed has such stamina aa the Brahma, and if any mishap does occur, it will not be so aggravated as it would be by the concentration of bad blood ; therefore, it stands you in hand to be very careful what strain you purchase, and to know if the party has bred from distinct strains or indiscriminately. It is a work of time to breed fine strains, and considerable patience is requisite. It is in this respect that parties make a great mistake in going about from yard to yard, selecting hei % e and there a bird from one, and cock, &c, from another, to gratify their vanity, with the hope of winning a few prizes, to the great detriment of the stock and disappointment of purchasers of the same, if they should breed from them. In the Light Brahma it is very necessary to secure a sufficient amount of color in the cock. The tendency of all poultry is to get lighter if indiscriminately bred ; therefore, you should select cocks of the proper dark- ness for breeding stock. The saddle should only be lightly striped, for if it contains too much black or the neck-hackle too dark, you will produce spotted backs. I will set down two rules, either of which can be applied to suit the wants of the breeder :— 1 . Very heavy penciled cocks must be used to get heavy penciled (chicks) cocks. 2. Very dark hackled hens and light pen- ciled hackled cocks will get nice hackled pullets." VULTURE HOCKED FOWLS. Vulture hocked birds are a disqualification to any brood of fowls, with few exceptions, and should be eschewed in all breeding stock. The vulture hock is the projec- tion of feathers behind the knee, and inclining towards the ground, as shown in the accompany- ing illustration. The feathers of a fowl's leg usually should be close round the knee, and the leg clean below it. The breeds in which the vulture hock is necessary are Scrai-ta-ooks, Booted Bantams, and Ptarmigan fowls. Where the vulture hock makes its appearance, unwished for, and where its presence is considered a grave fault, is among Cochins and Brahraas- The fault will sometimes appear in the progeny, but in fowls, as 16 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. m everything else, the perfect birds form the exception, and as Dr. Bennett says, " to have many of them it is only necessary to breed well and kill well. By this process you will get rid of the vulture hock." CROSSING THE BREED. As we have said elsewhere, to insure successful and beneficial crossing of distinct breeds, in order to produce a new and what may be considered a valuable variety, the breeder should be well versed in the laws of procreation, and the varied influences of parents upon their offspring. It is avered that all fowls bred in this country are crosses or made breeds, either by design or accident. Therefore crossing does not necessarily produce a breed ; but on the other hand, it always produces a variety, and that variety becomes a dis- tinctive breed only where there is a sufficiency of stamina to make a dis- tinctive race, and continue a progeny with the uniform or leading character- istics of its progenitors. In crossing one breed with another we should say put a light cock with dark hens or vice versa, as in this case there is more liability of producing not only a new variety, but also some fine birds in the brood. Care is required in this matter, as in all others, (in mating for cross- breeding,) and patience is indispensable to success. All disqualified birds should be taken from the pen at the earliest moment, and sent to the table. leaving the best selections to breed from. We have made a fine cross by placing a dark Brahma hen with a white Dorking cock, and, on another occa- sion, made a good cross by placing a White-faced Black Spanish cock with a white Dorking pullet. There is no question but that good and valuable breeds of fowls, of beautiful plumage, may be thrown by these crosses. SETTING HENS AND INCUBATION. THE NUMBER OF EGGS TO PUT UNDER A HEN. One of (Jne most important points to be observed in setting eggs for hatching, is to correctly proportion the number, taking into consideration their size, and the size of the hen about to sit upon them. The state of the weather should also be a guide ; for a hen capable of setting upon and hatch- ing thirteen eggs in June ought not to have more than ten in January. The great error of setting a hen upon more eggs than she can cover is a cause of very general disappointment. We have frequently seen cross-bred game and other small hens set upon'thirteen eggs, when it was perfectly clear to us that it would be impossible for them all to receive a proper and equal share of heat from her body. It is absolutely certain, also, that a hen cannot hatch out chickens from those eggs which she cannot draw close up to her body and give to them the natural warmth they require in the process of in- cubation. This has been very clearly demonstrated to us ; for upon one occasion we placed fifteen eggs under a hen, when we ought not at any sea- son to have given more than twelve, or, at the most, thirteen, and while out at feeding time, we examined the nest and found only thirteen eggs left. We at first thought the hen might have eaten them ; but, after one or two exami nations, we found sometimes thirteen and at others fourteen eggs present. We determined upon catching the hen one morning while off to feed, after finding there were only thirteen eggs in the nest. We cautiously laid hold of her, when she unfortunately dropped one egg and broke it ; upon a further examination we found the other missing egg under her wing. We replaced the egg in the nest and found that she regularly removed one or two of them ; thus it was apparent that she had more eggs under her than the surface of her body could possibly cover by contact. This marvelous fact proved the existence, first, of the beautiful principle we term instinct, and the ardent latural desire for carrying out to the fullest extent the remarkable operation ve understand as incubation; THE PROPER HENS TO SET. A half-breed game or other small hen should be chosen for a natural in- cubator — (they have always, with us, proved the best breed) — and nine of her own eggs should be the extent ; if a Dorking or a large size mongrel hen be selected, eleven are sufficient ; a Cochin hen of some of the strains we 2 18 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. have seen, will even cover fifteen of her own or eggs of similar size ; but even in this instance, it is best to err on the safe side, and give her but thir- teen eggs. Cochins and Brahmas have a large width of breast and a huge amount of fluff and feather, both features being highly conducive to success- ful hatching, by assisting to retain the heat of the body of the birds and of the eggs also. CLOSE-SETTING HENS. There are some hens over-anxious about the chicks within the shells, whose cry for deliverance they can distinctly hear ; and they do not rise from off the eggs during the process of chipping. This is an operation we have continually observed with hens that are very successful in hatching, while those which sit too closely at the last stages are those whose excess of kind- ness has produced the non, or limited, success in hatching out good broods. The only good arising from any sprinkling of the eggs with water results from their having received an increased and life-saving supply of air during such process, without which, in many instances, the chicks would either have been suffocated or glued to the shell. THE PROCESS OF INCUBATION of the chicken is a subject not only curious but very interesting to the student of nature. It generally takes twenty-one days to hatch a brood of chickens, although a close-setting hen will sometimes hatch in eighteen days, if the weather is favorable. The expiration of the time should be carefully watched for ; not that the chicken requires any assistance, but, on the contrary, interference is much more likely to prove an injury than a benefit. A healthy chick will perform all that is required to free it from the shell. It is wonder- ful the power they possess while rolled up in so apparently helpless a mass ; the head, however, that makes the most exertion to free itself, is placed so as to leave room for reaction, and to turn round, and thus to peck a circle, (as shown in the ac- companying engraving,) and breaks around the large end of the shell, ad- mitting the air by degrees, until it becomes gradually prepared to extricate itself. A rash attempt to help them by breaking the shell, more particularly in a downward direction, toward the smaller end, is frequently followed by a loss of blood, which can ill be spared, and death ensues. We place the nest in a warm, sheltered place, and have fresh food and water near at hand so that the hen can help herself whenever chc h so in- clined. Should the nest become dirty, change it, or even wash the eggs in tepid water. As fast as the chickens break the shell, place them in a basket of cotton-wool by the fire, to avoid the danger of the mother's crushing them while they are helpless. "When all have hatched, they may be returned to the hen. The yolk of a hard boiled egc* should constitute their food dur THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 19 ing the first week ; after which coarser food may be given. When fully fledged, give them their liberty in the heat of the day, and house them be- fore sunset. Never permit them to wander in the grass when the dew is on, as more healthy fowls perish from this than any other cause. The chicks can be fed to good advantage with cracked corn or a mush of potatoes and Indian meal cooked. Feed should be given in small quantities, and fre- quently, during the day. CHANGES WHICH AN EGG UNDERGOES IN HATCHING. In this connection we trust it will not be deemed out of place to give what we find in an old volume of the Genesee Farmer and Gardeners' Journal of July, 1833, relative to the wonderful changes which an egg undergoes in hatching, from the first day till its final exclusion, accompanied with three illustrations, showing the first, middle and last stages of the chick. The same article appears in the American Poulterer's Companion, erron- eously credited to an English journal. This process of incubation is thus minutely described : FIRST, MIDDLE, AND LAST STAGES OP THE CHICK. " The hen has scarcely sat on her eggs twelve hours before some linea- ments of the head and body of the chicken appear. The heart may be seen to beat at the end of the second day ; it has at that time somewhat the form of a horseshoe, but no blood yet appears. At the end of two days, two vesicles of blood are to be distinguished, the pulsation of which is very visible ; one of these is the left ventricle, and the other the root of the great artery. At the fiftieth hour, one auricle of the heart appears, resembling a noose folded down upon itself. The beating of the heart is first observed in the auricle, and afterward in the ventricle. At the end of seventy hours, the wings are distinguishable ; and on the head two bubbles are seen for the brain, one for the bill, and two for the fore and hind part of the head. To- ward the end of the fourth day, the two auricles already visible draw nearer to the heart than before. The liver appears toward the fifth day. At the end of a hundred and thirty-one hours, the first voluntary motion is observed. At the end of seven hours more, the lungs and the stomach become visible ; 20 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. and four hours afterward, the intestines, and loins, and the upper jaw. At the hundred and forty-fourth hour, two ventricles are visible, and two drops of blood instead of the single one which was seen before. The seventh day, the brain begins to have some consistency. At the hundred and nineteenth hour of incubation, the bill opens, and the flesh appears in the breast. In four hours more, the breast-bone is seen. In six hours after this, the ribs appear, forming from the back, and the bill is very visible, as well as the gall- bladder. The bill becomes green at the end of two hundred and thirty-six hours ; and if the chicken be taken out of its covering, it evidently moves itself. The feathers begin to shoot out toward the two hundred and fortieth hour, and the skull becomes gristly. At the two hundred and sixty-fourth hour, the eyes appear. At the two hundred and eighty-eighth, the ribs are perfect. At the three hundred and thirty-first, the spleen draws near the stomach, and the lungs to the chest. At the end of three hundred and fifty- five hours, the bill frequently opens and shuts ; and at the end of the eighteenth day, the first cry of the chicken is heard. It afterward gets more strength and grows continually, till at length it is enabled to set itself free from its confinement. " In the whole of this process we must remark that every part appears at its proper time ; if, for example, the liver is formed on the fifth day, it is founded on the preceding situation of the chicken, and on the changes that were to follow. No part of the body could possibly appear either sooner or later without the whole embryo suffering ; and each of the limbs becomes visible at the first moment. This ordination, so wise and so invariable, is manifestly the work of a Supreme Be- ing; but we must still more sensibly acknowledge His creative powers, when we consider the manner in which the chicken is formed out of the parts which compose the egg. How aston- ishing it must appear to an observing mind, that in this substance there should at all be the vital principle of an animated being ; that all the parts of an animal's body should be con- cealed in it, and require nothing but heat to unfold and quicken them ; that the whole formation of the chicken should be so constant and regular that, exactly at the same time, the sama changes will take place in the gener* ality of eggs ; that the chicken, the moment it is hatched, is heavier than the egg was before ! But even these are not all the wonders in the for- mation of the bird from the egg — for this instance will serve to illustrate THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 21 the whole of the feathered tribe — there are others altogether hidden from our observation, and of which, from our very limited faculties, we must ever remain ignorant." THE FERTILITY OP EGGS. There is no difficulty whatever in testing the fertility of eggs. The way to ascertain unfertile eggs at as early a period as possible is to take them into a room moderately dark, and hold them between the eye and a candle or lamp, in the manner represented in the engraving on the preceding page. The eggs under a setting hen should be examined at least as early as the eighth day after she commences incubation. If the egg be fertile, it will appear opaque, or dark all over, except, perhaps, a small portion towards the top ; but if it be unimpregnated, it will be still translucent, the light passing through it almost as if new laid. After some experience the eggs can be dis- tinguished at an earlier period, and a practiced hand can tell the unfertile eggs even at the fourth day. Should the number withdrawn be considerable, four batches set the same day may be given to three hens, or even two, and the remainder given fresh eggs ; and if not, the fertile eggs will get more heat, and the brood come out all the stronger. THE PROPER FOOD AND FEEDING. Never stint poultry in the variety or quality of their food. Good food is positive economy. The best and heaviest corn is the cheapest. The best food is that which gives the most of what nature demands for the formation of muscle, bone and fat. Fine bran, or middlings, is richer in two of these important ingredients than any other one kind of food ; but being deficient in gluten, is not warmth-giving, and is better when combined with whole grain, which, when mashed, forms a most wholesome and nutritious diet. Barley is much used in Europe, but should never be the only food in the poultry yard. Fowls do not fatten on it, though for a time they will thrive. Oats are good as a change, but inferior in nutriment ; if they are browned or roasted and given freely, they prove a good egg-producing food. Buck- wheat, however, is the best food to make fowls lay early. They devour the 22 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. feed greedily, and its heating influence, in winter, is very perceptible. Hemp seed is also productive of eggs, and is very strengthening ; it is one of the best things that can be fed to fowls during the moulting season. THE PROPER FOOD TO GIVE. In preparing birds for exhibition, flax seed may be given occasionally ; it increases the secretion of oil, and gives luster to their plumage. In giving soft feed it should be mixed stiff" — not mushy ; fowls do not relish it in the latter state. A good food of this kind is composed of equal parts of fine bran and Indian meal. This should be scalded or mixed with boiling hot water to such a consistency that it will break or crumble when thrown upon the ground. Another good soft feed is made of small potatoes, washed clean, boiled, and mashed with an equal quantity of Indian meal. In giving soft feed never use a feeding dish or trough. If the yards are clean, as they should be, the ground is by far the best place to feed them from. The gravel and sand, which adhere to the food, are necessary for digestion ; besides, poultry prefer to pick their food from the ground. Do not, on any consideration, neglect to give poultry green food. A little chopped vegetables of some kind, whether cabbage, lettuce, spinach, onions or other greens, is better given every day than a great deal once or twice a week. To secure perfect eggs, lime, in some form, ought to be fur- nished. Broken bones, lime rubbish, oyster or clam shells, burned and pounded fine, are all good. Beef or pork scraps are productive of good re- suits. In the winter, when fowls cannot supply themselves with insects, worms or grubs, a scrap-cake, laid in the hen yard for them to pick at, or a little chopped off and broken up and fed to them, adds not only to their health but largely to the contents of the egg basket. An occasional dish of raw meat, chopped into small pieces and given them will be devoured with avidity. Another way, and one which we have practiced with good results, is to get a sheep's pluck and hang it up in the hennery, just high enough to make the fowls fly up and pick it off by piece-meal. If fowls are over-fed with meat it will show itself in the loss of feathers, and prove very detri- mental to the brood. Some breeders feed game fowls largely on fresh meat — claiming that it creates a pugnacious disposition in the cock. What- ever is done in the matter of feeding, regularity, as to time, is essential to success. REARING FOWLS FOR MARKET AND EGGS. THE BEST BREED TO REAR FOR MARKET. The best breed of fowls to rear for the market, or as egg-producers, de- pends upon locality ; for while, in some places, one variety is deemed the best, in others it would prove the reverse. Our own opinion is, that, for a market fowl, the Brahmas and Cochins will, under almost all circumstances, prove the most desirable, they being less liable to disease, feathering up quickly, and can be bred to weigh, at from four to six months of age, eight to ten pounds. Another good table fowl is the Dorking (cock) crossed with the Brahma (hen). The flesh of this cross is sweet and nutritious, and acquires at early age the plumpness of the Dorking at maturity. There are other breeds, however, which are said to be desirable to rear for the table. Many claim that the French breeds of fowls are of this number ; but this we very much doubt, as their flesh lacks the buttery, golden color that attracts the eye of the epicure. They may prove valuable as egg-producers, but they lack many good qualities as a table bird. Dorkings are undoubtedly at the head of the list as table birds, but of late years have become so subject to disease that we question the feasibility of rearing them profitably for mar- ket in our changeable northern climate. THE BEST AS EGG-PRODUCBRS. As egg-producers the Hamburgs are claimed to stand at the head of the list. This claim we are prepai'ed to dispute ; for, as winter layers, we find that the Brahma, Cochin, Leghorn, Poland, and Houdan stand rela- tively in the position here named. That the Hamburgs are good egg-pro- ducers we admit ; but that they are any better than a number of non-setting fowls, so called, we deny. The richness and meatiness of their eggs are not to be compared with those of the Poland, Leghorn, Houdan or Brahma ; and their eggs lack the size of those named. All things considered, we have no hesitancy in saying that for eggs we should name the Polands ; for the table, Dorkings, and for early marketable chickens, Brahmas and Cochins. A correspondent of Moore's Rural Neio- Yorker, who has had consider- able experience in rearing fowls for profit, says : — " The Farmer's Breed is the breed for profit. It consists of Brahma hens and colored Dorking 24 the people's practical poultry book. cocks — the chicks from which are hardy, easily reared, grow fast, and in. four months, without extra feed, will dress four to five pounds each of fine- grained, well-formed, plump-breasted, well-colored flesh, fit for the table oi any amateur or epicure, and always commanding a good price in market. The hens from this cross are even better and more continuous layers than either pure Brahma or the Dorking ; but if wanted to breed again, the farmer must keep one coop separate of Brahmas — say a cock and two hens — and so also of the Dorkings, and thus yearly with the cross of pure bred birds, cocks of the Dorkings, and hens of the Brahmas, keep up the 1 Farmer's Breed for profit.'' " FATTENING AND PREPARING POULTRY FOR MARKET, THE MANNER OF FATTENING. Although the manner of fattening poultry may seem to be extremely plain, there is, nevertheless, a right and a wrong way, a long and a short mode of accomplishing the object desired. Many breeders who rear fowls for the market believe in letting poultry forage and shift for themselves, while others believe the best method is in keeping them constantly in high feed. This is just our idea ; for where a steady and regular profit is required from rearing poultry, or a business is made thereof, the very best method, whether for domestic use or for the market, is constant high keep from the beginning. Thus they will always be in a saleable condition and ready for the table. As the American Poulterer's Companion justly says, fowls kept in this way need but very little extra attention. Their flesh will be superior in juiciness and richer in flavor than those which are fattened from a low and emaciated state. Fed in the manner above indicated, spring pullets are particularly fine, commanding the highest price on the market, and proving a most healthful, nourishing and restorative food. FEEDING HOUSES. Our mode of constructing feeding houses or coops is to have them so they will be at once warm and airy, with earthen floors, well raised, and capacious enough for the accommodation of from twenty to thirty-five fowls ; the floor, if desired, may be slightly littered with straw, but the litter should be fre- THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK.. 25 quently changed, and great care taken to secure cleanliness, for fear of ver- min. As we have before said, the coops should be well supplied with feed- ing-troughs which should always be kept full of feed, and which can be got at easily by the fowls. Perches should also be placed but a few feet from the ground, so they can be reached without much effort ; those made in the form of stairs, having the poles one above the other, (slanting,) are the best. Fowls cooped in this way may be fattened in a short time and to the highest pitch, and be preserved in a perfectly healthy state. There is no necessity, in our opinion, to confine fowls in dark coops and practice the art of cram- ming to fatten them jDroperly; this mode is an abomination, and should not be followed by any breeder of common sense. MODE OF FATTENING FOWLS IN COOPS. In fattening fowls confined in coops, old writers recommend feeding them with bread, soaked in ale, wine, or milk; barley mixed with milk, and sea- soned with mustard or anise seed ; while others recommend cramming them three or four times a day ; also keeping them in a dark place, and not allow- ing them any exercise. Bradle* says, " the best way, and the quickest, to fatten them, is to put them into coops as usual, and feed them with barley meal, being particular to put a small quantity of brick dust in their water, which they should never be without. This last will give them an appetite for their meat, and fatten them very soon." Yet another writer says they should be shut u]} where they can get no gravel ; keep corn by them all the time, and also give them dough enough for one feed a day. For drink, give them skimmed milk ; with this feed they will fatten in ten days ; if they are kept over ten days, they should have some gravel, or they will fall away. The mode of fattening poultry, extensively practiced in Liverpool, Eng- land, is to feed them with steamed or baked potatoes, warm, three or four times a day ; the fowls are taken in good condition from the yard, confined in dry, well-ventilated coops, and covered in, so as to prevent the entrance of too much light. It is said this method is attended with the greatest success. NO POULTRY SHOULD BE PERMITTED TO RUN AT LARGE for at least ten days before killing, for they are apt to range in the barn- yards, and pick up filthy food, which permeates all through the bird, and frequently they become so tainted that they are unfit to eat, after being - 1 ~ed on the table. PROPER FOOD FOR FATTENING. In all cases in fattening fowls, whether old or young, we should recom- mend that the food be cooked and fed warm. Barley meal, or mixed with equal quantities of Indian meal, made into a thick paste or porridge and fed warm, is about as good a feed as we know of, and seems to make flesh faster and more solid, and give it a golden color and plump appearance after being dressed. 20 the people's practical poultry book. killing and dressing. As much if not more depends on the manner of killing poultry as in the dressing to have it look fit for market. Too much caution cannot be used in this branch of the business. One mode of killing fowls, (instead of wringing the necks, which w T e deprecate,) is to cut their heads off with a single blow of a sharp ax, hang them up by the legs, and allow them to bleed freely, and pluck their feathers immediately — while warm. The French mode, which is highly commended, we think far the best, as it causes instant death without pain or disfigurement, and is simply done by opening the beak of the fowl, and with a sharp-pointed and narrow-bladed knife, make an incision at the back of the roof, which will divide the vertebrae and cause immediate death, after which hang the fowl up by the legs till the bleeding ceases, and pick it while warm, if you desire the feathers to be removed. With a little care the skin of the fowl does not become as torn and ragged as it does in the old-fashioned way of scalding. Another thing, the flesh presents a better and more natural appearance when not scalded. Geyelin says : — " Some bi*eeders cram their poultry before killing, to make them appear heavy ; this is a most injudicious plan, as the undigested food soon enters into fermentation, and putrefaction takes place, as is evi- denced by the quantity of greenish, putrid-looking fowls that are seen in the markets." Fowls should always be allowed to remain in their coops at least twenty-four hours previous to being killed, without food ; by so doing, the breeder will be the gainer in the end, as his poultry will keep longer and present a better appearance in the market ; and, above all, he will show the purchaser that he is honest, and has not crammed his poultry for the purpose of benefiting himself and swindling others. THE FRENCH MODE OF KILLING is preferable, when the head of the bird is to be left on ; but that is not necessary, neither is it desirable ; but when the head is taken off, the skin should always be pulled over the stump and tied. The mode of picking while the bird is warm is called " dry picking," and is the favorite method of dressing poultry for the Philadelphia market. There is one objection to this system, that it does not improve the appearance, although it does the flavor ; and while cooking it will " plump up " and come out of the oven looking much finer than when it went in. In addition, it will keep much longer than when dressed by the other mode. Another plan is, after the bird is picked, as above described, plunge it in a kettle of very hot water, holding it there only long enough to cause the bird to " plump," then hang it up, turkeys and chickens by the foot, and geese and ducks by the head, until thoroughly cooled. This scalding makes the fat look bright and clear, and the fowl to appear much fatter than it w r ould if picked dry. This is the usual tnode of dressing for the New York markets. THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 27 BOXING POULTRY POR MARKET. On the subject of boxing poultry for market Dr. Bennet says: — "It should be carefully packed in baskets or boxes, and above all, it should be kept from the frost. A friend of mine, who was very nice in these matters, used to bring his turkeys to market in the finest order possible, and always obtained a ready sale and the highest market price. His method was to pick them dry, while warm, and dress them in the neatest manner ; then take a long, deep, narrow, tight box, with a stick running from end to end of the box, and hang the turkeys by the legs over the stick, which prevents bruising or disfiguring them in the least." The way poultry is frequently forwarded to city markets is enough to disgust almost any one, and throws odium on breeders as a class. THE MODE OF PACKING. All poultry should be thoroughly cooled before packing. Then provide boxes, for they are preferable to barrels ; place a layer of rye straw that has been thoroughly cleaned from dust, on the bottom. Commence packing HL^-^^>4s IIHBIIP*^^! l^i^j^i^^iE—zksS by bending the head of the fowl under it (see figure 1 .) Then lay it in the left hand corner, with the head against the end of the box, with the back up ; continue to fill that row in the same manner until completed ; then begin the second row the same way, letting the head of the bird pass up between the rump of the two adjoining ones, which will make it complete and solid, (see figure 2.) In packing the last row, reverse the order, placing the head against the end of the box, letting the feet pass under each other ; should there be a space left between these two rows wide enough to lay in a few sideways, do so, passing the feet under the same way, but should it not be wide enough, then fill tight with straw, so the poultry cannot move. This gives a uniformity of appearance, and a firmness in packing that will prevent moving during transportation. Over this layer, place straw enough to pre* vent one layer from coming in contact with the other ; then add other layers, packed in the same manner, until the box is filled. Care should be taken to have the box filled full, in order to prevent any disarrangement of the contents ; for should they become misplaced, the skin may become so badly disfigured as to cause a depreciation of the value to the owner. Great care should be taken in packing not to skin the bird, 28 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. for during transportation, the skinned places turn black and make it look badly. To those having extra fine poultry to send to market, we would recommend to put paper over each layer before placing the straw on it ; this prevents the dust settling on it, and adds much to its appearance. A little practice will soon make a person quite expert in packing, and for a person buying to ship an expert packer is valuable ; his skill will pay the owner ten times his cost, for very frequently the first sight of a box of poultry sells it. MARKING THE BOXES, ETC. The box should have the initials of the consignor, the number and variety of the contents, as well as the name of the consignee, marked on it. The necessity for marking the number and variety of contents is, that in case the box is broken open and any portion of the contents missing before delivery to the consignee, they will be enabled to make a correct bill for the missing poultry. Another advantage is, that the consignee knows by a glance at the box whether it contains the desired variety he wishes ; if not, he need not open it, and the contents will not receive a needless handling ; for some par- ties prefer a mixed box, while others do not, and all dealers prefer selling the entire contents of the box to one person, as it avoids error in weighing and keeping the accounts. To those wishing to market capons we would say, they should be dry picked, with the feathers on around the head and the tip of the wings ; also the tail feathers left in ; the small or pin feathers should all be removed. SEND GEESE FOR CHRISTMAS, as they are in demand at that time, and bring more money than any other poultry. All Irishmen and many Germans think it is not Christmas with- out a goose for dinner. Send all large turkeys before New Year's, as they are wanted to adorn the New Year's table ; and they depreciate in price immediately after that day. Small turkeys are then in better demand, while chickens and ducks can be sent any time after they are fattened, and never until then. Persons living at a distance from the city and desiring to send their poultry to market for any particular occasion, should allow at least two days longer for its transportation than usual, so that it will not miss the market for that occasion ; for the dealer had better receive it a day or two sooner than one hour too late. PURCHASING POULTRY FOR THE TABLE. As we have given the modus operandi for fattening fowls for market, &c, we now have a word of caution to offer those purchasing poultry which may not, perhaps, come amiss. Those who are not good judges of poultry, as to their age, may, and often do, have old, tough fowls palmed off upon them by an unscrupulous dealer. Fowls are killed and prepared for market with much adroitness and care THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 29 by some dealers, and many devices practiced to catch the eye of the un- sophisticated purchaser — the best side of the poultry being shown to the greatest advantage. Every sort of fowl is killed, plucked and put on the market, and if the purchaser buys an inferior article at an exorbitant price, he has only himself to blame for so doing. HOW TO JUDGE THE AGE OF POULTRY. The age of a plucked fowl can be judged simply by the legs. If the scales on the leg of a hen are rough and the spur hard, it will not be necessary to see the head to determine that she is old y still the head will corroborate your observation ; if that of an old hen, the bill will be stiff and hard, and the comb rough and thick. The scales on the leg of a young hen are smooth, glossy and fresh colored, whatever the color may be ; only the rudiments of spurs are observable ; the claws tender and short, the under bill soft, the comb thin and smooth. An old hen turkey has rough scales on the legs, cal- losities on the soles or bottom of the feet, and long, strong claws ; while a young turkey has the reverse of these marks. A young goose or duck can be readily told by the tenderness of the skin under the wings, the strength of the joints of the legs, and the coarseness of the skin. If the foregoing directions are strictly followed, in purchasing poultry, we will venture the assertion that the " good housewife " will have no fault to find with the length of time it takes to cook, or the toughness of her Thanksgiving turkey, goose or chicken. This mode of finding out the age of fowls is infallible. PURCHASING UNDRAWN POULTRY. We are one of a score of housekeepers who object, in toto, to the pur- chasing of poultry unless it be drawn. The habit of forcing fowls on the market undrawn, and allowing them to freeze and thaw, (generally with full crops,) by which process they become fetid and turn green cannot prove otherwise than unwholesome food — not fit to be eaten. No fowls should be purchased by housekeepers unless they are properly cleaned and drawn. In many cities there is a fine imposed upon the person for offering undrawn poultry upon the market for sale. TO PRESERVE POULTRY IN WINTER. This is a matter not fully understood, and for the information of the gen- eral reader we cannot do better than to give the mode practiced by the ven- erable Judge Buel, in preserving poultry in winter. He says : — " I pur- chased a quantity of poultry for winter use early in November. The insides were carefully drawn, their place partially filled with charcoal, and the poul- try hung in an airy loft. It was used through the winter, till about the first of February, and although some were kept seventy days none of it was the least affected with must or taint, the charcoal having kept it perfectly sweet." VARIETIES OF FOWLS, HISTORY, CHARACTERISTICS, Etc., OF THE BREEDS. THE BRAHMAS. We have seen Brahmas which we considered the ne plus ultra of the feathered tribe. English breeders claim everything that is good for these ^^kS» DARIC BRAHMA COCK. birds, and lose sight of their faults. We have bred the Brahmas, both Light and Dark, and thought highly of them ; still they did not prove good layers with us. Since we have discarded them we have found out the reason of our THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 31 ill-success — it was over-feeding. This may seem strange, but nevertheless it is a fact. We fed them all they could eat " and more too." The conse- quence was we did not get from them the number of eggs we otherwise DARK! BR.AH3VE.A. HEN. should. Feeding fowls enough to keep them in good heart and over-feeding them are two different things. In the first instance you are "just and gen- erous " with them, in feeding just enough — in the other case you are " kill- ing them with kindness " by over-feeding, which makes them dumpish and lazy, and inclined to be perpetual sitters. We believe that Brahmas well kept will make a very profitable fowl to breed. They are good layers, good sitters, and make the best of mothers, if the breeder knows how to handle them. They are objected to by many poultry fanciers, from their clumsi- ness — many aver that they are liable to break their eggs, when sitting, by THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. * getting off and on their nests. If the nests were put in the proper place, this fault would be obviated. Always make the nests low — on the ground or floor of the hennery is best ; nail cleats around them of two-inch boards, not higher than two and one-half inches, to keep the eggs from roll- ing out, and you need have no fears of any being broken. It is said the Brahmas are an Asiatic breed of fowls, and that they were first brought to this country by a sailor, who said he got them from the banks of the Brahmapootra — a river that waters the territory of Assam. How true this is we cannot say, but it is claimed that the Brahmas in this country sprung from this source, and that English breeders are indebted to America for the beautiful fowls of this breed they possess. These birds are highly prized in England — a pair of them having lately been sold for $350. Dark Brahmas. — The Dark Brahmas are claimed by many breeders to be the best of the Brahma variety, but we opine there are just as many who stand ready to claim that the Light are equally as good, if not a better breed. Still some breeders claim that the flesh of the Dark is richer and more palatable than that of the Light. Our opinion is that the difference between the two colors is all fancy, one proving just as good as the other, under similar management. Having bred both colors, we have yet to learn the distinctive difference between them. The plumage of the Dark does not show the same mussiness of feather as the Light ; still, if kept in a clean, dry hennery, as fowls always should be, the difference is imaginary. The head of the cock should be surmounted with what is termed a " pea- comb," which resembles three small combs running parallel the length of the head, the center one the highest ; beak strong, well curved ; wattles full ; ear-lobes red, well rounded and falling below the wattles. The neck should be short, well curved ; hackle full, silvery white striped with black, flowing well over the back and sides of the breast ; feathers at the head should be white. Back very short, wide and flat, rising into a nice, soft, small tail, carried upright ; back almost white ; the saddle feathers white, striped with black, and the longer the better. The soft rise from the saddle to the tail, and the side feathers of the tail to be pure lustrous green black, (except a few next the saddle,) slightly ticked with white, the tail feathers pure black. The breast should be full and broad, and carried well forward; feathers black, tipped with white. Wings small, and well tucked up under the sad- dle-feathers and thigh fluff. A good black bar across the wing is important. The fluff on the hinder parts and thighs should be black or dark gray ; lower part of the thighs covered with soft feathers, nearly black. The markings of the hen are nearly similar to those of the cock. Both sexes should have rather short yellow legs, (those of the hen the shorter,) and profusely feathered on the outside. The carriage of the hen is full, but not so upright as that of the cock. The markings of the hen, except the neck and tail, are the same all over, each feather having a dingy white ground, closely penciled with dark steel gray, nearly up to the throat on the breast. the people's practical poultry book. 33 LIGHT BRAHMA COCK. 3 34 the people's practical poultry book. Light Brahmas. — Pure Light Brahma fowls are chiefly white in color of plumage, but if the feathers are parted, the bottom of the plumage will ap- pear of a bluish-gray, showing an important distinction between them and White Cochins, in which the feathers are always white down to the skin. The neck-hackles should be distinctly striped with black down the center of each feather. The plume of the cock is often lighter than that of the hen ; the back should be cpiite white in both sexes. The wings should appear white when folded, but the flight feathers are black ; the tail black in both cock and hen; in the cock, however, it is well developed, and the coverts show splen- did green reflections in the light ; it should stand tolerably upright, and open well out laterally, like a fan ; the legs should be yellow and well covered with white feathers, which may or may not be very slightly mottled with black ; ear-lobes must be pure red, and every bird should have a perfect pea- comb, though fine birds with a single comb have occasionally been shown with good success ; but, as a general thing, the pea-comb fowl shows off to the best advantage, and attracts universal commendation by both the amateur and breeder. the chittagongs. Years ago this breed of fowls was looked upon as possessing a great deal of merit, but in these latter days of Brahma and Cochin fever they have been lost sight of, and we scarcely hear the name of Chittagong mentioned ; though Ave firmly believe the Buff and White Cochins owe their parentage to a cross with the Chittagong and Shanghae breed. Kerr's "Ornamental Poultry Breeder " says the plumage of the Chittagong is very showy and of various colors ; the birds being exceedingly hardy. In some, gray predomi- nates, interspersed with lightish yellow and white feathers in the pullets ; the legs being of a reddish flesh-color, and more or less feathered ; the comb large and single ; wattles very full, wings good size ; the model is graceful, carriage proud and easy, and action prompt and determined. The flesh of this breed is delicately white. The cocks, at eight or nine months of age, weigh from nine to ten pounds, and the hens from eight to nine pounds. They do not lay as many eggs during the year as smaller hens, but they lay as many pounds as the best breeds. The Red variety of Chitt:igongs are smaller than the gray ; legs being yellow and blue ; the wings and tail short ; comb single and rose-colored. An ordinary pair will weigli from sixteen to eighteen pounds. In the dark-red variety the cock is black on the breast and thighs ; the hens yellow or brown, with single serrated comb ; legs yellow and heavily booted with black feathers. The Chittagongs as a breed is quite leggy, in many instances, the cock standing twenty-six inches high, and the hens twenty-two. THE COCHIN CHINAS. Birds of this breed are becoming more and more favorites with the gen- eral breeder, not only in England, but also in this country. They are de- servedly high in the standard of merit in this country on account of their THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 35 hardiness and good laying and breeding qualities. A friend of ours who has had considerable experience with the Asiatic breeds of fowls, considers the Bufi Cochins better adapted to our severe and changeable climate than either the Brahma, Chittagong or Shanghae. He avers that they (the Cochins) BinnF cochin cock. require less care, and pay for their feed in extra amount of flesh, and rich- ness, and quality of eggs. His hens have weighed ten pounds each, and tho cock fifteen pounds, and stands over two feet in hight. He allows his hens to have but one good setting a year, and breaks up this propensity in about two or three days by removing them to a coop witli a bottom made of rollers 36 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. two inches in diameter, and gives them little or no feed and fresh water. He thinks a hard bed a good cure for indolent habits. Although called Cochin Chinas, the Buff Cochins are the real Shanghaes. They were unknown to the Southern Chinese, and they never claimed them as their native fowl, and were as much astonished at their size as we were when they first came to this country. The Shanghae breed had feathered and unfeathered legs, but were more frequently unfeathered. Fashion, however, calls for booted-legs. There are three varieties of color — Buff, Lemon and Cinnamon. The Buff BUFF COCHIN HEN. seem to be the most desired. There are also Silver Buffs and Silver Cinna- mons. The latter, if well marked, are very beautiful and rare. The carriage of the cock should be upright and majestic; breast very broad, forming a straight line from the crop to the thighs ; back short and wide ; tail very slightly raised, and the wings very short and held tightly to the sides ; the legs, thighs and saddles unusually large in proportion to the rest of the body ; head small and carried wed up ; a stout, curved and yel- low beak, with plenty of substance at the base, and the shorter the better. The carriage of the hen must be similar in general character to the cock, ex- THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 37 cepting that the head is carried much lower ; and a gentle, pleasing expres- sion of face is a mark of high bred specimens. The hackle of the cock should be very full and of a light bay color, spreading over the base of the wings and free from any markings. The hen's hackle should be a distinct, clear buff, free from any markings; a slight penciling is preferable to a clouded one. The saddles of the cock and hen should also be free from any markings. Cockerels of the year, though imperfect, will, if of pure blood, in the second year moult out perfectly clear. A black tail in the cock is ad- missible ; but the principal feathers, if bronze in color, add very much to the PAIE OF I»A.R,TR,IX)G>B COCHIJSTS. appearance of the bird ; if of buff color, will throw dark pullets. The breast of the cock and hen should be clear buff, the feathers running somewhat lighter in color towards the tip, showing a waving appearance in sunlight. Both primary and secondary quills should be clear buff, without admixture of colors. The legs should be very heavily feathered, short, and wide apart. The comb in cock and hen should be very flat, evenly serrated and perfectly straight, without any inclination to either side. The wattles of the codk thin and fine, perfectly florid in color, ear-lobes well developed, long, thin and fine ; any white is a decided blemish. The eye of the cock should be yeh 38 the people's practical poultry book. low-ochre colored ; in the hen a little darker than those of the cock ; and, strange to say, these characteristics denote a sound constitution. A clear, dark-winged cock throws the best chickens. Vulture hocks in Cochins are clearly inadmissible, and should never be tolerated at any exhibition ; they show mixed blood, and, if bred out, will revert back again. Hocked birds are frequently awarded the highest premium at shows in this country — in England they are disqualified. THE SHANGHAES. The Shanghae fowl was highly estimated on its first introduction in this country in 1847, and for a long time thereafter considered the best of the Asiatic breed, but of late years we hear very little mention made of them. They are entirely ignored even from our poultry shows. As we have said elsewhere, the Cochins have superseded the Shanghae breed entirely. A well- bred cock, when full-grown, stands twenty-eight inches high ; the hen from twenty to twenty-three inches. The hen has a slightly curved beak, the forehead well arched ; comb low, single, erect, slightly and evenly toothed ; wattles small and curved inward, the eyes are bright and prominent, the neck about eight inches long and gently arched when held upright ; the body long and greatly arched ; the girth of the body of a good specimen, when meas- ured over the wings, is about twenty inches ; the legs are rather long, of a pale yellow color, with a tinge of flesh-color, and generally thickly covered with feathers from the outside down to the toe. The plumage is remarkably soft and silky, and, beneath the tail, densely fluffy and rounded. The comb of the cock is high, deeply indented, and his wattles double and large. Though the comb and wattles are not to be regarded as the chief character- istics of this breed of fowls, nor are its reddish-yellow feathered legs; but the abundant, soft and downy covering of the thighs, hips, and region of the vent, together with the remarkably short tail, are characteristics not found in any other bird. The wings are small and short in proportion to the size of the fowl, being carried very high up the body, thus exposing the whole of the thighs, and a large portion of the side. The arrangement of the feathers gives the bird a greater depth of quarter, in proportion to the brisket, than any fowl with which we are conversant. There are Shanghae fowls of Black, Gray, Buff, Cinnamon and Partridge-color. These are termed sub-varieties. White is said to have been the color of the original imported birds, the other colors having been bred in this country. Mr. Bowman, an eminent English breeder of the Shanghae, says of the fecundity of this breed, that he had "a pullet that laid one hundred and twenty eggs in a hundred and twenty- five days, then stopped six days, then laid sixteen eggs more, stopped four days, and again continued her laying." The eggs are not so rich and nutri- tious as those of the Dorking ; neither are they remarkably large compared to the size of the fowl ; they are. of a pale yellow or nankeen color, and gen- erally blunt at the ends. The flesh of the Shanghae is quite inferior to that of the smaller breeds, being coarse-grained, neither tender nor juicy, and THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 39 have more offal and less breast-meat than either Cochins or Brahmas. They are not inclined to ramble, and, on this account, bear confinement much bet- ter than many other breeds. The White Shanghae. — This variety is entirely white, with the legs usually feathered, and differs in no material respect from the red, yellow, and Partridge, except in color. The legs are yellowish, or reddish-yellow, and sometimes of flesh-color. Many prefer them to all others. It is claimed by the friends of this variety that they are larger and more quiet than other varieties, that their flesh is much superior, their eggs larger, and the hens more profitable. Being more quiet in their habits, and less inclined to ram- ble, the hens are invaluable as incubators and nurses ; and the mildness of PAIR OB- WHITE SHANGHAES. their disposition makes them excellent foster-mothers, as they never injure the chickens belonging to other hens. These fowls will rank among the largest coming from China, and are very thrifty in our climate. A cock of this variety attained a weight of eight pounds, at about the age of eight months, and the pullets of the same breed were proportionably large. They are broad on the back and breast, with a body well rounded up ; the plumage white, with a downy softness — in the latter respect much like the feathering of the Bremen goose ; the tail-feathers short and full ; the head small, sur- mounted by a small, single, serrated comb ; wattles long and wide, overlay- 40 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. ing the cheek-piece, which is also large, and extends back on the neck ; and the legs of a yellow hue, approaching a flesh-color, and feathered to the ends of the toes. THE MALAYS. This breed of fowls is very large and clumsy, and possesses no particular merits that we are aware of, unless it be in size. They are decidedly Shang- haeish in appearance and action. The usual hight of the cock is from twenty-six to twenty-eight inches, and weighs on an average from ten to twelve pounds. We reared the fowls in 1857 on a small scale, and found them in attitude uncouth, their gait being heavy and destitute of alertness. Wright says of this breed, that " in form and make they are as different from Cochins as can well be. They are exceedingly long in the neck and PAIR. OF MALAYS. legs, and the carriage is so upright that the baok forms a steep incline. The wings are carried high, and project very much at the shoulders. Towards the tail, on the contrary, the body becomes narrow — the conformation being thus exactly opposite to that of the Shanghae. The tail is small, and that of the cock droops. The plumage is very close, firm, and glossy, more so than that of any other breed, giving to the bird a peculiar luster when viewed in the light. The colors vary very much. We consider pure white the most beautiful of all ; but the most usual is that well known under the title of brown-breasted red game. The legs are yellow, but quite naked. The head THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 41 and beak are long, the latter being rather hooked. Comb low and flat, cov- ered with small prominences like warts. Wattles and deaf-ears very small. Eye usually yellow. The whole face and a great part of the throat are red and naked, and the whole expression ' snaky ' and cruel. This is not belied by the real character of the breed, which is most ferocious, even more so than Game fowls, though inferior to the latter in real courage." THE FRIZZLED. We can find no difference between the " crisp-feathered " and French frizzled fowl. Layard says these fowls were first found in Batavia, but Tem- mince: avers they are natives of Southern Asia, and are largely bred and TRIO OF FRIZZLED FOWLS. domesticated in Java, Sumatra, and on all the Philippine Islands. They are known by Brisson as Gallus crispus (frizzled fowl,) and as Gallus pennis revolutis (fowl with rolled-back feathers) by Linnaeus. The prevailing color of these birds is white, but there are many specimens variously colored with black and brown. We were highly impressed with their novel appear- ance, and, as Aldrovandus says in his description of them, two peculiarities of the cock attracted our particular attention and admiration. First, that the feathers of the wings had a contrary situation to those of other birds ; the side which in others is undermost or inmost, in this was turned outward, 42 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. so that the whole wing appears inverted ; the other, that the feathers of the neck were reflected towards the head, like a crest or ruff, the whole tail feathers turning in the same manner. As near as we can learn, this variety of fowl does not possess any peculiar advantages over the common barn-yard breed, and is more interesting as a curiosity than valued for any practical purposes. They would undoubtedly thrive in our warm southern far better than in our cold northern climate. The hens make good mothers ; they breed freely with all other domestic fowls, and the offspring is prolific without end, the chicks being perfectly hardy, and make a good table fowl, though rather small. THE DORKINGS. In years gone by the Dorkings were the favorite fowls in this country, and the only reason we can assign for their degeneracy is the improper care they have received and the continual in-and-in breeding. To rear Dorkings profitably it is essential that a good, long runway should be provided on a clay or gravelly soil for the chicks. They never should be allowed to run on wooden or brick floors. If this is carefully attended to the chickens will thrive and grow well, and make hardy fowls. There are two species of these fowls — the white and the colored Dork- ings. The former is the favorite bird of old fanciers, and a writer in the Poultry (English) Chronicle makes the following remarks on this breed of fowls: — "The old Dorking, the pure Dorking, the only Dorking, is the White Surrey Dorking. It is of good size, compact and plump form, with short neck, short white legs, five toes, a full comb, a large breast, and a plumage of spotless white. They are hardy, lay well, and are excellent mothers." "White Dorking. — We have reared the White Surrey Dorkings for a number of years, and fully coincide with the writer in the Chronicle. To our mind, no fowl is more essential to the farm-yard than the pure White Surrey Dorking. The first pen of Dorkings we ever experimented with were purchased of Judge S. S. Bowxe, in 1852. His stock was procured from imported fowls of Dr. Ebex Wight of Boston, who was at that time the largest breeder of fancy fowls in this country. Our experiments with the Dorking prove them to be fowls not to be despised. They are not early layers, but make up this deficiency in the number and quality of eggs they produce. They are easily fattened, and their flesh is of the very best quality. In speaking of the weight of the Dorking, the Practical Poultry Keeper savs : — " It is difficult to give a standard ; but we consider that a cock which weighs less than ten pounds, or a hen under eight and a half pounds, would stand a poor chance at a first-class show." We have never, in our ex- perience, seen one brought to this weight, not even by high feeding. Our yearling fowls have often been brought to weigh from six to eight pounds. The practice of crossing Dorking pullets with a game cock is much in THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 43 vogue, with the object of improving a worn out stock. This, however, would be better accomplished by procuring a fresh bird of the same kind, but not related. This cross shows itself in single combs, loss of a claw, or an occa- sional red feather, and, what is still more objectionable, in pale yellow legs, WHITE DORKING COCK. and a yellow circle about the beak. These are faults in the Dorking to bo avoided by breeders generally. Silver Gray Dorking. — Among the breeds of colored Dorkings which are now attracting attention in this country with fanciers, is the Silver Gray variety. Nearly all authorities aver that this breed is a chance off-shoot from the White Dorking, the breed having been perpetuated by careful breeding. Still, colored birds frequently throw silver-gray chicks, but disappointments 44 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. are as oi'ten sure to follow in breeding for this cross, unless, when obtained, the strain is kept pure for years, as in the case of the Derby Red Game fowls. The only way to accomplish this is to remove all chicks from the pens that do not show the perfect markings of the parent stock. Mr. Hewitt of Sussex, says the colored Dorkings are decidedly the most useful of all fowls for general table purposes, and a very important point in the consideration of the Gray Dorkings is that they grow rapidly and are in good condition at almost any age, if at all freely supplied with food. The distinguishing colors of the Silver Gray Dorking cock are perfectly black breast, tail, and larger tail coverts ; the head, neck, hackle, back, saddle and wingbow a clear, pure, silvery white. Across the wings there should be a PAIR OF GRAY DORKINGS. well-marked black bar, contrasting in a very striking, beautiful manner with the white outer web of the quill-feathers and the silvery white hackle and saddle. The breast of the hen should be of a salmon-red color, passing into gray towards the thiorhs. The neck a silvery white, striped with black ; the back silver gray, with the white of the shafts of the feathers distinctly marked ; the wings a silvery or slaty gray, and free from any tendency to redness ; the tail a dark gray, the inside nearly black. Dorkings, like other breeds of fowls, are apt to degenerate very fast from inter-breedino:, therefore care should be taken to introduce fresh blood fre- quently, or disappointments are sure to follow. THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BO&X. 45 Mr. Douglas, an eminent English breeder, says be has found the dark- colored Dorkings the most hardy and heaviest in flesh. He once had a cock weighing fourteen and a half pounds at two years, and several hens at eleven pounds each. He claims that early Dorking pullets will lay all the winter, although not so freely as some other breeds. They lay from thirty-five to fifty eggs before wanting to sit. As mothers, they are perfectly docile, and allow themselves to be handled at will; chickens from other 'hens maybe placed with them, which they will take to at once. These fowls are not classed among the roamers, but are rather of the stay-at-homeativeness birds, therefore are of little trouble to the housewife, and can be easily reared. Fawn-colored Dorking. — A writer in one of the agricultural journals of New England gives the following description of the Fawn-colored and Black breed of Dorkings. He says the fawn-colored bird is made up of a cross between the White Dorking and the fawn-colored Turkish fowl. They are of lofty carriage, handsome and remarkably healthy. The cocks weigh from eight to nine pounds, and the hens from six to seven ; they come to maturity quite early for so large a fowl. Their tails are shorter and legs darker than those of other Doi'kings ; their flesh is fine and their eggs are very rich. It is conceded to be one of the best varieties of fowl known, as the size is readily increased without diminishing the fineness of the flesh. Black Dorking. — The Black Dorkings are said to be of large size, and of a jet black color. The neck feathers of some of the cocks are tinged with a bright gold color, and some of the r ens bear a silvery complexion. Their combs are usually double, and very st ort, though sometimes cupped, rose or single, with quite small wattles, and are usually very red about the head. Their tail feathers shorter and broader than the White variety, and the chicks feather much slower. The legs of the Black are short and black, with the usual five toes on each foot, the bottom of which is frequently yellow. The two back toes are quite distinct, &/?arting from the foot separately ; frequently showing an extra toe between tbf, two. This breed commences laying when very young, and lay well during the winter season — the eggs being of a large size. The breed is perfectly hardy, and are good setters and attentive mothers to their young. THE HAMBURGS. This breed of fowls is considered a very useful and important denizen of our poultry-yard. We have bred them for years successfully and with little trouble. The hens are inveterate layers, and seldom desire to sit ; their propensity for laying being almost continuous from one molting season to another. This is undoubtedly owing to their confined condition in this country ; for it is said that when the birds have a free range, they frequently set themselves to the task of incubation with as much diligence as other fowls. Penciled Hamburg. — The penciled Hamburg, which is of two colors, golden and silver, is very minutely and beautifully marked. The cocks do 46 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. PAIR, OF SILVER-SPAN&LED HAMBURGS. not exhibit the pencilings, but are white or brown in the golden op (sllvei; birds respectively. They should have bright double combs, which are firmly fixed upon the head, ending in a point which turns upward; well defined PAIR OIT GOLDEN-SPANGLED HAMBURGS. THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 47 deaf ears ; taper blue legs, and ample tails. The carriage of the cock is gay and majestic ; his shape is symmetrical, and appearance indicative of cheer- fulness. The hens, of both varieties, should have the body clearly penciled across with several bars of black, and the hackle in both sexes should be per- fectly free from dark marks. Thess birds are imported in large numbers from Holland to England, from whence we derived the breed; but those now bred in this country are far superior to the imported bird both in size and beauty of plumage. Spangled Hamburg— Of the Speckled or Spangled variety, which ia SILVER-SPANGLED rPOI^TsTO COCK. becoming a great favorite with many breeders in this cc nntry, there are twd kinds — the Golden and Silver-Speckled. The general ejolor of the former is golden, or orange-yellow, each feather having a" glossy dark brown or black tip, particularly remarkable on the hackles of the cock and the wing-coverts, and also on the darker feathers of the breast. The plumage of the hen is yellow or orange-brown, and in like manner being marginal with glossy black. The Silver-Spangled breed is distinguished by the ground color of the feathers being of a silver white, with perhaps a tinge of straw yellow, every feather should, however, be margined with glossy black. Both of these 48 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. varieties are extremely beautiful, commanding as they do, high prices. The hens in all cases proving prolific layers and non-setters. Black Hamburg. — This is one of the finest varieties of our black fowls — the plumage being of a beautiful black color with metallic luster. They possess the two-fold advantage of being noble-looking birds and ex- ceedingly good layers. On the whole, the Hamburg is a capital fowl, and SILVER-SPANGLED POLAND H3N". one which is deservedly highly valued. It has a good, robust constitution, and proves perfectly hardy in almost any climate. Though the eggs produced by this breed are not as large as those of some other breeds, still what they lack in size is made up in the number they produce during the year. THE POLANDS. There are several varieties of these fowls in this country, but those pos- THE people's practical poultry book. 49 wssing the most prominence among breeders are the Silver, Golden Spangled, White, Black, and Black with White top -knot. Silver-Spangled Poland. — We have bred this variety for several years, and find it one of the most desirable breeds for the poultry yard, proving with us perfectly hardy and " everlasting layers." The ground color of the plumage of the Silver-Spangled Poland should be a silver white, with weU defined horseshoe-shaped black spangles. In the cock, the hackle feathers are white, edged and tipped with black ; in the hen, each hackle feather has a spangle on the end ; tail feathers clear white, with spangle on the end ; the spangles on the wing coverts are large and regular in both sexes, so as to form two well-defined bars across each wing. The proper spangle on the breast is all-important. The crest should be full and regular ; feathers black PAIR, OF GOLDEN-SPANGLED POLANDS. at the base and tip, with white between. A few white feathers frequently appear after the second molt, in the very best hens. Ear-lobes small and white ; wattles, none, being usually replaced by a black or spangled beard. The weight of the cock is from six to seven and a half-pounds, while that of the hen is from four to five and a half pounds. Besides the moon-shaped spangles, many of the birds are shown with laced feathers — i. e., with an edging of black on the outline of the feathers, but thicker at the end. This marking, when perfect, is of exquisite beauty. Dr. Bennet says they cer- tainly rank among the very choicest and most beautiful of fowls, whether considered for their beauty or rarity. The newly hatched chickens are very pretty, creamy white, interspersed with slaty dun on the back, head and neck, 4 50 THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY ROOK. marked with longitudinal stripes down the Lack, with black eyes, light lead, colored legs, and a swelling of the down on the crown of the head, indicative of the future top-knot, which is exactly the color of a powdered wig. At a very early age, they acquire their peculiar distinctive features, and are then the most elegant little miniature fowls it is possible to imagine. The distinc- tion of sex is not very manifest till they are nearly full grown, the first ob- servable indication being in the tail — that of the pullet is carried upright, as it should be, while the cockerel's remains depressed. PAIR OF WHITE-CRE8TED BLAC:K I J OL AUNT IDS. Golden-Spangled Poland. — This variety varies in the color of ita plumage from a light to a dark golden yellow, laced and spangled with a greenish luster black, and not unfrequently showing some part whitish feath- ers in their wings, tail and crest. Legs and feet usually blueish, sometimes vei'ging on a greenish color ; ear-lobes blueish white. Black Poland. — The Black Polands are no strangers in this country, they having been bred as long ago as we can remember. In plumage they should be uniformly black (except crest,) although not unfrequently glossed with metallic green, which, in contrast with the deep red wattles and hand- some crest of white feathers, gives them a very unique appearance. Their legs THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 51 are usually dark colored, although through too close breeding, flesh-colored and even yellowish legs will show themselves ; but those with darkish legs are to be preferred. Often times the cock will have some whitish feathers in the tail, which by some is thought to be a sure sign of pure breeding. White-Crested Black Poland. — The White-crested Black is of a glossy black color ; body short, round and plump ; legs shortish and of black or leaden color ; full wattles of a bright red ; ear-lobes pure white ; hackle, saddle and tail have bright reflections ; crest is of pure white, regular and full. These birds weigh from five to six pounds. White-Crested White Poland. — The pure White-crested White Po- lands are very hardy ; have no wattles, but have a well-developed beard in lieu thereof. They, like all Polish breeds, are " everlasting layers," and non- setters. There may be seen occa- sionally Blue, Gray and Cuckoo Polands, but they are off-shoots, or the result of crossing, and have no qualifications worthy of par- ticular notice. THE LEGHORNS. It is said that this breed of fowls was imported from Leghorn, Italy, only a few years since, but has been bred to such perfection in this country that there has been a distinctive breed made, and be- come, as it were, Americanized. They are scarcely known in Eng- land, but are highly prized by American breeders for their many good qualities. They are bred of nearly all colors save black — the White, however, receiving the preference. The imported birds are not inferior to the American standard of excellence. The white variety being similar to the Spanish in size and appearance, except in the plumage, which is white, with hackle or neck and saddle feathers slightly tinged with gold. They have proved thus far very hardy birds, suffering from the sudden changes and severe weather of our northern and western climate much less than the Spanish, with which breed many deem them closely allied. They are extremely good layers, and seldom desire to set. The young are easy to rear ; they feather up soon, and at the age of six or eight weeks are miniature PAIR OE WHITE LEGHORNS. 5„, THE people's practical poultry book. chit -kens — that is, perfectly feathered, and as sprightly as many chicks are. at four months of age. The hens are considered excellent winter layers, and will lay as large a number of eggs in a year as any fowls known, not excepting the Polands or Hamburgs. They are hardy, medium sized fowls, of a quiet and docile disposition ; persistent layers of a rich, meaty egg ; pure white color, though in some flocks occasional colored feathers will appear ; these should at once he discarded from the pen, if it is desirable to breed the pure white bird. Their legs and skin should be of a yellow color. They lay a smaller egg than the Spanish, but mature earlier, and PAIR, OF EARL DERBY GAMES. are much superior for the table. The cocks have large single combs, which should stand perfectly erect ; full wattles and large, cream-colored or white ear-lobes, extending sometimes upon their face. The carriage of both cock and hen is proud and dignified. The hens have usually large combs, which frequently lop over like the Spanish. From what we have read and seen of this breed of fowls we consider them a great and valuable acquisition to the poultry-yard. THE GAMES. The varieties of so-called game fowls are almost innumerable. Many are unworthy of the name or the prefix. A well-bred game cock should be a neat, trim fowl, feathers close and glossy, head small, neck well set on his THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 53 shoulders, toes lengthy, body erect and straight, strong on thigh, quick in motion, and willing to die for his flock rather than yield to an opponent. Game hens possess the same general qualifications. They should be excellent layers and sitters, and for rearing chicks they are considered superior ; they are hardv, strong, and transmit these peculiar traits, as a general thing, to their offspring. The flesh of the Game fowl is fine and sweet, and is esteemed of a de cidedly rich flavor. In this breed almost all shades of feathers are allowable, black-reds perhaps being most common, although jet blacks, pure whites, grays, ginger-reds, spangles, or pied, and various Mendings of colors called piles, have their respective admirers, as the fancy of the breeder dictates. The breeds also are numerous ; those of English, Irish, Mexican, Spanish, Cuban, Malay and other nationalities claiming equal attention with fanciers in their respective localities. pair, o:f black-red games. Earl Derby Game.— This is an old breed, one which has been given the preference for years, and from which the black-breasted reds undoubtedly originated. The best information that we can gather relative to this breed is that they were originally imported from Knowlsley, Eng., where they have been bred with great care for upwards of one hundred years, in all their purity. The cock is of good round shape, well put together ; the head being long, with daw-eyes, long and strong neck ; hackle well feathered, touching 54 the people's practical poultry book. the shoulders ; wings large and well quilled ; back short ; belly round and black ; tail long and sickled, being well tufted at the root — thick, short, and stifl* ; legs rather long, with white feet and nails, the latter being free from all coarseness. The required " Daw-eye " is that which resembles the gray eye of the jackdaw. Their distinctive features are the white beak, feet, and claws, essential to every bird claiming descent from that illustrious stock. The red Derby Game cock should have a bright red face ; breast and thighs coal black ; hackle and saddle feathers light orange-red ; back, intense brown-red, a depth of color that painters term dragon's blood ; lesser wing- coverts maroon colored ; greater wing-covcrts marked at the extremity with Steel-blue, forming a bar across the wings ; primary wing-feathers bay ; tail iridescent black. It seems a peculiarity in these fowls that one at least of the pinion feathers is marked with white. The sex of the chickens can readily be distinguished when only a few weeks old. The beak, legs and feet are uniformly white. Martin remarks that " through the whole cata- logue of game fowls the male birds are by far the most conspicuous in plumage ;" and this remark proves true in regard to the Derby breed, for wherever mere color has given the name of a class, the markings of the cock explain the reason. The Black-breasted red hens possess little of their con- sort's brilliancy of feather, though these are of much lighter colors than the red-breasted hen — a fact in strange opposition to the plumage of the respec- tive male birds. Beeton's Poultry Book thus describes the perfect mark- ings of the Lord Derby game hen: — "Head fine and tapering; face, wattles, and comb bright red ; extremities of upper mandible and the greater portion of the lower one white, but dusky at its base and around its nostrils ; chest- nut-brown around the eyes, continued beneath the throat ; shaft of neck- hackle light buff; web pale brown, edged with black ; breast shaded with roan and fawn-color ; belly and vent of an ash tint ; back and wing-coverts partridge-colored; primary wing-feathers and tail black, the latter carried vertically and widely-expanded ; legs, feet and nails perfectly white." The carriage of both cock and hen of this breed is upright and dignified. The pugnacious disposition of the cock equals that of any other game bird ; and its endurance cannot be surpassed ; years agone they were numbered among the best breed of birds for the cock-pit ; and for the table they are not sur- passed by the sweet and nutritious flesh of the Dorking fowl. Duck- Wing Game. — The pure Duck-wing Game fowls are the Silver Grays — though there are Yellow or Birchen Duck-wings, but the blood of the first mentioned is much purer than the other variety, and it is considered a much finer, hardier, and more pugnacious bird. The cock should be of a silver gray color ; hackle striped, with black underneath, but clear above ; back bright silver gray; breast clear, mealy silver gray color ; wing crossed with a steel blue bar, the lower part of a creamy white ; tail greenish glossy black. The plumage of the hen should be of a silvery blueish gray, thickly frosted with silver ; breast pale fawn-color ; neck-hackle silvery white, striped THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 55 with black. The comb and face in both sexes are of a bright red. The legs of the silver gray should be white ; eyes red and skin white. The Yellow Duck- Wings. — The Yellow Duck-wing Game fowl is of straw or birchen color, with copper-colored saddle ; skin yellow, and willow or yellow legs. The cock's breast, in this variety, is always black, while that of the hen is fawn-colored. The weight of the cocks of the Duck-wing variety of game birds varies from four to six pounds, while that of the hens exceeds that of the cocks. PAIR OF DTJCK-WIJNTO GAMES. Duck- Wing Bantams. — In courage and endurance the Bantams are not behind their larger relatives, and in constitution they are much hardier than any other of the Bantam breeds. The plumage of the Duck-wing Bantams is precisely similar to that of the larger breed, from which they were undoubtedly obtained, by long inter-breeding with the smallest specimens. The carriage and form are also similar ; but the drooping wing of the Bantam breed is not to be observed in the game variety. In weight the cock does not exceed one and a half pounds, while that of the hen is about twenty ounces. Game iowls isan be as easily kept on a "town lot" as any other breed, and with as little trouble. If they are well fed, and proper care taken of them, they are not pre-disposed to roam, biit remain quietly at home. Salmon Pile Game. — Coloring of hens is a buff or straw color, under- lined with white, and has a rich creamy or salmon-colored look ; although some specimens are shaded more or less with red or light wine cast. Cocks at maturity are beautiful, and in hackle and sickle featherings would be ob- served as peculiar to this variety. There ar~ but few fanciers who have 56 the people's practical poultry book. shown birds of this variety, to our knowledge, in this country; they claim for them, however, great excellence, as producers of eggs and for table qualities. Dominique Games take their names from fowls which are common on the Island of Dominica, and in feathering, especially on cocks, are really very beautiful. They are long and rangy in body, well set up or stationed, high, fine heads, and invariably possess thin single combs, free from tassel or head- feathers, while neck-hackle or shawl is made up of long fringe-like feathers, quite uniformly dotted or penciled — so too of the tail hackles. The hens are quite uniform in feathering, although they have more subdued colors. They are very hardy fowls and most prolific layers. Flesh is yellow, and as in almost all of the game varieties, of fine grain and excellent flavor. This variety of fowl is said to be quite scarce in this country. Georgian Game. — This well known variety of fowls came originally from Europe, brought over by a gentleman who was a native of Geor- gia, and celebrated in his time for the reputation his game fowls made for him in sporting circles South. The breed is now generally recognized by most of the poultry clubs, and ranks high with many leading fanciers. They are claimed to have superior laying and table qualities, hardiness,, courage, (and what no one will question who has ever seen them,) beauty of plumage, shape and carriage. They are well calculated to stand the rigors of our northern climate, and must be admirably adapted to our warm and genial southern clime. The Malay Game. — Mr. Darwin, in his new work " On the variations In Animals," claims distinctly that the Malay has been bred for years as a game fowl in India ; is noted for its courage and endurance ; proves suc- cessful in the cock-pits of India and adjacent islands. He says they are a small breed of fowls, and are designated in Europe as the " Indian Games ;" but in reality are of the original Malay species of game fowls. Mr. Hewitt says he is " not aware of any variety of fowl so cruel, oppressive, and vin- dictive as Malays ; they are literally the tyrants of the poultry-yard." We bred the red Malay years ago, and found that the cocks evinced such a pug- nacious disposition that we were glad to get rid of them. In our experience with this breed we found nothing commendable in them for the amateur or fancier ; the hens proving only ordinary layers, while neither the plumage or build of the cock is attractive. Spanish Game. — This variety of game fowl is claimed by some writers to be of English origin. It is more slender in the body, the neck, the bill and the legs, than any other variety, and the colors, particularly of the cock, are very bright and showy. The flesh is white, tender and delicate, and on this account marketable ; the eggs are small, and extremely delicate. The plumage is exceedingly beautiful — a clear dark-red, very bright, extending from the back to the extremities, while the breast shows a splendid black TAK PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 57 color. The upper convex side of the wing is equally red and black, and the whole of the tail-feathers white. The beak and legs are black ; the eyes resemble jet beads ; very full and brilliant ; and the whole contour of the head gives a most ferocious expression. Brown-Reds. — This breed of fowls has been long bred perfect in outline, and is considered one of our most desirable game birds. The breast of the cock should be red-brown, shoulders frequently of orange- red ; comb and face dark purple ; beak also dark ; wing-butts dark-red or brown ; legs blackish brown, with dark talons; hackle, with dark stripes ; thighs like the breast ; tail a dark, greenish black, and the wing should be crossed with a glossy green bar. The plumage of the hen should be, as a general thing, of a very dark brown color, and penciled with light brown ; neck- hackle dark, golden, copper-red, thickly striped with dark feathers ; comb and face much darker than that of the cock. The black-breasted red game bantams. tail-feathers of the hens should show a slight curve; if they are spurred so much the better. Black-Breasted Red is another breed of game that has its hosts of admirers. The plumage of this bird, as its name signifies, should be of a bright red, deeper on the body than in the hackle. Red eyes denote pure blood — any other colored eye in this breed stamps it as a cross. The cock's hackle is striped underneath, but never above ; the comb and wattles bright red ; the wings are of the same color in the upper part, and rich red chestnut in the lower, with steel blue bar across; breast bluish-black, with glossy reflections ; thighs the same ; tail green- ish black, without much down at the roots of the feathers; legs are usually willow in color. The hen should be of a rich par- tridge - brown, with red, fawn-colored breast ; red- dish golden hackle with dark stripes. There are several other game fowls DUCK-WING GAME BANTAMS. {,„ 1UE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. which have their friends and admirers in this country, such as "White, Black, Gray, Dark Gray and Piles of all colors, but those considered of most merit by breeders arc given in their order. Pile Game. — The plumage of these fowls should have a proportion of white as one of its compound colors. The cocks of all the various strains of Piles are red and white, yellow and white, in one or other of the shades of those colors. The best Piles are bred by crossing red and white game, but may also be bred from a Pile cock and Pile hens. Some of the best and purest may be bred from a Spangled cock and White hen. The object of the breeder, particularly of show birds, should be to get the colors of the cocks as distinct and as brilliant as possible. THE BOLTON GRAYS. This breed of fowls dei'ives its name from having first been successfully raised in and near Bolton, England. They are now found in almost all large poultry -yards in America, as well as in Europe. They are also known in some parts of the United States as the Creole fowl, from the mottled appearance of the hen, whose every feather is delicately marked with alternate bands of black and white, legs and feet a light blue, and very short. The neck-liackle is white. The cock's plumage is different from the above in many respects, his feathers being nearly white. His tail is black, and legs and feet the color of those of the hen, but are much longer. In weight he is less than the hen. Those of our own raising weigh about five pounds to the hen, and about three and a half or four pounds to the cock. One singular peculiarity of the hens of this breed is that they are furnished with spurs over an inch in length, while those of the cock are much shorter. The Bolton Grays begin laying early in February, and continue throughout the year. If well fed, they will lay all the year round. Their eggs are below the average size ; but what they lack in size is made up in number. As a breed, they are exceedingly hardy, and thrive where many breeds would perish. They are not good sit- ters, and their eggs must be set under some other fowl. They are never inclined to wander away from their coops. THE BLACK SPANISH. This is one of our best black breeds of fowls, laying as they do a large sized and meaty egg. The cock should carry himself very stately and up- right, the breast well projecting, and the tail standing well up. The sickle- feathers should be perfect and fully developed, and the whole plumage a dense jet black, with glossy reflections in the light. The hen should be equally dense in color, but is much less glossy. Any white or speckled feathers, which now and then occur, are fatal faults. The legs should be blue, or dark lead-color; any approach to white is decidedly bad. The legs of both sexes are long, but the fowl should nevertheless be plump and heavy. The comb must be large in both sexes, and of a bright vermillion color. That of the hen should fall completely over on one side ; but the cock's comb THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 59 must be perfectly upright. The indentation also must be regular and even, and the whole comb, though very large, quite free from any appearance of coarseness. Any sign of a twist in front is a great fault. The most im- 4 H H H > t) td > w ► H w o f OB portant point, however, is the white face. This should extend as high as possible over the eye, and be as wide and deep as possible. At the top it should be neatly arched in shape, approaching the Lottom of the comb as 60 the people's practical poultry book. nearly as possible, and reaching sideways to the ear-lobes and wattles, meet- ing also under the throat. In texture the lace ought to be as fine and smooth as possible. The ears are large and pendulous, and should be as white as the face. Any fowls with red specks in the face are considered very faulty. Wright says the other principal varieties of Spanish fowls are Minorca or Red-faced Black, the White, the Blue or Andalusian, and the Ancona, Gray, or mottled breed. The plumage of the White Spanish is of snowy white- ness and resembles somewhat the White Leghorn. We found the Spanish in Western New-York to be very susceptible to disease, and great care was necessary to keep their combs and wattles from being frost-bitten. In a warm climate, we dare say, the Spanish as a class cannot be beaten. They do not do well in confinement ; they are predisposed to roam ; such has been our experience with them. THE PLYMOUTH ROCKS. This breed of fowls we hardly think is known outside of the New Eng- land States. It is said the Plymouth Rock is produced by crossing a Cochin China cock with a hen, a cross between the Fawn-colored Dorking, the great Malay, and the Wild Indian. The cock has been bred to stand, at a year old, from twenty to twenty-five inches high, and weigh from eight to ten pounds ; the pullets from six to seven pounds each. Generally speaking, the pullets are very early layers ; commencing at five months of age and con- tinue to lay until the molting season. They lay a medium sized egg^ of a rich and reddish-yellow color. The plumage of these fowls is very rich and variegated, showing off in the sun the most brilliant hues. The cocks are usually of a beautiful red or speckled color, and the hens of a darkish brown. Some of the colors thrown by this breed are not dissimilar to the Dominique fowl. They have very fine flesh, and are fit for the table at an early age. The legs are quite large, and usually blue or green, but occasionally yellow or even white, and frequently having five toes upon each foot. Some of the varieties have the legs occasionally slightly feathered. They have large single rose-colored or red combs and wattles ; cheeks are rather large ; tails stout and short, and very small wings in proportion to their bodies. The chicks are quite hardy and have the same uniformity in size and appearance as those of the pure bloods of primary races. The hens make good mothers and close setters. THE JERSEY BLUES. These fowls were bred to some extent twenty years ago, and were deemed by many a very valuable breed. In 1855 we bred them for a time, but finding them possessed of no superior qualities, discarded them for the White Shanghaes. The color of the Jersey Blue is a light blue, sometimes approaching a dun ; the tail and wings rather shorter than those of the com- mon fowl ; the legs are generally black, though we have bred them of a dark blue color, somewhat lightly feathered. They proved with us perfectly THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 61 hardy, but were not prolific egg-producers. The cocks at a year old weigh from six to eight pounds, while the hens weigh from five to seven pounds ; flesh rather coarse, stringy and unnutritious. THE FRENCH BREEDS. The French breeds of fowls lately introduced in this country may be classed as first, the Houdan, second, the Creve-Coeurs, and third, the La Fleche. The de Bresse, du Mans, de Breda, Courte Pattes, and the more PAIR OF HOXJX)AlSrS. ornamental, as the Padoue, Chamois, Hermines and Hallandais are known only in this country by name. The Houdan and Creve-Coeurs are bred to some considerable extent in this country, but the La Fleche has not as yet been raised with sufficient productiveness or hardihood among us to be fully appreciated. We think they may be successfully bred in our warm and genial southern climate, for when once reared they stand second to none as a table fowl, or layers of very large eggs. The Houdans. — These birds derive their name from a village in France, Avhere they were originated. They are held in as high estimation in France 62 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. as the Dorkings are in England. This breed needs no inducement to increase and multiply, for they are easily reared and fattened, and being constant layers of good sized eggs, with the quality of the flesh tine, they are a de« sirable fowl for the poultry keeper to breed. They possess vivacity tending to wildness, bearing confinement and enjoying liberty with spirits that never flag; they are "bright as a flower and upright as a bolt." At shows it is required of them to possess the fifth toe, and perpetuate the useless mon- strosity of their semi-original, the Dorking, from whom and the silver PAIR, OF CREVE-CCEURS. Padoue they are doubtless descended. Color rocky white and black ; an even speckled proportion of each preferred. Occasional stained feathers appear in the purest blood, but red ones tend to disqualify. The head is crowned with a fierce tuft, and on the front rises a horned or double-leafed comb, the center having the appearance of an ill-shaped long strawberry. The Avhiskers and beard are striking, growing well up on the face of both cock and hen. The legs are spotted leaden grey. The hen's crest should be thick and full, showing as little comb as possible. The coup oVcbII of a com- pany of these birds is most brilliant, and it is to be hoped that their weight THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 63 (as yet but moderate) may in time approximate to that of the Dorking, whose contour and volume they imitate. The Creve-C "75 A ^^= ~~ = c i FRONT VIEW OF A VIRGINIA POULTRY HOUSE. these may be either of sassafras or wild cherry tree. They are fitted to swing up and hook at the upper floor. Fig. 4. Side view ; M M, nests or boxes for brood hens ; these should have a long door to swing down and hook at the bottom. THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 115 VIRGINIA POULTRY HOUSE. A writer in the fifth volume of the Cultivator says, " I have used the poultry house, of which drawings on preceding and this page, are represen- sentations, for about eight years, and can testify that it is preferable to any known in this section of country, and many of my neighbors have F $ = §m == — n = === == —J- — mam C FRONT TD3W. GROUND PLAN. thrown aside their old houses and built after my plan. The roosts for the fowls should be often renewed, and always of sassafras, as the smell of that wood is deleterious to the vermin on poultry. The floor in the sitting room should always be kept perfectly clean, and continually covered with CHEAP POULTRY HOUSE. ashes and lime, and the litter from under the roosts taken away weekly. A, the door ; B, the entrance for the fowls ; C C C, the openings underneath the mitred floor, where the fowls roost ;DDD, six inch openings to admit air; F, the ground floor, made of earth, elevated above the surface one foot, with boxes for the poultry to lay and sit in ; F, a ladder for poultry to go to BoosMtuj Rooms Feeding Rooms ~r nesws | 1 \nes »| | 16Ft GROUND PLAN. 8Ff TRANSVERSE SECTION. their roosting room ; G G G G, boxes for nests ; H, lattice floor for the litter from the poultry to roost in-; J, a round hole, one foot in diameter, for fowls to roost ; J J J, lattice windows of blinds three feet wide, and three feet six inches deep." 116 the people's practical poultry book. cheap poultry house. In third volume of the Country Gentleman we find the plan, on page 115, with the annexed elevation, of a cheap poultry house, furnished by a corre- spondent. He says : — " I have thought it would not be out of place to send you a drawing and plan of one we consider the best, as it can be made to accommodate from one dozen to five hundred fowls. The plan I send is sixteen feet long by eight feet wide at the bottom, and costs, using one- inch matched boards, about one dollar per foot. The present one will cost from sixteen to twenty dollars, including sash, doors, and other fixtures. The engraving exhibits the plan so clearly that any explanation is altogether unnecessary." VAN NUXEn's POULTRY HOUSE. " Having made some experiments in the raising of chickens, a business that forms a part of every farmer's occupation, I send you a description of my present plan of operation, which appears to answer admirably. Under an outhouse, sixteen by eighteen feet, raised three feet above the ground, I have made a cellar three feet below the ground, making the hight six feet altogether. Eight feet in width of this cellar is partitioned off for turnips, the remaining ten by sixteen feet being sufficiently large to accommodate one hundred chickens, or more. This cellar is inclosed with boards at present, but it is intended to substitute brick walls in a year or two. The roost is made sloping from the roof to within eighteen inches from the ground or floor, twelve feet long by six feet wide. The roost is formed in this way : Two pieces of two-inch plank, six inches wide, and twelve feet long, are fastened parallel, six feet apart, by a spike or pin, to the joist above, the lower end resting on a post eighteen inches above the ground. Notches are made along the upper edge of the plank, one foot apart, to receive sticks or poles from the woods, the bark being left on. When it is desirable to clean out the roosts, the poles, being loose, are removed ; the supports, workino- on a pivot, are raised and fastened up, when all is clear for the cleaning out. I next provide the fowls with corn, oats and buckwheat in three separate apartments, holding about half a bushel each, which are kept always supplied. A row of nests is constructed after a plan of my own, and does well. It is a box, ten feet long and eighteen inches wide ; the bottom level, the top sloping at an angle of forty -five degrees, to prevent the fowls roosting on it ; the top opens on hinges. The nests, eight in number, are one foot square ; the remaining six inches of the width is a passage way next to the wall, open at each end of the box ; the advantage is to give the hens the apparent secrecy they are so fond of." OCTAGON POULTRY HOUSE. Those desirous of keeping from twenty to thirty fowls will find the octagon style of a house just the thing for them. It is more ornamental than the oblong house and economizes room, where that essential is required. THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 117 The object of placing it on piles is to prevent the encroachment of rats and other animals that prove so destructive to eggs and fowls, when not properly protected. The structure is not a costly one ; any person used to handling tools can construct it, at a merely nominal expense, adding ornamentation to the structure, as he desires. This building is ten feet in diameter and six and a half feet high. The sills are four- by-four and the plates three-by-four joists, halved and nailed at the joints. It is sided with inch -and- a- quarter spruce plank, tongued and grooved. No upright timbers are used. The floor and roofing are of the same kind of plank. To guard against leakage by shrinkage, the joints may be bat- tened with laths or other strips of thin board. An eight-square frame sup- ports the top of the rafters, leaving an opening of ten inches in diameter, on which is placed an octagon chimney for a ventilator, which makes a very pretty finish. The piers should be either cedar, chestnut, or locust, two feet high, and set on flat stones. The letter D, designates the door ; W, W, windows ; L, latticed win- dow to admit air, with a shutter to exclude it when necessary ; E, entrance for the fowls to alight on when going in ; R, R, are roosts placed spirally, one end attached to a post near the center of the room, and the other end to the wall ; the first or lowermost one two feet from the floor, and the others eighteen inches apart, and rising gradually to the top, six feet from the floor. These roosts will accommodate forty ordinary sized fowls. F, F, is a board floor, on an angle of about forty-five degrees, to catch and carry down the droppings of the fowls. This arrangement ren- ders it much more convenient in cleaning out the manure, which should be frequently done. The space beneath this floor is appropriated to nests, twelve in number, fifteen inches wide, eighteen inches deep, and eighteen inches high.- In order to give an appearance of secretiveness, which it is well known the hen is partial to, the front is latticed with strips of lath. By this arrangement a free circulation of air is admitted, which adds much to the comfort of the hens while sitting. In the foregoing bill of lumber for building purposes, spruce is given, but any other lumber convenient and at OCTAGON POULTRY HOUSE. GROUND PLAN. 118 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. hand will of course do full as well for the structure. If the lumber used be unplaned, paint the building inside and out with either hot lime made to the consistency of whitewash, or common paint of the color which most suits the fancy. The paint or whitewash not only beautifies the building, but preserves it. PLAN OP CHARLES MOUNT'S HEN HOUSE. This house can be cheaply constructed, and has the advantage of being easily kept clean, as the droppings fall on the inside roof, or slide, under the roosts, and can be scraped down into the passage ways, (A) and swept out at the doors, (B,) in which are the smaller doors, (0,) hung from the bottom, and swinging outward and downward at an angle, to allow the fowls to enter, at the same time keeping out rats and other vermin — the outer end PLAN OF CHAKLES MOUNT'S HEN HOUSE. being about six inches from the ground. This door can be closed at night and in cold weather. The nests are ranged in tiers on each side of the feeding room, the hens having access to the nests (D) by ladders running vertically across the face of the platforms, which also give access to the roosts. This arrangement of the nests (D) gives the fowls privacy and darkness, and allows them to follow their inclination to steal away and hide their nests. The nests are easily got at to remove the eggs or clean them out, by opening the boards, (E,) which run the whole length of the tier of nests, and are hinged at the bottom side and held, when closed, by a button at the top. There is a door, (E,) at each side, at the end of the. tier of nests, opening from the feeding room to the passage on each side, which also has an opening in the bottom for the passage of the fowls, fitted with a THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 119 small door to shut them out when necessary. The roosts (F, F,) are round poles, which rest in notches cut in pieces which are fastened to each end of the buildino-, which allows of their being taken out to clean. The gable end should face to the sun, and have double sash covering the whole size of the feeding room down to within one foot six inches of the ground, to let in the light and heat of the sun in winter. The roof at the peak is left open for ventilation, and surmounted by a double row of pigeon boxes, the under POULTRY HOUSE — ELEVATION. side of which have boards hung to close in extreme cold weather. The whole is surmounted by a vane to give it finish. The house is eighteen by thirteen feet, and eight feet post ; is clapboarded outside and ceiled inside with worked boards, and filled in with tan bark. It can be floored with plank or cemented. PLAN" OF POULTRY HOUSE THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE ONE HUNDRED FOWLS. A yard fifty by one hundred feet is sufficiently large to answer the purpose desired by a medium breeder, and upon which one hundred fowls I ^^:vv^w^m^^\^wg GROUND FLOOR. •— tr SECOND FLOOR. ^ can be conveniently kept. But the more room allowed them the better it will prove for the health of the brood. This lot should be allowed the fowls outside of the dimensions of the hennery. We have seen a flock of one hundred fowls well kept upon the space mentioned. A poultry house, con- taining two floors, constructed on the following plan, which we take from 120 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. the Scottish Farmer, will accommodate, very comfortably, one hundred fowls during winter and summer, provided they are allowed the liberty of roaming in a small yard during pleasant weather. The cost of the building, of course, will vary according to style of construction and price of materials. The house is considered, in England, a desirable one, and answers the pur- pose so well that it is being extensively used by poultry fanciers of limited means. The plan presents some features of novelty as well as of utility. The posts of the frame, if built of wood, may be not over nine feet high, by resting the sills on concrete walls of three feet, where it is convenient to build on a slight inclination. Seven and a-half feet in hight will do for feeding room and the manure pit, which may be formed by running a wall three feet high, as shown by the dotted line. The manure may be thrown in through the door, which opens near. Three windows on the south side will give light and warmth. The second floor may be lathed up the roof, to give sufficient hight in the center, which will be four and a-half feet under the eaves of the roof. The nests are set in the partition, one foot from the floor, one foot high, and one and a-half feet long, open at both ends with a slide door, which is reversed when a hen is sitting, so that she is placed in the opposite or sitting room, and thus the others never disturb her. A door CHEAP POULTRY HOUSE. to communicate between the rooms and windows in the end and south side will give sufficient light and warmth. The whole may be lathed and plastered, or ceiled up, either of which will make it a warm and durable building. The lower floor is much the best for roosting and feeding, while the hens can quite readily ascend to lay and sit on the upper floor with equally good success. " This plan will give eighty feet of outside wall and eight hundred feet of floor." CHEAP POULTRY HOUSE. Here is another house, designed to meet the wants of a person who cannot afford to put up a poultry house, and who has but a small yard for fowls to run in. The figure illustrates the design of the house. On the right is the house, with door. The house is four feet long, three and a half feet wide, twenty inches high at the sides, and thirty inches at the peak. Inside are a roost and a couple of nests. In the rear of the yard a coop is attached to the house, as shown in the drawing, in lattice work. It is five feet long, and the same width, hight, and shape as the house. The house opens into the yard by a hole a few inches from the ground ; it is ventilated by a few auger holes bored in each end in the peak. A pane or two of glass may be put in, if desirable. This coop can be moved daily, so that the fowls will be THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK.. 121 on fresh ground. It will accommodate a cock and six hens. For breeding purposes, where it is desirous to coop up a particular trio or more, it is invaluable. A HENNERY THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE FROM TWO HUNDRED TO TWO HUN- DRED AND FIFTY FOWLS. Mr. G. O. Brown of Maryland, gives the following as a plan of a cheap and convenient hennery, for those wishing to keep a large number of fowls. He says : — "The drawing of the building shows the north and west sides. The building is sixteen by twenty feet, sixteen feet high to roof peak. Fig. 2 represents the inside of the building as follows : — C, roosting and general room ; B, egg room, feed room, etc. ; A, A, A, are nests. In the recess there are three rows of nests, one above the other ; 5, door opening from outside building ; 6, door opening from feed room to recess, nest boxes and roosting room.. Fig. 3, nest boxes, thirteen by twenty inches. These boxes are all movable, so that I arrange them to suit circumstances. By raising Jpj a board, hinged, one can readily ex- amine the nests from the feed or egg room. Should a hen wish to sit, take out one of the nest boxes, turn it end for end, thereby placing the end that is closed up in the roosting room, which prevents the other hens from bothering or annoying her. I have it go arranged that the sitting hen can go out in a little yard, scratch and dust without any inconvenience or annoy- ance from the others. The egg or feed A ******* THAT ^ ^commodate 250 Fom room has shelves in it, and a loft, (which is reached by a ladder made fast up the side,) where the feed is kept. Fig. 4 represents the roosts, two feet apart, of sassafras. Fig. 5 represents a flooring of boards, with the same slant as the roosts, but placed two feet away from the roost. The droppings falling on these boards, roll down into a trough at the lower end, as shown. In the east side of the house I have one large sliding window, and in the south side two, with wire fenders or screens, over all three. A building of this size and kind can accommodate two hundred to two hundred and fifty chickens with ample room. PLAN OF POULTRY HOUSE THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE THREE DISTINCT BREEDS. The building is enclosed with worked spruce or pine boards, put on vertically, and the hight so arranged that each board will cut to avoid 122 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. waste. Elevation — Length, twenty-four feet; width, eleven feet; hight in front, nine and a half feet ; hight in rear, six and a half feet. All the Mill I fg TT |H|| lipp-TWTT y. POULTRY HOUSE — ELEVATION. pieces are cut off of the full lengths in front, making just half a rear length. The rafters, of thirteen feet joist, with either battened or shingle roof as preferred. PLAN AND YARD. The building is supposed to face the south. The entrance door, E, open- ing into the passage, P, three and a half feet wide, which runs the length of the building ; smaller doors, D, each two feet wide, opening into the roosting rooms, R. The nests are raised about a foot from the floor, and also open into the rooms R, with a hinged board in the passage so that the eggs can be removed without entering the roosting rooms. The perches, A, are movable, perfectly level, and raised two feet from the floor. The partition walls are tight, two boards high, above which is lath; the passage wall above the nests, and the doors, D, D, D, being of lath also. The roosting rooms are seven and a half by eight feet, large enough for twenty-five fowls each. Windows are six feet square, raised one foot from the floor. We prefer the glass to be six by eight or seven by nine inches — as these small sizes need no protection strips to prevent the fowls from breaking them. The holes, H, for egress and ingress of the fowls, are closed by a drop door worked by a cord and pulley from the passage way. Another door can be placed in the other end of the passage way if desirable. This arrangement of the yards, Y, of course would not suit every one ; some would prefer smaller yards, making each yard the width of the room and adding to its length. We can only say " cut your garment according to your cloth " — cut your yard according to your ground. The house above is designed for only three varieties ; but by simply adding to the length, any number of breeds may be accommodated. The simplest and most economi- cal foundation is to set locust or oak posts about four feet deep, every eight feet, and spike the sills on them. There is then no heaving from frost ; and PLAN AND YARD. all the underpinning necessary is a board nailed to the sill and extending THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 123 into the ground a couple of inches. A sitting room can be added by making the building four feet longer. The room should be in the end next the door, .so as to be always within notice. MR. HAWLET'S POULTRY HOUSE. Mr. Hawley gave in the Rural New-Yorker, a few jears since, a plan and description of a poultry house which he said proved a success with him during severe cold weather — the thermometer indicating only three degrees below freezing, when it was fifteen degrees below zero outside. The house is twenty feet long, eight feet wide on the bottom, six feet high in the rear, six and one-quarter feet in roof. It is built of matched and dressed lumber OCTAGONAL POULTRY HOUSE. for the outside, battened with strips and well painted. The frame is three by four inch joist — lathed and filled in with sawdust on all sides and roof, GROUND PLAN. END SECTION. then plastered. Gravel bottom. There are three windows, twelve lights, nine by thirteen, both sashes movable, and a light frame, one-half the size of the windows, prevents the fowls from escaping when the sashes are raised or dropped. The building is divided into three comfortable coops. There is ample room for two lengths of roosts, under which there is a plat- form to catch the droppings, thereby insuring cleanliness, so essential to the 124 the people's practical poultry book. health of the occupants. The nests are " secret," built on the ground. A window in the door regulates the temperature of the house. OCTAGONAL POULTRY HOUSE. The Canada Farmer gives the following plan for an octagonal poultry house, and says " that form is chosen as offering a greater internal space for the same extent of Avail than the square form. The door occupies one of the sides, the windows two of the others. The roof is supported by a cen- tral pillar, F, and, if desired, may have a lantern light at the top, with louvre boards, or other openings, for ventilation. The center pillar is by far the best plan of supporting the roof, for if horizontal tie-beams are used, the fowls will unquestionably perch on them. Around seven sides of the in- terior runs a broad, stout shelf C, C, over which the two lines of perches D, D, are supported on inclined rests. Underneath C, C, is a narrower shelf for the nest boxes E, E. If desired, movable baskets or boxes can be placed on this shelf. " The advantages of this arrangement are obvious. The fowls, following the natural instinct which leads them to select the highest perches, roost over the shelf, and the nest boxes are undefiled. The manure on the shelf is in a position in which it can be easily scraped away with a flat hoe or scraper, and the shelf sanded daily. The floor is kept free from filth, and the house consequently always preserved clean and wholesome. The space under the nest-boxes will serve for the cooping of the hens with chickens, if no better situation offers. If extreme cheapness of construction be an object, the house may be built by driving light poles into the ground at equal distances, and closing in the spaces between them with weather boarding. The form admits of easy ornamentation, and may be adapted to harmonize with almost any style of buildings." A FANCY POULTRY HOUSE. In closing our remarks on poultry houses, we cannot do so without pre- senting to those who can afford it, and who wish to display more taste in this branch of economy, an illustration of a Gothic or Chinese style of poul- try house, which we take, together with the description, from the American Poulterer's Companion. It is a very neat and pretty looking structure, and is designed for a poultry house and yard for breeding fowls, ducks and pigeons. It is intended to stand in the center of a piece of grass land or park, and if on a slight knoll or mound so much the better. If the soil is inclined to clay, it should be excavated all around the building at least two feet deep, and first a layer of stones about one and a half feet deep, then covered with coarse gravel and sand. This is desirable — for we consider it almost essential to success — stagnant moisture or wet in the soil being more conducive to disease than any other circumstance. A southern aspect is the best, and if sheltered from the north and northwest, by plantations of ever- greens, it will not only be a protection from the cold winds of winter, but a THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 125 shelter from the rays of the sun in summer. The houses and yards must be constructed to suit the views and purposes of the proprietor. The yards should be fenced with pickets at least six and a half feet high — wire would be more ornamental but rather expensive. Not less than one-fourth of an acre should be allowed for fifty fowls. The walls of the poultry house should be of brick, nine inches thick, and hollow ; they should be at least twelve feet high, so that the roof can project some four feet, forming a shed for protecting the fowls from the storm. The front of the shed may be formed FANCY POTTLTBY HOTTSE. of lath or any other kind of wood, in a rustic manner, forming a trellis on which vines might be trained, which would add much to its appearance ; or it may be inclosed with glass, and grapes grown on the rafters ; or nests may be placed in these sheds for sitting hens. We may observe here, that whichever plan is adopted, the cheapest and warmest materials of which to construct the house are a wood frame and a weather-boarding, either of clapboards, or ceiled up and down with narrow battens. It should be ceiled within with hemlock boards, tongued and grooved, and laid crosswise, and filled in between the timbers with spent tan, or any other dry substance, well rammed or packed in. Or the spaces between the posts may be filled in with brick and a thin coat of plaster. In either case, whether of brick or wood, it should be whitewashed with lime. The roof should also be ceiled with boards and filled in with tan, which would render it cooler in summer and warmer in winter. The interior may 126 THE PEOPLE S PKACT1CAL POULTRY BOOK. be finished to accommodate the kind of stock intended to be kept. If for the large Asiatic fowls, the perches should be low, or the floor of their roost ing room may be covered with straw ; in which case it should be cleansed, or the straw changed daily. The cupola is intended for a pigeon house. The holes by which they enter should not be too large or numerous, and should have a shelf at the entrance. The upper tier should have a roof or weather- boarding over them to keep out the wet. An objection to a wooden pigeon house is, that they are too cold in winter and too hot in summer ; but this may be in a great measure prevented by making the wood double, with a space of two or three inches between, which will form a non-conductor of heat. POULTRY APPLIANCES. CHICKEN-COOPS OE PENS, FEEDING-HOPPERS AND TROUGHS, WATER-FOUN- TAINS, ETC. As the rearing, management and care of all kinds of poultry is much facilitated, as well as rendered more certainly remunerative by the aid of suitable appliances, we give herewith engravings and descriptions of those we have been enabled to cull from the sources at command, and which are deemed every way suited to the ends desired. Sl£?S:E AJl S. St. CHICKEN HOUSE — EXTERIOR VIEW. The march of improvement in the building of chicken houses seems to be as manifest as in most other things, and anything new in this line is sought after with interest by the amateur or breeder of fancy fowls. We give an illustration (two views) of one of these houses, which struck us as being the ne plus ultra of chicken coops. It is sketched from coops we saw on the 128 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. grounds of Isaac Van "Winkle, Esq., of New-Jersey. One illustration shows the house with the end open, giving an interior view, while the other shows the exterior. These houses are movable ; made of matched boards nailed to posts, two by two inches, on each end, and side or section, and hooks and staples placed at the top and bottom of the posts, on each inside, so that instead of being nailed together as a whole, it is hooked up in sec- tions, as shown in the engraving, with front section down. By this means the coop can be taken down and moved to any place desired. At the rear of the runway is placed a tight coop, as shown, into which the hen and chickens can retire to roost ; the slide being closed, makes it perfectly rat or vermin proof. In the end of the tight coop are three or four one-inch holes CHICKEN HOUSE — INTERIOR VIEW. made for ventilation. The top of the runway is covered with a movable glass sash — hot-bed fashion — under which chickens can be reared in the coldest weather. For ventilation, the sash can be slid off, as seen by refer- ence to the cut, or, if desired, the sash being placed in a groove, can be re- moved entirely from the top of the coop. It strikes us that this house, when it becomes more known, will somewhat revolutionize the rearing of early spring chicks. It is so constructed that any person at all conversant with the use of tools can put one up in short order and with comparatively little expense. It is frequently recommended to breeders to build their chicken-coops with floors in them. We cannot see any particular benefit derived from having coops with wooden floors ; on the contrary, we are of the opinion it inclines the chicks to weakness. Our mode is to let the chickens have free THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. U9 access to the ground, or, what is better, let the coop be placed over a flooring of ashes, made about two inches thick, so that the mother-hen can dust her- self at pleasure. THE RAT-PROOF COOP is our beau-ideal of what a chicken-coop should be. It can be moved at will, and at evening, or in stormy weather, the hen and chickens can be driven in and the coop closed up, making it both rat and water-proof. Then again, there is THE TENT COOP, THE RAT-PROOF COOP. anus THE TENT COOP. which answers a good purpose for either young turkeys or chickens ; is easily constructed, and, having no floor, can be moved to any light or sandy soil, which will answer in lieu of ashes for the chicks and hen to dust themselves in, which keeps off vermin. □ THE PENT OR LEAN-TO COOP. THE PEN COOP. There is another form of coop which we have, but it has no advantages to our mind over either of the preceding ones, unless it be that in this shape it affords more room- It is made of clapboards and lathed or lattice-worked across the whole front of the coop and about half-way up as shown in the engraving. The back, sides and top are made of clapboards, but any kind of boards might be used. We used the clapboards for the sake of mak- ing the coop light, so that it could be handled easily. The size is four and a half feet long — two and a half feet wide — front three feet high and with a pitch of half a foot to the rear ; the front of the coop being clapboarded one foot down, leaving two feet for the length of the laths in front. The clap- board in front has the effect to prevent the storm from beating in upon the hen and chicks which are confined within the coops. 9 130 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY LOOK. PEN CHICKEN COOP. The illustration, as shown on page 129, gives a good idea of a pen coop, which may be made large enough to contain a cock and four hens for breed- ing purposes, where they can enjoy the sun and fresh air, yet be protected from stormy weather. The dimensions are as follows :— Pen four feet high in front and three feet in the rear, six feet long and four wide. The yard, ten feet long and six wide, to be enclosed with lath four feet high. If de- sired, the top may be covered also. The pen may be made with common THE BARREL COOP. THE CLOSE COOP. boards, and battened up as shown in the cut. The holes in the ends are made to admit a free circulation of air. This house may, of course, be reduced to a size sufficient to keep a hen and chickens. If used for that pur- pose the coop may be say twenty inches high in front, fifteen in rear, and twenty inches square on the bottom, making it light and movable. THE BARREL COOP. This is an appliance to keep chicks, that any one can make, with very little trouble, as will be seen by our illustration. All that is necessary is to place a common flour or other old barrel on its side, take out one of the heads, place some straw in the back end of the barrel; put the hen and chicks in ; have some lath or strips of board at hand, with one end sharpened and drive them into the ground in front of the coop and your work is accomplished. THE CLOSE CHICKEN COOP. This coop is very handy, and may be made of inch boards (see illustra- tion ) long enough to admit of any number of fowls. A, A, are slats raised for admitting the fowls; B, B, doors to open and shut at night, to prevent the intrusion of any kind of vermin ; C, button for fastening the doors. Any common dry goods or other large box will answer the purpose desired. Cleats can be nailed on, as shown in the engraving, which makes it a light, warm and airy coop in summer. Holes should be bored in one end and m the top for ventilators. FEEDING HOPPERS AND TROUGHS. In giving descriptions of the different varieties of Feeding Hoppers or Troughs being used by poulterers in their endeavor to facilitate the workings THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 131 of domestic economy in the poultry yard, we cannot do better than to com- mence by presenting for inspection and adoption, if desired, a plan of the Scotch Feeding Hopper, taken from Loudon 's Encyclopedia of Agriculture, the description of which is given below. A SCOTCH FEEDING HOPPER. A PERFECT FEEDING HOPPER. THE SCOTCH FEEDING HOPPER can be made to contain any quantity of corn required, and none wasted. When once filled it requires no more trouble, as the grain falls into the receiver below as the fowls pick it away ; and the covers on that, which are opened by the perches, and the cover on the top, protect the grain from rain, so that the fowls always get it quite dry ; and as nothing less than the weight of a fowl on the perch can lift the cover on the lower receiver, rats and mice are excluded. In this connection we give an engraving of what is called A PERFECT FEEDING HOPPER, in BemenCs Poulterer's Companion, which we think superior to that of the Scotch plan, and which, from the description here given, can be easily con- structed by any person. " A is an end view, eight inches wide, two feet six inches high, and three feet long ; B, the roof projecting over the perch on which the fowls stand while feeding ; C, the lid of the receiving mangei" raised, exhibiting the grain ; E, E, cords attached to the perch and lid of the manger or feeding trough ; I, end bar of the perch, with a weight attached to the end to balance the lid, otherwise it would not close when the fowls leave the perch ; H, pulley; G, fulcrum. The hinges on the top show that it is to be raised when the hopper is to be replenished. When a fowl desires food, it hops upon the bars of the perch, the weight of which raises the lid of the feed box, exposing the grain to view, and after satisfying its hunger jumps off, and the lid closes." Of course the dimensions of either of these feeding hoppers may be increased to any size desired. 132 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. STANDARD SELF-FEEDING HOPPER. This feeding hopper is two feet square, the posts eighteen inches high, three inches square ; the upper section of the box is six inches deep, the ends are mortised into or nailed to the posts. From the bottom of this square the tapering part of the grain box reaches to within one inch of the floor, which should be raised on feet about six inches from the ground; the grain box tapers to one foot square, and to bring the grain within reach of the fowls, a cone, as shown at A, is placed in the cen- ter of the floor, and should be so much smaller than the funnel part of the hop- per as to leave at least one inch space all STANDARD SELF-FEEDING HOPPER. FUNNEL AND CONE. around the cone, which forces the grain to the edge, where, as the fowls pick the grain away, more will fall and keep a constant supply wiLhin reach of the fowls, as long as any is left in the hopper. The slats on the sides are in- tended to prevent the fowls from getting into the trough or crowding one another. This hopper will hold about two bushels of grain, and if the roof projected one foot all round it, it would protect it completely from rain. It occupies but little space, and from twelve to sixteen fowls can feed at the same time. A STOOL FEEDING HOPPBT A CHEAP FEEDING HOPPEB. the people^ practical poultry BOOK. 133 A STOOL FEEDING-HOPPER, which is proof against rats, can be made as follows : — Make a platform two or three feet square, as the case may be ; then make a square box, three inches high and sixteen inches square ; nail it in the center of the platform ; saw strips one and one-fourth inches square and eighteen inches high for the posts ; nail strips of boards, two inches wide, to the posts at top, to secure and steady them ; then take common lath, or any thin stuff, one and one-half or two inches wide, and nail them to the top and bottom, up and down, leav- ing a space of two inches between each slat, so that the fowls can get at the feed. The roof may be four-square, as shown in the engraving, and detached so that it can be raised when required to be replenished with grain. Elevate the hopper on a post about three feet from the ground, as shown in the cut, which makes it rat and mice proof. The fowls will soon learn to leap upon the platform, and feed from the grain box between the slats. A CHEAP FEEDING-HOPPER. There is a cheap plan for a Feeding-Hopper, which can be made out of an old candle-box, for the want of a better thing. Take off the lid and one of the sides ; let the ends, bottom and one side remain ; cut a small strip off one end of the lid, so that it will slip in between the ends of the box, placing the lower edge one and a half inches from the side and an inch from the bottom ; the other edge of the Ud is to reach the top and outside corners of the ends, thus forming a deep, angular box, with long aperture at the bottom. As shown in the cut, the lid forms the slanting side B ; C, forms the trough, where the corn will descend down to it when put into the angular box ; then put hinges on the lid, A ; the open part of the hopper has a row (D) of slats two inches apart ; these slats should be brought to the edge of the box, so that the fowls can just reach the bottom of the angle ; the corn falls down as fast as the fowls pick it away. DOUBLE FEEDING HOPPER. This hopper was highly commended by the late N. C. Bement. It is nine feet long and nine inches wide ; end pieces fourteen inches high, and the bot- tom raised six inches from the ground ; the ends nailed to the bottom, and a strip of board four inches wide was firmly nailed on the sides, raised three inches above the bottom board, form- ing a manger or trough to prevent any waste of food. Another strip of board three inches wide was nailed on the top in front to secure the ends. The hop- double feeding hoppeb. per to contain the grain was formed of two pieces of board, nine inches wide, set between the ends forming a V, the upper edges lying against the front top strips and the bottom resting on some small blocks, from one 134 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. to two inches high, sufficient to allow the grain to fall down as the fowls pick it away. It may be made to open and shut at the bottom to suit the differ- ent sizes of grain. The top or roof may be made of the same width as the box, or it may extend over the sides sufficiently to protect the fowls from rain when feeding. Narrow strips of lath must be nailed to the top and bottom pieces, leaving space enough between them for the fowls to enter their heads when eating. It is open on both sides, and one of this size is sufficient for seventy-five fowls. FEEDING TROUGHS. It has been frequently suggested that in feeding fowls soft food, instead of throwing it upon the ground, thereby wasting the larger portion of it, a dish or trough of some sort should be placed in the hennery or coop to con- tain the food. In figure 1 we give an *"*t5 engraving of a trough that may be __^=2i=|| Fig. 1. Fig. 2 procured at little cost, which will meet the wants of most breeders. It can be made of zinc, tin, or earthenware, in an oblong form, to any desired length — width four inches, and two to four inches deep. To prevent the chicks getting into the trough and scratching the food out, a loose curved cover, made of tin, zinc, or wood, in form as seen in figure 2, will answer the purpose. The wires which support the cover should be perpendicular, ten to twelve inches high, and set two and a half inches apart. One end of the wire may be driven into the ground, if desired, for a stationary feed box, in- stead of having the top and bottom of the cover soldered to the wire. This trough can be made very cheaply (*1 by any tinsmith, and will economize food enough during one season to pay for more than a dozen such troughs. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. Figure 3 is a trough divided by the partition P. If desired, one part may contain water and the other food, the whole being covered with a screen made of lath nailed together in the form shown, and kept in position by the ends of the. center laths fitting in and keyed to the ends of the trough. The bottom is square or of triangle form. This is for the use of grown poultry. The lattice work prevents them getting into the food with their feet. A THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY LOOK. 1K5 cheap and substantial feed or water dish is shown in figure 4. The sides of an old tin pan are connected together by a net-work of wire passing through holes beneath the rim, and crossing above the center at the various angles. DRINKING FOUNTAINS. Figure 1 shows a barrel fountain ; it has a small tube extending from the cask to a shallow dish or pan, which should be small, so that the fowls cannot get into it and soil the water. Figure 2 shows a bottle fountain, which may Fig. 1. — Barrel Fountain. Fig. 2. — Bottle Fountain. be made by taking a two or three inch plank and scooping it out one and a half inches, forming a shallow trough ; then make a frame similar to the figure shown, and insert the neck of the bottle, the nozzle reaching to within three-quarters of an inch of the bottom of the trough. Either of these de- signs will answer all purposes of a drinking fountain for the poultry yard. THE ORDINARY POULTRY FOUNTAIN is too well known to need description, but a rather better form than is usually made is shown in figure 3. The advantages of such a construction are two; Fig. 3. Fig. 4. the top being open, and fitted with a cork, the state of the interior can be examined, and the vessel well sluiced through to remove the green slime 136 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY LOOK. which always collects by degrees, and is very prejudicial to health ; and tl , trough being slightly raised from the ground, instead of upon it, the water is less easily fouled. But either form, if placed with the trough towards the wall, at a few inches distance from it, will keep the water clean very well. Some experienced breeders prefer shallow pans ; but if these be adopted they must be either put behind rails, with a board over, or protected by a cover, in the same way as the feeding troughs already described. WINTER WATER FOUNTAIN. We are indebted to the American Agriculturist for the description and manner of keeping water from freezing in the fountain in winter, also for a duck-feeding contrivance, and for the plan of a beautiful rustic duck coop, herewith given. In describing these appliances it says : — " There is almost Fig. 3. — Feed Box for Ducks. always some difficulty in keeping fowls supplied with water in cold weather. We have had no trouble since adopting the following expedient. A barrel is sawed into two tubs, and an earthen jug placed in one of the tubs, the bottom of the jug and that of the tub being in contact, or nearly so, and the mouth of the jug close to the rim of the tub. The jug may be fixed in posi- tion by a few sticks, nailed across the tub inside. The tub is then stuffed full of horse litter and manure, and strips nailed across the top to keep it in. When this is done we fill the jug with water, put in a cork, and invert tub and all. (See figure 2.) Then the cork is withdrawn at the same time that a small pan is slipped under. The pan remains full during the day, and, if set in the sun, will not freeze so much as a film of ice upon the surface, even out of doors, except on the severest days. At night the pan should be with- drawn, and the^water allowed to flow out. CONTRIVANCE FOR FEEDING DUCKS. " A simple contrivance for feeding ducks and not allowing chickens to THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY LOOK. 137 share their food, was shown us lately at the yard of a subscriber, and we have had it engraved (figure 3.) The food Avas placed in a square, flat pan, in which a few bricks were laid, filling the middle of the pan, to prevent the food being shoved beyond the reach of the ducks. Then a box was turned over the pan and contents, and supported upon a brick at each corner. After a little experience the ducks learned to run their flexible necks under and fill themselves, while the disconsolate hens could get nothing. Ducks will increase rapidly in weight if they have all the soft food they can eat. The best place for them to pass the nights in winter is upon a fresh manure heap, under cover. If one wishes to feed chickens and not ducks, a convenient way is to lay a board or two, to put the feed on, upon two bar- rels or wooden horses. Fie. 4. —Duck House. RUSTIC DUCK HOUSE. " In figure 4 we have represented a rustic, bark-roofed duck coop, which might be used either to confine an old duck and her brood at night, provided the slat-work was so close as to prevent the entrance of rats or weasels, or to confine a hen with a brood of ducklings, in which case the openings would need to be larger, and the coop would have to be shut up at night by a close front. There is more danger to young ducks from rats than from any other cause." WIRE-COVERED RUN. We find in the Practical Poultry Keeper what is termed therein a wire- covered run for chickens, and is deemed by the author a sensible way to keep the young chicks from being destroyed by cats or rats. The plan strikes us as being one worthy of consideration ; we therefore give it space 138 THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. in our pages, together with the remarks accompanying the engraving : — " Cats sometimes make sad inroads on the broods. If this nuisance be great it is well to confine the coveted prey while young within a wire-covered run. And the best way of forming such a run is to stretch some inch-mesh wire- netting, two feet wide, upon a light wooden frame, so as to form two wire hurdles, two feet wide and about six feet long, with one three feet long. These are easily lashed together with string to form a run six feet by three, and may be covered by a similar hurdle of two-inch mesh three CHICKEN COOP AND WIRE RUN, feet wide. In such a run all animal depredations may be defied ; and in any case we should recommend its use until the chicks are a fortnight old ; it saves a world of trouble and anxiety, and prevents the brood wandering and getting over- tired. By having an assortment of such hurdles, poi'table runs can be constructed in a few minutes of any extent required, and will be found of great advantage until the broods are strong. The hen may also be given her liberty within the prescribed bounds." DUCK HOUSE. A plan of a very cheap and pretty duck house is given in the American Poulterer's Companion, to be constructed after the style of the engraving herewith given. It should be placed on the bank of a pond or small island A DUCK TENT HOUSE. of an ornamental sheet of water. It may be constructed of rough boards thatched with straw, and partly covered with running vines and shrubbery, the people's practical poultry book. 139 which would not only be ornamental but make a very pretty and cheap house for aquatic fowls. The interior arrangement of the house may vary accord- ing to the means and taste of the proprietor, only providing the ducks with nest boxes, in order that they may lay and incubate undisturbed, and afford- ing proper protection for their young. TURKEY HOUSE AND NEST. To save the trouble, says the Hand-Book of Poultry, of constantly watching turkeys while they are seeking their nests, there should be a yard inclosing an eighth of an acre for every fifteen birds, where nothing else is TURKEY HOUSE AND HEST. allowed to go. Eight feet long pickets, with a white birch or any other brushy bush woven in along the top, will make the most secure inclosure. As early as the first of April nests should be made in this yard. THE BEST ARRANGEMENT FOR NESTS are small houses, about three feet by three, gable-shaped, (as shown in en- graving,) and three feet high in the center. These should be scattered about the yard, and, if convenient, be partly hidden by an over-covering of brush or something more easily made available. If two or three turkeys incline to one nest, set another house at right angles with that which contains the one they covet, and place several eggs in this new nest, and the probability is, that this will end the trouble ; or let them all lay together till one begins to sit, and then shut her in, which will oblige the others to provide for them- selves elsewhere. NESTS FOR BATING HENS. The engraving (on page 140,) gives an idea of a wicker-work nest, which is recommended by the Cottage Gardeners just the thing for breeders to use, as the hens take to them readily. All that is needed to make them is an auger, a saw, a bill-hook, a clasp knife, a stout piece of leather for hinges, some tacks, a few poles, two inches in diameter, cut fresh from the water willow, some strips, and a few seasoned pieces of boards. Rive the willow rods into laths two-eighths of an inch thick : wattle them on the frame as in 140 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. the engraving. If water willow cannot be readily obtained, any other wood that is susceptible of weaving into baskets will answer the purpose. This device makes a good cool retreat for hens in hot weather. TIGHT WOODEN BOX NEST. It is only necessary the birds should be protected from wind and rain, in order to avoid rheumatism ; and this is most effectually done by employing for the nest a tight wooden box, like figure 2, open at the bottom, and also Fig. 1. Fig. 2. in front, with the exception of a strip three inches high to contain the straw. Let one of these boxes be placed in the back corner of the shed, touching the side, the front being turned to the back wall, and about nine inches from it ; and the hen will be in the strictest privacy, will be both perfectly shel- tered and kept cool, and will never mistake her own nest for the one which may be placed in the other corner. If a third must be made room for, let her nest be placed the same distance from the wall midway between the others, and like them, with the front of the nest to the back of the shed. There will then be still nearly a foot between each two nests for the birds to pass. CAPONIZING FOWLS. The art of caponizing fowls seems to be very little known or understood in this country ; we therefore condense from The Farmers' and Planters^ Enclyclopedia of Mural Affairs, the modus operandi as practiced by the best and most experienced English, French and Chinese experts, giving from the same source, also, engravings fully illustrating the subject, together with such information as we have been enabled to gather from other sources. Chickens intended for capons should be of the largest breeds ; Brahmas, Cochins, or even Dorkings are fowls well adapted for the purpose. FOWLS DESIRABLE FOE CAPONS. Any of the Asiatic fowls are most desirable as they make the best capons; Dorking fowls, however, which are deemed better for the table, answer the purpose very well, as their flesh is so much sweeter and more nutritious than that of almost any breed known. The alteration of a chicken into a capon will, in from ten to twelve months nearly double the size of the bird. Per- sons wishing to become expert in the operation of making capons would do well to imitate surgeons, who always try their hand upon dead subjects be- fore performing on the living. MANNER OF PROCEDURE. The modus operandi, however, is quite simple, and in France and Italy is frequently allotted to mere children. Chickens intended for capons may be operated upon at any age, though when between two and three months old is considered much the best time. Old fowls seldom survive the operation. Previous to cutting, the chickens must be kept entirely from food, and even water, for about thirty-six hours, as experiments have determined this time to insure the best chance of success by causing the bowels to be empty, and lessening the tendency to bleeding. The fowl may be secured either in the Chinese mode, — that is to say, lying on its left side with its wings folded back till they meet, and pressed under one foot of the operator, while the other foot is placed on the legs ; or it may be held by an assistant, or what adds greatly to the convenience of the operator, especially in relieving him from the necessity of stooping low, the fowl may be confined by straps, etc., to a table, as seen by reference to figures 1 and 2. 142 the people's practical poultry book. how to place the fowl. The fowl being thus secured with its left side downwards, wings clasped behind its back, legs extended backwards, the upper one being drawn the furthest back (see figure 2,) the head and neck being .eft perfectly free, the feathers are next to be plucked from its right side near the hip joint, in a line between that and the shoulder joint ; the space uncovered (a figure 2) may be a little over an inch square. Having first drawn the skin of the part backward, so that when left to itself after the operation, it will cover the wound in the flesh, make an incision with the bevel-edged knife (letter a,) between the last two ribs, commencing about an inch from the backbone, and extending obliquely downwards about an inch or inch and a half, just going deep enough to separate the ribs, and taking good care not to wound the intestines. A pair of broad blunt hooks, (letters c, c,) attached to a piece of elastic whalebone or ratan (b) about six inches long are then applied, one hook on each side of the cut, and these being stretched apart by the spring bow, keep the wound open wide enough to give room for the opera- tion. HOW THE OPERATION IS PERFORMED. Carefully cut open the skin covering the intestines, which last, if not sufficiently drawn up in consequence of the previous fastening, may be pushed forwards or towards the breastbone, by means of a flat instrument contrived for the purpose, or, what answers equally well, the handle of a teaspoon. When the testicles are exposed to view they will be found to be connected with the back and sides by means of a thin skin which passes over them. This tender covering must be seized with the pincers (a, a,) and torn open with the assistance of the sharp edged hook, (h ;) after this, with the left hand, introduce the curved spoon under the lower or left testicle (which is generally a little nearer the rump than the right one ;) then take the tube («,) and with the right hand pass the loop (n) over the small hooked end of the spoon (A,) running it down under the spoon and included testicle, so as to bring the loop to act upon the part which fastens the testicle to the back. Then by drawing the ends of the hair-loop backwards and forwards, and at the same time pushing the lower end of the tube towards the rump of the chicken, the cord, or fastening of the testicle, is sawn off. The same process is to be followed with the uppermost or right testicle, after which the separated testicles, together with any blood in the bottom of the wound are to be scooped out with the crooked spoon. WHEN PERFORMED PROPERLY. When performed properly, little or no blood of consequence is observed, neither does the bird seem to experience any pain, after the first incision, but will eat food freely if given to it. To enable the operator to produce the sawing movement, the hair or other ligature used, may be tied in a knot, so as to allow the index, or forefinger of the operator's right hand to THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 143 pass through it. This finger being then turned or rolled repeatedly from side to side, communicates to the loop below the sawing motion which con- tributes to cut off" the testicles. The reason for cutting off the under or lowermost testicle first, is to prevent the blood which may issue from cover- ing the remaining one, thereby rendering it difficult to be seen. After this operation which, if skillfully pei'formed, occupies very few minutes, the hooks are to be taken out, the skin drawn over the wound, and this covered with the feathers plucked off at the commencement of the operation. The chicken is then released, and as soon as let go will take grain or other food eagerly, and in a day or two be restored to its usual health. A person well skilled may operate on fifty chickens without killing more than one or two. DIFFERENT FORMATION" OF FOWLS. In some fowls the fore part of the thigh covers the last two ribs ; in which case care must be taken to draw the fleshy part of the thigh well back, to prevent its being cut, as this might lame the fowl, or even cause its death. For ligatures nothing answers so well as that usually employed by the Chinese, namely, the fiber of the cocoanut husk. This is rough, and makes a loop which saws off and separates the testicle very readily. The next best substance for this purpose is horse-hair. Experiments with fine wire, silk, silk gut, etc., show that these are all inferior to cocoanut fiber and horse-hair. FOWLS NOT PERFECTLY CAPONIZED. Sometimes a portion of the testicle adheres and is left behind ; in which case the fowls will not prove capons, as will soon be evident, and may be killed for use as soon as the head begins to grow large and get red, and they show a disposition to chase the hens. Then, again, the real capon will make itself known by the head remaining small, the comb and gills losing their bright redness and appearing withered ; the feathers of the neck and tail will also grow longer. AGE TO KEEP CAPONS. Capons should be kept to the age of fifteen or eighteen months, which will bring them in the spring and summer, when poultry is scarce and bears a high price. Still they should not be killed near molting time, as all poultry then is very inferior. The operation of caponizing fails principally in conse- quence of the bursting of the skin which incloses the soft matter of the testi- cles, some of which remains in the bird. DANGER OF BURSTING OF THE TESTICLES. Fowls of five or six months old are less liable to have the testicles burst in the operation than younger ones, but they are also more apt to bleed to death than those of from two to four months old. As the large vessel that supplies the entrails with blood passes in the neighborhood of the testicles ; there is danger that a young beginner may pierce this with the pointed in- 144 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. strument in taking off the skin of the lower testicle, in which case the chicken would die instantly. There are one or two smaller vessels to be avoided, which is very easy, as they are not difficult to be seen. If properly managed no blood ever appears until a testicle is taken off; so that should any appear before that, the operator will know that he has done something wrong. If a chicken die during the operation by bleeding, it is of course as proper for use as if bled to death by having its throat cut. FOWLS SELDOM DIE AFTER THE OPERATION. Fowls very seldom die after the operation unless they have received some internal injury, or the flesh of the thigh has been cut through, from not being drawn back from off the last two ribs, where the incision is made ; all of which accidents may be liable to occur with young practitioners. TESTICLES WHEN FOUND LARGE. When the testicles are found very large, the silver tube may be too small for the operation ; in this case a larger one made of small bamboo or elder, about three-eighths of an inch in diameter, may be substituted, with a strong cocoanut string or ligature. But for chickens of small and medium sizes, the silver tube, with a horse-hair in it, will answer perfectly well. MARKING CAPONS BEFORE LETTING THEM RUN. When a chicken has been cut it is necessary before letting it run to put a permanent mark upon it ; otherwise it would be impossible to distinguish it at first from others not operated on. Cutting off the outside or inside toe of the left foot, will enable one to distinguish them at a distance. Another mode is to cut off the comb, then shave off the spurs close to the leg, and stick them upon the bleeding head, where they will grow and become orna- mental in the shape of a pair of horns. This last mode is perhaps the best, but it is not so simple and ready as the first. Whichever plan is adopted, the fowl should be marked before performing the operation. TREATMENT OF WINDY SWELLING IN CAPONS. It is very common, after the operation, and while the wound is healing, for the side to puff out with a windy swelling. This may be relieved by making a small incision or puncture in the skin, which will let the wind escape. Those fowls make the best and finest capons which are hatched early in the spring ; as they can be cut before the hot weather comes, which is a great advantage. The operator should not be discouraged with the first difficulties ; for with practice they will disappear ; every year's experience will render one more expert, until the cutting of a dozen or more fowls be- fore breakfast will be a small matter. DISSATISFACTION WITH THE OPERATION. It may be well to give a warning against becoming dissatisfied with the instruments. A raw hand, when he meets with difficulties, is apt to think THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 145 the tools are in fault, and sets about to improve them and invent others ; but it may be only himself that lacks skill, which practice alone can give. Those who have devoted much time and attention to the subject say that they have found the old Chinese instruments, illustrations of which are herewith given, preferable to all others. In addition to these instruments, a regular Chinese set contains a flat kind of spatula something like the upper part of a spoon handle. This is about four inches long and half an inch wide, and slightly curved at each end in opposite directions. It is for the purpose of pushing; the intestines out of the way, an office very well performed by the handle of a teaspoon. The engravings given below represent the instruments used in making capons, according to the Chinese method, reduced only about one-fourth their actual sizes. DESCRIPTION OP THE IMPLEMENTS TO BE USED. a, a knife, the edge of which resembles that of a chisel with a bevel or slanting edge, half an inch in the greatest width ; the other end or handle consists of two forcep blades terminating at a, a, in slender points, and form- ing spring forceps. The whole length from the cutting edge to the end of DESCRIPTION OF IMPLEMENTS USED. the pliers is about six inches, c, c, two broad hooks of silver or other metal, each half an inch in width and one and a half in length. 5, an elastic bow, six inches long, made of whalebone or ratan, about the thickness of a large quill, and split horizontally into two pieces. To the ends of this bow the broad hooks are attached by strong cords about half an inch long. At the end d, the cord embraces only the lower half of the split bow, whilst both pieces are included in the string, at the end e. /, is a small ring which en- 146 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. circles both portions of the bow. When the hooks are first put in and only half the strength of the bow is required to act upon them, this ring is slipped to the end e. But if the whole strength of the bow is needed to force the hooks apart and stretch the wound open, the ring is passed towards the end d. Thus, by means of the split bow and sliding ring, the strain upon the hooks can be increased or slackened at pleasure, i, a tube of silver or other metal three or four inches long, made square at the upper, and flattened at the lower end k, to the width of three-tenths of an inch ; this tube is for the purpose of passing the fiber or hair ligature m, forming the loop n. g, a narrow curved spoon, the slender handle of which tapers off, and has a steel point fitted into it, furnished at the extremity with a very small hook, h y the inner edge of this hook is sometimes sharpened. THE OPERATING TABLE. The operating table is represented in the following cut, figure 1. This table may be about two and a half feet long by one and a half feet wide, and two and a half feet high. At two of its corners it can have a raised molding about half an inch high, extending along the sides six or nine inches, for the Fig i Pig. 2 purpose of placing the instruments at one corner and at the other some of the feathers under a stone, to keep them from being blown away. On one side there is a slit c, passing through the table, about one and three-quarters of an inch, long by one-half an inch wide, running diagonally ; being about three inches from the end and six and a half from the side. Through this slit the padded band or soft list, d, d, for confining the wings, passes below to be attached to the lever e. This lever has a four or five pound weight hung to it, and works on a screw or pin, by which it is attached to the leg. When not in use the lever rests on a pin or ledge in the other leg. On being let down, the attached band clasps the wings of the chicken lying on the table, with greater or less force as the weight is drawn to or from the end THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 147 of the lever. The next thing to be described is the lever, A, upon the table, the object of which is to hold down the legs as these are extended backwards. This lever is padded beneath, and is furnished with a hinge at a, which ad- mits of being raised at the end k, it projects beyond the edge of the table, and has also a five pound weight suspended by the string I, which increases or diminishes the pressure by being moved to or from the table. Through one portion of the hinge an iron screw, m, passes beneath the table where the end is secured by a nut. This screw or pin allows the lever to move sidewise, whilst the hinge admits of its being raised or let down. A range of holes, about one-third of an inch wide, is made through the table, to re- ceive the pin of the lever, as this has to be placed nearer to or farther from, the slit c, according to the size of the chicken. The first hole is about eleven inches from the nearest end ; the second, fourteen inches ; the third, seven- teen inches. The last is adapted to very large cocks or even turkeys. POSITION OF THE FOWL ON THE TABLE. In figure 2, the position of the fowl when secured, lying upon its left side upon the table, is represented, d being the wing-band, h the lever placed over the legs, and a the place where the incision is made. The table is a refinement in the art of caponing which we believe is altogether new, not- withstanding the thousands of years which have elapsed since the operation has been habitually practiced. The difficulty of making a subject, apparently simple, well understood by persons to whom it is entirely new, is, we think, a sufficient apology for the length of the details given. USEFULNESS OF CAPONS. In France and other countries, besides furnishing a luxurious food, capons are made useful in taking care of broods of young chickens, ducklings, turkeys, and pheasants, which they are said to do much better than hens, owing to their larger size and thicker coats of feathers. The moment the chickens are hatched they are taken from the hens and given to a capon, who rears them with all the care of a parent, often having a small belt attached to his neck, the tinkling of which serves the purpose of keeping tho brood about him, similar to the clucking and maternal sounds of the mother. Should he show a disposition to treat the young chickens roughly at first, he may be confined alone for a day or two in a dark place, after which if they be put with him he will be pleased with their company and continue to take care of them. The hen is cooped, and well fed until she regains the flesh and strength lost whilst sitting, and then turned out to lay again. In this way the poulterer is enabled to raise a large number of chickens from a few hens. The capon generally brings double or treble the price of common poultry. ANOTHER MODE OF PLACING THE FOWL. Figure 3 shows a different mode of preparing the fowls for caponizing, which only requires a very little trouble to make. In the first place you con- 148 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POJLTRY BOOK. fine the cockerel between the two weights, on a table or board, as you choose, (see engraving,) laying him with the left side downwards, and placing his wings locked across the back, which assists in holding him down ; the legs extended backward, with the upper one drawn furthest out. Leave the head and neck free. Pluck the feathers from the right side, near the hip-joint, from an inch to an inch and a half in diameter, and on a line with the shoulder. Then proceed with the business as directed elsewhere. TO CAPONIZE YOUNG PULLETS. Young pullets may also be caponized, so as to deprive them of their reproduc- tive powers. It has the same effect upon them that it does upon the cockerels — rendering them more easy to fatten. A pullet that has no inclination to lay regularly can be got rid of in this way with profit to the breeder. The usual method of making poularcles, as capon- ized hens are termed in France, is to extirpate the egg-cluster, or ovaries, in a similar manner to extracting the testicles from young cocks. Mr. Yarrell says, however, " that it is quite sufficient merely to cut across the egg-tube or oviduct, with a sharp knife." Birds after once being caponized are never subject to the natural process of molting. Fig. 3. ANATOMY OF THE EGG. THE OVARIUM. In a laying hen, M. Vielb, an eminent anatomist of France, says, may be found, on opening the body, what is termed the ovarium — a cluster of rudimental eggs, of different sizes, from very minute points up to shapes of easily-distinguished forms. These rudimental eggs have as yet no shell or white, these being exhibited in a different stage of development ; but consist wholly of yolk, on the surface of which the germ of the future chicken lies. The yolk and the germ are enveloped by a very thin membrane. When THE RUDIMENTAL EGG, still attached to the ovarium, becomes longer and larger, and arrives at a certain size, either its own weight, or some other efficient cause, detaches it from the cluster, and makes it fall into a sort of funnel, leading to a pipe, which is called the oviduct. Here THE YOLK OF THE RUDIMENTAL EGG, hitherto imperfectly formed, puts on its mature appearance of a thick yellow fluid ; while the rudimental chick or embryo, lying on the surface opposite to that by which it had been attached to the ovarium^ is white, and somewhat like paste. The white, or ALBUMEN OF THE EGG, now becomes diffused around the yolk, being secreted from the blood vessels of the egg-pipe, or oviduct, in the form of a thin, glassy fluid ; this is pre- vented from mixing with the yolk and the embryo chicken by the thin membrane which surrounded them before they were detached from the egg- cluster, while it is strengthened by a second and stronger membrane, formed around the first, immediately after falling into the oviduct. This second membrane, enveloping the yolk of the germ of the chicken, is thickest at the two ends, having what is termed bulgings by some, and chalazes by anatomists ; these bulgings of the second membrane pass quite through the white at the ends, and being thus, as it were, embedded in the white, they keep the inclosed yolk and germ somewhat in a fixed position, preventing 150 the people's practical poultry book. them from rolling about within the egg when it is moved. The white of the egg being thus formed, a third membrane, or, rather, a double mem- brane, much stronger than either of the first two, is formed around it, be- coming attached to the chalazes of the second membrane, and tending still more to keep all the parts in their relative positions. progress op the formations. During the progress of these several formations, the egg gradually advances about half way along the oviduct. It is still, however, destitute of the shell, which begins to be formed by a process simliar to the formation of the shell of a snail, as soon as the outer layer of the third membrane has been completed. When the shell is fully formed, the egg continues to advance along the oviduct, till the hen goes to her nest and lays it. From ill-health, or accidents, eggs are sometimes excluded from the oviducts before the shell has begun to be formed, and in this state they are called wind eggs. the egg has six different envelopes. Reckoning, then, from the shell inward, there are six different en- velopes, of which one only could be detected before the descent of the egg into the oviduct, — the shell ; the external layer of the membrane lining the shell ; the internal layer of same lining ; the white, composed of a thinner liquid on the outside, and a thicker and more yellowish liquid on the inside ; the bulgings, or chalaziferous membrane ; and the proper mem- brane. One important part of the egg is the air-bag, placed at the larger end, between the shell and its lining membrane. This is about the size of the eye of a small bird in new-laid eggs, but is in- creased as much as ten or twelve times in the process of hatching. The air-bag is of such great importance to the development of the chicken — probably by supplying it with a limited atmosphere of oxygen — that, if the blunt end of an egg be pierced with the point of the smallest needle, the egg cannot be hatched. DOUBLE-YOLKED EGGS. Instead of one rudimental egg falling from the ovarium, two may be detected, and will, of course, be inclosed in the same shell, when the egg will be double-yolked. The eggs of a goose have, in some instances, been known to contain even three yolks. If the double-yolked eggs be hatched, they will rarely produce two separate chickens, but, more commonly, monstrosities — chickens with two heads, four legs, and the like. the shell of the egg. The shell of the egg, chemically speaking, consists chiefly of carbonate of lime, similar to chalk, with a small quantity of phosphate of lime and THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 151 animal mucus. When burned, the animal matter and the carbonic acid gas of the carbonate of lime are separated ; the first being reduced to ashes, or animal charcoal, while the second is dissipated, leaving the decarbonized lime mixed with a little phosphate of lime. THE WHITE OF THE EGG. The white of the egg is without taste or smell, of a viscid, glairy con- sistence, readily dissolving in water, coagulable by acids, by spirits of wine, and by a temperature of one hundred and sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit. If it has once been coagulated, it is no longer soluble in either cold or hot water, and acquires a slight insipid taste. It is composed of eighty parts of water, fifteen and a half parts albumen, and four and a half parts mucus ; besides giving traces of soda, benzoic acid, and sulphureted hydrogen gas. The latter, on an egg being eaten from a silver spoon, stains the spoon a blackish purple, by combining with the silver, and forming sulphuret of silver. The white of the egg is a very feeble conductor of heat, retarding its escape, and preventing its entrance to the yolk; a providential con- trivance not merely to prevent speedy fermentation and corruption, but to arrest the fatal chills, which might occur in hatching, when the mother hen leaves her eggs, from time to time, in search of food. Eels and other fish which can live long out of water, secrete a similar viscid, substance on the sui'face of their bodies, furnished to them, doubtless, for the same purpose. THE YOLK OF THE EGG. The yolk has an insipid, bland, oily taste ; and, when agitated with water, forms a milky emulsion. If it is long boiled it becomes a granular, friable solid, yielding, upon expression, a yellow, insipid, fixed oil. It consists, chemically, of water, oil, albumen and gelatine. In proportion to the quantity of albumen, the egg boils hard. THE WEIGHT OF EGGS. The weight of the eggs of the domestic fowl varies materially; in some breeds averaging thirty-three ounces per dozen, while in others, but fourteen and a-half ounces. A fair average weight for a dozen is twenty-two and a-half ounces. Yellow, mahogany and salmon-colored eggs are genei-ally richer than white ones, containing, as they do, a large quantity of yolk. These are generally preferred for culinary purposes ; while the latter, con- taining an excess of albumen, are preferred for boiling, etc., for the table. FACTS ABOUT INCUBATION. We are informed by M. Tegetmeier that, in breaking a number of eggs into a basin, a small circular speck may be observed upon each yolk. This speck is the rudiment of the young chick, and the construction of the egg is such that, on whatever side it is turned, the rudimentary germ is always 152 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. uppermost, so as to receive the heat from the sitting hen. The mechanism by which this is managed is very simple : — The lower side of the yolk is weighed or ballasted by two heavy twisted masses of very firm albumen, which keep the germ constantly uppermost. Contrary to general belief, these ballasting weights are found in all eggs, whether laid by pullets or old hens. If an egg has been set upon for even a few hours, the size of the germ is increased, and if left in the nest of a sitting hen for twenty-four hours, small blood vessels may be seen forming a beautiful zone around it. The yolk, like the white, is composed of concentric layers, which may be seen when it is boiled hard, and from the germ a tube runs to a central hollow or cavity, often noticeable when an egg boiled hard for salad is cut across. WHEN A FECUNDATED EGG IS PLACED UNDER A HEN, or deposited in an incubator, and subjected to a temperature somewhat above one hundred degrees, the germ undergoes a remarkable series of alterations, being gradually developed into the perfect chick. During the period of incubation, various changes occur. The air-vesicle at the end gradually becomes larger in proportion as the water of the albumen evaporates, through the pores of the shell. During its development, the chicken derives its nourishment chiefly from the yolk ; and shortly befoi'e birth the remainder of the yolk is drawn into the abdomen, and passing into the digestive canal, constitutes the first food of the newly hatched animal. During incubation, the blood of the chick is aerated by passing through a series of vessels in a temporary respiratory membrane which lines the porous shell ; this makes its appearance on the third day, and gives rise to that opacity of the fertile egg which may always be observed. It is not until the nineteenth day of incubation that the beak of the chick ruptures the enlarged air vesicle, and it then only commences to breathe by means of its lungs. This is accompanied by a peculiar sound known as " tapping," which is merely respiratory, and is not caused by contact of any kind between the beak of the chick and the interior of the shell. INCUBATORS, THE HATCHING AND REARING OP CHICKENS BY ARTIFICIAL MEANS has not received that attention which its importance demands. The business of raising poultry in this country has been very limited and its operations very primitive. It is only for a few years past that farmers and fanciers have taken hold of it with any degree of earnestness ; and for the very short time they have given it their attention their success has been wonderful, and plainly shows what can be done by a little attention and perseverance. Poultry and eggs should be one of the staple articles of subsistence for the peo- ple, where now only a few, comparatively, share in these luxuries, on account of the high prices these necessities of life command. Chickens should never sell for over twelve cents per pound, and eggs twelve cents per dozen ; and the pi-esent prices could be reduced to the above standards by means of the artificial methods of hatching and raising them. If each individual who takes an interest in RAISING POULTRY EITHER FOR PLEASURE OR PROFIT had the means of hatching out only one hundred and fifty chickens every three weeks it would quintuple the stock of the country. And what a saving of time and labor ; and especially when such an instrument could be man. aged by the younger folks. An incubator that would hold two hundred eggs would produce in six sittings, on an average, nine hundred chickens, even allowing for the loss of fifty eggs by various means at each sitting and would perform the work of sixteen hens every three weeks ; and the hens could be brought back to the business of laying again in a very short time. Of course we do not mean to keep the hens from having one good sitting a year, which is so necessary for their rest, comfort and health. We have not in this estimate taken into account the length of time it takes the hen to raise her brood so that they may look out for themselves. This will be treated of more fully under the title of " Artificial Mothers." THE DIFFERENT INCUBATORS. From the number of successful experiments that have been made by dif- ferent inventors and scientific men, we are more fully convinced of the practicability of the plan, and that it wants only encouragement from the people to make it a success. 154 THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. THE EGYPTIAN MODE OE HATCHING EGGS. The Egyptians hatched eggs in ovens on an immense scale with great suc- cess. Thousands of thousands of chickens were hatched in a season in this way. Reaumur succeeded in HATCHING CHICKENS IN WOODEN CASKS by surrounding them with fresh manure in a state of fermentation, and this method, though not the most pleasant, is still employed in France with good results. Cantelo was successful in supplying the heat from above in imitation of the hen. The elaborate contrivance of Minasi was a very ingenious and successful effort. It could hold two hundred eggs. The chickens were all strong, healthy and vigorous, but the great drawback to these two methods of Cantelo and Minasi was the expensiveness. geyelin's incubator is one which we do not think very desirable at the present day ; still we give, in this connection, a description of it, with illustrations, more for the purpose Fig. 1. Fig. 2. of showing the marked improvement made in these machines than for any other reason. Figure 1 represents a perspective elevation of an artificial pen for hatching ; figure 2, a transverse section of the same. The hatching appa- ratus consists of separate parts : first, a glass-covered box ; second, a water tank ; third, a floating vessel ; fourth, a gas or oil lamp. The glass-covered box is made of japanned tin ; it has a glass door through which the light can be seen ; the bottom of this box is perforated in the cen- ter for the admission of air to the lamp, and the other part is carpeted to receive the chickens as they leave their shells. About twelve inches from the bottom are four brackets, to receive the water tank ; the lid has a per- forated border for the escape of the vitiated air and steam from the water. The sides are provided with handles for carrying the box from one place to another, and it stands on four knobs to allow a free passage of air under- the people's practical poultry book. 155 neath. The water tank is made of tin, and a little smaller than the box, so as to allow half an inch free passage of air all round. The floating vessel is made of tin, and is a trifle smaller than the water tank, so as to allow of its floating in it. The center of this vessel has an oval opening, in which a registering thermometer is kept to show at all times the temperature of the water. The bottom of this vessel is covered about one inch deep with silver sand, on which the eggs are placed. By means of the central opening, and that between the tank, the temperature is kept in a constantly moist state. The lamp can be for oil or gas, but gas is certainly preferable. The manage- ment of the apparatus is so simple that it can be attended to by a child, and only a very few directions will be necessary : — 1 . Fill the tank with hot water till the floating vessel reaches the top level, then see that the water has a temperature of about one hundred and twelve degrees, after which light the lamp, and should the heat of the water increase, reduce the flame ; but if the temperature rises or decreases but slowly, it can be regulated by admitting more or less air through the door of the box. 2. The principal point, how- ever, is, that the temperature on the sand should not vary much from one hundred and five degrees, and it will be found that with water-heat of one hundred and twelve degrees, the sand will be one hundred and five, and on the eggs ninety-eight degrees. For beginners, however, it is always best to put the apparatus in action a day or two before placing eggs in it. 3. Turn the eggs once or twice a day, and keep the water replenished as it evap- orates. The only incubators that are considered at all practicable are those of M. Carbonnier, Mr. Brindley and Mr. F. Schroder. m. carbonnier's incubator was quite a simply constructed machine. The heating apparatus consisted of a tin or copper cistern or boiler of any desired size made with a flat bottom and heated by a lamp, for which a chamber was provided in one end. The lamp was so constructed as to burn for a certain length of time without at- tention, and it was essential that the lamp chamber should be in the end of the cistern that there might be a regular circulation of the water. The cistern was kept nearly filled ; and the constant immersion of the thermometer was necessary to show the temperature. The eggs were placed in a drawer under the cistern on a little hay. They were not exposed to the direct heat of the cistern, but were covered with a piece of canvas, on which is spread a layer of sawdust half an inch thick. The sawdust became warmed by the heat of the cistern and resting gently upon the eggs warms them in a more natural way than any preceeding incubator we know of. In the egg drawer should be a second thermometer to indicate the heat the eggs were subjected to. The temperature of the sawdust may be kept at a standard of one hundred and two or one hundred and three degrees Fahrenheit, and regular attention was necessary to insure this. The eggs were withdrawn every day and exposed to the cold air for about twenty minutes, and turned over as often, and the 156 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. sawdust laid again upon them, and sprinkled with water heated to one hun- dred and five degrees, so as to make it slightly moist. THE ARRANGEMENT OF MR. BRINDLEY S INCUBATOR is shown by figure 3. It is a copper boiler heated by a lamp or gas jet, B furnished with a reservoir, also marked B, carefully constructed to burn with steadiness. From this boiler the hot water flows constantly through a sys- J3 a> S3 f-.'a t*oa 03 c »" fe«|S3 tem of metal pipes, arranged in a horizontal place between two plates of glass, which thus forms a hot-air chamber heated by the pipes. Under the lower glass plates slides the drawer C, lined with felt which contains the eggs. At each side of the lamps at A are TEMPORARY RECEPTACLES, OR ARTIFICIAL MOTHERS, to receive the chickens for the first day, after which they may be removed THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 157 and provided for separately. The hot air chamber is provided with a " safety valve," acted on by the expansion of mercury, which opens at a given tem- perature. This valve seems to have been employed first by M. Vallee of the Jardin des Plantes, Paris. Mr. Brindley's valve seems to have been su- perior to all those shown before him, and to answer all reasonable purposes. Mr. Wright thinks it impossible to make any valve the sole regulator, and expect it to keep the heat uniform. He is under the impression that when the heat becomes two or three degrees too high all that is expected is, that the valve will open and admit cold air to reduce the temperature ; but if the air is really hot the valve, though open, cannot entirely keep the heat down, nor can it guard against a lower temperature than is proper. We shall show hereafter how the heat is regulated by the Graves' plan, so as to obviate these difficulties. Brindley's machine differs radically in principle from the preceding one, as also from Mr. F. H. Schroder's, in that the valve is not employed directly to warm the eggs but simply to impart heat to a chamber of hot air through Which the heat is communicated. In other respects the management is simi- lar. The eggs require to be withdrawn and cooled once a day ; should be carefully turned and sprinkled with warm water, which should also be allowed to moisten the felt lining of the tray in which they are contained. THE INCUBATOR OF MR. F. H. SCHRODER is shown in figure 4. He has adopted an altogether distinct and separate boiler, which is not shown ; but which is connected with the hot water tank Fig. 4. C, of the incubator by two pipes ; B being the inlet pipe, and D the outlet. This tank is provided with an open table, I, in which a thermometer can be placed to show the temperature, and with a ventilating tube H, which is open at top and bottom. Under the tank slide the egg drawers E, which in area resembles the quadrant of a circle — this is of a circular form. 158 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. THE INCUBATOR BEING OF A CIRCULAR FORM, the bottom of these drawers are of perforated zinc, and partly filled with sand, both to preserve the heat and to form a convenient and warm recep- tacle for the newly-hatched chickens. Curtains are provided to surround the sides of the incubator, and thus guard, in some measure, against change of temperature in the apartment. In using this incubator the egg-drawers E are partly filled with chaff or other similar material, on which the eggs are deposited. The water from the cold water cistern F, underneath them,slowly evaporates with the heat above, and preserves a gentle moisture around the eggs during the process of incubation, percolating as it does through the chaff and perforated bottom of the egg-drawer ; ventilation takes place through the middle shape or pipe H. Sprinkling the eggs is not necessary in Mr. Schroder's plan ; all that you need to do is to replenish the cold water tank F when exhausted. The eggs, however, as in all incubators, should be withdrawn, cooled half an hour and turned every day. THE INCUBATOR OF COL. STUART WORTLET, represented in figure 5, is described by Mr. Wright in his work as superior to all the rest ; but, at the same time, admits that it has not yet been gen- erally tested. D, is a saddle-backed or other convenient boiler, furnished Fig. 5 — Col. Stuart Wortley's Incubator. with a steam dome, by which the steam is collected and allowed to escape. Connected with the boiler is a simple cistern C, by which the hight of the water is always kept uniform, a glass gauge, A, showing the hight at a glance. The water in the boiler is always kept boiling, and circulates therefore at a uniform temperature through the pipes, which heats the egg chamber. These pipes pass through padded holes, and hence by sliding them in more, there is greater heat imparted for cold weather, or by withdrawing them a little the temperature will fall. THE GREAT IMPROVEMENT OF COL. WORTLEt's INCUBATOR is the control he has over the variations of temperature. He seems to take THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 159 advantage of the natural law, which, without trouble, gives him always a temperature of one hundred and twelve degrees, and then provides for changes by giving more or less of heating surface. THE AMERICAN INCUBATOR. This incubator, represented by the cuts ; figure 4, representing the out- ward appearance of the machine, and figure 5 the inside arrangements, was awarded the first premium at the Pennsylvania State Poultry Ex- hibition, held in the city of Philadelphia. C, figure 5, is the nursery for young chickens for the first week after hatch- ing, D being a ventilator, of which there is a corresponding one in the rear. B, B, B, B, is the boiler, by which the heat is generated by means of a lamp L. 2J, N, N, N, are the nests or drawers for the eggs. The two lower Fig. 4. Fig. 5. THE AMERICAN INCUBATOR. ones being directly under the boiler, the heat is applied above the eggs, the same as in natural incubation. To apply the heat in the same manner to the eggs in the upper drawers, the inclined shelves, R, R, are used, (the two drawers being tight-bottomed also.) The heat is thus forced to ascend as shown by the arrows, and passes over the eggs, escaping by the ventilators at H, H, into the nursery, C, where it is again utilized for the young chicks. V, V, are tubes going through the boiler, serving for stays to keep the boiler from bulging or collapsing, and also answering for ventilating the lower tier of drawers. The boiler is so constructed as to keep the water in constant circulation, thus securing, as is claimed, a uniform heat in all portions of the boiler, with a smaller consumption of fuel than by any other method. The great trouble in hatching machines heretofore presented to the public, has been the impossibility of keeping the drawers below the boiler at 160 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. the same temperature as those above. It is claimed that in this machine that difficulty is entirely overcome ; and that by the arrangement of the ventilators heat is more perfectly under control than has been before at- tained. This— an even temperature— is the most important point to be secured; with it success is almost certain; without it, almost impossible. The proper heat is one hundred and three degrees Fahrenheit ; the minimum being one hundred degrees, and the maximum one hundred and five degrees. It is not always fatal to let the heat go below one hundred degrees, if not allowed to remain so any great length of time ; but a heat of one hundred and seven or one hundred and eight degrees is almost certain death to all unhatched chickens. The period of incubation is not shortened, as many suppose ; or, at most, only one day— twenty days being the average time ; and we frequently see hens bring off their broods in that time, if close sitters. The chicks come out remarkably strong and healthy, and are always free from vermin ; and after the first few days require no more care than if hatched under a hen. THE GRAVES' INCUBATOR. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an incubator case, showing the ventilating and heat-regulating devices. Figure 2 is a transverse, vertical section of figure 1. Figures 3 and 4 are views in detail of the heat> Fig. 1 — Perspective View of Graves' Incubator. regulating devices ; and figure 5 (shown elsewhere,) is a view of an artificial mother, or protector. The object of this invention is to maintain a definite THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 1S1 degree of temperature in incubators heated by water, and it consists, mainly, of two horizontal glass tubes, closed at one end, containing alcohol, and located under the hot water tank, each tube communicating with a vertical cylinder filled with mercury, one at each end of the incubator ; in which cylinders are cork pistons or floats, having rods attached to pivoted levers, which are so connected with the regulators on the heating lamps and ven- tilating valves, communicating with the incubating chamber, that the rising of said floats or pistons beyond a certain point by the expansion of the alcohol will act to check the flames of the lamps and open the ventilating valves, thus decreasing the temperature of the air and water, while the de- pression of said floats, in consequence of the contraction of the alcohol, will produce an opposite effect and highten the temperature, the parts being so arranged as not to be affected by the medium temperature, at which the incubator is to be kept, but only by higher or lower degrees. EXPLANATION OP THE ILLUSTRATION. In the drawing A represents the incubator, which is divided into several compartments, as shown in figure 2, viz. : — The cold water tank, B ; in- cubating space, C ; hot water tank, D ; protecting or heat-retaining space, E ; and drying loft, F, The ends of the incubator are provided with lamps, G, which heat the water in reservoirs, H. These latter communicate, through tubes, I, I, with the hot water tank, D. J, is a reservoir, which 27 ^ ■- " ■• s s ^ /7//// ^^^^ Fig. 2.— Transveiise Section of Graves' Incubator. supplies oil to the lamps. K, K, represent glass tubes under tank, T>, and in contact with the bottom thereof. Said tubes are filled with alcohol, or other expansible fluid, and communicate at their outer ends through the bent tubes, L, with the cylinders, M, which contain mercury. N, represents a piston rod, attached to a cork piston, or float, N, in the cylinder, M. The 11 162 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. upper end of rod, N, is attached to an arm or lever, O, which is pivoted at one end and swings freely at the other. P, represents a valve, which com- municates with the incubating space, C, and is connected by wires, R, with the free end of lever, O ; said wires are not rigidly connected with valve, P but have a sliding attachment. S, represents the lamp-burner, which is provided with the tube, S, which is beveled off at one side, as shown. T, is a guard or regulator, which is journaled on shaft, t, beside the tube, S, and when not in operation inclines from the same. The shaft, t, is bent on the outside of the burner into an elbow or crank, U, which is connected by the spiral spring, V, to the lever, O. The operation of this invention is as follows : — The standard temperature for hatching eggs is about one hundred and two degrees Fahrenheit, at which point this device is arranged to remain inoperative ; but, when the water in tank, D, becomes heated above this- point, the expansion of the alcohol in tubes, K, causes the cork float or piston, N", to elevate the rod, N, and lever, O, which latter being connected to valve, P, by wire, R, and to regulator, I, by spring, V, opens valve, P, and causes regulator, T, to close over the beveled side of tube, S, thereby lowering the flame in proportion to the nearness it approaches the tube. Figure 3. Figure 4. When the valve, P, is opened, warm air rushes up through tube, W, and out through said valve, thus cooling the space, C ; while the flame of the lamps, being diminished, the temperature of the water in tank, D, will fall until the medium of one hundred and two degrees is reached, when the alcohol in tubes, K, will contract far enough to lower the lever, O, valve, P, and regulator, I, to their former positions. X is a TAibe for drawing off the water from the cold water tank, B ; Q is a slide, when the heat does not pass off as rapidly as necessary through the valve P, to cool the incubator space C, open the draw Q, and the cold air rushes in from below drawing out the hot air above. It should always be borne in mind, however, that the opposite end of the machine has a similar arrangement to that shown in figure 1, with which one of the tubes, K, connects — the whole operating in connection. The wires, R, are not rigidly attached to valve P, as above mentioned, but slide through a staple or orifice in the same, to the end that THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 163 the lever, O, may have free play when the valve is closed or opened to its utmost extent. A similar result is obtained by the use of the spring, V, which permits the lever to rise after the regulator has closed over the tube to its utmost extent. THE REGULATOR AND TUBE are so arranged, however, that the flame cannot be entirely extinguished by the operation described, while the flame is graduated from a full blaze to a very faint one. THE GREAT DIFFICULTY IN ARTIFICIAL HATCHING. It is well known that the great difficulty in artificial hatching is that of maintaining a regular temperature, particularly in so variable a climate as in the Northern States. The difference of temperature between day and night has to be carefully provided for, and constant reference must be had to the thermometers. This difficulty has heretofore been a great obstacle in the way of the artificial hatching of chickens. By this invention, is obtained a constant and even temperature at all times, provided, of course, that the lamps are capable of producing sufficient heat for all exigencies. THE PERIOD OF INCUBATION BY THESE MACHINES. M. Vallee, an inventor of one of these machines, in giving the result of his experience touching the period of incubation necessary for the various species of eggs, states what is curious and worthy of record. For chickens it takes twenty-one days ; partridges, twenty-four ; pheasants, twenty-five ; Guinea hens, twenty-five; common ducks, twenty-eight; pea fowls, twenty- eight; Barbary ducks, thirty; geese, thirty; turkeys, twenty-eight. The degrees of heat required to effect the above result are from one hundred and four to one hundred and ten degrees Fahrenheit. ARTIFICIAL HATCHING OF DUCKS IN CHINA. In closing our remarks on the use of incubators and artificial mothers, we have deemed it not improper to give, from Commodore Perry's report of his voyage to Japan, the mode used by the Chinese in hatching ducks' eggs by artificial means. After visiting the hatching chambers he carefully details the plan of the Chinese, as follows : — " There was NO ARTIFICIAL HEAT IN ACTUAL USE while I was there. The temperature of the external atmosphere was at about ninety degrees Fahrenheit, and there was a small chamber with a number of furnaces and charcoal, ready to be lighted and put into requisition at very short notice. The front room had large shelves on the two sides, about four feet deep from the wall, extending the whole length, the lower about a yard from the ground, and two others about eighteen inches apart. These shelves were appropriated to eggs which were within two or three ■days of their term. The shelves were first covered with two or three thick- nesses of heavy, spongy paper, almost as thick as a blanket, which appeared 164 the people's practical poultry book. to have been manufactured for the special purpose, in sheets four or five feet square. Next came a layer of eggs, two deep, all over the shelves, and two of the layers of the blanket paper mentioned. Parts of these shelves were occupied. They felt very warm to the hand. Their warmth was certainly much above that of the atmosphere, the blanket paper protecting them from its chilling influence as well as sudden changes. On some parts of the shelves the eggs were hatching, and the men were engaged, where they were nearly all hatched, in separating them. They tossed the little ones, as well as the eggs which showed signs of animation, very roughly and carelessly into baskets at considerable distance, greatly endangering the strangers' lives from concussion, fracture of limbs, &c, in our estimation, but in John's opin- ion it merely broke the shells, and thus enabled them the better to extricate themselves. The ducklings, after remaining a few hours to dry, and extri- cate themselves from the shells, were placed on the floor in little movable basket-work inclosures of bamboo, and supplied with a kind of grass chopped up for food, which they ate with an appetite which showed that they fully appreciated it. This grass was placed in little baskets with broad bottoms, so that they could not be overset, and the vertical splints continued upward, and were tied together at the top, so as to afford slats in the manner of a horse's manger. They could stick in their heads in the scramble for their first breakfast, but could not trample the food under their feet. I presume the young are transferred almost immediately to the boats, as I did not see any which appeared more than a week old. " At the back part of their room is a mud wall partition, with a door in the center, and two other walls running back at right angles to it, dividing the back end of the building into three small apartments — one for the fur- naces of charcoal, &c, the middle one serves as entrance, and the third is the apartment appropriated to the most delicate part of the process. This has a board floor, raised about four feet from the ground, beneath which are placed the furnaces, if necessary. The apartment itself was very dark and smother- ing ; not much gas or smoke, but high temperature. This apartment con- tained about ten barrels, lined with the flannel paper, stratum super stratum^ about three or four inches thick. In these barrels the process begins, and continues till within two or three days of its termination, when they go to the shelves in the front room. The barrels are almost filled with eggs, a sheet of paper being-; interposed between each layer of about six inches, and the whole covered wi th three or four sheets of the flannel paper, and a thick light lid, composed in part of the same material. The whole arrangement seems to be a most perfect protection from sudden changes of temperature, and I am under the impression that the eggs are handled a great deal, as they opened them without any hesitation, and even asked us if we should not like to in- vest capital in the business, for which they offered to pay two per cent, a ,*ioath ; c\ a share of the profits, which were certain to be equivalent." From *his description it appears that the first, and possibly the most deli- THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 165 cate, stages of incubation are superintended with greatest care, and that the eggs are more freely exposed to the atmosphere as the incubation approaches completion. It is to be regretted that the exact temperature of the rooms is not given, the sensation of warmth being quite fallacious as a test of temper- ature. REARING CHICKENS BY ARTIFICIAL MEANS. ARTIFICIAL MOTHERS. Where poultry breeding is carried on to a large extent, and where it is intended to rear the greatest number of chickens with the least number of hens, or with an incubator, artificial mothers are of the utmost importance. Chickens can be just as well reared, and, some writers aver, even better by ar- tificial than by the natural method. The only use of the hen is to prevent the natural heat of the chick's body from cooling — to break up the food, and pro- tect them from danger. In fact, chickens do not really require an artificial hen. They only require a suitable covering for their bodies until full-fledged, to preserve the natural heat, so as to keep their bodies warm, the same as full-grown fowls. TO GET EARLY CHICKENS. The artificial mother is very convenient to persons raising poultry, either on a large or small scale, to get early chickens in January or February, when the weather will not permit them to run out, and to have fine,large fowls for exhibition in the fall months. For large poultry dealers a good, light house is required, with good ventilation, without a draught ; a dry and well graveled floor ; sunlight, and a small run, with a little fire, in very cold, damp, chilly and rainy days, to keep the atmosphere dry, is all that is needed to raise as fine chickens as may be desired. The artificial mother, however, is a great economizer of time and labor — saves the necessity of any coops, which would otherwise be needed. It protects the little chicks from the changeableness of the weather, and from the vermin that infests, more or less, all poultry yards. By this mode the chickens are also completely under control, and where they can be given all sorts of nourishing drinks and food, without fear or trouble of the mother hen. ARTIFICIAL MOTHERS MAY BE USED WITHOUT THE INCUBATOR. Hens, especially those of the large or Asiatic breeds, are apt, when in con- finement, to kill their chickens by treading upon them, or in scratching, and occasionally some mothers pick their young to death or prevent them from, coming near her to pick up food. In the use of the artificial mother this can 166 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. be obviated, and each chicken allowed to get its equal amount of food with the others. If the incubator is not used for hatching eggs, as we have said before, the artificial mother will be found to be a very useful appendage to the poultry yard, in more ways than one. As soon as the chickens are hatched out, say in about twenty-four hours, take them from the hen and put them into the artificial mother. Then place the hen back into the pen, in readiness to perform, in a few days, her ordinary functions in laying. PERSPECTIVE SECTION OF A PORTABLE ARTIFICIAL HEN". The engraving herewith given is taken from Gey elites Poultry Breeding, and described as follows : — A is a glass-covered frame three feet long, fifteen PERSPECTIVE SECTION OF A PORTABLE ARTIFICIAL HEN. inches wide, two feet high at the apex, and twelve inches at the rise of the glass frame. This forms a dry run in wet and cold weather, c is an air-flue •across the frame for the necessary ventilation, and formed of perforated zinc. At each end of this flue a ventilator is fixed, by which the admission of air can be regulated according to the temperature of the atmosphere. It will be apparent that chickens are not exposed to draught by this arrangement of ventilation, d is a frame lined with long fleece, under which the chickens will roost the same as under the wings of a hen, and will even prefer the artificial mother, as I have ascertained by experience, e is about one inch deep of ashes, which may be sprinkled over with flour of sulphur. They make a dry and warm footing, and retain the heat ; but they should be re- newed or sifted once a week, y, the floor, should be slightly covered with sand, and renewed every day. g is a small door, communicating with the open run. h is a glass frame, made to open by means of a slide or by hinges. J? is the moveable open run, six feet long, fifteen inches wide, and twelve inches high. It is made of galvanized iron wire, which not only keeps the chickens from danger, but also prevents them from roaming. The artificial mother, being portable, should be taken in-doors every afternoon during the cold weather, and in the daytime should be placed on grass or dry land. The run should be made of small mesh, rat-proof wire. GRAVES* ARTIFICIAL MOTHER. This engraving represents one of the most approved artificial mothers of the present day, in fact, we believe, the best yet in use or invented. It is a THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 167 box about six or eight feet long, with a glass door or lid that lifts up. The apparatus for heating the artificial mother is on the same principle as that of graves' artificial mother. heating the incubator. It consists of a tank, a, filled with warm water, in- closed in the box under, a, and provided on its under side with a lining of sheepskin, or other soft material, and having an open space, covered with a glass roof, d. t, thermometer, regulating the heat on the inside, e, sliding door, for the chickens to run in or out, at either end of the artificial mother. As we have said elsewhere, the mother is heated on the same principle as the Graves Incubator, therefore we deem any further description unnecessary and superfluous. IRREGULAR SEXUAL VARIATIONS OF PLUMAGE. This is a subject that has of late attracted considerable attention of breeders, not only in this country, but also in England and France. Some time during 1869 a correspondent and particular friend of Moore's Mural New- Yorker entered a complaint against a well-known breeder, of having been swindled by him. He (the said correspondent) having purchased a pair of fowls and represented that instead of receiving a male and female bird he had got two male birds. Some time after he discovered that one of the birds had every appearance of being a cock bird, both in plumage and action, but laid an egg every day with the regularity of clock- 168 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. work. He could not account for this curious freak of nature. He set the eggs of this product, but never had any of them hatch ; seemingly none of them were impregnated. We now get, through the London Field, illustrations of birds of this character, which we give in this connection, with a condensed report of the same as made to the Field, by the well-known author W. B. Tegetmeier. He says : — " The case of assumption of male plumage by the female as repre- sented in fig. 1, is certainly one of the most extraordinary on record, for the hen has not merely taken on the appearance of the male of her own variety, but has become still more masculine. Every poultry fancier knows that a Sebright bantam cock is what is called a hen-feathered bird — viz. : It has a square tail like that of a hen, and is destitute of the flowing sickle and saddle Fig. 1— Barren Fuix-Feathered Sebright Bantam Hen. feathers and long pointed hackles that ordinarily distinguish the male species of domestic poultry. It might have been anticipated that the barren Se- bright hen would have only assumed the male characters proper to the breed to which she belonged, such as a largely developed comb, elongated spurs, and the masculine crow ; but this specimen acquired the long sickle and saddle feathers and pointed hackles of an ordinary full-feathered cock, still retaining the beautiful lacings or markings peculiar to the variety to which she belonged. The hen died in the autumn of 1869, before she had quite got through her molt, consequently the sickle feathers are not so long and curved as they would have been had she lived a few weeks longer. She was, THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 169 however, carefully preserved for me by Mr. E. Ward of London, and the engraving is a very faithful representation of her appearance. The converse of the assumption of male plumage by the hen is the putting on the female plumage by the cock. There are, as is well known, several varieties of domes- tic poultry in which the cocks are hen-feathered, as in some breeds of Ham- burgs and Game. This peculiarity is generally hereditary, and in the old days of the cock-pit, hen-cocks were well known. There is, however, a re- Fig. 2.— Febtile Hen-Feathebed Game Bantam Cock. markable distinction between the two cases described. A hen that has assumed the male plumage does so from being barren, and in consequence \>f disease or degeneration of the ovary. A hen-feathered cock, on the con- trary, is perfectly fertile, and usually produces chickens with plumage like his own. The change of plumage from the full feather of the cock to the sober attire of the hen has never, I believe, been recorded, except by myself. It was a Game Bantam that was kept by me as a stock bird for his first season, and that changed at the second autumnal molt into the plumage of a hen of the same variety — namely, brown-breasted red. During his second breeding season, and as long as he lived afterwards, he produced chickens, some of which were full-feathered cocks, and some hen-feathered like himself." POULTRY ENEMIES. As every poultry-yard is more or less infested with, or annoyed by rats, weasels*, skunks, and other vermin, we have been induced to give in these pages wks*t we can find upon the subject of interest, and HOW TO PREVENT THE DEPREDATIONS of vermin on poultry. The most common enemy has proved with us to be rats. We have had them frequently carry off chicks and ducks fully a quarter grown, to say nothing of the depredations they have committed on broods but a lew days old, in some instances carrying off whole clutches in the course oj a few nights. THE COMMON STEEL TRAP. We have used the common steel trap, for catching rats, with good success in our poultry-yard, but after a time the varmints become shy of its open jaws, and it fails to perform the good offices we desire to have it. We have then taken to the COMMON BOX TRAP, which is shown in fig. 1, and with which we have been quite successful. It can be made by almost any one who is conversant with the use of tools, requiring a few boards, nails and wire in its construction, and will last for years, with any ordinary care. HOW THE TRAP IS MADE. The top and bottom of the trap are made of oak boards one inch thick and twenty inches square. It is divided into two parts, making really two dis- tinct traps. The corners are of wire about one-quarter inch diameter, and the sides and partition of No. 7 wire. Holes are bored both top and bottom and the wires inserted. The corner wires are riveted, holding the trap firmly together ; the doors are of oak, three-quarter inch thick, and are kept in place by a cross wire on the top board of the trap and by two small staples near the bottom edge of the door, which slide on the upright wires on each side. The treadle, X, is also oak, working on the upright pin, O, as a fulcrum, and being held in place by the wire hook, V, working on a pivot at THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 171 P, and on the lower end of which the bait is placed, represented as set, the other as sprung. One side of the trap is. SETTING AND BAITING THE TRAP. In setting this trap, when the rats are abundant, we have always baited the trap for several nights before setting it in earnest ; we fasten the bait to the hook, and then fix the trap so it cannot be sprung, then strew Indian meal or other feed around the bottom of the trap. In a few nights the rats will make this quite a feeding ground. We have caught, says a writer in Moore's Mural New-Yorker, twenty-seven rats in a single night ; sixteen at the first setting and eleven at the next. Then perhaps it would be a week before we would catch another in that trap ; meanwhile we would start another. Fig. 1— Common Box Tbap. THE BOX OR BARREL TRAP. One simple arrangement has caught scores for us. In any building or cehar where the rats abound put a water-tight box or barrel ; if a box, it should not be less than two and a half feet deep ; about one-third down from the top hang a lid or trap-door, hanging it from the side of the box or barrel. (See fig. 2.) Cover this lid with a piece of tin or sheet iron in such a way that there is no roughness to make a foothold for rats. To hold up this lid, make a common wire spring, thus X, X, passing through the side of the box or barrel, to the ring of which attach a cord ;. carry this cord to the outside of the building or cellar, so that it can be pulled without being obliged to enter the room where the trap is. The lid should hang so as to drop, not lift or raise. Sprinkle some corn meal or other feed on the lid, having previously put about six or eight inches of water in the box. At any time during the day or night, when you are passing, pull the spring and fig. 2— barrel Trap. drop the lid ; a minute's time will reset the trap, and, although you may often catch nothing, you will sometimes catch half a dozen at a time. We have known over a dozen caught during a single evening, and in the course of a month a house almost depopulated of- rats. WEASELS, MINKS AND SKUNKS. In the country we also have weasels, minks and skunks to fight against. If the place abounds with mice the weasel will rarely touch the chickens, the former being his favorite food. But when the weasel once gets a taste of 172 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. chickens, he will sometimes slaughter whole broods in a single night ; he simply sucks the blood and passes on to the next. We have known them to attack full grown fowls, but rarely ; unless their burrow is near by, they will seldom visit the same yard two nights in succession. THE RAVAGES OP THE MINK. Next to the weasel, the mink is most dreaded among poultry. In locali- ties near salt marshes, swamps, ponds and sluggish streams they most abound. The ravages of the mink are easily told from those of the weasel, or any other animal. He almost always carries off a portion of his prey and tries to secrete it. If you find a half-grown chicken or old fowl dead and dragged wholly or partly into a stone wall or under some building, you may be certain it is the work of a mink; and if you go to work right, you will be just as certain to trap him. THE PECULIARITIES OF THE MINK. One peculiarity of the animal makes his capture easy — he always returns to a spot where he has hidden his quarry, or where he has made a raid ; and if he misses it, will go searching around for it. A knowledge of this fact led to the invention, some ten years since, of the trap given in fig. 3. The trap should be three feet long, one foot wide, and one foot high, outside measurement, and may be made of ordinary faced pine boards. N is the only solid part of the top, to which is hinged the lids L and D, and also in which the standard S is mortised. The lid L is held up by the rod A, in which are one or more notches, to elevate it the desired hight, catching or hooking over the pin B, and projecting a few inches beyond. Under A, and hinged into the standard by the pin P, is the lever T, also projecting an inch or more beyond. C is a treadle-board, hinged at Y to the bottom of the trap, and connecting by the wire W to the lever T, elevating it about two inches when set. H is the bait box, separated from the main trap by a wire screen, X, X. O is a window, of which there should be one on each side about three or four inches square, also covered with wire or wire cloth, and D is the lid of the bait box, fastened down by the pin E. BAITING AND SETTING THE TRAP. If you have a chicken or fowl that has been killed by the mink a night or two preceding, put that into the bait box and close the lid, placing the trap as near the spot where the dead fowl was found as you can. If a live fowl is put in, no harm can be done to it, the screen effectually protecting it. The mink enters the trap, and as soon as his weight gets well up on the treadle it Fig. 3— Mink Trap. THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 173 pulls down the lever T, the projecting end of which dislodges the rod A, and drops the lid L. It is best to have a weight upon L, or else a catch to hold it down when sprung, as we have known an old mink to pry up the lid and get out. We have never known this trap to miss when set immediately suc- ceeding the depredations of one of these varmints. YOUNG MINKS SUCK EGGS. Young minks not one-third grown will suck eggs. A friend of ours once found three young ones in his stable, each with its head inside of an egg shell, and as effectually trapped as any one could wish, which he soon dis- patched. DESTRUCTIVENESS OF THE SKUNK. Next to the mink, the skunk is the most destructive to poultry. "We have had three entire broods, thirty-seven chicks with two or three hens, killed in a single night by these animals. We at that time, some fifteen or more years ago, put our hens and chickens on the bare ground. The skunk dug under, and then had the fun all to himself; since then we have made all our coops with hard bottoms, and have lost no more chicks from that cause. HOW TO BAIT THE TRAP FOR SKUNKS. The only way we have trapped the skunk was with eggs, of which they are passionately fond. Neither are they particular about the quality, as they seem to favor a rotten one, or one with a dead chicken in it, as well as the best and freshest. Tie the egg in a piece of netting, and fasten it to the Fig. 4 — Barbel Skunk Trap. Fig. 5. treadle of a steel trap, or to a common box trap. Take care that it is a trap you do not wish to use again soon, for it will doubtless be too highly flavored to suit a refined taste. MANNER OF SETTING THE TRAP. Find their burrow and set your trap near the mouth. It is nearly useless to set a trap where a theft has been committed. The animal may not go back there again for months. He might possibly be caught in a night or two, but the chances are ten to one against it. MR. HUNGERFORD S SKUNK TRAP. A correspondent of Moore's Rural New- Yorker, from Lyme, 0., says he 174 THE PEOPLE S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. succeeds in riding himself of skunks in the following manner, which certainly is a simple mode. He says : — " I take an old barrel (see figure 4,) and place it on a stick of wood about seven inches high, as shown in the sketch. When the skunk goes for his bait, which is in the bottom of the barrel, as soon as he passes the center the barrel turns up with the skunk, woodchuck or other animal caged in the latter, without making any scent. I then take Mr. Skunk by the tail, and carry him where I please. Care must be taken not to place the barrel too high, as it might throw over and not remain up- right. The more skunks you catch in the same barrel, the better the trap." geyelin's vermin trap. " The trap (see figure 5) consists of an oblong box, the end of which draws out, and is provided with a looking-glass in the internal side, which attracts the vermin on looking in. The entrance of the trap is formed of two spring doors made of wire, which allow the vermin to enter with the least pressui*e. These doors have sharp points where they meet, which, although not felt by the vermin on entering, will prevent it from withdrawing after having once introduced its head. Near to the looking-glass a bait is suspended, and a cage is also fixed with a chicken to serve as a decoy. These traps are self- setting, simple, inexpensive, fit for all sizes of vermin, and safe for the house, farm-yard, or game preserve." h. miles' vermin trap. Mr. Miles says, the best trap for farmers to catch rats, mink, weasels and skunks ever set is : — " Take boards half an inch thick, and make a box the two sides and top twelve inches long, with one end closed ; the size of the box inside being four inches square. I give you a rough sketch of the Pig. 6. — The Trap Set. Fig. 7. — The Trap Sprung. -k*« trap as set. A steel spring is fastened on the closed end of the box, to which is fastened a square ring at its extremity, through which the game thrusts its head to reach the bait at one end of a catch, which holds the ring depressed, and held by a wire running from the front end of the trap to the catch on the upper extremity of the bait hook. This is the best trap for skunks in the world, I believe. I have used many different kinds, but none works so well as this. You can set it at a hole in a wall or fence. It is sure fire." THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 175 CROWS AND HAWKS. Crows and hawks are to be classed among the enemies of poultry. The former prey only on young chickens and eggs. Catch one and hang it in your poultry yard ; no other crow will come near it. HOW TO TRAP CROWS. The quickest and surest trap for crows is to place a steel trap in the shallow water of a pond, so that the jaws, when open, are just under water. On the treadle place a small tuft of grass or moss, making a miniature island. Then cut a small stick with three branches, forking in such a manner as to support an egg on them ; stick this about six or eight inches from the trap ; lay a little moss, grass, or leaves over it, and place the egg on the forks, so it will appear as if floating on the water ; cover the remainder ol the trap lightly with grass, so as to hide it from sight. To obtain the egg the crow will light on the " island" and find, too late, he's caught. HOW TO GET RID OF HAWKS. When hawks are troublesome, the only remedy is to shoot them. You will soon notice that he visits your yard about a certain time every day, and by watching for him you can soon rid yourself of the troublesome visitor — of course, provided you are a good shot. PACKING EGGS FOR TRANSPORTATION, ETC. PUTTING THE LARGE END DOWN. A new fact has just been developed in regard to the packing of eggs for transportation and for hatching. The old theory of packing eggs with the small end down has been practiced so long that many think that the infalli- ble mode. But the experiment we are about to relate confirms us in the be- lief that the modus operandi now recommended is a good one, and, coming from the source it does, is worthy of consideration by those desiring eggs 176 THE people's peactical poultry book. transported to them from a distance. The article in question is from the pen of L. Weight, author of the Practical Poultry Keeper, and those familiar with his writings on poultry or conversant with the reputation of his hook, need no other assurance of the feasibility of the results arrived at by him. He says he has discarded bran in packing eggs, and substituted therefor hay ; believing that good, soft hay is the best material that can be used. MANNER OF PACKING. His mode is to put a good layer of hay in the bottom of a box, not rammed down, but left springy, and some hay put all around the inside ; the eggs should be nicely bedded hi one layer only. Each egg should be wrapped singly and loosely in a piece of paper a quarter the size of a com- mon newspaper page, in such a manner as to leave the ends square, and not shaped to the egg. Then a good wisp of hay is wrapped round each, and the eggs put in the box just tightly enough to prevent them from shaking about, and no more. The eggs should be packed with the large end down. Mr. Weight says he can state positively that eggs intended for hatching will keep good much longer and better when placed on the large end than in any other position. Mr. Geyelin also advocates this position for eggs intended to hatch. the reasons for packing with the large end down. Mr. Wright's experiments in this matter extend over a period of two years. A lady correspondent of his, of large experience, writing him upon this subject, says : — " Keeping eggs on the small end appears to me to cause the air-bubble to spread, detaching it from the shell, or rather from its mem- braneous lining; and after being so kept for a fortnight the air-bubble will be found to be much spread, and the egg to have lost much of its vitality, though still very good for eating." In describing her success with keeping eggs in a contrary position, (large end downward,) says : — " Owing to this method of storing, such a thing as a stale egg has never been known in my house ; and as regards success in hatching, for several seasons when I was able to attend to my poultry myself, of many broods set, every egg produced a chicken." CORRECTNESS OF THIS THEORY. Again, to prove that Mr. W. is correct in his theory, he cites a case wherein he shipped thirty eggs from England to a gentleman in Ohio, packed in the manner here described ; the eggs were twenty-two days on the way, and eighteen chickens were hatched from them. In regard to these eggs he says: — "As I had not many hens laying at the time, many of the eggs must have been eight to ten days old when sent, and fully a month old when set; and I think, therefore, the simple fact that they hatched in the proportion of six to every ten will be sufficient warrant for my now recommending to other fanciers, with full confidence, the adoption of this position for packing and storing." THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 177 Mr. Babcock, New-Haven, Conn., sent us twelve Muscovy duck eggs packed in nearly the same manner as described, which were set under a barn-yard hen ; the eggs becoming chilled they did not hatch, but on being broken we found eight of the twelve had dead ducks nearly fully matured in them. We have, therefore, no hesitancy in recommending to those de- siring eggs for incubation, to request that they be packed in the manner here described, and in no other way, as we believe more than one-half the complaints that arise about the unfertility of eggs, can be traced to no other cause than the careless, bungling and improper manner in which they are packed and skipped. A WORD ABOUT PACKING BOXES. We have used and seen a great many packing boxes, but think the one we here describe, (and which is not patented,) is one of the very best, and which received the premium at the annual exhibition of the New-York State Poultry Society. This box is intended for the transportation of eggs of fancy fowls desired for hatching purposes. It is described as follows : It is a box made of pine wood, dove-tailed together, ten and three-eighth inches long, eight and two-eighth inches wide, and six inches in hight, con- taining twelve compartments of wood, which are fastened together so that they can be pulled all out at once. These compartments are two inches wide, and nearly the depth of the box. To pack the eggs you pull out the inner boxes, and place bran, cut hay or any other soft substance in the bottom, and then replace your box compartments ; then roll your eggs in soft white tissue or tea-paper, wide enough so that when you turn down the ends they will lap over each other, and so doubly protect the ends of the eggs, and then wrap them in newspaper, so as to make almost a small square bundle, folding the ends over nicely. Then place this, with the large end of the egg down- wards, in the several compartments, until they are all filled. Then place the bran in around the edges or open spaces, so that the egg cannot move, and fill the top up with bran. Place on the cover, which slides into a groove on either side of the box, and screw the end down with one screw, so that the cover will not slide off. Then place your box in as many newspapers as you may think proper for the distance it is to go, and cover the whole with a covering of thick hardware paper, and tie with a strong thick twine, for a handle. MODE OF PACKING EGGS FOR MARKET. As we have given a description and manner of making boxes for the transportation of eggs, for hatching purposes, we now propose to give a description and engravings of two new and useful inventions, by which eggs may be carried any required distance with perfect safety, at all seasons of the year, without loss from breakage or heating. By this arrangement the present system of packing eggs in barrels, or other packages, by the use of oats, chaff or other material is entirely abandoned. 12 178 THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. THE CANVASS-COVERED CASE. Figure 1 represents a substantial carrying case, with nine draws, the frames of which are of wood, covered with canvass or sacking, with cords or strings underneath, for the purpose of keeping the eggs in their places. The sacks, at the top and bottom, have depressions, as shown in the coveb of the engraving, so that the eggs fit snugly, and are not liable to be displaced by handling or transporta- tion. Each alternate layer, coming between these depressions in each box or drawer, fills up the interstices perfectly. With proper care these cases will last for years ; are always ready for packing, and can be filled as the eggs are laid — thus avoiding repeated handlings, which so fre- quently injure them. The eggs can also be kept in them perfectly se- cure, when the owner desires to hold his stock for a better market. There are nine layers or drawers of eggs in this box, each layer contain- Fig. 1. — Canvass Covebed Case. ing eight dozen, or a total of seventy-two dozen of eggs. THE COMMON TRANSPORTATION CASE. Figure 2 shows a cheaper case, in every respect. It is a common packing box, made with paste or binder's-board partitions, and each layer of eggs is Fig. 2. — Common Transportation Case. Fig. 3. —Suspension Egg Carrier. covered with the same material. One point connected with packing in these boxes the shipper should know and guard against, that is, it is sometimes the case that the paste-board cover, on which the eggs are placed, is com- THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 179 posed of two pieces, and during transportation or handling these pieces be- come displaced, or pass each other ; then the eggs above drop down on the lower ones, and break them. This difficulty, however, can easily be avoided by pasting a piece of stiff paper over the joint, which will prevent them pass- ing each other. Should there be too much space in the top of the case, place a paper or two over the eggs, and fill with straw or hay, which will keep all tight and compact, without any fear of breakage. Any sized box desired can be used for this style of case, and, with a little care on the part of the packer of the eggs, can be carried as safely as with any of the patent boxes or egg-packing cases now in vogue. SUSPENSION" EGG CARKIEK. Figure 3 consists of an outside case or crate, in which are fitted a num- ber of trays, with cords laced through the sides and ends, dividing the space into small squares or meshes, and making a delicate spring, which responds to the slightest jar. Rows of pockets are suspended from the cord work, giving to each a separate apartment, and so arranged that no jar nor jolt the carrier may receive can cause one egg to strike another; and being thus sep- erated, a free circulation of air is obtained, which prevents heating by any possibility. Each tray is pi-ovided with a protector, which keeps the eggs in the pockets even though the carrier be overturned. As each tray contains a certain number, no errors in count can ever occur, and the purchaser can determine at a glance both the number and quality of the eggs. By using the carrier a child can pack as well as a man, and much faster than by the present system. One of these carriers, the size shown in the illustration, will hold sixty dozen eggs. THE CHAMPION EGG CARRIER. This carrier consists of a case or box, with a tight cover, and trays fitted inside, each to contain three dozen eggs. The trays are made of strips of straw board, folded double, and so arranged as to make pyramid pockets, smaller at the bottom than the top. By an ingenious invention these pockets are provided with delicate springs in each corner, at half the depth of the pocket, and where they are not subject to wear, which causes the bottoms of the double strips of paper to spring apart or diverge from each other, so that eggs being placed in the pockets on their small ends, although of various sizes, are held in an upright position, and no jolt or jar can cause one egg to strike the other. PRESERVING EGGS. We have tried several modes of preserving eggs, and never found any difficulty in keeping them any length of time, for culinaiy purposes, nearly as good and fresh as when first laid. Our principal mode has been that recom- mended by Mons. Chas. Jacque, which, from several years experience, proved one of the best we ever tried ; having succeeded in keeping eggs nice for use from six to eight months after they were laid. ISO THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. THE MODE OF PUTTING DOWN. The most certain and most lasting mode of preservation consists in covering the eggs in a jar filled with lime water, recently prepared, and keeping them in a cool place. The lime water is prepared from quick lime, or that which has been slaked but lately, by placing it in a quantity of water greater than would cover the eggs. The milk of lime which is thus formed is allowed to stand several hours. The clear liquid which separates itself from the excess of lime used is the lime water, which is poured off for use. Lime water not only prevents the evaporation, since the eggs are plunged in the liquid, but the alkali which it holds in solution closes the pores of the shell and prevents all fermentation, either of the eggs or of the organic matter which the water might contain. PACKING IN SALT. We have had good results also from packing eggs in very dry barrel salt, which have kept for months in a well preserved state. Our mode was to stand a box or stone jar in a cool place in the cellar, put therein a layer of salt, then one of eggs, with the large ends downward, taking care that the eggs did not touch one another ; continue this practice until the jar or box is full ; cover the box and let it stand without disturbing until the eggs are needed for use. We have packed eggs in this way in June and July, and found them in January and February perfectly fresh in looks and having no stale or musty taste when brought to the table. THE FRENCH MODE OF PRESERVING EGGS. The French mode of preserving eggs is to dissolve four ounces of beeswax in eight ounces of warm olive oil ; in this put the tip of the finger and anoint the egg all around. The oil will immediately be absorbed by the shell and the pores filled up by the wax. If kept in a cool place, the eggs, after two years, will be as good as if fresh laid. EGGS AS A COMMERCIAL COMMODITY. THE CONSUMPTION" OF EGGS IN NEW-YORK CITY. Eggs form a very important commercial commodity. What the extent of the business is in New-York there are no returns to enable one to state definitely, but that it is large is manifest. We can form some estimate of it by glancing at the consumption in other cities. EGGS CONSUMED IN PARIS. In Paris it was calculated that the annual average consumption of eggs per head was one hundred and seventy-five, or in a population of two mil- lions a total of three hundred and fifty millions. The average of the country districts was placed even higher than this, while the aggregate French pro- duct has been estimated at between seven and eight thousand millions an- nually, a number large enough to form a string of beads that would twice encircle the globe. IN GREAT BRITAIN THE QUANTITY CONSUMED has been set down at one billion five hundred millions, of which one hundred millions are imported. The bulk of the importations and large quantities of the home produce go to London, which, however, does not eat, proportion- ately, so large a number as Paris. COMPARISON WITH NEW-YORK CITY. It will be safe to assert, after a due comparison with these cities, that New-York consumes annually one hundred million eggs — an amount which may be more readily comprehended by remembering that this number would weigh about thirty-six thousand tons, and on the principle that an egg is equal in nutritious value to a quarter of a pound of meat, would represent an average of twenty-five pounds of flesh meat per year, for every man, woman and child in the metropolis. THE CASH VALUE OF THIS PRODUCT. The cash value of this product cannot be less than two millions of dollars, while the demand for the article and its selling price are steadily increasing. 182 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. These figures show that trifling in detail as the egg trade may seem, in the aggregate it is an important business. And they suggest, also, the question, HOW CAN THE SUPPLY BE INCREASED? Unlike a great many other occupations, no one seems to make egg pro- ducing a specialty, with a single eye to making a living out of it ; and yet, taking the figures above quoted as trustworthy data, they point to the con- clusion that there's money in the business. Some years ago we read an in- teresting account of an establishment near Paris for the manufacture — or perhaps production would be a better word — of eggs and chickens for the Parisian market. It was on an immense scale, and was a great success. Why cannot we have large henneries near each of our principal cities ? Or, to limit the inquiry to a single case, why cannot some enterprising person or persons, for there is room for dozens, establish one or more egg manufactories on the outskirts of New-York? Let us see what preliminaries would be necessary for such an undertaking. AMOUNT OF CAPITAL TO BE INVESTED. A fair but not excessive amount of capital, which would be invested under these two favorable circumstances, that there would be immediate re- turns for the outlay, and an excellent market for the produce. A SUPPLY OF HENS. But it is not necessary that these should be of any fancy and, conse- quently, high priced breed, another important consideration affecting the original capital. General experience has shown that good barn-door fowls, as they are termed, prove as profitable in the end as more pretentious birds. A PIECE OF LAND PROPORTIONATE TO THE STOCK OF HENS. Mr. Warren Leland of the Metropolitan Hotel, New-York, finds it beneficial to allow an acre to every hundred hens, but rough, broken ground, with some low bushes and heaps of sand, ashes and lime scattered about, answers admirably. The London Field corroborates Mr. Leland's ex- perience, while a writer in the Massachusetts Ploughman states that six acres is plenty for a thousand hens. If the land is to serve in part as a feed- ing ground, then the first estimate ; if merely, or mostly, for exercise, the latter is ample. a good supply of food. This is important. "Hen-laying," says Mr. Leland again, "is hard work, and requires high feeding." This is very true, and a false economy here would be fatal. But he points out also a cheap and excellent source ot supply. "Much of my success," he adds, "is due to the fact that my hens get all the scraps from my hotel." In a large city, like New-York, these scraps could be obtained for a trifle in many cases, for the mere trouble of collecting them in others. Why cannot they be gathered and transformed THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 183 into eggs? This will prove the corner stone of success in making eggs cheaply. Food of any kind always goes farther when cooked, and animal food and a certain degree of warmth are essential to early and prolific laying. OTHER DETAILS WILL READILY SUGGEST THEMSELVES. There must be sheds for the accommodation of the poultry without undue crowding, and these must he kept perfectly well ventilated and artificially heated in winter. Coal is a cheaper fuel than any kind of food. Layers, sitters and fattening birds must be kept separated. Quietness and cleanliness should reign everywhere, and all outside intruders must be rigorously ex- cluded. Plenty of fresh, pure water is a necessity, and a portion of the old stock should be regularly renewed, as only from young and vigorous fowls could the best results be obtained. CHICKENS NOT BROUGHT INTO THE ACCOUNT. We say nothing of chickens, though these would doubtless form a useful department in the outline here faintly limned. Nor do we enter into any calculations as to the amount of profit to be realized. This would depend largely on personal qualities. A recent writer in one of our farming papers claimed a profit of ten dollars per hen per annum on a small scale. We believe that with New-York to furnish the scraps for almost nothing, and buy them back in the shape of eggs at a good market price, a greater aver- age may be achieved ; and are certain that a much lower figure would be argely profitable. CARE OF POULTRY IN WINTER. The Farmers' Club of the American Institute appointed a Committee to visit Warren Leland's farm, and examine his mode of keeping poultry in winter. The following is the Committee's report, made in February, 1871 : We spent a day at the farm of Warren Leland, twenty-five miles north of New York City, at Rye Station, and have derived, from a careful survey of his yards, ideas which we consider important. We find him carrying one hundred and fifty turkeys, about three hundred hens, a large drove of ducks, and several dozen of geese through the winter, without the loss of any of his poultry by disease of any sort, and without the freezing of their feet or of their eggs. We learn that he never has maladies among his poultry ; that he will allow the greater part of his hens to sit in the spring, and each of them will yield an average brood of ten chicks, so that he will raise about three thousand chickens from his present flock, and his losses be very few. How does he do it ? His hens, ducks and geese have the best winter quarters we have ever seen provided for any of the feathered tribes. Their MAIN BARRACK, OR HENNERY, is a stone house, seventy-five feet long, and twenty feet wide, and faces south. The openings on the north side are small, and filled with window glass, and in some cases with double sash. Those on the south side are much larger, consisting of double doors, which are opened on sunny days. In the middle of the north side is a wide, old-fashioned fire-place, with crane and a big camp kettle. Nearly every day in winter a fire is lit, and fed with chunks, knots and old logs, that would otherwise be knocked about the wood-yard, and left to rot in fence corners. The walls are of stone, and the floor of rock or earth, so the fire can be left without the least danger. On cold days, and especially in cold rains, the hens gather before this fire and warm themselves, and trim their feathers. The chimney can easily be closed, or the logs rolled out into the middle of the building, and feathers or sulphur used to make a FUMIGATION. This is done whenever hen lice appear ; and the openings of the house can be closed, so as to hold the fumigation till it penetrates to every crack. Smoke he finds better than carbolic acid or kerosene, or whitewash, to drive THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY LOOK. 185 vermin. The roosts are oak slats, an inch thick by two and a half inches wide, fastened to the rafters near the ridge. They are nailed at different hights, and at proper intervals. About two feet below the perches is a scaffold of boards, that fit quite closely. This is from time to time covered with plaster and ashes. About once a month the accumulations are shoveled down, and piled up for the corn-field. He calculates that fifty hens yield, in the course of a year, as much compost as would be worth fifty dollars in bone meal ; that is to say, if he threw away his hen droppings and had to buy the same amount of fertilizing salts in bone-dust, it would cost him fifty dollars to replace fifty hens as producers of manure. He has paid special attention to the comfort of his HENS OK THE PERCH. They sit on a slat two and one-half inches wide. Their breast feathers come down and cover their feet, and protect them from freezing in the coldest nights. Of course, there is no lack of dry ashes in their house, and he finds that after the fire goes out the hens use the hearth as a place to nestle, and shake ashes through their feathers. They enjoy it, and it keeps them sound and comfortable. The offal of the farm, as entrails, feathers, heads, scraps from lard, and all the odds and ends from the kitchen are thrown into this house, and the hens pick it over, eating all they want. Then, as soon as spring opens, all this trash is shoveled and scraped out, composted and taken to the corn-field. Besides this refuse, his poultry eat about a bushel of corn a day in winter, and half a bushel in summer. He raises large crops of corn, because he has strong manure to feed his crops with, his calculation being that about four acres of corn go to feed and fatten his poultry. In spring, AFTER A HEN HAS HATCHED, her nest is taken out, the straw burned, and the box whitewashed inside and out, then filled with fresh straw, and put back for another family party. After many trials of breeds, he has settled upon the white Brahmas. They lay more uniformly the year through; make the best mothers, and the chicks grow the fastest. During summer his poultry have a wide range, and scour the fields for half a mile or more, CONSUMING GRASSHOPPERS. His turkeys nearly make their weight on grasshoppers and beetles, with a handful of corn night and morning. One man has little to do in spring and summer but to take care of chickens and young turkeys. In winter they re- quire but little attention, and this man then attends to the calves and lambs. THE COST OP HIS POULTRY MEAT, and he often kills in a season three hundred turkeys and three thousand chickens, he considers to be about two hundred and fifty bushels of corn, and the wages of his hen- wife for half the time. His gains he cannot give exactly, for the poultry is eaten very freely by a large family, and sent to the Metro- 186 THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. politan when prices are high, or the supply in market defective in quality. He does not keep exact account of his eggs, for as a rule he says the best thing to do with an egg is to let a good motherly hen make a chicken of it. Your Committee conclude their report by an expression of opinion that THE COMMON IDEAS ON THE SUBJECT OF POULTRY RAISING, on a large scale, are erroneous. It has been said, again and again in this Club, and in farm journals, that there is no use in trying to keep more than about fifty hens. If one goes deeper into the poultry business there is backset from lice, and roup, and gapes, and cholera, and the sudden death of hens and chicks from causes unknown. This is a fallacy. In the manner above described, by the wise use of smoke and lime, and ashes, and a fire, by clean- liness and a wide range in mild weather, we find Mr. Leland taking about four thousand feathered animals through the season, for year after year, with- out calamity or loss, and on an expense that is very trifling, and unfelt on a large farm. Your Committee will visit other farms, where the special object is eggs, and announce the result of their observations. Dr. Smith, a member of the Committee, said that, in conversation, Mr. Leland said that his suc- cess depends upon letting his poultry alone. He repeated it over and over again, "let them alone; let them alone; give them liberty, and they will take care of themselves. Dr. Trimble, another member, said that Mr. Leland told him that in RAISING TURKEYS his plan was to have three or four sitting at the same time. When they had hatched the eggs, he gave all the young turkeys to one hen turkey, and she and her enlarged brood were removed to a distant part of the farm, away from other fowls. There a large coop was built, in which they could be shut up at night. They were not allowed to range in the morning until the dew was off. In the day time the hen was tethered to a stake ; and each day her stake was removed to a new place, so that she and her brood had a new range. A SOUTH AMERICAN POULTRY FARM. Just as we were about closing the last form of this work for the press we received from C. F. Peaecb, Esq., Freetown, Mass., the following article, giving an account of " A South American Poultry Farm," which we deem ot sufficient importance to give in this connection, as containing valuable in- formation upon a subject which will interest all breeders of poultry : PROFITABLE POULTRY REARING ON A LARGE SCALE. Although we have column after column of poultry matters offered for our perusal, through the agricultural press, I have as yet to see the first state- ment giving the facts and figures of profitable poultry raising on a large scale- Perhaps there might be some who have achieved success in this line, but we are led to believe that misfortunes are more plentiful than the fortunes ac- quired from the manipulations of this particular stock. I have tried my hand at the business, although on a limited scale, and can show figures giving me a profit of three hundred per cent, on the capital invested. There is no known reason why it cannot be managed in an extensive way, and with just as good results, provided it is entered into knowingly and understandingly. DESCRIPTION OF A FARM WHERE POULTRY ARE KEPT BY THE THOUSAND. I propose to describe a poultry farm, where fowls are kept by the thou- sand, and whose proprietor counts his gains therefrom proportionately. It is situated in the southern extremity of Chili, South America, where the rainy season, of six months duration, is as detrimental to the well being of all fowl kind as the rigors of our own winters, and where great care and skill is very essential to satisfactory results. OPERATIONS COMMENCED WITH TWO HUNDRED HENS AND EIGHT COCKS. Senor Don San Fuentes commenced his operations in poultry with a stock of two hundred hens and eight cocks, to which he has added thereto, by natural increase from year to year, until now he has somewhere in the vicinity of six thousand. Their range is unlimited, as his farm covers three thousand cuadras, equal to seven thousand five hundred acres. To every fifty hens and two cocks is given a house of their own, of which there are six jfig THE PEOPLES PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. jir seven hundred on the place. These are placed two hundred feet apart, ei.ch way, thus isolating one lot from the other. DESCRIPTION OF THE HOUSES. These houses are very cheap affairs, and are made by erecting two forked posts, eight feet long, and distant from each other fifteen feet. On these rests the ridge-pole. On both sides of the centre-post, ten feet distant, a trench is dug, a foot in depth. Then small poles are placed for rafters, one 2nd in the trench and the other tied to the ridge-pole, two feet apart. Then another set of poles, tied crossways, also two feet equi-distant, and the frame work is complete. This is covered over with thatch, which is found in plentiful abundance, and to be had for the cutting. The only frame work about the house is the doors at the ends, both of which are four by six, and contain each a window, pivoted in the centre of the sash, to be opened or shut as the requirements of ventilation demand. Each house has its complement of twenty boxes, for laying, placed under the eaves, and partly concealed by bundles of straw. BUILDING FOR STORING GRAIN, EGGS, HATCHING AND SICK ROOMS, ETC. Near the family residence is a large building, devoted to the storing of ^rain and eggs ; a nursery for sick hens ; a long room for hatching, and another for slaughtering purposes. In the sick room is arranged a series of boxes, each one large enough for the comfort and convenience of its solitary occupant, who is there placed, and treated for its malady with as much care as if its value was dollars instead of cents, and with such skill that the ratio Df deaths has been only one in two hundred and eighty. THE SITTING DEPARTMENT. is also provided with boxes, some three hundred in number. Here all are brought, from their respective coops, as soon as their incubating propensity sows itself, and placed upon their quota of eggs. Feed, water, and a large supply of sand and ashes, are provided, and the sitting hen not allowed to leave the room until she takes her young brood with her. HOW THE CLUTCHES ARE DOUBLED UP. The clutches are then " doubled up," that is, two broods given to one hen, and the chickenless one sent back to her coop to resume her egg laying. As soon as the young chicks are discarded by their mother they are taken to their future home, fifty in each lot, and the old ones back to their respective localities. HOW THE FOWLS ARE FED. The fowls are fed three times per day, and their diet so arranged as to always present a variety, although oats is their staple article of food, and always before them in unlimited quantity. To-day, it will be indian-meal, made into a stiff dough, and given hot; to-morrow, barley ; next day, boiled THE people's practical poultry BOOK. 189 potatoes, mashed, and mixed with pork scraps and bran — corn broken in a coarse mill, and so on in rotation ; adding from time to time a dead horse, or some other cheap and inexpensive animal food. Burned bones, pounded shells, and lime, are supplied in profusion, These, with what they gather on their foraging expeditions, produce a wonderful supply of eggs. NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE THEIE COOPS IN RAINY WEATHER. During the rainy season they are not allowed to leave the coop, except the day be exceedingly pleasant, and then only for a short time. They ap- pear to bear their confinement remarkably well, and with hardly any decrease in the quantity of eggs. While confined they are allowed an extra allowance )f animal food. ATTENDANCE REQUISITE TO THE CARE OP SIX THOUSAND FOWLS. The attendants requisite to the care of these six thousand fowls are one man and four boys. The houses are thoroughly cleaned once a week, and the interiors whitewashed every three months. Every morning each lot of fowls undergoes a careful inspection, and any one found moping or otherwise indisposed is immediately taken to the hospital, and cared for ; and seldom is it but what the indisposition is cured, and she takes her place back again as well as ever. At evening the boys go the rounds to gather up the proceeds of the day's labor, which will average two hundred dozen per day the year through. WHEN THE KILLING TIME TAKES PLACE. "Killing time" takes place twice during the year — in the spring, and again at the commencement of the rainy season. All the early chickens art thus disposed of at good prices ; and the two-year-old fowl decapitated, to give room for the younger broods, as they are supposed to be past profitable service after the second year. THE PROFITS FROM ONE YEAR'S BUSINESS amounted to eleven thousand dollars. The sales were seventy-two thousand dozen of eggs, and nearly twenty thousand chickens and two-year-olds. Mr. San Fuentes expresses himself as being perfectly satisfied with the result obtained, and intends to double his stock each year, until every two hundred, feet of his extensive farm has its house of fifty tenants. APPENDIX. THE ENGLISH STANDAKD OF EXCELLENCE. TFROM TEGETMEIER'S POULTRY BOOK.] COCHINS. GENERAL SHAPE. THE COCK. Comb— Single, fine, rather small, perfectly straight and upright, with well-defined serrations, and quite free from side-springs. Beak — Curved, stout at the base and tapering to the point. Head — Small for the size of the bird and carried*rather forward. Eye — Very bright and clear. Deaf -ear — Large and pendant. Wattles — Large, well rounded on the lower edge. Neck — Hackle very full and abundant, the lower part reaching well on to the back, so as to produce a gradual slant from near the head to the middle of the back. Back — Broad, witli a gentle rise from the middle to the tail ; saddle feathers very abundant. Wings — Very small ; the primaries doubled well under the secondaries, so as to be quite out of sight when the wing is closed. Tail — Very small ; the curved feathers numerous, broad, glossy, and soft; the whole tail forming a small hunch, carried rather horizontally than upright. Breast — Deep, broad, and full. Thighs — Very large and strong ; plentifully covered with perfectly soft feathers, which on the lower part should be curved inward round the hock, so as nearly to hide the joint from view ; Falcon or Vulture hocks, that is, those with hard, stiff feathers pro- jecting in a straight line beyond the joint, are objectionable, but not a disqualifica- tion. Fluff— Very abundant and soft, covering the hind parts, and standing out about the thighs. Legs — Rather short; very thick and bony, wide apart, well feathered on the outside to the toes. Toes — Straight and strong; the outer and middle toes being well feathered. Carriage — Not so upright as other breeds, with a contented, intelligent appearance. THE HEN. Comb — Single, very small, fine, low in front, erect and perfectly straight ; with small, well-defined serrations. Beak — Small, curved, and tapering. Head — Very small, neat, and taper. Eye — Very bright and clear. Deaf-ear — Rather large. Wattles — Small, neatly rounded on the lower edge. Neck — Short; carried forward, the lower part very full and broad; the feathers reaching well on to the back. Back — Broad, with abundance of soft feathers rising from the middle of the back to the tail. Wings — Very small ; primaries doubled well under the secondaries, so as to be quite out 192 APPENDIX. of sight when the wing is closed ; bow of the wings neatly covered by the breast feathers, and the points sunk well into the fluff. Tail — Very short and small ; carried hori- zontally, and almost hidden in soft feathers. Breast— Broad and full ; carried low. Thighs— -Large ; abundantly covered with soft fluffy feathers; curving inward round the hock, so as to nearly hide the joint from view ; Vulture or Falcon hocks are object ionable, but not a disqualification. Fluff— Very soft and abundant, covering the hind parts and standing out about the thiuiis, giving the bird a very deep and broad appearance behind. Legs — Short, thick, and bony; standing wide apart; and well feathered on the outside to me toes. Toes — Strong and straight, the outer and middle toes well feathered. Carriage — Low, with a contented,intelligent appearance. BUFF COCHINS. COLOR OF DOCK. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles — Brilliant red. Head — Rich, clear buff. Hackle, Back, Wings, and Saddle — Rich, deep golden buff; the more uniform and even in color the better ; quite free from meali- ness on the wing. Breast, Thighs, and Fluff— Uniform clear, deep buff; as free from mottling or shad- ing as possible. Tail — Rich, dark chestnut, or bronzy chestnut mixed with black. Dark cuestnut prefer- able. Legs— Bright yellow; feathers clear, deep buff. COLOR OP HEN. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles— Brilliant red. Plumage— Uniform clear, deep buff through- out ; the more uniformly clear and free from mottling or shading the better. A clear hackle preferred, but a slight marking at the end of the feathers of the neck not a disqualification. Legs— Bright yellow, with feathers same color as body feathers. LEMON COCHINS. COLOR OP COCK. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles — Brilliant red. Head — Lemon, or light orange buff. Hackle, Back, Wings, and Saddle — Rich, light orange buff; the more uniformly clear and even in color the better, as free as possible from mealy tinge on the wings. Breast, Thighs, and Fluff— Clear, uniform lemon buff. Tail — Rich chestnut. Legs — Bright yellow ; feathers lemon buff. COLOR OP HEN. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles — Brilliant red. Plumage — Clear, lemon buff; uniform and even in color throughout, and perfectly free from being mottled or shaded in any part. Legs — Bright yellow, with feathers same color as body feathers. In Buff and Lemon Cochins the colors may be either as above, or intermediate be- twixt the two ; but the colors must be even and as free from mottling or shading as possible. The birds must also match in the pen. * SILVER BUFF COCHINS. COLOR OP COCK. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles— Brilliant read. Head — Light, silvery buff. Hackle— Rich, gold color. Back, Shoulder Coverts, and Wings— Bright silvery buff; the more even and uniform in color the better. Saddle — Rich, gold color. Breast, Thighs, and Fluff— Clear, light silvery buff. Tail— Light chestnut; a slight mixture of white not very objectionable, though not desirable. Legs — Blight yellow, with silvery buff feathers. COLOR OP HEN. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles— Brilliant red. APPENDIX. 163 Hackle — Rich, gold color. Remainder of the Plumage— Clear, light, sil- very buff; the more even and uniform in color the better. Legs— Bright yellow, with feathers same color as body feathers. SILVER CINNAMON COCHINS. COLOR OF COCK. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles— Brilliant red. Head — Pale light cinnamon. Hackle— Cinnamon, or rich bright cinna- mon, slightly striped with white. Back, Shoulder, and Wings — Pale buff, or rich bright cinnamon, mixed with white. Saddle — Light cinnamon, or rich bright cin- namon, slightly striped with white. Breast, Thighs, and Fluff— Pale buff. Tail — Rich light cinnamon, or rich bright cinnamon, mixed with white. Legs— Bright yellow, with feathers of a pale buff color. COLOR OP HEN. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles — Brilliant red. Hackle — Rich deep crimson or chocolate. Remainder of the Plumage — Pale buff; the more uniform and even in color the better. Legs, — Bright yellow ; feathers same color as body feathers. CINNAMON COCHINS. COLOR OP COCK. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear and Wattles — Brilliant red. Head, Hackle, Back, Wings, and Saddle — Rich dark reddish cinnamon ; the more uniform and even in color the better. Breast, Thiglis, and Fluff— -The color of wet- ted cinnamon. Tail — Rich bronzy black, the lesser coverts edged with very dark reddish cinnamon. Legs — Bright yellow ; with feathers color of the breast feathers. COLOR OP HEN. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles — Brilliant red. 13 Plumage — The color of wetted cinnamon or deep chocolate throughout; the more uni- form in color and free from being mottled the better. Legs — Bright yellow, with feather same color as body feathers. Value of Points in Buff, Lemon, Silver Buff, Silver Cinnamon and Cinnamon Cochins. Size 3 Color 4 Head and Com I) 1 Carriage of Wings 1 Legs 1 Fluff 1 General Symmetry 2 Condition 2 15 Disqualification in Buff, Lemon, Silver Buff, Silver Cinnamon and Cinnamon Cochins. Birds not matching in the pen, or with primary wing feathers, twisted or turned outside the wing, twisted combs, crooked backs, birds without feathers on the legs, or legs of any other color than yellow. GROUSE OR PARTRIDGE COCHINS. COLOR OF COCK. Comb, Face, Deaf -ear, and Wattles — Rich brilliant red. Head — Rich red. Hackle— Rich bright red, with a rich black stripe down the middle of each feather. Back and Shoulder Coverts— Rich dark red. Wing Bow— Rich dark red. " Greater and Lesser Coverts — Metallic greenish black, forming a wide bar across the wings. " Primary Quills — Bay on outside web, dark on inside web. " Secondary Quills — Rich bay on the out- side web, black on the inner web, with a metallic black end to each feather. Saddle— Rich bright red, with a black stripe down the middle of each feather. Breast, Under part of Body , and Thighs— Rich deep black. Tail — Glossy black (white at the base of the feathers objectionable, but not a disquali- fication.) 194 APPENDIX. Legs— Dusky yellow, with black feathers. GROUSE COCHINS. COLOK OP HEN. Comb, Face, Deaf -ear, and Wattles— Brilliant red. Head — Rich brown. Neck — Ricli reddish gold color, with a broad black stripe down the middle of the feathers. Legs — Dusky yellow, with feathers same color as body feathers. PARTRIDGE COCHINS. COLOR OP HEN. Comb. Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles — Brilliant red. Neck — Bright gold color on the edge of the feathers, with a broad black stripe down the middle. Remainder of the Plumage — Light brown distinctly penciled with dark brown ; the penciling to reach well up the front of the breast. The shaft of the feathers on the back, shoulder coverts, bow of the wing, and sides, creamy white. Bemainder of the Plumage — Rich brown distinctly penciled with darker brown ; the penciling reaching well up the front of the breast, and following the outline of the feathers. Legs— Dusky yellow, with brown feathers. Points in Grouse and Partridge Cochins. Size 3 Black Breast, Thighs, Fluff,! and Leg feathers in the Cock Y% Breast of the Hen. Distinctly penciled up the front Color of the remaining plumage Head and Comb 1 Carnage of Wings 1 Legs 1 Flu.t. 1 Symmetry 2 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications in Grouse or Partridge Cochins. Birds not matching in the pen— cocks •v.-.} with mottled breasts, hens with pale buff or clay breasts without penciling, twisted combs, flight feathers turned outside the wing, crooked back ; absence of feathers on the legs. WHITE COCHINS. COLOR OP COCK AND HEN. Comb, Face, Deaf -ear, and Wattles — Brilliant red. Plumage — Pure white throughout. The cock as free from yellow tinge as possible. Legs — Bright yellow. BLACK COCHINS. COLOR OP COCK AND HEN. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles — Brilliant red. Plumage — Perfectly black throughout. The cock as free from coppery red or brassy color as possible. Legs — Dark, with yellow tinge and black feathers. Points in White or Black Cochins. Size 3 Color of Plumage — Purity of white in the whites, and richness of black in the blacks 4 Head and Comb 1 Carriage of AVings 1 Legs 1 Fluff 1 Sy mmel ry 2 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications in White or Black Cochins. Twisted combs, crooked backs, flight feathers turned outside the wing. Birds not feathered on the legs, scales on the legs of the whites either green or willow. BRAHMAS. GENERAL SHAPE. THE COCK. Beak — Very strong, taper and well curved. Comb — Pea, small, low in front and firm on the head without falling over to either APPENDIX. 195 side, distinctly divided so as to have the appearance of three small combs joined together in the lower part and back, the largest in the middle, each part slightly and evenly serrated. Head — Small and slender. Eye — Prominent and bright. Deaf-ear — Large and pendant. Wattles— Small, well rounded on the lower edge. Neck — Long, neatly curved, slender near the head, the juncture very distinct, hackle full and abundant, flowing well over the shoulders. Breast—Very full, broad, and round ; carried well forward. Back— Short, broad, flat betwixt the shoul- ders, saddle feathers very abundant. Wings — Small ; the primaries doubled well under the secondaries, the points covered by the saddle feathers. Tall — Small ; carried very upright, the higher feathers spreading out laterally. Tail Coverts — Broad, very abundant, soft, and curved over the tail. Tiughs — Very large and strong ; abundantly covered with very soft fluffy feathers, curving inward round the hock so as to hide the joint from view. Vulture hocks are objectionable, but not a disqualification. Fluff— Very abundant and soft, covering the hind parts, and standing out about the thighs, giving the bird a very broad and deep appearance behind. Legs — Rather short, strong, and bony ; stand- ing well apart, very abundantly feathered down the outside to the end of the toes. Toes — Straight and strong ; the outer and middle toe being abundantly feathered. Carriage — Very upright and strutting. THE HEN. Beak — Strong, curved, and taper. Comb — Pea, very small and low, placed in front of the head, and having the appear- ance of three very small serrated combs pressed together, the largest in the middle. Head — Small and slender. Eye — Prominent and bright. Deaf-ear — Large and pendant. Wattles — Small, rounded on the lower edge. Neck — Rather short, neatly curved, slender near the head, the juncture very distinct, full and broad in the lower part; the feathers reaching well on to the shoulders. Breast — Very deep, round, broad, and promi- nent. Back — Broad and short ; the feathers of the neck reaching to betwixt the shoulders, and abundance of soft, broad feathers ris- ing to the tail. Wings — Small ; the bow covered by the breast feathers, the primaries doubled well under the secondaries, the points of the wings clipped well into the abundance of soft feathers and fluff. Tail — Small ; very upright, almost buried in the soft rump feathers. Thighs— Strong and well covered with very soft feathers, curving round the hock so as to hide the joint from view. Vulture hocks are objectionable, but not a disquali- fication. Fluff—Very abundant and soft, standing out about the hind part and thighs, giving the bird a very broad and deep appearance behind. Legs — Short, very strong, wide apart, abun- dantly feathered on the outside to the toes. Toes — Straight and strong, the outer and middle toe being well feathered. Carriage — Low in comparison to the cock. PENCILED BRA.HMAS. COLOR OP COCK. Comb, Face, Deaf -ear, and Wattles — Bright red. Head— White. Neck, Hackle — Silvery white, striped with black. Breast, Underpart of Body, and Tliighs — Black, slightly mottled with white. Back and Shoulder Coverts — Silvery white. Saddle— Silvery white, striped with black. Wing Bow — Silvery white. " Greater and Lesser Wing Coverts— Me- tallic green black, forming a wide well-defined bar across the wing. " Secondaries — White on the outside web, black on the inside web, large green black spot on the end of the feather. " Primaries — Narrow edging of white on the outside web, black on the inside web. J 6 APPENDIX. Tail— Black. Tail Coverts — Rich green black, lesser coverts edged with white. Legs— Scales yellow, feathers black, mottled with white. COLOR OF HEN. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles — Rich bright red. Head— Gray. Neck— Silvery white, striped with black. Jtemainder of the Plumage — Dull white, minutely and distinctly penciled through- out with dark penciling, so close as al- most to cover the ground color, the pen- ciling reaching well up the front of the breast. Legs — Scales yellow, with a dusky shade. LIGHT BRAHMAS. COLOR OF COCK. Comb, Face, Deaf -ear, and Wattles — Rich bright red. Mead— White. Neck— White with a distinct black stripe down the center of the feather. Breast, Underpart of Body and Thighs — White. Back and SJioulder Coverts — White. Saddle — White, striped with black. Wing Bow and Coverts — White. " Primaries — Black. " Secondaries- -White on outside web, black on inside web. Tail— Black. Tail Coverts — Glossy green black ; lesser coverts silvered on the edge. Legs — Scales bright yellow; feathers white, slightly mottled with black. COLOR OF HEN. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles — Bright red. Head— White. Neck — White, distinctly striped down the middle of each feather with rich black. Bi'east and . ack — White. Wing — White, the primaries alone being black. Tail— Black, the two highest or deck-feath- ers edged with white. Tiaglis and Fluff— White. Legs— Bright rich yellow; feathers white, slightly mottled with black. Points in Brahmas. Size 3 Color 4 Head and Comb 1 Wings, primaries well tucked under secondaries 1 Legs and featherings of ditto 1 Fluff 1 Symmetry 2 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications. Birds not matching in the pen, combs not uniform in the pen, or falling over to one side, crooked backs, legs not feathered to the toes, or of any other color except yel- low, or dusky yellow. MALAYS. GENERAL SHAPE. THE COCK. Beak — Very strong and curved. Comb — Small, placed quite in front of the head, low and flat, covered over with very small warty indentations. Head — Long, flat on the top, projecting over the eyes. Eye — Bright, sunk beneath a projecting eye- brow, the eyelids pearled round the edge. Face — Very naked and skinny, with a harsh cruel expression. Wattles — Very small, mere folds of the naked skin of the throat. TJiroat — Very skinny, and quite destitute of feathers. Neck — Very long, slightly curved, rapidly slanting from the head ; the hackle very hard, short, and scanty, particularly in the lower part. Back — Very long, slightly curved, and rap- idly slanting from the shoulders to the tail, the shoulder coverts and saddle feath- ers very short and hard. Body — Long and round, the feathers on the lower part very short, giving the bird a cut out appearance. Wings — Very strong, projecting out promi- nently from the body even when closed. APPENDIX. 107 Breast — Very deep. Tail — Small, drooping, sickle and tail cov- erts slightly carved. (The neck, back, and tail forming three slight nearly equal curves.) Thighs — Very long, round, strong and up- right, the feathers very hard, short, and close, the hock joint being bare. Legs — Very long, strong, round, straight and clean, perfectly free from feathers. Toes — Very long, straight, strong, and pow- erful. Plumage — Very hard, short, close and glossy. Carriage — Very upright, and tall. THE HEN. Beak — Very strong and curved. Comb — Very small, low, and flat, placed on tlie front of the head, covered over with small warty indentations. Head — Long, very snaky, and flat on the top. Eye — Bright, sunk beneath a projecting eye- brow, eyelids pearled round the edge. Face — Very naked and skinny, with a cruel expression. Wattles — Mere folds of the naked skin and throat. Throat — Quite naked and very skinny. Neck — Very long, rapidly slanting from the head ; neck feathers very hard, short, and close, particularly in the lower part. Back — Long, rapidly slanting in the tail, shoulder coverts very short. Body — Long and round, narrow at the inser- tion of the tail. Breast — Very deep. Wings — Very strong, projecting very promi- nently from the body when closed. Tail — Small, and carried upright. Thighs — Very long, strong, and upright; feathers very close and short, the hock joint being nearly naked. Legs—Very long, clean, straight, round and strong. Toes— Long, powerful, straight and strong. Plumage—Very short, hard, close and glossy. Carriage— Very upright. COLOR OF MALAY COCK. Beak— Yellow. Comb, Face and naked skin of the Throat — Rich bright red. ? — Bright fiery red. Head and Neck— Rich glossy dark red. Back and Shoulder Coverts— Glossy reddish maroon. Breast— Black, slightly mottled with reddish brown. Wing Bow— Glossy reddish maroon. " Coverts — Rich metallic greenish or bluish black, forming a wide bar across the wing. Wing flights— Rich dark red. Saddle — Rich glossy dark red. Tail— Rich Green black. Thighs— Rich black, slightly mottled with reddish brown. Legs— Bright rich yellow. COLOR OP MALAY HEN. Beak — Yellow. Comb, Face, and Tliroat— Bright red. Eyes — Bright fiery red. Head — Reddish brown. Neck — Rich glossy reddish brown. Back and Shoulder Coverts — Rich glossy red« dish brown or cinnamon. Breast and Tu.ghs— Reddish brown or cin- namon. Wings— Rich glossy reddish brown or cin> namon. Tail — Rich dark reddish brown. Legs— Bright rich yellow. WHITE MALAYS. Comb, Face, and Naked skin on tlie Tliroat-~ Bright red. Beak — Bright rich yellow. Plumage— -Pure white throughout. Legs — Bright rich yellow, yellowish willow permissible. Points in Malays. Hight 3 Shortness, hardness, and closeness of plumage 3 Head 1 Color 3 Symmetry 3 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications in Malays. Birds not matching in the pen; in the 198 APPENDIX. dark birds legs of any other color except yellow. DORKINGS. GENERAL SHAPE. THE COCK. Beak — Rather short and stout. Comb — Either single or rose ; if single, erect, straight, serrated, free from side-sprigs ; if rose-combed, square in front, straight on the head, without hollow in the mid- dle, large peak behind, inclining very slightly upwards. Head — Neat. Wattles — Broad, stout, rounded on the lower edge. Neck — Very taper and well hackled. Breast — Very deep, broad and full. Breast- bone long. Body — Large, deep, compact, and plump, the back, belly, breast, and behind, al- most forming a square. Back — Very broad. Wings — Large. Tail— Very large, expanded, feathers broad and carried well up. Sickle Feathers and Tail Coverts — Long, broad, sound and well arched. Thighs — Short, stout and straight. Legs — Straight, short, stout, clean, and per- fectly free from feathers, spurred on the inside. Feet — Five-toed, the extra or supernumerary toe well-developed, distinctly sepj) nted from the others, and pointing upwards. Carriage and Appearance — Noble, bulky and grand. Beak — Rather short. Comb — If single, to be well developed, and falling over one side of the lace ; if rose, square in front, straight on the head, peak behind, inclining slightly upwards. Wattles— BvoaA, rounded on the lower edge. Head — Neat. Neck — Short and taper. Breast— Yery deep, broad, and full. Body — Large, compact, plump, and deep. Back — Broad. Wings — Large. Tail— Large, expanded, the feathers broad. Thiglis — Short and stout. Legs — Short, straight, thick, and strong. Feet— Five-toed, the extra toe well devel- oped, distinctly separated from the others and inclining upwards. Carriage and Appearance — Bulky. SILVER GRAY DORKINGS. COLOR OF COCK. Read and Neck Hackte-^Cle&r white. Comb, Face, and Wattles— Bright red. Breast, Underpart of Body , and T/iighs—Rich glossy black. Back and Shoulder Coverts — Silvery white. Saddle — Clear white. Wing Bow— Silvery white. " Coverts— Metallic green black, form- ing a wide bar across the wing. " Primaries— White on the outside edge of the outer web, black on the in- side web. " Secondaries— Clear white on the outside web, black on the inside web, and also on the end of the feather. Tail— Rich black. Sickle Feathers— Rich metallic green black. Tail Coverts— Rich metallic green black, the lesser ones silvered on the edge. Legs — White, with a flesh-colored tinge be- twixt the scales. COLOR OF HEN. Head — Silvery or ashy gray. Comb, Face, and Wattles — Bright red. Neck — Silvery white, striped with black. Breast — Salmon red, shading off to gray to- v ards the thighs. Back and Shoulder Coverts — Silvery or slaty gray, free from dark bars or marks across the feathers, shaft of feathers white. Wing Bow — Silvery or slaty gray, shaft of feathers white. Any tendency to red on the wings is highly objectionable. Coverts and Flights — Slaty jrrfiy. Tail — Dark gray, inside approaching black. Thighs — Ashy gray. Leys — White, with a flesh colored tinge be- twixt the scales. APPENDIX. 199 Points in Silver Gray Dorkings. Size 3 Color 3 Head and Comb 2 Legs, Feet, and toes 2 Symmetry- 3 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications. Birds without the fifth toe, or with crooked backs, wry tails, combs not uniform in the pen, white in cock's breast or tail, legs of any color except white. COLORED DORKINGS. The color in these not material, providing the birds match in the pen. Points in Colored Dorkings. Size 5 Head and Comb 2 Legs, Feet, and Toes 2 Symmetry 4 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications. Birds without the fifth toe, or with crook- ed backs, wry tails, combs not matching in the pen, legs of any other color except white. WHITE DORKINGS. Comb, Face, and Wattles— Rich red. The whole of the plumage in both cock and hen pure white, the more free from yel- low tinge the better. Legs — White. Points in Write Dorkings. Size 4 Purity of White Plumage. . . 2 Head and Comb 2 Legs, Feet, and Toes 2 Symmetry 3 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications. Birds without the fifth toe, or with crook- ed backs or wry tails, combs not uniform in the pen, colored feathers in any part of the plumage. ♦+♦ SPANISH. GENERAL SHAPE. THE COCK. Beak — Dark horn color, rather long and stout. Comb — Bright red, large, single, stiff, erect, straight, free from twists in front or falling over to either side at the back, deeply ser- rated, rising from the beak betwixt the fore part of the nostrils, and extending in an arched form over the back of the head, free from excrescences or side-sprigs, and not of too great thickness at the edge. Head — Long, broad, and deep-sided. Eyes — Large, the sight perfectly free, and not obstructed by the white. Face— Pure opaque white, long and deep, the greater breadth of surface the better, providing it is smooth, free from wrinkles, and the sight not obstructed, rising well over the eye towards the comb in an arched form, extending towards the back of the head, and also to the base of the beak, covering the cheeks, and joining the ear-lobes and wattles. Ear-lobes — Pure opaque white, very large and pendant, rather thin, smooth,. well ex- panded and free from folds or wrinkles, extending well on each side of the neck, hanging down very low, not pointed, but regularly rounded in the lower part, and meeting in front, behind the wattles. Wattles — Bright red ; very long, thin, ribbon- like, and pendulous ; the inside of the upper part, and skin betwixt, white. Neck — Long, well hackled. Breast — Round, full, and prominent. Back — Slanting down to the tail. Body — Wedge-shaped, narrowing to the tail. Wings — Large, carried well up to the body. Tail — Large, expanded and rather upright, but not carried over the back, or squirrel tailed. Sickle Feathers — Large and well curved. Thighs — Long and slender. Legs — Long, dark leaden blue, or blue. Plumage — Rich glossy black, having a me» JOO APPENDIX. tallic green luster on the backle, back, wings, saddle, tail coverts, and sickle feathers. Carriage — Upright and striking. Disqualifications in Spanish Cocks. Comb — Falling over to one side, or twisted in front over the nostrils. Face— So puffy as to obstruct the sight; de- cided red mark above the eye. Plumage — Of any other color except black, or metallic green black. Legs — Of any other color except dark leaden blue, or blue. Beak — Dark horn color, long. Comb — Glossy bright red, large, single ser- rated, drooping over to one side of the face, free from side-sprigs or duplicature. Head — Long and deep. Eyes — Large. Face — Pure opaque white, smooth and free from wrinkles, with great breadth of sur- face, rising well over the eye in an arched form, extending well towards the back of the head, and also to the beak, covering the cheek, and joining the ear-lobes and wattles. Ear-lobes — Pure opaque white, large.pendant, smooth, well expanded, free from wrinkles, regularly rounded on the lower edge. Wattles — Bright red, thin, pendant, and rounded on the lower edge. Neck — Long and graceful. Breast — Round and full. Back — Slanting down to the tail. Wings — Ample, carried close up to the body. Tail — Large, carried rather upright, but not over the back, the two highest feathers slightly curved, especially in pullets. Thighs — Long and slender. Legs — Long, dark leaden blue, or blue. Plumage — Black, with a rich metallic luster on the back and wings. Disqualifications in Spanish, Hens. Duplicature of comb, comb small and erect (prick-combed); decided red mark over the eye; plumage of any other color except black, or metallic black ; legs of any other color except dark leaden blue, or blue ; birds that are trimmed in any part what> ever. Points in Spanish Fowl. Comb • .. 2 Face.. 3 Ear-lobe 3 Purity of White, Face and Ear-lobe 2 Symmetry 3 Condition of Plumage 2 15 Carriage — Upright, movement quick. GAME. GENERAL SHAPE. THE COCK. Beak — Strong, curved, very stout at the base. Comb — In a chicken that has not been dubbed, single, small and thin, low in front, serrated, erect, and straight ; in older birds, neatly dubbed, smooth, and free from warty appearances, small feath- ers or ridges on the edges. Head — Long, thin, and taper, very strong at the juncture with the neck. Eyes — Large, bright, and prominent, per- fectly alike in color, with a quick, fearless expression. Face and Throat — Lean and thin. Neck — Rather long and neatly arched, hackle short and very close. Back — Rather short, fiat, broad across the shoulders and narrowing to the tail. Breast — Broad, round, and full. Stem — Slender and very neat, saddle feathers very short and close. Wings — Strong, long, and very powerful ; the butts and shoulder part slightly raised, as if for a sudden spring, the remainder of the wings not drooping, but carried neatly and compactly to the sides, passing over the upper part of the thighs, the points resting under the saddle feathers. Tail — Rather long, the feathers very sound and not too broad, carried well together, and not spread out, scattered or loose. Sickle Feathers and Tail Coverts — Perfectly sound, narrow, hard and wiry, not hang- ing loosely, well carried and neatly curve d ; APPENDIX. 901 tlie whole of the tail going backwards and not upright over the back, or squirrel- tailed. Thiglis — Round, stout, hard, and firm, rather short in proportion to the shank, placed well up towards the shoulders, and covered with very close short feathers, so as to have a velvety appearance. Legs — Rather long, strong, bony, clean, standing well and evenly apart; the spurs set on low ; the scales close and smooth. Feet — Broad, flat, and thin; toes long, spreading, and straight, well furnished with strong nails, with the hind toe set low on the foot, standing well backwards and flat on the ground, not merely touching with the point of the toe, or duck-footed. Plumage — Close, sleek, and glossy, body feathers short, hard and firm, quills very strong. Body in hand — Very muscular, and firm, not soft or hollow on the sides, perfectly straight in the breast and back, and quite even in the lap bones. Carriage — Upright, active and quick. THE HEN. Beak — Long, slightly curved, sharp at the point, ami stout at the base. Comb — Single, small, and thin, low in front, evenly serrated, perfectly erect and straight. Head — Long, slender, very neat and taper. Eyes — Bright, large, and prominent, per- fectly alike in color, with a quick and fiery expression. Face — Lean and thin. Deaf-ear — Very small, and close to the face. Wattles— Small, thin, and neatly rounded on the edge. Throat— Neat, the feathers very short and close. Neck — Long, feathers very short, giving the neck a slender and very graceful appear- ance. Back — Moderate in length, perfectly flat and broad across the shoulders, and narrowing to the tail. Wings— Long and powerful, the butts and shoulders carried rather high, so as to cause a perfectly flat back, the points not drooping, but carried compactly to the sides. Tail — Moderate in length, not carried over the back, hut extending backwards; the feathers not scattered or spread out, but held neatly together. Breast — Broad, round, and prominent. Thighs — Stout, 'round, and neat, the feathers short and veiy close. Legs — Long, very bony, clean, and taper, the scales narrow, smooth, close, and neat. Feet — Broad, flat, and thin; toes spreading, long and straight, well furnished with strong nails, the hind toe set low on the foot, standing well backwards, and not duck-footed. Plumage — Very close, sleek, and glossy; body feathers short, hard and firm, quills strong. Carriage — Rather upright, very neat, quick, and active. BLACK-BREASTED RED GAME. COLOR OF COCK. Head — Very ricli dark red. Comb, Face, and Jaws — Very bright red. Eyes— Bright, clear, deep bay. Neck Hackle — Rich red, free from black or dark stripes. Back, SJioulder, and Slwulder Coverts — Rich dark red. Wing Butts — Black. " Bow — Rich dark red, perfectly free from black feathers. " Greater and Lesser Coverts — Metallic green black, forming a wide bar across the wing, perfectly even, well defined, and not irregular on the " Primaries — Bay on the outside web, black on the inside. " Secondaries — Rich clear bright bay on the outside web, black on the in- side web, with arich metallic green black spot on the end of the feather. Saddle — Rich red. TaU— Rich black. Sickle Feathers and Tail Coverts — Very rich metallic »;reen black. Breast, TJnderpart of body, and Thighs — Rich 202 APPENDIX. black, perfectly free from any admixture of red or other color. Legs— Either willow, olive, yellow, white, or blue. The colors preferred in the order in which they are named. COLOR OF HEN. Head — Brown. Comb, Face, Deaf -ear, and Wattles — Very bright red. Neck— Light brownish yellow, striped with black. Back and Slwulder Coverts — Brown. Wing, Bow, Slwulder, and Coverts — Same color as back, perfectly free from red. " Primaries and Secondaries — Brown. Tail — Dark brown, approaching black. Breast — Deep salmon, shading off to ashy brown towards the thighs. Thighs — Ashy brown. Legs — To match those of the cock. BROWN RED GAME. COLOR OP COCK. Head— Very dark red. Comb, Face, and Jaws — Bright red or dark purple (gipsy-faced.) Eyes — Dark brown or black. Neck Hackle — Dark red, shaft of feathers black. Back and Shoulder Coverts — Dark crimson red. Saddle — Dark red, shaft of feathers black. Wing, Butts — Black or very dark dusky brown. " Shoulder and Bow — Dark crinxo** red. " Coverts — Rich glossy black " Primaries — Dusky black. " Secondaries — Black, with a metallic luster towards the end of the feath- ers. Tail— Black. Sickle Feathers and Tail Coverts— Rich glossy black. Breast— Reddish brown streaked with black, shaft of feathers black ; the ground color becoming darker as it approaches the lower part and thighs. Thighs — Dusky black. Legs— Olive bronzy black, or dark willow. COLOR OF HEN. Head — Dark dusky brown, approaching a dusky black. Comb, Face, Deaf -ear, and Wattles — Bright red or dark purple. Eyes — Very dark brown or black. Neck — Coppery yellow, striped with black. Remainder of the Plumage — Very dark brown, approaching to black. Legs — To match those of the cock. GINGER RED GAME. COLOR OF COCK. Head— Red. Face and Jaws — Reddish purple. Eyes — Brown. Neck Hackle — Rich clear red. Back, Shoulder Coverts and Bow of the Wings Rich red. Wing — Primaries and secondaries brownish red. Saddle — Rich clear red. Tail— Black. Sickle Feathers and Tail Coverts — Rich black, the lesser coverts edged witli red. Breast — Ginger red, becoming darker as it approaches the thighs. Thighs — Dus^y red. Legs — Olive, bronzy black, or dark willow. COLOR OF HEN. Head — Yellowish brown. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles — Purple. Eyes — Brown, perfectly alike in color. Neck — Golden yellow, striped with black. Breast — Higher part towards the throat yel- lowish brown, shaft and a narrow margin of the feathers a much lighter shade. " Lower part and sides, dark dusky brown, with a narrow margin of the feathers of a golden ginger shade. Remainder of the Plumage — Yellowish brown, with a narrow margin of the feathers of a golden ginger shade. Legs — Same color as those of the cock. APPENDIX. 203 YELLOW DUCK- WING GAME. COLOR OF COCK. Head — Straw-colored yellow. Comb, Face, and Jaws — Bright red. Neck Hackle— Clear, straw color, free from black. Back, Shoulder Coverts, and Bow of the Wings, Rich, uniform, bright copper or maroon; the more even, clear, and unmixed in color the better. Wing Butts— Black. " Greater and Lesser Coverts — Steel blue, or metallic black, forming a wide bar across the wing. " Primaries — Straw white on the out- side web, dark on the inside web. " Secondaries — White on the outside web, black on the inside, and on the end of the feathers. Saddle — Clear straw color. Breast, Underpart of Body, and TJiighs — Rich black. Tall— Black. Sickle Feathers and Tail Coverts — Rich me- tallic green-black. Legs — Willow, yellow, or olive. COLOR OF HEN. Head— Gray. Comb, Face, Deaf -ear, and Wattles — Bright red. Neck — White, striped with black. Breast— Salmon red, shading off to ashy gray towards the thighs. Back and Shoulder Coverts — Bluish or slaty gray, shaft of feather white. Wing, Shoulder, and Bow — Slaty or bluish gray, shaft of feather white. Red or brown on the wing very objectionable. Tail Coverts and Flights — Slaty or bluish gray. Tail— Dark gray, the inside approaching black. Thighs — Ashy gray. Legs — To match those of the cock. SILVER DUCK-WING GAME. COLOR OF COCK. Head— Silvery white. Face, Jaws, and Comb — Bright red. Neck — Hackle clear white, without any mixture of black or other color. Breast, Underparts of Body, and Thighs~ Black. Back and Shoulder Coverts — Silvery white. Saddle — Clear white. Wing Butts — Black. " Bow — Silvery white. " Coverts — Steel blue, forming a wide bar across the wing. " Primaries — White on the outside web, dark on the inside web. " Secondaries — Clear white on the out- side web, black on the inside web, and on the end of the feathers. Tail— Black. Sickle Feathers and Tail Coverts — Metallic green-black; the lesser tail coverts slightly edged with white. Legs — Willow, olive, bronze, or blue. COLOR OF HEN. Head — Silvery gray. Comb, Face, Deaf -ear, and Wattles — Bright red. Neck — Silver, striped with black. Breast — Salmon. Back and Shoulder Coverts — Silvery or ashy gray, shaft of feather white. Wing Boio — Ashy gray, shaft of feather white. Red or brown on the wing very objectionable. " Flight and Coverts — Gray. Tail — Dark gray, approaching black. Thighs — Ashy gray. Legs — To match those of the cock. BIRCHEN YELLOW GAME. COLOR OF COCK. Head — Dark straw color. Face and Wattles — Either red or purple. Neck — Hackle, deep straw color, striped with reddish brown. Breast — Reddish brown, shaft and narrow margin of the fealliers cream color. Back and Shoulder Coverts — Rich coppery straw, marked with reddish brown. Saddle — Deep straw, striped with reddish brown. Wing Butts— Dull black. °C- APPEXDIX. Wing Bow — Rich dark coppery straw, slightly marked with reddish brown. " C:- verts — Cream color, mottled with reddish brown and tipped with chocolate. Fiight — Reddish brown. TaO— Black. Sick k s — Bit >nzy black. 2'ail Coverts — Bronzy black, the lesser with a narrow margin of cream color. Legs — Bronzy black, olive, willow, or yellow. COLOR OF HEX. Mead — Dark gray. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles — Either red or purple. Seek — Gray, striped with dull black. Breast — Grayish brown, shaft and margin of feather creamy "white. B.ick and Shoulder Coverts — Grayish brown, shaft of feather dull creamy white. Wing Bow — Grayish brown, shaft of feather dull creamy white. " Coverts — Grayish brown. " Flights— Dark gray. 7 —Dark grayish brown. Thighs — Grayish brown. Legs — To match those of the cock. PILE GAME. COLOR OF COCK. Head — Deep chestnut red. Comb, &c. — Rich bright red. Neck Hackle and Saddle— Light chestnut red on the outside of the web of the feather; the middle of each feather white towards the end. Breast — Higher part marbled red and white, lower part white, or entirely white. Back, SJtoulder Coverts and Bow of the Wings, Rich, uniform red. Greater and Lesser Wing Coverts— White, edged with red. Wing Secondaries— "White on the outside web, red on the inside web, with a rich red spot on the end of the feather. " Primaries — "White. Thighs— "White. TaUr- White. Legs — Yellow, willow, or white. COLOR OF HEX. Comb, Face, Leaf-ear, and Wattles— Bright red. Neck — Chestnut and white. Breast — Chestnut red on the front part, mot- tled with white on the lower part. Hughs and Tail — White. Remainder of the Plumage — White, mottled with light chestnut red. Legs — To match those of the cock. WHITE GAME. Comb, Face, Deaf-ear, and Wattles — Very bright red. The whole of the plumage clear white. The cock's plumage as free from yellow tinge as possible. Legs — Yellow or white. BLACK GAME. Comb, &c. — Bright red. The whole of the plumage glossy black, with a metallic luster on cock's haclile, back, saddle, wings, and tail. Legs — Bronzy black, dark olive, or leaden black. Points in Game. Shape of Head and neck. ... 2 Body and wings 2 Tail*. 2 Thighs, Legs, and Toes 2 Color of Plumage 3 Symmetry, Handling 2 Condition, and Hardness of plumage 2 15 Disqualifications. Color of legs, or plumage, not matching in the pen; crooked backs or breasts; adult cocks not dubbed. HAMBTJRGS. GEXERAL SHAPE. THE COCK. Beak— Medium. Comb — Double, not so large as to overhang the eyes or beak, square in front, fining APPENDIX close ami straight on the head without in- clining to either side, no hollow in the center, uniform on each side, the top covered over with small points, with a peak behind, inclining very slightly up- wards. Head — Rather short and small. Eye — Full and quick. Deaf ear— Not pendant, but fitting close to the face, flat, of medium size, round, and even on the surface. Wattles — Broad, thin, aud well rounded on the lower edge. Neck — Taper, the higher part carried well over the back, hackle full, the lower part ' flowing well on to the shoulders. Breast — Round, full, and prominent, carried well forward. Back — Short, well furnished with saddle feathers. Wings — Ample, points carried rather low. Tail — Full, expanded, sickle feathers well curved. Thighs — Short and neat. Legs — Slender, rather short, very neat, and taper. Plumage — Rich and glossy. Carriage — Upright and strutting, graceful, quick, and restless. Beak — Rather small. Comb — Same shape as that of cock, but very much less ; smaller in the penciled than in the spangled varieties. Head — Small and very neat. Eye — Full and very quick. Deaf-ear — Small, flat, rounded in the lower part, fitting closely to the face, and not pendant. Wattles — Small and thin, rounded on the lower edge. Neck — Taper and very graceful. Breast — Broad, plump, and carried forward. Back — Rather short, but not so much so in appearance as in the cock. Wings — Ample, carried very neatly to the body. Tail — Full, expanded, and well carried. Thighs — Short and neat. Legs — Very slender, neat and taper. Plumage — Close and glossy. Carriage — Graceful, quick, and restless. GOLDEN PENCILED HAMBURGS. COLOR OP COCK. Comb, Face, and Wattles — Rich red. Deaf-ear — Pure opaque white, free from red on the edge. Head and Hackle — Clear reddish bay. Back, Saddle, Bote of the Wing, Slioulder and Wing Coverts — Rich deep reddish bay. Flight — Reddish bay on the outside web, black on the inside web. Secondaries— Reddish bay on the outside web, the inside web penciled across with broad black marks, each feather ending with a rich black spot. Breast and Thighs — Reddish bay. Tail— Black. Sickle Feathers and Tail Coverts — Rich black down the middle of the feather, the entire length edged with bronze, each bronze edge as near one-fourth the width of the feather as possible ; the more dis- tinct the two colors the better. Legs — Slaty blue. COLOR OP HEN. Comb. Face, and Wattles — Rich red. Deaf-ear — Pure opaque white, free from red on the edge. Head and Neck — Clear deep golden bay. Remainder of the Plumage— Clear deep golden bay, free from either lacing or mossing; each feather (including tail feathers) distinctly penciled across with rich black ; the penciling not to follow the outline of the feather, but to go s'.raight across on each side of the shaft. The two colors distinct, well defined, and not shading into each other. Legs — Slaty blue. SILVER PENCILED HAMBURGS. The same standard will apply to the Sil- ver Penciled Hamburg's, substituting a clear silvery white ground for a golden one. The silver cock as free as possible from yellow tinge. i06 APPENDIX. PENCILED HAMBURGS. Points in Cocks. Comb 3 Deaf-ear 2 Color of plumage, except tail, sickle feathers, and tail coverts 3 Color of Tail, Sickle Feathers and Tail Coverts 3 Symmetry 2 Condition 2 15 Points in Hens. Comb 2 Deaf-ear 2 Purity of Color in Head and Neck 3 Purity of ground color, and accurate and distinct pen- ciling in every part, except head and neck 4 Symmetry 2 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications. Hen-feathered cocks, crooked backs, wry tails, combs single or falling over to one side, red deaf-ears, shanks of any other color except blue. GOLDEN-SPANGLED HAMBURGS. COLOR OF COCK. Comb, Face, and Wattles — Rich bright red. Deaf -ear — Opaque white. Head — Deep reddish bay. Hackle — Rich deep golden bay, each feather striped down the centre with rich green black, each color well defined, and not clouded. Breast, Underpart of Body, and Thighs — Golden bay, free from mossing, streaking, or lacing, each feather ending with a round, large, rich black moon or spangle, the moons increasing in size in proportion to the size of the feather. Back and Shoulder Coverts — Rich deep red- dish bay, distinctly spangled with rich metallic black, the texture of the feather giving the spangle a starry or rayed ap- pearance. Saddle — Rich reddish golden bay, each feather stripped down the center with rich metallic green black. Wing Bow — Rich reddish golden bay, dis- tinctly spangled with black. " Bars — The greater and lesser wing coverts clear reddish golden bay, free from lacing, each feather end- ing with a large round green-black spangle, forming two distinct par- allel green-black bars across the wing. " Primaries — Bay, ending with a black spot. " Secondaries — Rich golden bay, each feather ending with a rich green- black spot. Tail — Black. Sickle Feathers and Tail Coverts — Rich green- black. Legs — Slaty blue. COLOK OF HEN. Comb, Face, and Wattles — Rich bright red. Deaf-ear — Opaque white. Head — Golden bay, distinctly tipped with black. Neck — Golden bay, each feather distinctly striped down the centre with rich green- black, the colors distinct and not clouded. Breast, Underpart of Body and Thighs — Clear golden bay, free from mossing or lacing, each feather ending with a distinct large, round, rich green-black moon or spangle, the moons increasing in size in proportion to tli e size of the feather. Back, Shoulder Coverts, and Bump — Rich clear golden bay, free from mossing or lacing, each feather ending with a dis- tinct large, round, rich green-black spangle. Wing Bow — Rich clear golden bay, each feather ending with a distinct round rich green-black spangle. " Bars — Greater and lesser wing coverts rich clear golden bay, free from lacing, each feather ending with a large, round, rich, green - black spangle, forming two distinct par- allel green-black bars across the wings. APPENDIX. 2(T Wing Primaries— Golden bay, each feather ending with a black spangle. " Secondaries — Golden bay, each feather ending with a rich green-black halt' moon or erescent-shaped spangle, termed by the Lancashire fanciers, " lacing on the top of the wing above tlie flight." 7Mr- Black. Tail Coverts — Golden bay, free from mossing or lacing, each feather ending with a rich green-black spangle. Legs — Slaty blue. Hens in a pen to match as nearly as pos- sible in size of markings and depth of color. SILVER-SPANGLED HAMBURGS. COLOR OP COCK. Comb, Face, and Wattles — Rich bright red. Deaf-ear — Opaque white. Head — Silvery white. Hackle — Silvery white, free from yellow tinge, the longest feathers ending with a small black spangle. Breast, Underpart of Body and Thighs — Clear silvery while, free from lacing or mossing, each feather ending with a dis- tinct large, round, rich black moon or spangle, the moons increasing in size in proportion to the size of the feather. Back and Shoulder Coverts — Pure white, free from yellow tinge, distinctly spangled with black, the texture of the feather giving the spangle a starry or rayed ap- pearance. Saddle — Silvery white, free from yellow, the largest feathers ending with a small black spangle. Wing Bow — Pare white, distinctly spangled with black spangles. " Bars — The greater and lesser wing coverts clear silvery white, free from lacing, each feather ending in a large green-black moon or spangle, forming two distinct parallel black bars across the wing. " Primaries — Pure white, each feather ending with a distinct black span- gle. u Secondaries — Pure white, each feather ending in a half-moon shaped green-black spot. lail — White on the outside, each feather ending in a large black spangle. Sickle Feathers and Tail Coverts — "White, each feather ending with a rich greets black spangle. Legs — Slaty blue. COLOR OF HEN. Comb, Face, and Wattles — Rich bright red. Leaf-ear — Opaque white. Head — Silvery white, distinctly spangled with small black spangles. Neck — Clear silvery white, each feather dis- tinctly striped towards the end with rich black, each color well defined and not clouded. Breast, Underpart of Body, and Thighs — Clear silvery white, free from lacing or mossing, each feather ending with a dis- tinct large, round black moon or spangle, the moons increasing in size in proportion to the size of the feather. Back, Shoulder Coverts, and Rump — Clear silvery white, free from mossing or lacing, each feather ending with a distinct large, round, rich green-black moon or spangle. Wing-Bow — Clear silvery white, each feather ending with a distinct round, rich green-black spangle. " Bars — Greater and lesser wing coverts clear silvery white, free from lacing or mossing, each feather ending with a large round greenish-black spangle, forming two distinct paral- lel black bars across the wing. " Primaries — White, each feather ending with a distinct black spangle. " Secondaries — Clear silvery white, each feather ending with a large half- moon shaped green-black spangle, termed by the Lancashire fanciers " lacing on the top of the wing." Tail — White on the outside, each feather ending with a large round black spangle. Tail Coverts — Clear silvery white, free from mossing or lacing, each feather ending with a distinct large, round, green-black spangle. Legs — Slaty blue. Hens in a pen to match as nearly as pos- 238 APPENDIX. Fible in size of markings and depth of color, &c. Points in Spangled Hamburg Cocks. Comb 2 Deaf-ear 2 Colors and Marking of Head, Hackle, Back, Saddle, and Tail 3 Breast, Underparts of Body and Thighs 2 Wings and Bars 2 Symmetry 2 Condition 2 15 Points in Spangled Hamburg Hens. Combs 2 Deaf- ear 2 Neck most distinctly and evenly striped 1 Remainder of Plumage (ex- cept tail in Golden) clear- ness of groundcolor, even- ness and distinctness of spangling, with rich large round spangles 4 Bars 2 Symmetry 2 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications. Hen-feathered cocks, crooked backs, wry tails, combs single, or falling over to one side, red deaf-ears, birds without distinct bars across the wing. Legs of any other color except blue. Disqualifications. Combs falling over to one side, or so large as to obstruct the sight, red deaf-ears, crook- ed backs, wry tails, or legs of any color ex- cept blue or dark leaden blue. BLACK HAMBURGS. Comb, Face, and Wattles — Rich bright red, the face perfectly free from white. Deaf-ear — Pure opaque while; round and small, fitting close to the face ; not pendent. Plumage — Very rich glossy green-black. Legs — Blue or dark leaden blue. Points in Black Hamburgs. Comb, Head, and Face 3 Deaf-ear % Plumage 4 Shape 4 Condition 2 15 POLISH. GENERAL SHAPE. THE COCK. Crest — Composed of feathers similar in tex- ture to the hackle, very large, round, close, and well fitted on the crown of the head, falling backwards, and rather lower on the sides than over the beak, but not so low on the sides as to prevent the bird from seeing. Head — With round protuberance on the top, concealed by the large crest. Eye — Large, full, and bright. Deaf-ear — Small, even on the surface, round- ed on the lower edge. Wattles — In the unbearded varieties, thin and pendulous; in the bearded varieties, none — the underside of the beak and throat being covered with a full, close, muffy beard. Neck— Medium in length, slightly and neatly curving over tiie back and well hackled. Breast — Deep, full, round, and carried prom- inently forward. Back — Perfectly straight, wide betwixt the shoulders, and tapering to the tail ; hip- bones even. Wings — Ample. Tail — Large, rather erect, expanded, and well adorned with sickle feathers. Thighs — Short in the white-crested black, rather long in the spangled varieties. Legs — Rather short in the white-crested blacks, long in the spangled varieties. Carriage — Erec t. THE HEN. Crest — Very large, round, straight on the head, not inclining to either side, the sur- face close, firm, and even. Head — Round, the protuberance concealed by the crest. Eye — Large, full, and bright. Deaf ear — Small, even on the surface, and rounded on the lower edge. APPENDIX. 209 Wattles — In the unbearded varieties, small and thin ; in the bearded varieties, none — the throat and underside of the beak be- ing covered with a full close beard. Neck — Rather short and taper. Breast— Vary full, round, and prominent. Back— Straight, the hip-bones even. Wings — Ample. Tail — Large, expanded, and broad at the end. Thighs— Short, in the white-crested black, rather long in the spangled varieties. Legs — Clean, neat, and taper; short in the white-crested blacks, rather long in the spangled varieties. Carriage — Rather upright. WHITE-CRESTED BLACK POLISH. COLOR. Crest — Pure white ; the less black in front the better. Deaf-ear — Pure opaque white. Remainder of the Plumage — Uniformly rich glossy black. Legs — Leaden blue, or black. Points in White- Crested Black Polish. Size of Crest 3 Shape of Crest 3 Crest of ilie purest white, and most free from black 2 Deaf-ear 1 Richest black Plumage 2 Symmetry 2 Condition and General Ap- pearance 2 15 Disqualifications. Crooked backs, wry tails, white feathers in any part except the crest, legs of any other color except dark leaden blue, or blue. GOLDEN-SPANGLED POLISH. COLOlt OF COCK. Crest— Golden bay, laced with black ; in adults, white feathers may appear. Hackle and Saddle — Golden bay, the end of each feather laced with black. 14 Breast — Clear golden bay, free from moss- ing, each feather ending wuh a round rick black spangle, the spangle increasing in size in proportion to the size of the feather. Back, Slwulder Coverts, and Bow of the Wing Rich golden bay, spangled with black, the texture of the feather giving the spangle a rayed appearance. Bars — Greater and lesser wing coverts, golden bay, each feather laced on tha edge with black, and ending with a large black spangle, forming two distinct black, bars across the wing. Primaries — Bay, ending with a black spot. Secondaries — Golden bay, with a distinct crescent-shaped green-black mark on the end of each feather. Thighs — Bay, spangled with black. Tail — Rich golden bay, each feather ending with a rich black spot. Sickle Feathers— Rich golden bay, ending with a rich black spangle. Tail Coverts — Rich golden bay, edged with rich black, and ending with a rich black spangle. Legs — Blue. COLOR OF HEN. Crest — Golden bay, each feather laced with black ; in adults, white feathers may ap- pear. Neck — Golden bay, laced with black. Breast, Underparts of Body and Thighs — Clear golden bay, free from mossing, each feather ending with a distinct round, rich, black spangle, the spangle increasing in size in proportion to the size of the feather. Back, and Shoulder Coverts — Golden bay, each feather ending with a distinct round black spangle. Wing Bow — Golden bay, each feather end- ing with a crescent-shaped black spangle. Wing Coverts — Golden bay, each feather laced or edged with black, and ending with a large black spangle, forming two distinct black bars across the wing. Primaries — Bay, each feather ending with a black spot. Secondaries — Golden bay, each feather end- ing with a crescent-shaped black mark. Tail— Bay, each feather ending with a large black spangle. Legs — Blue. 210 APPENDIX. SILVER-SPANGLED POLISH. Color ;iml marking the same as in Golden, substituting Silvery White Ground for iSoldeu Bay. Points in Spangled Polish. Size of Crest 3 Shape of do 3 Color ot do 1 Plumage accurately marked according to the foregoing rules 2 Purity of Ground Color 1 Bars 1 Symmetry 2 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications. Crooked Backs, wry tails, legs of any •ther color except blue. — ♦-♦-♦ SULTANS. THE COCK. Comb — Composed of hackle feathers, full, and arched over the eyes, and round head, full in center, and falling softly and evenly round at back, not straight and stiff as in Polish; the front free from feathers falling forward, and neatly arched at both sides. Beak — Brilliant white, tinged with red at base, very curved, and with broad cavern- ous nostrils. Comb— Invisible, or two small spikes, bril- liantly red. Muffling — Thick and close round the throat, meeting the crest, and covering the face. Eye — Bright, vivacious, and intelligent. Wattles — Small and rather shriveled. 2f ee fc — Rather short, carried well back, very arched, and very thickly hackled, Breast— Deep, full, round, and carried well forward. Body — Very square, deep, and carried low. Back — Straight, and rather broad. Wings — Ample, and carried down. Tail — Large, erect, and well sickled. Thighs — Very short and well feathered. Legs — Very short, feathered to the toes, with full, long vulture hocks. Toes — Straight, five in number. Color of Plumage — Brilliantly white through- out. Carriage — Rather low, brisk, and vivacious. THE HEN. Crest — Full, round, close, and globular. Eye — Bright and intelligent. Muffling — Very thick and close round th6 throat, going well back, covering the face and meeting the crest. Beak — Curved, clear, transparent white. Neck — Short, fully arched, and very thickly feathered, carried well back. Lreast — Full, deep, and prominent. Back — Straight and broad. Body — Very square, and carried low and forward. Wings — Full, and carried low. Tail — Large, erect, and well expanded. Thighs — Very short, and well feathered. Legs — Very short, feathered to the toes, with full, large vulture hocks. Toes — Five in number. Color of Plumage — Brilliantly white through- out. Carriage — Low, forward, brisk, and lively. Points Crest 4 Muffling 3 Shape 3 Leg-feathering 3 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications. Any color but white in the plumage, crooked crest, bare red face, or absence of muffling, deficiency of leg-feathering, or ab- sence of vulture hocks, beak any color but white, deformity of any kind. HOUDANS. THE COCK. Crest— Composed of hackle feathers, full, and well arched, falling back, and right and left of comb, clear of the eye, rather than over it. APPENDIX. 2.U Comb — Well developed, large, red, and branching, broad at base, well indented, looking like a mass of coral with antler- like branches, inclining rather backward into the crest. Beak — Curved, with nostrils wide and cavernous, as in Polish, dark horn color. Eye— Large, full, bright, and lively ; color various. Wattles— Thin, rather long, neatly rounded, and bright red. Muffling or Beard — Full and thick under beak, and reaching well back in a curve to the back of eye. Face — Red, the less seen the better. Breast — Deep, full, and plump. Back — Wide and straight. Wings — Moderate, and carried well up. Tail — Moderate, erect, and well sickled. ThigJis — The shorter the belter. Legs — Fine in hone, white shaded. Toes — Five in number, the fifth curved up- wards at back. (Jolor — Broken black and white, as evenly broken as possible, free from colored feathers, which, however, though objec- tionable, are not a disqualification. Carriage — Lively, brisk, well set up, and spirited. THE HEN. Crest— Large, compact, and even, as in Polish. Comb — Small, branching, and coral-like. Eye — Full and bright. Wattles — Small, red, and neatly rounded. Muffling — Full, forming a thick beard reach- ing back to the eye. Neck — Rather short, full feathered, and arched. Breast— Full and deep. Back — Wide and straight. Wings — Moderate, and carried closely to body. Tail — Moderate, and fan-like, carried well up. Thighs— Short. Legs — Fine in bone, white, or shaded in color. . Toes — Five in number, the hind or fifth claw curved upwards. Color — As in cock. Carriage— Brisk and rather upright. Points. Size 4 Crest 4 Symmetry 2 Plumage 2 Condition 2 Five Claws 1 15 Disqualifications. Absence of crest. Deformity of any kind. Main color or ground color other than black and white. ♦-♦"* ■ CREVE CCEURS. THE COCK. Crest — As in the Polish cock, but perfectly black ; white feathers a defect, but not % disqualification. Head— As in Polish cock. Comb — Brilliant red, two-horned in shape but free from tynes, slightly sprigged at base, of good size, showing well in front of the crest. Eye— Full, bright, and very vivacious. Deaf-ears — Small and nearly concealed. Face — Red, well muffled. Wattles— Moderately pendulous, and evenly rounded, brilliant red. Muffling — Close and thick, running to back of eye in a handsome curve. Beak — Black, with horn-colored tip, strong and well curved, with highly arched broad nostrils, as in Polish. Neck — Moderate in length, thickly hackled, well arched, and carried a little back. Breast— Broad and full, carried well forward. Back — Wide, perfectly straight, and free from deformity. Body — Long and square. Wings— Closely set, and well clipped up. Tail— Full and ample, well sickled, and car- ried rather erect. TJtighs— Rather short, well set in body. Legs — Black or slate; the shorter the better, rather fine in the bone ; free from feathers. Carriage — Upright, smart, vivacious, and watchful. Color — Brilliant black. Red or straw feath- ers in the hackle or saddle vtndesirablev but not a disqualification. 212 APPENDIX. THE HEN. Crest— Full and globular, as in the Polish Black ; white feathers objectionable, but not a disqualification. Head — As in Polish. Eye—FuU and bright. Deaf-ears — Small, hidden by muffling. Muffling — Thick and full, extending well back to crest, and forming a thick beard under the beak. Wattles — Very small and neatly rounded. Neck — Thick and arched. Breast — Full, plump, and carried well for- ward. Body — Square, and carried low. Back — Straight and broad. Wings — Well clipped up. Tail — Large and well expanded. Thighs — Short, and well set into body. Legs — Sliort as possible, free from feathers, rather small in bone, slate or black in color. Carriage — Upright and vivacious. Color— Brilliant black ; a brown tinge very undesirable. Points in Crew Cceurs. Size 4 Crest 3 Shape and Symmetry 2 Color 3 Condition 2 Comb 1 15 Disqualifications in Creve Cceurs. Deformity of any kind. Colored feathers elsewhere than in crest, neck, or saddle, feathered legs, and shanks of any other color than black or slate. LA FLECHE. THE COCK. Beak— Black, strong, and curved ; nostrils, wide and cavernous, as in Polish, with small spot or knob of bright red flesh at junction of nostril with beak. Comb — Branching and antler-like, like two horns pointed straight up, brilliant red. Ear- lobes— Large, and as white as possible. Head — Long. Eye — Bright, large, and watchful. Face — Red, and rather bare. Wattles— Red, long, and pendulous, well rounded. Neck — Long, rather curved, and upright ; hackle thick, but rather short. Back — Very long and broad, slanting to- wards the tail. Wings — Long, and well clipped in. Breast — Broad, and rather full. Tail — Rather small, and carried low. Thighs— Strong, long, and well set into body. Legs — Long, strong, and black or slate in color. Toes— Four. Plumage — Close and hard, brilliant metallic black. Carriage — Very upright, dignified, and watchful. THE HEN. Beak — Black, strong, and curved ; nostrils arched, broad, and cavernous. Comb — Double-spiked and branching, stand- ing well up, or the branches inclining a little forward, small. Head — Long. Eye— Bright and watchful. Face — Red, and rather bare. Deaf-ear — Small and white. Wattles— Red, small, and neatly rounded. Neck — Long and straight. Back — Broad, and tapering towards the tail. Body — Wide and deep. Breast — Very broad. Wings — Large, and well clipped up. Tail — Small in proportion, but well expand- ed, and carried upright. Thiglis — Long, and well set into body. Legs — Long, well boned, black or slaty in color. Plumage — Brilliant metallic black, close and hard. Carriage — Upright, dignified, and watchful. Points Size 5 Comb 3 Shape 3 Condition 3 Deaf-ear 1 15 APPENDIX 213 Disqualifications. Plumage any color but black, presence of crest, feathered legs, deformity of any kind, legs any color but black or dark. BANTAMS. GAME BANTAMS. GENERAL SHAPE AND COLOR. The same as in the corresponding varieties of Game Fowls. Points in Game Bantams. Smallness of Size 2 Color 3 Shape of Head and Neck. . . 2 " Bodv and Wings. . 2 Tail"..., 2 " Thighs, Le<;s, and Toes 2 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications. Cocks above 24 oz. or hens above 20 oz. ; adult cocks undubbed, color of legs not uni- form in the pen, birds not matching in the pen. SEBRIGHT BANTAMS. GENERAL SHAPE— THE COCK. Comb — Double, square in front, fitting close and straight on the head, the top covered with small points, with a peak behind turning slightly upwards. Head — Small, round in front, carried well back towards the tail. Beak — Short, slightly curved. ' Eye— Full. Wattles — Broad, rounded on the lower edge. Deaf -ear — Flat. Heck — Neat and taper, quite free from hackle feathers. Breast — Round, full, and carried prominent- ly forward. Back — Very short, perfectly free from saddle feathers. Wings — Ample, the points carried very low, almost touching the ground. Tail — Square, similar to the hen, free from sickle or curved feathers, the feathers broadest towards the end. Tail Coverts — Straight, round at the end and lying close to the sides of the tail. Thighs — Very short. Legs — Short, slender, and very taper. Plumage — Close, perfectly hen-feathered. Carriage — Very upright and strutting. Very similar to the cock. The comb and wattles much smaller, and the head neater. COLOR OP GOLD-LACED SEBRIGHTS. Head, Face, and Wattles — Rich red. Deaf -ear — Wh i te. Plumage — Rich golden yellow, every feather laced with rich black, that is, having a narrow, even, well-defined rich black edge all round the feathers ; the two colors dis- tinct, and not shading into each other, the lacing of the same width on the sides as on the ends of the feathers. Legs — Slaty blue. COLOR OP SILVER-LACED SEBRIGHTS. Similar to the golden, substituting silvery white for the golden yellow ground color. Points in Sebrights. Plumage most evenly and distinctly laced throughout 4 Purity of Ground Color in Silver, and richness and clearness of Ground Color in Golden 2 Comb 2 Tail 1 Smallness 2 Symmetry 2 Condition, and General Ap- pearance 2 15 Disqualifications. Cocks weighing more than 20 oz. ; hena more than 18 oz. Cocks having either hackle, saddle or sickle feathers. Legs of any color except slate blue. 214 APPENDIX. BLACK AND WHITE BANTAMS. GENERAL SHAPE — THE COCK. Comb — Double, square in front, close and straight on the head, the top covered with small points, with a peak behind, turning slightly upwards. Head — Small, round, and carried well back towards the tail. Beak— Short, slightly curved. Eye — Prominent. Deaf-ear — Flat and even on the surface. Wattles — Broad and thin, rounded on the lower edge. Neck — Very taper, curving well back, so as to bring the back of the head towards the tail ; hackle full and long, flowing well over the shoulders. Breast — Round, and carried prominently for- ward. Back — Very short, saddle feathers long. Wings — Ample, the points drooping so as nearly to touch the ground, the seconda- ries slightly expanded. Tail — Full, expanded, well adorned with long, curving sickle feathers, carried well up toward the back of the head. Hughs — Short. Legs — Short, clean, and taper. Carriage — Very upright, proud, and strut- ting. THE HEN. Comb — Same shape as that of cock, but very much smaller. Mead — Small, round, and neat. Beak — Small. Bye — Full and quick. Deaf -ear — Flat, and even on the surface. Wattles — Small. Neck — Short and taper, carried well back. Breast — Round and prominent. Back — Short. Wings — Ample, points drooping. Tail — Full, expanded, carried rather up- right. Tltighs— Short. Legs — Short, clean and taper. Carriage — Upright and strutting COLOR OP BLACK BANTAMS. Comb, Face, and Wattles — Rich bright red. Beak — Dark horn color, or black. Deaf-ear — Pure white. Plumage — Rich black throughout. Legs — Black, or very dark leaden blue. COLOR OF WHITE BANTAMS. Comb, Face, and Wattles — Rich scarlet red. Bmk— White. Deaf-ear — Pure white. Plumage — Pure white, as free from yellow tinge as possible. Legs — White, with a slight pink tinge on the back, and betwixt the scales. Points in Black or White Bantams. Purity of White or richness of black 3 Smallness 3 Symmetry 3 Comb 2 Deaf-ear 2 Condition, and General Ap- pearance 2 15 Disqualifications. Cocks more than 20 oz., or hens more than 18 oz. Legs of black bantams not biack or dark leaden blue. Legs of white bantams of any other color except white. ■ ♦-♦-♦ TURKEYS. Head and Face — Very bright and rich in color. Eyes — Bright and clear. Body — Long and deep. Wings — Powerful, and well carried. Breast — Broad, very long, and perfectly straight. Thighs — Muscular, straight, and strong. Legs — Very strong, and perfectly straight. Plumage — Sound, hard, and glossy. Color — Rich, the birds matching in the pen. Points. Size 6 Symmetry 4 Richness of Color, and Match- ing in the pen 3 Condition 2 15 APPENDIX. 215 Disqualifications. Crooked breasts, backs, or legs, or de- formity ia any part. » »» DUCKS. AYLESBURY. GENERAL SHAPE AND COLOR. Bill — Long and broad ; when viewed side- ways, nearly straight from the top of the Lead to tiie tip of the bill ; of a delicate pale flesh color, perfectly free from black or dark marks. Head — Long and fine. Neck — Long, slender, and gracefully curved. Body — Long and deep. Back — Long and broad. Wings— Strong, carried well up, and not drooping. Tail — Feathers stiff and bard, witb bard curled feathers in tbe drake. Thighs— SIi ort. Legs — Short and strong; bright ligbt orange color. Plumage — Pure white throughout. Points in Aylesbury Ducks. Purity of Color and Shape of Bill 3 Size 4 Symmetry 3 Purity of Color in Plumage.. 3 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications. Birds so fat as to be down behind, bills deep yellow, or marked witb black, plumage of any color except white. ROUEN DUCKS. GENERAL SHAPE AND COLOR — THE DRAKE. Bill — Long, broad, and rather wider at the tip than at the base; when viewed side- ways, nearly straight from tbe crown of the head to the tip of the bill ; tbe longer the hetter. Color, greenish yellow, with- out any other color except the black bean at tbe tip. Head— Long and fine ; rich lustrous green. Eye— Dark hazel. Neck — Long, slender, and neatly curved ; color, the same lustrous green as the head, with a distinct white ring on the lower part not quite meeting at the back. Breast — Broad and deep ; the front part very rich purplish brown, or claret color; free from gray feathers, the claret color ex- tending as far as possible towards tbe legs. Back — Lonir; higher part ashy gray mixed with green, becoming a rich, lustrous green on the lower part and rump. Shoulder Coverts — Gray, finely streaked witb waving brown lines. Wings — Grayish brown, mixed witb green, witb a broad ribbon mark of purple, with metallic reflections of blue and green, and edged with white ; tbe two colors quite distinct. " Might Feathers — Dark, dusky brown, quite free from white. TJnderpart of Body and Sides — Beautiful gray, becoming lighter gray near the vent, and ending in solid black under the tail. Tail — Feathers bard and stiff; dark asby brown, the outer web in old birds edged with white. Tail Coverts — Curled feathers hard and well curled ; black, witb very rich purple re- flections. Legs and Feci — Orange, witb a tinge of brown. THE DUCK. Bill — Broad, long, and somewhat flat ; brownish orange, witb a dark blotch on the upper part. Head — Long and fine ; deep brown, with two ligbt pale brown stripes on eacb side from the bill past the eye. Neck — Long, slender, and neatly curved ; light brown, penciled witb darker brown, and quite free from the least appearance of a white ring. Breast, Underpart of Body, and Sides — Gray- ish brown, each feather marked distinctly with a rich dark brown penciling. Back — Long; light brown, richly marked with green. Wings — Grayish brown, mixed with green, with a broad riband mark of rich 216 APPENDIX. purple, edged with white, the two colors distinct. " Flight Feathers— Brown, perfectly free from wliile. Tail Coverts — Brown, beautifully penciled willi broad distinct penciling of dark greenish brown. Tail — Light brown, with distinct broad wavy penciling of dark greenish brown. Legs — Orange, or brown and orange. Points in Rouen Ducks. Shape and Color of Bill 3 Size 4 Color of Plumage 3 Symmetry 3 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications. Bills clear yellow, dark green, blue or lead color; any white in the flight feathers of either sex ; birds so fit as to be down behind. BLACK EAST INDIAN. GENERAL SHAPE AND COLOK. Sliape — The entire form remarkably slender, neat, and graceful. Size — The smaller the better. Plumage — Rich lustrous black, with a bril- liant velvety green tint throughout; per- fectly free from white or brown feathers on any part whatever. Bill of the Drake — Very dark yellowish green , without spot or blemish. Bill of the Duck — Very dark. Leg* — Dark. Points in Black East Indian Ducks. Bill 2 Symmetry, Neatness, and El- egance of Form 3 Richness of Plumage 4 Smallness of Size 4 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications. "White in any part of the plumage. CALL DUCKS. Shape — The entire form very short ; round and compact, with very full, round, high forehead, and short broad bill. Size — The smaller the better. Color— In the gray variety— bill, legs, and plumage the same as in the Rouen. " In the white variety — bill bright, clear, unspotted yellow. Plumage — Pure white. Legs — Bright orange. Points in Call Ducks.. Smallness of Size 5 Bill and Stop of the Forehead 2 Symmetry and Compactness of Sliape 3 Color of Plumage 3 Condition 2 15 Disqualifications in Cray Call Ducks. White ring on the neck of the duck; white flight feathers in either sex. Disqualifications in White Call Ducks. Colored feathers in any part of the plumage ; bills of any color except yellow. ■ *~*~* GEESE. TOULOUSE. Carriage— Tall and erect ; bodies nearly touching the ground. Color — Breast and body, light gray ; back, dark gray ; neck, darker gray than back ; wings and belly, shading off to white, though but little white visible. Bill — Pale flesh color. Legs and Feet — Deep orange, inclined to red,* EMBDEN. Plumage — Uniformly pure white. Bill— Flesh color. Legs and Feet — Orange. Points in Geese. Size and Weight 6 Symmetry 4 Color 3 Condition 2 15 TEEMS AND TECHNICALITIES. As we have given elsewhere the points of the fowl, we propose to finish up our work by explaining the technical terms used in the poultry yard, and with which the new beginner or novice is not familiar : Brood. — Offspring or hatch of chickens. Broody. — Inclined to sit or incubate. Carunculated. — Covered with fleshy protuberances like a turkey-cock's head and neck, or the head of a Musk drake. Casque. — The helmet-like fleshy protuberance or comb of the Guinea fowl. Clutch. — A number of eggs sat upon by a fowl, or the number of chickens brought off. Clung. — Shrunk and stringy, applied to flesh which has never been properly fattened, or which has fallen away after being fat. Crest. — The tuft of feathers which some fowls, like the Polands, have upon their heads. Deaf-ear. — A name improperly applied to the true ear of the fowl. A shallow hole, or depression, with a hair-like covering. Dubbing. — Trimming off the combs and wattles of game fowls, for fighting, or for ex- hibition. Dunghills. — Common Fowls; those of mixed breeds, not crossed with definite purpose, or those of a breed degenerated. Fluff. — Soft downy feathers in masses upon certain parts of fowls — as upon the rumps and thighs of Cochins. Gills. — The flap that hangs below the beak. Hackle. — Long shining feathers on the neck of the cock or hen. Molting. — Periodical shedding and renewal of feathers. Pea-comb. — A triple comb — a principal comb with a small one on each side. Poult. — A young turkey, or other gallinaceous fowl, before it takes on the full plumage of a mature bird. Primaries. — The largest feathers on the wing. Bose-comb. — A full, broad, flat comb, called also u double comb." Secondaries. — Quills growing on the second bone of the wing. Top-knot. — See crest. Vulture Hocked. — Having the feathers upon the thigh project backward below and beyond the " hock " joints. Wattles. — The fleshy excrescence that grows under the throat of a cock or turkey. j-Coverts. — Feathers covering part of the fore-arm of the fowl. INDEX. PAGE. Appendix 191 A poplexy 97 Artificial Hatching 163 — hen. Section of a portable 166 — mother, Graves' 166, 167 — mothers 156, 165 — — may be used without the incubator 165 Aylesbury Drake 80 — Ducks 82 Bantam cock, Fertile 169 - hen, Barren full feathered 168 ^intanis. Black 68 ^- Cochin 67 — Colorof black 214 — — - Golden-laced Sebrights 213 — — —Silver-laced 213 — - —White 214 — Disqualifications in 213 — — — Black and White 214 — Duck-wing 55 — —game 67 — Golden Sebright 68 — History, Etc 67 — Japanese 69 — Pekin 68 — Points in Black and White 214 — — —Game 213 — — -Sebright 213 — Shape of cock of Black and White 214 — — — hen of Black and White 214 — Silver Sebright 68 — The cock of the Sebright 213 — Vulture Hock in Booted 15 — White 68 Black-breasted Game 57 — Javas 70 — red Games 53 — Rot 97 — Spanish, History and Characteristics 58 Bolton Gays, History and Characteristics 58 Bones, Fractures of the 103 Boxing poultry for market 27 Brahma and White Dorking Cross 16 — hen. Eggs to set under a 18 Brah mas as egg-producers 23 — Characteristics of 12, 14, 30 — Color in Cocks of Light 15 — — of Cock of Light 194 — — — — —Penciled 194 — — — HenofLight 196 *- — — — —Penciled 194 PAGR. Brahmas, Dark 32 — — and Light IS — for market 23 — General Shape 194 — Hens to a cock 11 — History of 30 — Importance of size 12 — Leland's preference 9> — Light 34 — Penciling 13 — Points in 196 — Shape of head and comb 13 — Thecock 194 — Thehen 194 Breed for Market, The best 23 Breeds of Fowls— History, Characteristics, Etc.. . 30 Breeding and Mating 9 — for Size 14 — Influence upon Fancy Points 12 — In-and-in 15 Brown-Red Games 57 Buff Cochins— Hens to a Cock 11 Caponizing Fowls 141 Capons— Age to Keep 143. — Implements used 145 — Operating table 146 — Treatment of Windy Swelling in 144 — Usefulness of 147 Catarrh in Chickens 97 Chicken Cholera 98 — Coop and Wire Run 138 — Coops 127,128 — House— Exterior 127 Chickens by Artificial Means, Rearing 165 — Catarrh in 97 — Food for 18 — Hatching and Rearing Artificially 153 — in Wooden Casks, Hatching 154 — Making Capons before letting them run 144 — not brought into the Account 183 — Toget Early : 165 Ch ittagongs, History and Characteristics of 34 Ch olera 98 Clutches dou bled up 188 Coal cheaper fuel than food 183 Cochin Bantams 67, 68; — China fowls 34 — hen. Eggs to set under a 17 Cochins, as egg-producers 2S — Buffand White 34.35 — Color of Cock and Hen of Black 194 220 INDEX. PAGE. Cochins, color of Cock and Hen of Buff 192 — — - HenofButT 192 — — — Cock of Cinnamon 193 — — — Hen of Cinnamon 193 — — — Cock of Grouse or Partridge 193 — — — Hen of Grouse 191 — — — Cock of Lemon 192 — — — HenofLemon 192 — — — — of Partridge 19* — — — Cock of Silver Buff 192 — — — Hen of Silver Buff 192 — — — Cock of Silver Cinnamon 193 — — — Hen of Silver Cinnamon 193 — — — Cock and Hen of White 194 — Disqualifications in White and Black 194 — — — Buff, Lemon, Silver Buff, Silver Cinna- mon and Cinnamon 193 — — — Grouse or Partridge 194 — formarket 23 — General shape 191 — Lemon 36 — Partridge 37 — Points in Grouse or Partridge 194 — — — White andBlack 194 — Shape of the cock 191 — — — —hen 191 — SilverBuffs 36 — — Cinnamons 36 — Value of points in Buff, Lemon, Silver Buff, Silver Cinnamon and Cinnamon 193 — Vulture-hocked 15 Cocks and hens for breeding 10 — Best age for breeding 12 — Changing 9 Com bs, Frost-bi tten 99 Coop, Barrel 130- — Close chicken 130 — Pen 129 — Pent or lean-to 129 — Rat-proof 129 — Tent 129 Coops, Chicken 128 Creve-Cceurs, A pair 62 — — Disqualifications in 212 — — Henstoacock 11 — — History and Characteristics 63 — --Points in 212 — — The cock 211 — — —hen 212 Crisp-feathered fowls 41 Crossing the breed 16 Crows 175 — How to trap 175 Diphtheria in fowls 98 Dominique cock 66 — Games 56 Dominiques History and Characteristics of 66 Dorking He./, Eggs to set under a 17 — Cock, White 43 — Silver Gray 43 — White Surrey 42 Dorkings, A pair of Gray 44 — as Egg-producers 23 — Black breed of 45 — Characteristics of 42 — Color of Silver Gray cock 198 — — — — —hen 198 — Colored 199 — Dark-colored, hardiest 45 — Disqualifications 199 — — in Colored 199 PAGE- Dorkings, Disqualifications in White 199 — Fawn-colored 45 — formarket 23 — General shape 198 — Inter-breeding 44 — Points in Silver Gray 199 —White 199 — The Cock .' 198 Hen 198 — White 199 Drake, Aylesbury 80 — Rouen 83 Drinking fountains 135 Ducklings, Best mode of rearing 79 — Theflrstfood 80 Duck tent house 138 Duck-wing Bantams 55 — — g;i mes 54, 55 — house. Rustic 137 Ducks as egg producers 79 — Aylesbury 82 — Black Cnyuga 85 — Can they be kept with profit? 79 — Cayuga 84 — Crested 83,86 — Contrivance for feeding 136 — Disqualifications in 215 — — — Black East Indian 216 — Gray Call 216 — Rouen 216 — White Call 216 — Feed-box for 136 — in China, Artificial hatching of 163 — Labrador 86 — Musk or Brazilian 83, 85 — Personal experience with 81 — Points and shape in Call 216 — — in Aylesbury 215 — Black East Indian 216 — Rouen 216 — Shape and color of Aylesbury 215 — Black East Indian 216 — Rouen 215 — Rouen 83 — Varieties and management 79 — White and Black Poland 86 — —Call 83 — with hens, Rearing 82 — Whyuseful 80 Dust baths 98 Dysentery in fowls 99 Earl Derby Games 52 Egg, Air-bag of 150 — Albumen of the 149 — Anatomy of 149 — bound fowls 99 — Carrier, Champion 17S, 179 — — Suspension 179 — case, Canvas-covered 178 — — Common transportation 178 — producers. The best 2? — Progress of formations 150 — Rudimental 149 — shell 150 — undergoes in hatching, Changes an 19 — Whiteof 151 — Yolk of rudimental 149 Eggs as a commercial commodity 181 — Cash value of the product 181 — consumed in Great Britain 181 — — — New York city 181 — — —Paris 181 INDEX. 221 PAGE. Eggs, Double-yolked 150 — Egyptian mode of hatching 154 — Fertilityof 21 — for transportation, Packing 175 — French mode of preserving 180 — How to increase the supply 182 — Manner of packing 176, 177 — Mode of putting down 180 — Packingin salt 180 -^ Preserving 179 — Reasons for packing large end down 176 — To ascertain unfertile 21 — To produce 8 — — put under a hen, Number of 17 — Weightof 151 English Standard of Excellence 191 Farmer Fouy's fowls 70 "Farmers" Breed for Profit 23 Feed-box for ducks 136 Feeding hopper, A perfect 131 — — Cheap 132, 133 ^ —Double 133 — — Scotch 13i — — Standard, self 132 — — Stool 132, 133 — hoppers and troughs 130 — houses 24 — Troughs 25, 134 Food and Feeding, The proper 21 — for Fattening fowls 25 Fou ntain. Barrel 135 — Bottle 135 — Ordinary Poultry 135 — Winter water 136 Fowl, Points of a 10 Fowls are fed, How 188 •— Best breeds to be chosen 9 •- — winter layers 23 i- — drink for fattening 25 — Caponizing 141, 147 — Crop-bound 98 — Curling in the toes of 98 — Desirable for Capons.. 141 — Different formation of 143 — Diphtheria in..... 98 — Dustbathsfor 99 — Dysentery in 99 — Eating their feathers 99 •- Egg-bound 99 — Enlargement of liver and gall 99 «- Farmer's Breed 23 — Food and feeding 21 — for Exhibition, Proper food for 22 — — market and eggs 23 *- French mode of killing 26 — Gapes in 100 — General management 7 — Giving too much food 7 — Hawk, Colored .• 66 — How to place 142 — in coops. Fattening 25 — — Villages and Cities 5 — — winter, Management of 9 — Killing and dressing 26 — Leg weakness 101 — Molting 103 — not allowed to leave the coops in rainy weather 189 — — perfectly caponized 143 — Over-crowding 7 — Profits of a year's business in South America. 189 PAGE. Fowls, Proper care and keeping 7 — Rheumatism in 101 — Roup in 101 — Sulphurfor 104 — To exterminate lice 102 — — the acre, Number of 8 — When killing time comes 189 — Whitecombin., 102 — with scurvy legs 102 — Varieties of 30 — Vertigo in 102 — Vulture-hocked 15 — Pip in 101 Fractures of the bones 103 French breeds for market 23 — —of fowls 61 — Frizzled fowls 41 Fu migation 184 Game Bantams, Duck-wing '. 57 — Birchen Yellow 203 — Black 204 — — breasted Red 201 — — — — cock 201 — Brown-Red 202 — — —cock 202 — Color of cock of Birchen Yellow 203 — — — — -Pile 204 — — — Black-breasted red hen 202 — — — hen of Birchen Yellow 204 — — — — — Brown Red 204 — — — — —Pile 204 — — — — — Silver Duck-wing 203 — Fowls, Characteristics 52 — — Generalshape 200 — — Hens to a cock n — Ginger Red cock 20 — Hen 202 — Points in 204 — The Cock 200 — The hen 201 — Silver Duck-Wing 203 — — — — Cock 203 — White 204 — Yellow Duck-Wing Cock 203 — — Hen 203 Games, Black-breasted 57 — - Red 53 — Brown-red 57 — Earl Derby 53 — Dominique 56 — Duck-Wing . 54 — Georgian 56 — Indian 56 — Malay 56 — Pair of Earl Derby 52 — Pile 58 — RedDerby 54 — Salmon Pile 55 — Silver Gray 54 — Spanish 56 — Yellow Duck-Wing 55 Gapes in fowls 100 Geese, African 93 — American Wild 89,90 — Diseases of 88 — Embden 216 — — or Bremen 91,92 — for Christmas 28 — Gray-leg 93 — Food and fattening 90 — Houses 87 222 INDEX. PAGE. Geese. Incubation 87 — Management and Breeds 87 — Nests for hatching 87 — Points in 216 — Siberian 94 — Toulouse 93, 94, 21G Georgian Game 56 Goose, Barnacle 96 — Brant 96 — Egyptian S5 — White Chinese 95 Goslings, Diseases of 88 — Food for 88 — Management of 88 Gout or swelled legs 101 Gray Dorkings, A Pair of 44 — — hens to a cock 11 Guelders, Black 65 — Cuckoo 65 — History and Characteristics of 65 — Pairof 64 — White 65 Hamburg, Black 48 — as egg producers 23 Hamburgs, Black 208 — Characteristics of 45 — Color of cock of Golden Penciled 205 — — — — — —Spangled ...206 — — — — —Silver-Spangled 207 — — — hen of Golden Penciled 205 — —— — — —Spangled 206 — — — — —Silver-Spangled 207 — Disqualifications in Black 20S — — — Pen-iled 206 — — — — Spangled 208 — General shape.. 204 — Golden-Penciled 205 — — Spangled 46, 43 — hens to a cock 11 Hamburgs, Penciled 45 — Points in Black 208 — — — cocks of Penciled 206 — — — Spangled cocks 208 — — — hens of Penciled 206 — — — Spangled hens 208 — Silver Penciled 2D5 — — Spangled 46,47 — Thecock 204 — — hen 205 Hawks 175 — How to get ri 1 of 175 Hen House, Charl" i Mount's 118 — Treatment after she hr s hatched 185 Hens, A supply of 182 — and incubation, Sitting 17 — Close-sitting 18 — consuming Grasshoppers 185 — on the perch 185 — to a cock, Number of 11 — — eight cocks, Two hundred 187 — — set, The proper 17 Hennery, A model 110 — and Runways, Position of 8 — for 200 to 250 fowls 121 — Leland's 184 — Plan of a small double 113 Houdans as Eggs-producers 23 — hens to a cock 11 — History and Characteristics 61 — Points 211 — Thecock 2D PAG7L. Houdans, the hen 211 Incubation i* — by machinery, The Period of V>f> — Facts about 151 — Number of days of 18 — Process of 18. 152 Incubator, Brindley's 156 — Col. Stuart Wortley's 158 — F. H. Schoeder's 157 — Geyelin's 154 — Graves' 160 — M. Carbonnier's 155 — The American 159 Incubators 153 Indian Games 56 Japanese Bantams 69 Javas, History, Etc., of Black 7ft Jersey Blues, History, Etc 60 Killing and dressing fowls 26 La Fleche, Disqualifications in 213 — — History and Characteristics of 64 — — Points of 212 — — Thecock 212 hen 212 — — fowls, A pair of 63 Land proportionate to stock of hens 182 Leg weakness 101 Leghorns, A pair of 51 — as egg producers 23 — Characteristics of 51 Leland's Experience, Warren 8 Lice, Tansy for 103 — To exterminate 102 Liver and gall, Enlargement 99 Malay Games 56 Malays, Characteristics of 40 — Color of thecock 197 hen 197 — Disqualifications in 197 — General shape 196 — Points in 197 — The cock 196 hen 197 — White 197 Marking boxes 28 Mink, Ravages and peculiarities of the 172 — trap 172 MiDks 171 — suck eggs 173 Molting fowls 10S Mount's hen-house 118 Nest, Tight wooden box 140 — Turkey 139 Nests, Best arrangement for 139 — for laying hens 139 O variu m, The 149 Packing boxes, A word about 177 — poultry for market 27 Pekin Bantams 68 Perches for fowls 25 Pile Game 5$ Pip -01 Plymouth Rocks, History, Etc 60 Poland cock, Silver-Spangled 47 — hen, Silver-Spangled 48 Polands as egg-producers 23 — Black 50 — Blue 51 — Characteristics of 48 — Cuckoo • 51 — Golden-Spangled 50 INDEX. 223 PAGE. Polands, Gray 51 — Hens to a cock 11 — Pair of Golden-Spangled 49 — White-crested Black 50 — Silver-Spangled 49 — White-crested Black 51 — White 51 Polish, Color of cock of Golden-Spangled 209 hen of Golden-Spangled 209 _ White-crested Black 209 — Disqualifications in White-crested Black 209 — Points in White-crested Black 209 — — of Silver-Spangled 210 — Shapeof cock 208 — hen 20S Poultry, A good supply of food for 182 — appliances 127 — Diseases of 97 — enemies 170 — farm, A South American 187 — Fattening for market 24 — for market, Boxing 27 — — —Packing 27 — — New York market, Dressing 26 — — Philadelphia market. Dressing 26 — — the table, Purchasing 28 — fountain, Ordinary 135 — house and yards, Van Winkle's 110 — — Brown's 107, 108 — — Cheap 115,116, 120 — — Fancy 124,125 — — for three distinct breeds Ill — — — 100 fowls 119 — — — — —Plan of 112 — — — 30 fowls, Plan of 105 — — Hawley's 123 — — Interior view of "Van Winkle's Ill Octagon 116,117 — — Octagonal 123, 124 — — Poor Man's 106 — — Rhode Island 113 — — Rustic 106 — — Van Nuxen's 116 — — Virginia 114,115 — houses in South America 188 — — yards and runs 105 — How to judge the age of 29 — in winter, Care of 184 — — — Topreserve 29 — kept by the thousand 187 — meat, Cost of 185 — Preparing for market 24 — Purchasing undrawn 29 — raising— Common ideas erroneous 186 — rearing on a large scale 187 — should not run at large before killing 25 .. Tonicfor 103 — To prevent vermin on 170 — yard and plan 122 Prefatory and Introductory 5 Premium birds do not produce the hest chicks.... 12 Ptarmigan fowls, Vulture-hock in 15 Pullets, To Caponize , 148 Purchasing poultry for the table. 28 Rheumatism 101 Rouen Drake 81 Roup 101 Suimon Pile Games 55 Scrai-ta-ooks, Vulture-hocks necessary in 15 Scurvy legs 102 Setting Hens '.. 17 PAGE. Sexual Variations of plumage 161 Shanghae fowls 35 Shanghaes, History and Characteristics of 38 — The White 39 Silky fowls, A pair of g9 — — History, Etc gg Silver-Gray Dorking 43 — — Games 54 — Sebright Bantams 67, 68 Skunk, Destructiveness of 173 Skunks 171 Spanish, Ancona (io — Black 58 — Blue 60 — Disqualifications in cocks 200 — — —hens 200 — Fowl, Points in 200 — Games 56 — General shape 199 — Gray 60 — Hens to a cock 11 — Red-faced black 60 — The cock 199 — —hen 200 — White 59 Starting in the business 7 Storing Grain for chickens 188 Sulphur for fowls 104 Sultans, Points of 210 — The cock 210 — — hen 210 Terms and Technicalities 217 Testicles, danger of bursting 143 — when found large 143 To fatten turkeys 73 Trap, Barrel skunk 173 — Boxorbarrel 171 — Common box 170 — — steel 170 — for skunks— How to bait 173 — Geyelin's Vermin 174 — Hungerford's skunk 173 — Miles' Vermin 174 — Setting and baiting 171 Turkey, A wild 75 — Bronzed and Black 76 — Crested 77 — The Domestic 76 — Portrait of a Bronze 74 — house and nest 134 Wild 76 — — White 76 Turkeys, Breeds and Management 71 — Disqualifications 215 — Hatching 71 — Peculiarities of 71 — Points in 214 — Raising 71, 186 — To fatten 73 — — prepare food for young 72 — Rearing - 71 — The critical period 72 — Treatment of young 72 Weasel 171 White comb 102 — faced Black Spanish and White Dorking Cross 16 — Leghorns— Hens to a cock 11 — Surrey Dorkings 42 Vertigo 102 Vulture Hocks 15 Vulture Hocked Birds 3f cc cc CC C c C C_ d c C C c r C - CT C ccc «^ ccc c -r c <~ C ; • c c c C CC< ^ CC CC CC c >;C . 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