MEMORIAL POULTRY LIBRARY. 
 
 CORNELL 
 UHlVEftSITY 
 
 ■tHZ Glff Of 
 
 \'. r. Termohlen 
 
Cornell University Library 
 SF 487.A66 1868 
 
 The henwlfe:her own experience In her ow 
 
 3 1924 003 132 929 ».„.,.». 
 
 DATE DUE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GAYLORD 
 
 
 
 PRINTEDINU.S.A. 
 
iiPWl pi 
 
 Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003132929 
 
THE HENWIFE. 
 
.' A ii £ . 
 
 
THE HENWIFE: 
 
 Her Own Experience in Her Own 
 Poultry- Yard. 
 
 BT 
 
 THE HON. MRS ARBUTHNOTT. 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY HARRISON WEIR. 
 
 SEVENTH EDITION— ENLARGED. 
 
 EDINBURGH: 
 THOMAS C. JACK, 59 SOUTH BRIDGE. 
 
 LONDON, 30 LUDGATE HILL. 
 1868. 
 

 E 4529 
 
 \%y% P^j^^^Jth^ 
 
(by pekmissios.) 
 
 TO 
 
 MISS BURDETT COUTTS. 
 

 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 
 j* 
 
 r\ax 
 
 Introduction . . . . . 
 
 XV 
 
 ' Houses and Yards 
 
 23 
 
 . Food 
 
 35 
 
 1 General Treatment 
 
 43 
 
 Hatching . . . • 
 
 . 59 
 
 Chickens ... 
 
 69 
 
 Exhibition 
 
 , 75 
 
 Diseases ..... 
 
 87 
 
 Fattening . . . . • 
 
 97 
 
 Breeds . . . ■ 
 
 101 
 
 Dorking . . . . . 
 
 . 102 
 
 Grey Dorking 
 
 103 
 
 Silver Grey Dorking 
 
 . 105 
 
 White Dorking 
 
 106 
 
 _Brahma Pootra . . . . 
 
 108 
 
 Malays . . . . • 
 
 116 
 
 Game . . . . . 
 
 . 118 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Breeds — continued taok 
 
 Scotch Grey • • ■ . 12S 
 
 Spanish . ■ • • .132 
 
 Go Laighs, OB Scotch DuMprES . . .139 
 
 Cochin . . . . • 1*^ 
 
 White Cochin . ■ • • .148 
 
 Partridge, &c. . . • ■ .to. 
 
 Silkies . .... 150 
 
 Polish 
 
 Bantam 
 
 152 
 154 
 
 Hamburghs ... 160 
 
 French Breeds . . . . • 163 
 
 CrEve Ccbdr ..... 163 
 
 La Fleohe . . . ■ .166 
 
 HOUDANS ..... 167 
 
 Turkeys ...... 170 
 
 Wild American Tubket . . . 175 
 177 
 
 Chinese Geese . . . • .179 
 
 Embden Geese ..... 180 
 
 Ducks ...... 181 
 
 My Own Experience ..... 191 
 
LIST OF PLATES. 
 
 Game .... 
 
 Fkoktispieob 
 
 Silver Spangled Hamburgh 
 
 PAOB 48 
 
 Buff Cochin 
 
 56 
 
 Grey DorVing 
 
 . 104 
 
 Brahma Pootra 
 
 112 
 
 Spanish 
 
 . 136 
 
 Golden Polish 
 
 152 
 
 Golden Pencilled Hamburgh . 
 
 . 160 
 
 Wild American Turkey 
 
 172 
 
 Eouen Drake 
 
 , 180 
 
LIST OF WOODCUTS. 
 
 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Ground Plan of Poultry-House 
 
 . 26 
 
 Poultry-Houses . . . . . 
 
 27 
 
 Perch ... 
 
 . 30 
 
 Sitting-House . ■ • • 
 
 32 
 
 Egg . 
 
 64 
 
 Eggs in Basket . ... 
 
 65 
 
 Weighing Apparatus . . . • 
 
 . 78 
 
 Diagram of a Fowl — Points for Exhibition 
 
 86 
 
 Iron Hopper . . . . ■ 
 
 183 
 
 Inchmartine Cottage and Poultry-Yards . 
 
 189 
 
 Laurel House . . . . • 
 
 193 
 
 Moveable Yard-House 
 
 194 
 
 Moveable Glass Yard-House 
 
 195 
 
 Coop with Wire Range 
 
 197 
 
 Coop for Hens or Turkeys 
 
 . 198 
 
 Wire Hen Coop 
 
 199 
 
 Hamper for Packing Eggs 
 
 . 203 
 
 Willow Sitting-House 
 
 207 
 
 The Henwife's Own Basket 
 
 . 220 
 
PREFACE 
 
 TO THE SEVENTH EDITION. 
 
 I FEEL that, in issuing this seventh edition of 
 " The Henwife/' some acknowledgment is more 
 than due to those who have so kindly expressed 
 themselves as pleased, and also benefited by the 
 study of it. I thank them from my heart for 
 their warm approval and encouragement. When, 
 at the urgent request of friends, I consented to 
 publish my notes and experience of poultry life, I 
 little dreamt of the wide circulation they were 
 to receive. With much fear and trembling I 
 awaited the verdict of the public, and rejoiced 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 indeed that it was favourable. Success cannot 
 be foreseen or determined, but when it has been 
 fairly and honestly striven for, and the utmost 
 has been done to obtain it, it is gratifying. 
 
 The pages I now send forth will, I hope, meet 
 with approval. I have explained away some 
 difficulties, and corrected mistakes; also added 
 new chapters. The descriptions of the new 
 foreign breeds will doubtless be acceptable, as 
 these are rapidly making their way into public 
 favour, and superior specimens may now be seen 
 in almost every poultry-yard. The principal 
 exhibitions encourage their introduction by grant- 
 ing separate classes and prizes to them, just as 
 in France the "Jardin d'Acclimatation," at its 
 annual concours, gives medals to our Dorkings, 
 game, and other home bieeds. Tiie advantages 
 of public competition are understood, and as the 
 love of poultry rearing is extending every day, 
 and they are found to be, even on farms, pro- 
 fitable stock, I hope to see them objects of in- 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 terest to most colonial and continental agricul- 
 turists. 
 
 The antiquated idea that fowls on a farm did 
 mischief to crops is now exploded. If the grain 
 is deeply deposited (as it should be), they cannot, 
 by scratching, get access to it; besides, they 
 greatly prefer worms and insects, and may thus be 
 considered good friends to the farmer. Poultry 
 will more than repay any little outlay expended 
 upon them ; they will always command a mar- 
 ket ; and when we see the immense quantity of 
 eggs that are imported into our large towns, we 
 ought to consider if our own farms could not 
 supply our own wants. If it pays to rear poul- 
 try for market in Prance, it must surely j)ay at 
 home. It is computed that a million of eggs 
 are consumed daily in London and its suburbs, 
 and the proportion of these contributed by home 
 farms is very small, This is not as it should be. 
 
 I shall now take leave of my readers, in wish- 
 ing them as much enjoyment in their poultry- 
 
xiv PREFACE. 
 
 yards as I have ever found in mine. Witli them 
 are associated, in my mind, the happiest hours 
 of my life. And although for a time I have 
 deserted them, I still am, and must ever remain 
 in heart, 
 
 "THE HENWIFE." 
 
Introbnttion. 
 
 "How now. Dame Partlet, the hent" 
 
 Sbaesspeabs. 
 
 I HATE been often asked to publish a work on 
 Poultry, and have complied, because I think I 
 have no right to withhold any unit I may 
 possess, from the sum of human knowledge. 
 I also, naturally, desire to afford satisfaction to 
 my friends; while any who are the reverse (if 
 such there be) must admit that I fulfil for them 
 the wish of the Patriarch of Uz : " that mine 
 enemy had written a book." 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 I think I am entitled, without egregious 
 vanity, to deem my experience worthy of some 
 claim to attention, as, during the last four 
 years, I have gained upwards of 460 prizes, 
 in Scotland and England, and personally super- 
 intended the management of forty separate yards, 
 m which have annually been hatched more than 
 1000 chickens. 
 
 I began to breed poultry for amusement only, 
 then for exhibition, and lastly, was glad to take 
 the trouble to make it pay, and do not like my 
 poultry yard less, because it is not a loss. 
 
 All honour to the numerous writers on the 
 subject. I pretend not to rival them. The field 
 (like the world) is wide enough for all. A few 
 portions of this work must necessarily treat of 
 the same subjects as their's, although a good deal 
 that is new, I trust, will be found. I am not 
 a plagiarist. I desire to copy no one. I make 
 no pretence to be scientific, but only very prac- 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 tical, and to tell what my experience has been ; 
 and this is just what this little book is: viz., 
 What I did, and how I did it. 
 
 It is impossible to imagine any occupation 
 more suited to a lady, living in the country, 
 than that of poultry rearing. If she has any 
 superfluous affection to bestow, let it be on her 
 chicken-kind, and it will be returned cent, per 
 cent. 
 
 The poultry yard supplies one of the most 
 delicate descriptions of food with which man 
 has provided himself. He accepts it from 
 Nature's munificent hand as a great boon ; but 
 he is not contented to keep it as he gets it : he 
 improves upon the gift. Whoever desires to 
 realise the measure of success he has attained in 
 this, has simply to walk into next Birmingham 
 show-room, and compare what he sees there, 
 with what he remembers in the old barn 
 yards. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Indeed, a modern prize-bird almost merits the 
 character which a Parisian waiter gave of a 
 melon, when asked to pronounce whether it was 
 a fruit or a vegetable. " Gentlemen," said he, 
 ''a melon is neither; it is a work of art." 
 
 The cost of poultry keeping is much overrated. 
 To rear for the market only, would even give a 
 profit. Exhibition is, doubtless, expensive ; but 
 in some measure it pays itself, and the necessary 
 outlay is much reduced by sales of eggs and 
 fowls at high prices, when a reputation has been 
 once established; and any intending exhibitor 
 may take my word for it, that she (though per- 
 haps of moderate means) may, without extra- 
 vagance, snatch her harmless victories, invest 
 herself with the blue riband of the poultry yard, 
 and win her bloodless Solferinos. 
 
 In these pages will be found figures as to the 
 "Balance Sheet." I am aware that these can 
 be made to prove anything. I can say, how- 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ever, with a clear conscience, that mine are in- 
 tended to be honest. 
 
 I have not shrunk from giving them, any 
 more than from expressing my own opinions 
 on all points. I take this opportunity, how- 
 ever, to thank those eminent breeders who 
 have kindly furnished me with their experience, 
 and whose letters, in my opinion, so much en- 
 hance the value of this book. 
 
 I have striven not to be dogmatical, .and in 
 a matter in which " much niay be said on 
 both sides," I wished to giv^ all arguments 
 fair play. To have d6ne .otherwise, would 
 have been to forfeit the confidence of the reader, 
 as well as to make a very daring infringe- 
 ment on the prerogative of the " Editor of The 
 Times." 
 
 All success, then, to the poultry yard! 
 
 Are you a lover of nature? Come with me, 
 and view with delighted gaize her chosen dyes. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Are you a utilitariaB?- Rejoice in such an 
 increase of the people's food. 
 
 Are you a pliUanthropist? Be grateful that 
 yours has been the privilege to afford a possible 
 pleasure to the poor man, to whom so many are 
 impossible. Such we often find fond of poultry 
 — no mean judges of it, and frequently success- 
 ful in exhibition. A poor man's pleasure in 
 victory is at least as great as that of his richer 
 brother. Let him, then, have the field whereon 
 to fight for it. Encourage village poultry 
 shows, not only by your patronage, but also 
 by your presence. A taste for such may save 
 many from dissipation, and much evil ; no man 
 can win poultry honours and haunt the tap- 
 room too. 
 
 Por myself, I can truly say that, during the 
 time I have reared poultry, I have ever found 
 the pursuit to be " a labour of love," and (like 
 virtue) "its own reward." I feel that, though 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 more tangible benefits had not fallen to my lot. 
 I can still look back on the hours spent among 
 my feathered pets with affectionate gratitude. 
 
\sMtB anb ^Mh. 
 
 It is impossible to give special rules for poultry 
 houses and yards, to siiit all tastes and require- 
 ments, without knowing the facility the ground 
 possesses for such. 
 
 My endeavour is to lay before the reader a 
 few simple plans which may guide the intending 
 poultry keeper, and be the means of insuring the 
 comfort and weU-being of the flock. 
 
 I do not consider any one soil necessary for 
 success in rearing poultry. Some think a chalk 
 or gravel soil essential for Dorkings; but I 
 have proved the fallacy of this opinion, by 
 bringing up, during three years, many hundreds 
 of these soi-disant delicate birds on the strong 
 blue clay of the Carse of Gowrie — doubtless. 
 
24 HOUSES AND YARDS. 
 
 thoroughly drained, that system being well 
 understood and universally practised by the 
 farmers of the district. 
 
 A coating of gravel and sand once a-year is all 
 that is requisite to secure the necessary dryness 
 in the runs. 
 
 The houses and yards should have' a south or 
 south-west exposure, and (if possible) open into a 
 grass park, to which the fowls can have daily 
 access. 
 
 The houses may be built of stone and lime 
 or brick ; but I prefer wooden erections, as less 
 close, and affording a freer circulation of air. 
 The roof, however, in every case must be per- 
 fectly waterproof, a pane of glass inserted in each 
 door to admit light, and a few holes pierced to 
 promote ventUation. Light, air, and sunshine are 
 indispensable to the health of fowls — the floor of 
 clay or gravel, well-beaten down, so as to be per- 
 fectly hard and dry. For a cock and six hens, 
 the house should not be less than from twelve 
 to sixteen feet in height, and eight feet square ; 
 the yards the width of the house, and fifteen feet 
 long, enclosed by posts and wire fencing (two- 
 
HOUSES AND YARDS. 25 
 
 inch mesh), eight feet high, boarded up two feet 
 from the ground between the yards, to prevent 
 the cocks fighting through the wire. This is the 
 most dangerous of all warfare, as the birds injure 
 themselves in the meshes, and (Dorkings espe- 
 cially) are apt to tear their combs and toes in them. 
 
 In each yard there should be a water- vessel, and 
 a small, low lean-to shed, under which is the dust- 
 bath — viz., a box, filled with dry ashes, or sand 
 and lime rubbish. This shed also serves for shelter 
 from rain and sun. It should be placed against 
 the front of the hen-house, sloping to the front. 
 A trap, a foot and a half square, must be cut in 
 the fencing round each yard, to admit of the fowls 
 being let out to the grass park, and each house 
 should open into its own yard, for the convenience 
 of cleaning out, catching the fowls, &c. 
 
 It is of advantage to poultry houses to be en 
 suite, communicating with each other by doors, 
 to allow them to be cleaned from end to end 
 without the necessity of passing through the 
 yards ; and there must be a trap from the house 
 into the yard for the egress and ingress of the 
 fowls at pleasure. I would recommend that all 
 
26 HOUSES AND YARDS. 
 
 these traps be made with sliding panels which 
 close, to prevent the fowls having access to the 
 houses while the process of cleaning out is going 
 on, and at all times it is requisite to have the 
 means of shutting out the fowls from house or 
 yard, as may be wished. The doors which con- 
 nect house with house should be made to fasten 
 on either side, to guard against the possibility of 
 the different varieties meeting, when the keeper's 
 attention may be engaged in performing any 
 necessary duties in the house, such as arranging 
 straw in the nests, collecting eggs, &c., (fig. 2). 
 
 He. 1. 
 
 
 .4.ft 
 
 s.f^ 
 
 
 
 
 <a 
 
 
 
 !^ 
 
 
 
 1^ 
 — 
 
 
 
 Gronnd Flan of Poultry Uoosee. 
 
IM ^^L \ 
 
 t^ fSt.^ \ I 
 
 
 JX: 
 
 
 l**- 4*V 
 
 _ _ / 
 
HOUSES AND YARDS. 29 
 
 To secure the safety of eggs, (which, in estab- 
 lishments of mark, are apt to excite the cupidity 
 of the covetous), each external door should be 
 provided with a lock and key. Inferior manages 
 are, of course, not so liable to this drawback; 
 but I would say to all poultry keepers. Guard 
 your fowls during night; they are, perhaps, more 
 easily "conveyed" than any other species of 
 domestic animals. "Experto crede." 
 
 During the winter months close all the traps 
 from sunset to sunrise. My Scotch experience, 
 at least, has shown me the advantage of this 
 precaution; and past seasons have proved the 
 climate of England to be quite as severe as that 
 north of the Tweed. 
 
 Eor this daily routine you must have con- 
 fidence in your poultry attendants, and feel 
 assured that the birds are admitted to their 
 yajds at an early hour in the morning. The 
 only admissible furniture in a poultry house is 
 a moveable perch, not higher than two feet from 
 the ground, made in the form of trestles, of 
 split larch, the bark left on, and uppermost, 
 (fig. 3). If the perch is high, heavy birds are 
 
30 HOUSES AND YARDS. 
 
 Pig. 3. 
 
 Perch. 
 
 very apt to be lamed in descending. The house 
 being small, they drop perpendicularly from the 
 roost, and so injure their feet; hence the bumble 
 foot of the Dorking. A smaU or smooth cylin- 
 drical perch is not desirable. The fowls can- 
 not take a firm hold of it; and it is certain 
 to cause crooked breast-bones, a most grave 
 defect. For the use of the hens, a few nests on 
 the ground, divided from each other by strips of 
 wood, are necessary ; but these are understood to 
 be merely for the benefit of laying fowls, a 
 sitting-house being indispensable in even, a 
 moderate establishment Where only one variety 
 of fowl is kept, a very simple style of arrange- 
 ment is required. A span-roofed house, covered 
 with felt, or tarpauling coated with tfir, a door to 
 loch, moveable perch, a few nests, and trap, will 
 
HOUSES AND YARDS. 31 
 
 answer all needful purposes; this is supposing 
 tlie fowls to have complete liberty; if shut up 
 during any part of the day, they must have a 
 yard such as I have already described. Where 
 many kinds of poultry are desiderated, a much 
 more extended system becomes imperative. 
 Houses to suit their different peculiarities must 
 be erected, in order to do justice to them all, 
 and guarantee success in each. 
 
 Take, for example, the classes of Brahma 
 Pootra and Cochins. These require no perch, 
 preferring ■^he floor of the house to any more 
 elevated position ; but this must be well littered 
 down with straw, as in a stable, and as regularly 
 removed. A broad board covered with straw is 
 sometimes substituted for a perch ; this must be 
 a little elevated from the ground. I find, how- 
 ever, that if there are nests, there the Cochins 
 will roost, in spite of all attempts to make them 
 do othefwise. A wire fence three feet high is 
 quite sufficient to restrain these birds within 
 bounds; they never attempt to fly over the divi- 
 sions, or poach on their neighbour's grounds. If 
 a tree can be enclosed in a poultry run, it forms 
 
32 
 
 HOUSES AND YARDS 
 
 a very agreeable object, and affords shelter to the 
 fowls. On a warm sunny day they will always be 
 found under the protecting shade of its branches, 
 and half-buried in the holes they have scraped 
 out, in which to roll and dust themselves. 
 
 I will now describe a sitting-house, which may 
 be made on a greater or lesser scale, (fig. 4). 
 
 Fig. i. 
 
 Sitting-i^ouso. 
 
HOUSES AND YARDS. 33 
 
 Indeed, where a great number of fowls is kept, 
 more than one will be necessary. The interior 
 shoxild be fitted up with a row of nests ; in fact, 
 a broad wooden shelf, divided into compartments 
 a foot and a half square, covered over with a roof 
 sloping to the front. The additional height at 
 the back gives better ventilation to the sitting 
 hens; and this has more to do with their health 
 and comfort, and consequent good hatching, than 
 most are aware of Generally speaking, sitting 
 places are too close and confined, showing a 
 marked difference, indeed, to those selected by 
 the hens themselves if allowed freedom of choice. 
 A sitting-house being a necessary evil in a 
 poultry establishment, let us make it as comfort- 
 able as possible to the poor hen during her 
 retrdite. Each nest must have a folding flap in 
 front, to secure the hen from any intrusion on 
 the part of her neighbours, and to confine her if 
 at all inclined to vagrancy. The flaps should be 
 numbered, and a few air-holes pierced in each; 
 the lower panels of the nests be made to slide 
 out and in, as after each occupancy it is advisable 
 to have them washed. The sitting-house yard 
 
34 HOUSES AND YARDS. 
 
 cliifers in no respect from that described for non- 
 incubating fowls ; it must have a similar dust- 
 bath and water-vessel. A flue (as seen in the 
 woodcut) is desirable where chickens are wished 
 during the winter months, to be used only in 
 very cold weather, when the frost might be ex- 
 pected to injure the eggs. 
 
 Having now described the House of the hen, 
 I shall proceed to its Food. 
 
35 
 
 Jfoffb. 
 
 Never stint poultry in the variety or quality 
 of tlieir food ; good food is a positive economy. 
 The best and heaviest corn is the cheapest, if we 
 except the small or tail-wheat, which, fortunately, 
 is richer in flesh-forming properties than the 
 full-grown and more marketable grain. 
 
 I do not propose to write a lecture on 
 chemistry ; for this read Liebig ; but we ought 
 to make ourselves intimately acquainted with 
 the difl'erent substances required for the for- 
 mation and reparation of the system. 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, (also termed sharps), 
 is richer in two of these important ingredients 
 
36 FOOB. 
 
 than any other one kind of food, but being 
 deficient in gluten, is not warmth-giving, and is 
 better when combined with the whole grain, 
 which, when bruised, or hashed, Cas it is some- 
 times provincially called), forms the most whole- 
 some and nutritious food. 
 
 Barley is more used than any other grain. It 
 is cheaper, but unless in the form of meal, should 
 not be the only grain in the poultry-yard. Fowls 
 do not fatten upon it. 
 
 Oats, also, are inferior in nutriment, unless in 
 the form of meal. 
 
 Indian corn is a good and economical food, too 
 fattening, however, to be given without judgment. 
 It can be bought at most sea-ports at a reason- 
 able price, and fowls are very fond of it. I find 
 light wheat, or tailings, the best grain for daily 
 use, and next to that, barley. 
 
 The subjoined table may interest my readers. 
 I take it from a very useful publication, " The 
 Poultry Diary, by an Essex Amateur :" — 
 
FOOD. 
 
 37 
 
 
 
 to 
 
 to 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^■ 
 
 
 § 
 
 «; 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 Evert 100 lbs. of 
 
 6 
 S 
 
 ,o o 
 
 5§ 
 
 11 
 
 o 
 
 .1 
 
 
 fa 
 
 15 
 
 18 
 
 1 
 
 s-3 
 
 1 
 
 '^ 
 
 Oats contain 
 
 6 
 6 
 3 
 (5 
 
 47 
 63 
 
 2 
 2 
 2 
 5 
 
 20 
 2 
 1 
 4 
 
 10 
 
 9 
 
 12 
 
 14 
 
 Oatmeal 
 
 Wheat 
 
 12 70 
 18 , 5:i 
 
 Middlings (fine bran) 
 
 Barley 
 
 2 
 
 1 
 
 fiO 
 
 2 
 
 14 
 
 11 
 
 Indian Corn 
 
 8 
 
 A trace 
 
 2 
 
 11 
 
 7 
 25 
 
 65 
 
 80 
 48 
 
 1 
 
 A trace 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 10 
 13 
 15 
 
 Rice 
 
 Beans and Peas 
 
 Milk 
 
 3 
 
 4i 
 
 5 
 
 1 
 
 ... 
 
 86f 
 
 
 Rice forms a very agreeable change of diet; it 
 can be procured, a little damaged, for a small 
 price, and is cooling and alterative, when pro- 
 perly prepared. The following is the method : 
 Boil for half-an-hour, and then let it stand in 
 the water till cold, when it will be found to have 
 swelled amazingly, and the mass so firm as to 
 admit of being taken out in lumps, and easily 
 broken up. 
 
 Buck-wheat and hemp-seed are greedily de- 
 voured by poultry, and no grains are more 
 
38 FOOD. 
 
 likely to produce eggs, early, and in abundance. 
 During moult, give hemp-seed freely ; it strength- 
 ens greatly. 
 
 Groats also form an item in the food of these 
 omnivorous creatures, but are not to be consi- 
 dered ordinary feeding. They should be reserved 
 for the basket of the lady manager. 
 
 Linseed steeped is occasionally given (chiefly 
 to birds destined for exhibition), to increase 
 the secretion of oil, and give lustre to their 
 plumage. 
 
 The best sort of soft food is composed as fol- 
 lows: — Mix equal quantities of thirds (sharps) 
 with Indian, oat, or barley-meal, into a paste 
 ■with water. This should be worked up into 
 balls, which, if of proper consistency, break when 
 thrown on the ground, and are thus equally 
 divided among the fowls ; the size of the balls 
 secures accuracy as regards quantity. 
 
 Another advantage also is, that, if a lady per- 
 sonally distributes the food, these balls are more 
 agreeable to manipulate than the porridgy mass 
 generally seen, and which fowls by no means 
 relish: soft food should always he friable. 
 
FOOD. 39 
 
 The potato is the only cooked vegetable ad- 
 missible, and«is very conducive to the health and 
 growth of poultry. When mashed and sprinkled 
 ■with meal, it is a pleasant variety in the poultry 
 bill of fare. Time was when we were wont to 
 indulge our favourites freely in its use, but, alas ! 
 that is matter of history now. The high price 
 almost prohibits it to poultry, and I fear to 
 many, too, who once depended mainly upon this 
 iickle root for their support.* 
 
 I do not approve of any feeding dish. Poultry 
 prefer to pick their food off the ground, and the 
 gravel and sand swallowed along with it are ne- 
 cessary for digestion. Chopped cabbage, lettuce, 
 spinage, or other green vegetables, should be 
 given daily ; calcined oyster-shells are also to be 
 used. Powls are very fond of them, and they 
 tend to produce perfect eggs. They are prepared 
 by burning them in the fire until quite brittle, 
 when they can be easily broken by the hand. 
 
 The first nieal, consisting of grain, should be 
 given at six A.M. in summer, and at daylight in 
 
 * This was written during the prevalence of the potato 
 disease, therefore — although potatoes still command good 
 prices — they are quite within the reach of all. 
 
40 FOOD. 
 
 winter. That at mid-day should be the soft food 
 balls already mentioned; and the last, grain 
 again, that the fowls may have, during the night, 
 the benefit of the warmth it imparts. 
 
 In cold weather, feed liberally on toast soaked 
 in ale. Fowls are by no means abstainers, but 
 heartily enjoy their beer, nay, even wine, when 
 suffering from debility. Cooked animal food is 
 to be given daily during winter, taking the place 
 of the insect life, which is absent. 
 
 When the genial softness of spring again 
 reigns over the scene, and the sleeping earth 
 Wilkes once more, we may trust a good deal 
 to the supply afforded by nature. The fowls, 
 during their daily grass run, will pick up much 
 themselves, for which we endeavour to make our 
 own superfluity a substitute. 
 
 We ought to consider ourselves deeply in- 
 debted to poultry for the saving from waste of 
 broken victuals, scraps of fish, &c., crumbs and 
 larger fragments of bread, which last are too fre- 
 quently collected, and appear again at table in 
 the very objectionable form of puddings, and 
 other unprincipled disguises, where a stern eco- 
 
FOOD. 41 
 
 nomy reigns, at the expense of all " reason, faith, 
 and conscience." 
 
 Had I the honour of being a correspondent of 
 a sporting periodical, I would, of course, here 
 quote, " Revenons d, nos moutons." Being, how- 
 ever, only a simple " Henwife," I may, perhaps, 
 be allowed the more humble expression of " Let 
 me revert to my subject;" and this brings me 
 to drinking-vessels for poultry. 
 
 Those I approve of, are the common tile 
 flower-pot saucers. They do not hold much, so 
 that the water is ever fresh, if frequently replen- 
 ished^ as they ought to be. This is a great 
 desideratum, especially in summer. Fowls 
 relish fresh cool water, as may be seen by the 
 eagerness with which they fly to the vessels 
 when refilled. These must always be kept clean, 
 and occasionally scrubbed with sand, to remove 
 the green slime which collects, and is so produc- 
 tive of roup, gapes, and other diseases. In 
 winter, care must be taken to empty them at 
 nightfall, otherwise ice would form and cause 
 breakage. In moulting time a little citrate of 
 iron mixed in the water is beneficial ; about a 
 
42 FOOD. 
 
 teaspoonful to a common.- sized water-can is 
 sufficient. 
 
 I am happy, in concluding my own experi- 
 ences in poultry feeding, to be ab'e to men- 
 tion very favourably the food manufactured by 
 Messrs Chamberlain & Co. Having now used 
 it for some time, I can vouch for its excel- 
 lence. My fowls are very fond of it, and thrive 
 admirably upon it. I give it, mixed with minced 
 boiled liver, and pounded pimento sprinkled over 
 all. This, however, is to be considered quite a 
 " bon bon," and used in limited quantities. 
 Sometimes, I give the food plain, following their 
 own directions for use, and have found the re.sult 
 very satisfactory. 
 
43 
 
 (^tmxul inatmtnt. 
 
 The best guide is Nature, and we should always 
 follow her as closely as possible in the treatment 
 of our stock. Fowls are almost grazing animals, 
 and pick up grass, or any green food, in quan- 
 tities. If, therefore, you cannot give them com- 
 plete liberty, (and this is impossible where large 
 numbers and several varieties are kept), you 
 should, at all events, allow them a daily run in a 
 grass park. One hour's liberty is sufficient to 
 keep them in health, and their enjoyment of 
 this boon is so great, that, even were there no 
 other reason, that should be sufficient induce- 
 ment for you to give them their little bit ofi 
 happiness, even at the expense of trouble to 
 yourself 
 
 It is astonishing how soon fowls accommodate 
 
 *r' 
 
44 GENERAL TREATMENT. 
 
 themselves to the regulations of the establish- 
 ment. A day or two suffice to make them 
 acquiesce in all our wishes, and enable them to 
 recognise, without apparent difficulty, their re- 
 spective yards. Fowls seem to understand the 
 value of their hour's play, and lose no time, (the 
 trap once opened), in availing themselves of it; 
 they rush to the grass, and never cease picking 
 it, until driven home. Great care must be taken 
 that one set is put in before another is let 
 out; this demands hourly attention, as, by one 
 moment's carelessness in allowing breeds to mix, 
 hopes, for a whole season, may be destroyed. 
 If there are several yards of the same breed, 
 these, to save time, may be allowed to enjoy each 
 other's society during their run, but never let 
 out different varieties together. One single 
 misalliance will ruin the purity of the breed 
 for the whole hatch of eggs, and even a second 
 hatch. At no season of the year should hens 
 be allowed to associate with the male bird of a 
 different variety, and if supereminent excellence 
 is desired, not even with an inferior one of the 
 same. 
 
GESERAL TREAT MEyT. 45 
 
 While the fowls are enjoying their grass run, 
 their yards may be dug over ; twice a-week is 
 Qot too often for this operation. Occasionally a 
 little of the soil pared ofi', and fresh sand strewed 
 in its place. At all times perfect cleanliness, 
 in yards and houses, should greet the eye 
 of the lady visitor — it is tiie grand requisite. 
 At the risk of appearing didactic, I must insist 
 upon this sine qud non in a poultry establish- 
 ment, (great or small), be it that of the " laird,'' 
 or that of his " tenant." I do not say with 
 some writers, "If the floor of the fowl house can 
 be cleansed every morning, so much the better;" 
 but I say, " It must be done," and scrupulously 
 so, too. If the floor is as hard as it ought to be, 
 a birch broom is the best implement that can be 
 used for this purpose. 
 
 The supply of water must be copious and of 
 the purest description, and the dust-bath always 
 provided with ashes for the use of the fowls. 
 They love to roll themselves in this, scattering 
 the contents over their feather.s, to the efiectual 
 discomfort and dislodgement of all parasites. A 
 heap of lime rubbish, or old mortar, should be 
 
46 GENERAL TREATMENT. 
 
 placed in a corner of each yard — poultry are 
 fond of it, and it is conducive to their health. 
 Once a-year, the interior of the houses and nests 
 should be lime washed, and the floor saturated 
 with the same mixture; this keeps all perfectly 
 pure and free from taint. 
 
 It is good, during warm weather, occasion- 
 ally to sprinkle water over the perch, and 
 in its vicinity, scattering a little sulphur over 
 the wetted parts. This ought to, and in a 
 great measure does, prevent the appearance 
 of any obnoxious animalculse, which, too 
 often, in even well-regulated establishments, 
 make their way good, to the torment of the 
 occupants and their attendants. Depend upon 
 it, the more we attend to the comfort of our 
 domestic animals, the more they will repay our 
 care. 
 
 To realise excellence, demands the most un- 
 flagging zeal and energy on the part of the 
 mistress and her servants. Every day must have 
 its apportioned work, carried out systematically, 
 with honest vigour, in cold or heat, in rain or 
 sunshine. Poultry must not be capriciously 
 
OENERAL TREATMENT. 47 
 
 dealt with — a feast one day, a famine the next. 
 Superiority cannot thus be obtained. Where a 
 hearty goodwill is shown by those appointed to 
 tend youx flock, and a kind interest is taken by 
 them in its welfare, you have the surest founda- 
 tion for success. There may sometimes be a 
 little difficulty in effecting reforms in manage- 
 ment. Old prejudices and opinions, too deeply 
 rooted to be easily eradicated, may be encoun- 
 tered; but, if the lady fancier devotes some part 
 of her leisure time to general, supervision and 
 direction, she will soon find that her presence 
 acts like a charm upon even the most obdurate 
 and old-fashioned bigot, who must, perforce, ac- 
 knowledge the superiority of the new, over the 
 ancien regime, as proved by the higher condi- 
 tion, greater weight, and increased beauty of the 
 birds. 
 
 In cold or damp weather give nourishing food, 
 and plenty of it; while in moult, the birds 
 can scarcely be too highly fed. Amateurs, who 
 themselves look after the wants of their stock, 
 can best judge of their requirements, and will 
 
48 GENERAL TREATMENT. 
 
 prefer making their own arrangements regarding 
 a dietary table. 
 
 Never feed in haste, but watch the peculiari- 
 ties of taste in your flock, and minister to them. 
 One fowl may starve, while the others revel in 
 luxury. As with children, their likes and dis- 
 likes must be studied, and no one kind of food 
 forced upon them, to their disgust, and conse- 
 quent loss of condition and beauty. 
 
 Where young stock, for early market, or 
 summer exhibition, is desired, the breeding 
 yards should be made up not later than Novem- 
 ber. 
 
 If fowls are properly fed, and attended to, eggs 
 for setting will be plentiful in December. 
 
 Well-formed, healthy, spirited birds should 
 alone be selected to breed from, and a certain 
 vivacity of temperament, and proud mien, are 
 essential characteristics of the Lord of the 
 Harem. His sultanas, of whatever variety, 
 should be good types of their respective classes. 
 Polygamy is allowable, but only to the extent of 
 six wives, and this number may, with advantage, 
 be reduced to four. The male bird, if of the 
 

 SPilTC-LEU EACBURC-H. 
 
GENERAL TREATMENT. 49 
 
 previous season, should be mated with hens two 
 years old, and vice versd. 
 
 The strongest chickens are to be obtained from ^' 
 old hens, with a cockerel. Broods, however, from 
 these will be deficient in pullets ; such, at least, 
 has been my experience. 
 
 Avoid breeding from fowls related to each ^ 
 other. It is a baneful system, and results in 
 small, delicate offspring, which easily falls a prey 
 to roup, leg weakness, and all the ills that 
 chickenhood is heir to. 
 
 The cost of poultry keep may be considerably 
 lessened by the proceeds of an annual sale by auc- 
 tion, early in the year, before the breeding season, 
 and also by the disposal of single birds or matched 
 pens for exhibition at high prices. If the owner 
 is known as a prize-winner, the fowls will pro- 
 bably average L.l apiece at the sale, and are, con- 
 sequently, too valuable for the stock-can, which, 
 otherwise, must be the destination of all that 
 have passed chickenhood, and yet are unlikely to 
 prove prize-takers, or desirable to breed from. 
 
 Aspic de voUaile, and even cock's combs, when 
 judiciously combined with oysters, truffles, &c., 
 
 n 
 
50 GENERAL TREATMENT. 
 
 are charming additions to the cuisine, but it is 
 not every henwife, who, like Cleopatra, can 
 afford to dissolve her jewels. 
 
 Large sums have probably been required for 
 the purchase of the parent birds, and we value 
 their descendants accordingly. A good founda- 
 tion was laid, regardless of cost, and the progeny 
 must not be sacrificed. 
 
 You may reduce your expenses by seUing 
 eggs for setting, at a remunerative price. No 
 one should be ashamed to own what he is not 
 ashamed to do ; therefore, boldly announce your 
 superfluous eggs for sale, at such a price as you 
 think the public will pay for them. 
 
 Beware of sending such eggs to market. 
 Every one would 'be set, and you might find 
 yourself beaten by your own stock, very likely 
 in your own local show, and at small cost to the 
 exhibitor. 
 
 Early chickens may be hatched and sold to 
 Edinburgh and London dealers, who will gladly 
 give L.2 per dozen, ay, and more, for well-grown, 
 straight-breasted white-legged chickens, mode- 
 rately fat. Poultry rearers must not suppose 
 
GENERAL TREATMENT. 61 
 
 such sums are given for any hut early, well- 
 grown, fat chickens. 
 
 Leadenhall prices are said to be exaggerated, 
 but residents in the Metropolis, during the 
 season, know to their cost what they are, and I 
 can verify them by my own books. 
 
 Deem not, however, that all birds sold as 
 spring chickens, are so in reality. Many are the 
 produce of the previous autumn, stunted in 
 growth by the hardships of winter. These the 
 verdant housekeeper buys, and her master's 
 guests eat them, askipg no questions. 
 
 The chickens which realise such high prices are 
 hatched early in January, and reared with the 
 greatest care, and attention to feeding. 
 
 Poultry keeping (though essentially a home 
 pleasure) need not be limited to home. Indeed, 
 it becomes a necessity to dispose, in one way or 
 other, of your superfluous stock. If you breed 
 for exhibition, you cannot too strictly limit 
 your numbers. Out of 100 chickens, you may 
 not be able to match more than two pens for 
 Birmingham, and must therefore leave yourself 
 ample room for choice. This will give an abun- 
 
52 GENERAL TREATMENT. 
 
 dance to your establishment, and for the poul- 
 terer. Chickens and eggs should be plentiful all 
 the year round ; where poultry are kept on a large 
 scale, the purchase of either should be unknown. 
 By keeping pullets of those breeds that lay early, 
 you command a supply of eggs for daily use all 
 winter, and often have an overplus for market at 
 its dearest season. I shall elsewhere detail the 
 method I have found most effectual, for preserv- 
 ing eggs for kitchen use, during the scarce season ; 
 in summer, they are plentiful and cheap, and, as 
 I said before, too good for market. 
 
 I think I have now given all necessary instruc- 
 tions for the treatment of poultry kept on a 
 somewhat extended scale. Amateurs, who have 
 limited accommodation, should keep only a few 
 first-rate fowls, say a Dorking cock and two 
 hens, two Cochin and two Brahma Pootra hens. 
 These latter lay all winter, sit soon, and bring 
 out Dorking chickens much earlier than the 
 Dorking hens themselves, which are tardy 
 sitters. 
 
 The Cochin and Brahma eggs, being dark in 
 colour, are easily distinguished from those of the 
 
GENERAL TREATMENT. 53 
 
 Dorkings. I would advise the Cochin eggs to 
 be used in the household, and a few of the 
 Brahimas to be set. A cross between it and the 
 Dorking makes a large if somewhat coarse bird 
 for the table. 
 
 The pure Dorking chickens can be sold, at 
 good prices, to other fanciers. To the breeder 
 they are useless, and are, perhaps, too valuable 
 to be killed. The original stock will last two 
 years, at the end of which I would recommend 
 that the male bird be replaced by a younger one, 
 of a different strain, and then your own pullets 
 wiU come into use. A few choice birds can be 
 kept, in this way, at very small cost ; only one 
 house is required, and that of moderate dimen- 
 sions. If the fowls are to be confined during 
 any part of the day, they must have a yard 
 similar to that already described. If they have 
 absolute freedom, they find many means of suste- 
 tenance for themselves in the open fields or sur- 
 rounding shrubberies, and will be, in a great 
 measure, independent of the provision commis- 
 sariat. It is impossible to lay down exact rules 
 as to feeding ; experience is the safest guide. 
 
5i GENERAL TREATMENT. 
 
 Poultry, if penned up, witli only an occa- 
 sional run, live in complete dependance on 
 the food given, which must always be regu- 
 lated by circumstances. It must be borne in 
 mind that high feeding is conducive to lay- 
 ing, and the eggs will always pay for the 
 grain consumed, if the yearly average price is 
 taken. 
 
 I have thus attempted to show that it is pos- 
 sible to keep poultry, even as an amusements 
 without loss. It pays best either on a very large 
 or very small scale. In the latter case it must 
 be viewed only as a "fancy," and if the expense 
 can be covered by the sale of extra stock, it is all 
 that can be expected or desired. On a larger 
 scale, the pursuit resolves itself into a system. 
 The market must be studied for the purchase 
 of grain, and for the sale of your produce. To 
 show a good balance-sheet, your household must 
 be supplied during the dearest as well as the 
 cheapest seasons of the- year. Your spring 
 chickens must come from your own yards; your 
 eggs, at two shillings a-dozen, from your own 
 laying-houses. Thus you live in plenty — nay, 
 
GENERAL TREATMENT. 55 
 
 in extravagance, had you to purchase all you 
 supply yourself with — and you enjoy the bless- 
 ing of independence. 
 
 To the farmer (and I hope to number many 
 among my readers), I would give the following 
 advice : — In spring, purchase a Houdan cock and 
 six hens, also six Brahma hens. Set every egg. 
 From these keep all the pullets, and kill or sell 
 the cockerels. In autumn, the yard will be fully 
 stocked with fine young hens, which will lay 
 freely all winter. If eggs alone is the object, 
 the original male bird may remain, with the 
 addition of a cockerel when twenty pullets are 
 kept ; but if pure bred chickens are wished, then 
 I advise that the adult Houdans should be boarded 
 out. A cottager, for a remuneration, will gladly 
 take charge of them, and rear as many chickens 
 as desired for carrying on the system. In this 
 way, your original stock will supply your yard for 
 several seasons. From thirty Brahma and Houdan 
 pullets you will have above ten dozen eggs per 
 week all winter ; and the cross produces the finest 
 possible chickens for market, but not to breed from. 
 Pure Brahmas and Houdans alone must be kept 
 
66 GENERAL TREATMENT. 
 
 for that purpose ; I have always found the 
 second cross worthless. As Brahmas do not so 
 constantly show a desire to incubate, their period 
 of laying being much more extended than that 
 of Cochins, a few of these hens, (not the leggy, 
 tucked-up looking things, so often called such, 
 but short-legged, compact, well-feathered birds), 
 may with advantage be kept, to act as mothers; 
 they sit early, and are capital nurses. Farm 
 yards are seldom stocked with profitable poultry; 
 in them, too often, is the pernicious adherence to 
 the system of breeding in and in seen, in its 
 worst aspect; the result is certain degeneracy. 
 Farmers look upon poultry as a trifling and un- 
 important item in the farm stock, only to be kept 
 as layers of eggs during summer, and are quite 
 satisfied if their chickens bring a fair market 
 price. But why not rear fowls that will weigh 
 eight instead of four pounds? and at the same 
 cost of feeding. Surely, such weights will com- 
 mand higher prices than merely those of the 
 market, which is often supplied with birds, 
 scarcely worthy of the name of fowls. Creatures 
 of every conceivable form and colour, vnth long 
 
BUFF COCHIN. 
 Eimluirfli Thomaa C.Jack 
 
 1^i0<aV G iikm (n E)ii? 
 
GENERAL TREATMENT. 57 
 
 black legs, narrow breasts, and twisted breast- 
 bones, certainly possessing a superabundance of 
 tail, but that adornment goes for little in the 
 cook's eye. These miserable results are by no 
 means the consequence of want of food; a farm 
 yard is the paradise of poultry, and nowhere can 
 they live in greater comfort or plenty. It is just 
 because the birds want frame, on which to put 
 flesh and fat; bone is deficient; and all the lap's 
 full of oats, barley, and wheat, which the far- 
 mer's wife may filch for them from the gude- 
 man's barn, are wasted on a worthless crew. 
 Let the farmer test the merits of my advice by 
 his own practical experience, and I am not afraid 
 of an adverse opinion. Poultry ought to pay 
 him, if anybody; they have the advantage of the 
 gleanings of the stack-yard, and at times are 
 almost independent of any extra feeding. Should 
 the farmer be an exhibitor, he must, of course, 
 submit to some expense in carrying, out his 
 hobby. High feeding must then be the rule. 
 Exhibition fowls require more than ordinary 
 care and trouble. Money may have been in- 
 vested in the purchase of prize pens, at enhanced 
 
58 GENERAL TREATMENT. 
 
 prices, but he may look for his return in the con- 
 stant pleasure they afford him, and in being the 
 envied winner of a " silver cup." 
 
59 
 
 latticing. 
 
 As "hatcMng" is often attended with great 
 disappointments, my readers may like to know 
 some of their causes, and the best means of 
 guarding against them. 
 
 The weather is often unjustly blamed; it 
 ought not to have the influence so many hen- 
 wives ascribe to it. You can, and should, always 
 defend your poor sitters from its attacks. If 
 my plan of "sittiag-house" is adopted, you can 
 expel John Frost by means of the flue, and, by 
 damping the eggs regularly, set at nought the 
 sharp drying wind, however penetrating. 
 
 The mischances in hatching should really be 
 few. If you set a hen under unnatural circum- 
 stances, you must make it up to her by extra 
 kindness, and endeavour to render the cloister- 
 
60 HATCH ING. 
 
 like life she necessarily leads, as little irksome 
 as possible. 
 
 The house and yard must • be tenanted by 
 sitters alone, and kept scrupulously clean, the 
 dust-bath full, and a daily supply of garden pro- 
 duce, fresh water, and as much grain, and soft 
 food, as the hen can eat, supplied during the 
 half-hour allowed her for exercise. 
 
 The birds should be taken off their nests 
 simultaneously, and put into the yard, the atten- 
 dant, (meanwhile), examining the eggs to see if 
 any are broken. If any such there be, they must 
 be removed, and the remaining eggs, when soiled, 
 wiped with a damp cloth. The eggs in each nest 
 should then be sprinkled with water, either by 
 the hand or with a small flat brush, which 
 answers the purpose admirably, as it does not 
 distribute the water too freely. The floor of the 
 house must be swept every day, and, in warm 
 weather, have a little flour of sulphur scattered 
 over it. 
 
 Hens usually return, quietly, and of their own 
 accord, to their nests. If refractory, however, 
 they must be lifted on, the panels closed, and 
 
HATCHING. 61 
 
 the inmates left in peace, till the return of 
 another day calls for a similar routine of duty 
 and pleasure. So on, until the 21st day, when 
 the hen is released from her prison-house, and 
 walks forth the proud and devoted mother of a 
 brood of chickens. 
 
 The necessity of damping eggs was not at all 
 understood by the old school, and yet it must 
 be done, if success in hatching is desired. Many 
 complaints are made of eggs not hatching though 
 there have been birds in each. This is entirely 
 caused by the neglect of this precaution. Unless 
 moistened, the inner membrane of the egg be- 
 comes so hard and dry, that the poor little chick 
 cannot break through, and so perishes miserably. 
 Before dying, its cry, (like that of the starling of 
 Sterne), probably has been, "I can't get out, I 
 can't get out." Has slavery a more bitter 
 draught than this? 
 
 When a hen steals her nest in a hedge or 
 clump of evergreens, she sits on the damp 
 ground.' She goes in search of food early in the 
 day before the dew is off the grass, and returns 
 to her nest with saturated feathers. To this fact 
 
62 HATCHING. 
 
 is to be attributed the comparatively successful 
 hatcHng of the eggs of wild birds. To follow 
 this as closely as possible, put a thick fresh-cut 
 turf iu the nest you are about to prepare for the 
 reception of the sitting hen. Sprinkle a little 
 sulphur over this, and .spread over it straw in 
 summer, hay in winter. I shall suppose that you 
 have eggs ready for setting. They should be 
 thirteen in number, or at most fifteen, if set dur- 
 ing warm weather; in winter, nine eggs are 
 sufficient for the very largest hen. 
 
 Before hazarding your (it may be) valuable 
 eggs, be certain that the hen is really hroody. 
 You may give her one or two worthless eggs as 
 a trial, or, if you are anxious not to lose time, 
 divide your setting between two or more hens, 
 and if one proves truant at the end of a few 
 days, give all to another. 
 
 By setting several hens at the same time, 
 you have the great advantage of being able 
 to put all the chickens, as soon as they are 
 hatched, under one, and of adding new comers 
 to her flock Eggs sometimes hatch irregularly, 
 and unless some such system were established 
 
HATCHING. 63 
 
 the earliest hatched chicken would die of starva- 
 tion before the whole were brought out. 
 
 I strongly deprecate the custom of removing 
 chickens from the nest, and keeping them in 
 baskets, before the fire ; there is no warmth so 
 suited for them as that of the hen's body. 
 
 After removing the empty shells from the 
 nest, leave the little creatures with their mother, 
 undisturbed for twelve hours. When that time 
 has elapsed, you may offer them food and water. 
 
 If the egg has been chipped for some hours, 
 and the chick does not make its appearance, a 
 slight assistance may be given, by enlarging the 
 fracture with scissors, cutting up towards the 
 large end of the egg, never down, or the loss of 
 blood may prove fatal. When the chicken, at 
 last, makes its way out, do not interfere with it, 
 or attempt to feed it. Animal heat alone can 
 restore it; if it survives the night, it may be 
 considered safe. Weakness has caused the delay, 
 and this has probably arisen from insufficient 
 warmth; the hen may have had too many eggs 
 to sit upon, or they may have been stale when 
 set. If the chickens come out in the morning. 
 
64 
 
 HATCHING. 
 
 they may be taken from the nest in the evening, 
 put on the ground, offered water, and a few- 
 crumbs of stale bread. Feed the hen well at the 
 same time, and then restore them to their nest 
 for the night. Next morning, remove them 
 
 Fig. 5. 
 
 carefully to a coop which, in summer, is best 
 placed on grass, in winter, on dry dusty soil. 
 In selecting eggs for setting, choose the fresh- 
 
HATCIIINO. 
 
 C5 
 
 est, of moderate size, well-shaped, and having the 
 air-vessel distinctly marked either in the centre 
 of the top of the egg, or slightly to the side, as 
 shown in the Woodcnt, (fig. 5.) 
 
 By holding the egg (between the eye and a 
 lighted taper, in a darkened room, this air-vessel 
 will be distinctly visible. Some assert that the 
 sex of the chickens can be ascertained by the 
 
 Kg. 6. 
 
 Eggs in Basket. 
 
 position of the air-vessel If on the top, yon will 
 have a cockerel; if on the side, a pullet; but this 
 is a mere fable, and I have proved it to be so. 
 
 Eggs intended to be set should be carefully 
 collected and handled, and (to prevent them 
 rolling about) placed, pointed end downwards, 
 
66 HATCHING. 
 
 in bran; the date and description having been- 
 marked in pencil on each, (fig. 6.) 
 
 One glance then suffices for selection, and the 
 eggs are in nowise shaken. See that your hen 
 be well fed, and has water, before putting her on 
 the nest ; if hungry, she will be restless. 
 
 If you get sitting hens from a. distance, they 
 should be carried in a basket, covered over with 
 a cloth, never with the head downwards, as is too 
 often seen, at the risk of suffocation, and the 
 certain dissipation of their maternal dreams. 
 
 Brahmas and Cochins are excellent sitters, 
 and have no objection to enter into your views of 
 a fitting domicile for them, during their retrdite; 
 but Dorkings occasionally rebel, and refuse to 
 sit, unless in their own way. You must be very 
 gentle with them, and try, by kindness, to induce 
 them to take to the nest selected. You cannot 
 allow one hen to sit where others can have 
 access to her nest. If you really have no room 
 for her elsewhere, put a wire coop over her in her 
 usual house, with something hung round it, to 
 keep her secluded from every eye. Want of ac- 
 commodation may compel you to do this; but, if 
 
HATCHING. 67 
 
 possible, avoid it ; a great objection being, that 
 what is out of sight, is often out of mind, and 
 the poor sitter may not be taken off her nest with 
 the same regularity as the hens in the sitting- 
 house. 
 
 If you have a large bevy of brooding hens, it 
 is advisable to number each nest, and register it 
 in your diary, along with the date of setting and 
 description of eggs ; when hatched, the number 
 of chickens should also be entered. Some hens 
 are reluctant to give up sitting, and wUl hatch a 
 second brood, with manifest pleasure, but it is 
 cruel to overtax their strength and patience; more 
 or less, they are sure to suffer. If altogether re- 
 strained from sitting, however, a hen suffers much 
 in moulting, and is restless and excited for the 
 rest of the season. Pullets are less to be trusted, 
 as sitters, than more mature hens, and (being 
 rather erratic in their dispositions) are not very 
 careful mothers. Artificial incubators are now 
 extensively used, and where there is a command 
 of gas they are easily managed. I, however, pre- 
 fer the natural mother, as should some prove 
 faithless, others will be found to take their place. 
 
68 BATCHING. 
 
 The necessity of quiet, gentle handling, both 
 of the hens and broods, must be urged upon 
 the person in charge of the sitting-house. Be 
 watchful, and ready to assist the well-meant 
 efforts of the mother, whose instincts are not 
 always sufficient for the performance of her 
 duties in a civilized and highly artificial condi- 
 tion. 
 
fif) 
 
 C^ickns. 
 
 On the day following that on which the chicken 
 is emancipated from the shell, the proper food for 
 the little stranger becomes a matter for considera- 
 tion. 
 
 The most approved regimen — at least, the one 
 I adopt — ^is grated bread, yolk of hard-boiled eggs, 
 and oatmeal, made into a crumbly mass with 
 water, for the first week; and afterwards, in addi- 
 tion, groats, hemp-seed, and any small grain. 
 
 Wheat-taiHngs are excellent food, more nutri- 
 tious than any other. Feed often, giving KttlS at 
 a time, the first meal at daybreak, and every 
 hour after that, till they are safely housed for the 
 night. The water-vessels should be replenished 
 at the same time ; these should be shallow. A 
 good plan is to invert a small flower-pot saucer 
 
70 CHICKENS. 
 
 in a larger; this leaves a narrow circle of water, 
 in which the chicken cannot become immersed. 
 Onion tops and leeks chopped small, are much 
 relished by all young stock, as also cress, lettuce, 
 and cabbage. 
 
 If the weather is damp and cold, add a little 
 pounded pimento to the food, give meat occasion- 
 ally, fresh curd and hard-boiled eggs, yolk and 
 white, mashed with shell, in the proportion of 
 one egg to four chickens every day. 
 
 Spare not your food; the young chicken has 
 everything to make, and the mother being neces- 
 sarily much confined to her coop, it is entirely 
 dependent on extraneous aid. 
 
 At times the hens may be allowed free 
 range, but never in the early morning, or until 
 the ground is thoroughly dry; the coops should 
 be changed to fresh ground every day, from sun- 
 shine to shade, and from shade to sunshiae, as 
 required. 
 
 The young broods become objects of intense 
 interest, and a great deal of time may be spent 
 among them ; they are creatures to love, and that 
 love us. 
 
CHICKENS. 71 
 
 How eager we are that they should all thrive ! 
 We examine their points anxiously, and can 
 almost, in their early infancy, pronounce upon 
 the future prize-winners. From that moment 
 hey are marked birds, and receive special 
 attention; all the tidbits fall to their share, 
 and if there is a better coop, or a choicer spot of 
 ground than another, it is theirs. 
 
 I often wish poor children were fed, and their 
 comforts as well attended to, as those of our 
 embryo Birmingham and Crystal Palace competi- 
 tors. 
 
 May should find us surrounded with well- 
 grown chickens ; it is the halcyon time of 
 poultry. The weather is, or ought to be, warm, 
 but whether or no, the chickens are growing 
 apace, and for winter exhibition there is no doubt 
 March and April birds are preferable to their 
 earlier-hatched companions, which, however, you 
 must have, for August showing, and early market. 
 
 Chickens suffer much froni bad feathering, which 
 may be caused by the coldness of the season, or 
 delicacy of constitution. In either case, high 
 feeding is the cure. Bread' soaked in ale should 
 
72 CHICKENS. 
 
 be daily given, with crushed bones and oyster 
 shells. 
 
 Many writers add vermin as another chicken 
 disease, but I cannot allow it in my category. It 
 should be unknown in a well-appointed poultry 
 yard. 
 
 As I before observed, a little sulphur dusted into 
 the feathers of the hen mother occasionally, and 
 daily access afforded to ashes and dry soU, will 
 banish effectually all such intruders ; let the hen 
 out, and she will perform her toilet scrupulously. 
 
 The chicken's progress (like that of the Pil- 
 grim) is beset with many dangers and difficulties. 
 Eoup, gapes, leg weakness— all are Sloughs of 
 Despond ; it is not an easy matter to rear 
 many chickens. Every poultry breeder can 
 probably remember when he, or she, fancied 
 it must be quite an A B matter, because 
 every cottager had one brood at least. Happy 
 ignorance! The one brood was the secret: 
 our's being legion, the ground has become 
 tainted, the chickens overcrowded, and disease 
 established. 
 
 The remedy for all this I touch upon elsewhere, 
 
CHICKENS. 73 
 
 but must here impress on my readers tlie necessity 
 of the flock being scattered. 
 
 Young stock cannot thrive if crowded. Think 
 over the room you have for it, when the chick- 
 ens approach adolescence. A good plan is to 
 have a number of small houses erected in the 
 woods and shrubberies, and in each of these 
 establish a sufficient number of chickens, of one 
 sex, old enough to forage for themselves. 
 
 These detachments being drafted off, your 
 coops will be ready for a fresh supply of young 
 broods, and so on all the year round ; in winter 
 the coops must be under shelter, and covered 
 up with matting at night-fall the chickens, 
 getting their last meal by candle-light, about 
 eight o'clock. 
 
 Pullets continue to grow until they begin to 
 lay. I therefore advise their being kept by 
 themselves, (if a great size is desired), tUl they 
 are required to be matched in pens for exhi- 
 bition. 
 
 Cockerels will not fight, if the female sex is 
 absent, and unable to incite and witness their 
 gallantry, and prowess ia the lists : — 
 
74 CHICKENS. 
 
 " Love of ladies, splintering of lances ; 
 Bright eyes behold your deeds." 
 
 But as adolescence ceases with the year, (so the 
 poultry parliament has enacted), they must then 
 be separated from their brother knights, and dis- 
 posed of as may be thought advisable. 
 
 As soon as the chickens are taken from their 
 mothers, and established in their own colonies, 
 their feeding should be the same as that of adult 
 .fowls, the plumage of which they ought to assume 
 at the age of sis months. 
 
75 
 
 dB^|iHtiffn. 
 
 To obtain a correct estimate of the real value of 
 your poultry, you must exhibit them from time 
 to time, at good shows, where the leading breeders 
 compete, and by prizes (if you get any), and com- 
 parison, determine their true merit. 
 
 Comparisons may be odious, but they are quite 
 indispensable ; in no other way can this know- 
 ledge be obtained. No one, who has not tried it, 
 can imagine how poor may be the appearance of 
 a home prodigy, when brought side by side with 
 the produce of other yards. Alas ! what we fondly 
 thought a " swan," dwindles down to a very com- 
 monplace, under-sized " goose," by the fiat of the 
 judge, while we, unwillingly, admit its justice. 
 
 The spirit of emulation, implanted for wise 
 purposes in our nature, is afforded, in these ex- 
 hibitions, a field for action, and public advantage 
 is the result. 
 
76 EXHIBITION. 
 
 If successful, you contribute fresh recruits to 
 the army of poultry champions ; if the reverse, 
 you probably purchase a better strain of blood, 
 and retire, for a time, into obscurity, with the 
 somewhat equivocal consolation that 
 
 " All partial evil" is " universal good," 
 
 determined that, on a future occasion, you will 
 not play the philanthropist on such unsatisfac- 
 tory terms. Philanthropy is, doubtless, a good 
 thing, but it is more self-pleasing when practised 
 through success than defeat. 
 
 Yes, the cold shade of the show-room has dis- 
 pelled many a bright aspiration. 
 
 " So, when the beams of sober reason play, 
 Lo, fancy's fairy frost-work melts away ! " 
 
 StUl, there is nothing like perseverance and 
 patience. 
 
 For attaining victory, I venture to give the no- 
 vice a few hints, the results of my own perils and 
 struggles in the troubled waters of exhibition. 
 The pUot who has " weathered the storm" can best 
 conduct a stranger bark into its wished-for haven. 
 
 I will presume that the chickens have been 
 selected from infancy for exhibition, fed accord- 
 
EXHIBITION. 77 
 
 ingly, and marked. This is best done by sewing 
 small stripes of different-coloured silks loosely 
 round their legs, which you can verify by your 
 poultry diary, in which everything of importance 
 should be entered. I recommend the cockerels 
 and pullets to be kept apart until a month before 
 the show, during which time they must receive 
 extra feeding and care. 
 
 Nothing is too good for exhibition birds ; give 
 them daily exercise and an abundance of food. 
 
 Linseed is calculated to give lustre to the 
 plumage, and toast, soaked in ale, sprightliness, 
 courage, and strength. 
 
 High feeding is unquestionably the grand secret 
 of bringing chickens up to the great weights now 
 required in first-prize poultry. 
 
 There should always be a few spare birds in 
 reserve to fill up a pen in case of accidents, and 
 such often beat their selected companions, under 
 high feeding, and eventually take their places at 
 the exhibition. 
 
 Feather and poiats being equal, weight must 
 be the criterion. It is astonishing what the 
 steelyard discloses ; birds, to all appearance the 
 
78 
 
 EXHIBITION. 
 
 heaviest, are "found wanting when weighed in 
 the balance." 
 
 No eye can be trusted to judge of weight. 
 Seeming size is nothing — it may be all feather 
 — so the birds must go to scale, and the breeder 
 will often be very much surprised at the result. 
 
 Kg. 7. 
 
 , Weighing-Apparatus. 
 
 The fairest weighing apparatus is the one I 
 commonly use, (fig. 7.) 
 
EXHIBITION. 79 
 
 The weight of the basket being ascertained, 
 must be deducted from the total, and, if possible, 
 weigh your birds before their meal, as geese and 
 turkeys will easily put on 1^ lb., in a pen of three. 
 
 All other birds should give way to those 
 selected to do battle, in the show-room, for the 
 honour of the yard. They must receive exclu- 
 sive attention, and their supposed inferiors bide 
 their time, ready to supply vacancies, which they 
 are often called upon to do. 
 
 There is nothing so certain as disappointment ; 
 I, in common with every exhibitor, have met 
 with it. My experience, however, has proved to 
 me, that full confidence may be placed in the 
 general justice of judges' decisions. They have 
 an arduous and most invidious duty to perform 
 — arduous, because so extended — invidious, be- 
 cause suspicions are often alleged by the losing 
 parties. Such are, frequently, very virulent, and 
 entertain a life-long grudge ; and may even say 
 to him in his last moments, (with Eichard's 
 ghostly visitors), " Let me sit heavy on thy soul 
 to-morrow ; you passed me by at Birmingham ! " 
 
 I believe poultry judges act honourably and 
 
80 EXHIBITION. 
 
 scientifically. I unliesitatingly leave my poultry 
 to their verdict, and do not complain (if 1 think 
 they have fulfilled their duty in accordance with 
 such principles), though not awarded first or 
 second honours. Theirs is a position I do not 
 envy : all thanks to those who, so kindly, fill it. 
 There being, however, no rule without an excep- 
 tion, I must confess to more than one altercation 
 with some who, I thought, had not studied the 
 points of exhibition fowls, as distinctly laid down. 
 I particularly allude to the decision of the ruling 
 judge, English, at a recent show in the west of 
 Scotland, (where there were separate classes for 
 Grey and SUver-grey Dorkings, as at Birming- 
 ham, Liverpool, and other leading shows), founded 
 on the notion that the classes were synonymous, 
 or (as he expressed it), "a distinction without 
 a difference." I can imagine one diffident in ex- 
 pressing an opinion, though competent to form 
 one ; but no such scruple troubled this worthy* — 
 
 " Thus fools rush in where angels fear to tread." 
 
 * A poultry club has now been established, by whose autho- 
 rity a book of "rules for judging" has been issued. The 
 club also appoints judges from its members, who are bound 
 to adhere to the rules laid down, and it is to be hoped we 
 shall hear fewer complaints of bad judging. 
 
EXHIBITION. 81 
 
 Let not the novice think his, or her, pen a cer- 
 tain "first." There is much to be encountered ; 
 size, colour, comb, tail, feet, hackles, all must be 
 perfect; and, in addition, a good constitution be 
 apparent. 
 
 Be careful how you enter your stock for exhi- 
 bition. Describe the ages and varieties exactly, 
 and see, yourself, that the labels are securely fas- 
 tened to their respective hampers. Mistakes con- 
 stantly occur in this : be equally watchful that the 
 right birds are put in their right places. I have 
 seen grey geese placed in the hamper intended for 
 white, which most provoking occurrence cast the 
 pen. Many such incidents take place at every 
 show. 
 
 On the day previous to exhibition, remove all 
 private marks, and wash the feet and bodies of 
 white fowls. This is best done with tepid water, 
 and white soap, rubbed on flannel, care being 
 taken to wash the feathers downwards, so as not 
 to break or ruffle them. The fowls should be 
 gently dried 'with soft towels, shut up in their 
 houses with an abundance of clean straw, and 
 there fed on soft food alone. Hard grain is apt 
 
82 EXHIBITION. 
 
 to cause fever and inflammation while travelling, 
 and in the exhibition pen ; its use is now discon- 
 tinued at all well-conducted shows. 
 
 When the birds return home, they should be 
 fed sparingly on bread, soaked in warm ale, — 
 liquid is most hurtful if given in quantity ; admin- 
 ister also a teaspoonful of castor oil to each. On 
 the following day, allow soft food only in water, 
 — after this they may resume their usual feeding. 
 
 Hampers should always be circular in form, as 
 fowls invariably creep into corners and destroy 
 their plumage. They must be sufficiently high to 
 admit of the birds standing upright, and supplied 
 with a bed of hay to keep them warm. I consider 
 a lining imperative : coarse pink calico, stitched 
 round the inside of the basket-work, is what I 
 use as the most useful and ornamental material. 
 
 After each trip these linings are taken out, 
 washed, and laid aside for future occasions. 
 
 Sometimes padlocks are made available to fasten 
 the lids of the hampers, but two pairs of strings, 
 one on each side, (of rope), answer the purpose as 
 well ; they are easily untied, and, being fixtures 
 on the hampers, are always ready for use. 
 
EXHIBITION. 83 
 
 Some prefer canvas tops to wicker ones, think- 
 ing they save the fowls injuring their combs. I 
 use the latter, as being more secure, and admit- 
 ting of one hamper being placed over the other. 
 
 Geese and ducks require no lining to their ham- 
 pers, unless in severe weather, during which their 
 comfort is much increased by layers of pulled 
 straw, stitched round the inside of their baskets. 
 Guard against geese having a chance of reaching 
 the direction label; they invariably eat it, and are 
 so mischievously inclined, that they will even nib- 
 ble off the rope fastenings, if they can get at them. 
 
 Turkeys suffer more than any other birds in 
 appearance from cold or wet ; therefore, though 
 hardy, they, for our own sake, demand a lined 
 hamper. 
 
 Never put strange birds together ; they fight 
 with, and disfigure each other. They should be on 
 friendly terms forsome time previous to exhibition. 
 
 Unless this is attended to, your hamper will be 
 the arena of a savage combat ; even hefis evince 
 such jealous feelings towards a new-comer, that, 
 if the cock does not interfere and keep down the 
 imeute, his seraglio suffers. 
 
84 EXHIBITION. 
 
 "When the exhibition season closes, choose a 
 fine day to have your hampers washed, dried, 
 and put away. They should never be used but 
 for exhibition birds ; disease is often spread by 
 sick birds being put for a few days into com- 
 fortable quarters (such as they afford), and the 
 result is, the certain illness of the next occu- 
 pants. 
 
 Dear reader, the day, the eventful day, arrives, 
 when your chosen champions must depart for the 
 battle-field, and quit their comfortable home. 
 
 Poor things ! most of you have known no 
 other, and all may not return to it. Farewell, my 
 gallant cockerels ! Farewell, my dainty pullets ! 
 "Farewell," — perchance — " a long farewell, to all 
 my " — beauties. 
 
 Should your experience prove like mine, the 
 scene will be something in this wise. 
 
 Through the morning mist the active hen- 
 wives may be discerned flitting to and fro like 
 mad women. But there is " method in their 
 madness." They are giving the last meal to 
 their charges, and placing each carefully labelled 
 hamper in its appointed place. 
 
EXHIBITION. 85 
 
 As noon approaches, all hands muster, for all 
 dearly love the poultry. 
 
 The cart arrives; the horse stands quietly, 
 with nose in bag, eating his corn. Anticipated 
 triumph, or timid doubt, is in every face : not one 
 is listless. How busy they are! No castle of 
 indolence here. Hamper after hamper is brought, 
 with its living freight, and carefully secured. The 
 pile rises like a pyramid : at length the last crowns 
 the tier, magnificent in its gay lining, and graceful 
 in its limber wicker work. The cordial glass goes 
 roimd, to drink them success, and they move 
 slowly away, under a shower of old shoes for luck, 
 to the station, where a covered van awaits them. 
 
 As the cart recedes through the apple-trees in 
 the orchard, one and all follow it with wistful 
 gaze; when it finally disappears behind the in- 
 tervening hedge-row, each gives an anxious look 
 on his neighbour, and they disperse to their sus- 
 pended occupations. 
 
 Great anxiety prevails to hear the sentence of 
 the judge. This is known before the fowls return, 
 when aR are kindly cared for, bnt the prize-win- 
 ners are handled with an almost pious reverence. 
 
as 
 
 EXUIBITIOB. 
 
 To serve as a guide to the uninitiated in the 
 mysteries of poultry points, and their technical 
 terms, I give a diagram of a fowl, (fig. 8), vrith 
 a lettered reference. 
 
 A . 
 
 . Neck liackle. 
 
 G . 
 
 . . Primary quills. 
 
 B 
 
 Saddle hackle. 
 
 H . 
 
 . Thighs. 
 
 C . 
 
 . Tail. 
 
 I . 
 
 . Legs. 
 
 D . 
 
 . Breast. 
 
 K . 
 
 . Comb. 
 
 E . 
 
 Upper wing coverts. 
 
 L . 
 
 . Wattles. 
 
 F . 
 
 Lower wini: crtverts. 
 
 M , 
 
 . Ear-lobe. 
 
87 
 
 §mMtB, 
 
 Whatevee tends to alleviate the sufferings of 
 domestic animals kept for our own gratification, 
 it is our duty to study, for we must not aUow 
 them to pine and die unaided. 
 
 We ought to know all that is worth knowing, 
 and make ourselves eligible for the degree of 
 M.D. (Poultry), equal to all emergencies of hen 
 sickness. 
 
 Take their diseases in time ; your own prompt 
 attention to their wants may ward off a serious 
 malady, too often resulting in death ; procrastina- 
 tion is as pernicious in poultry keeping as in 
 anything else. 
 
 There should be attached to every poultry 
 establishment, a hospital, viz., a warm, well- 
 lighted house, littered down with straw, to whieh 
 
DISEASES. 
 
 the fowl can be removed, on the first symptom 
 of illness. 
 
 Sickly fowls are generally ill-used by their 
 companions, pecked at, and evidently objects of 
 dislike ; therefore a sanatorium is indispen- 
 sable. 
 
 Poultry are subject to many diseases ; the old 
 (alderman -like) suffer from gout ; moulting, with 
 them, is often so. severe and protracted that it 
 carries them oS". 
 
 The young are victims of roup, gapes, leg weak- 
 ness, and bad feathering. Eoup is highly infec- 
 tious, and a very deadly disease, but if taken in 
 time, can be cured. The premonitory symptoms 
 are a slight hoarseness and catching in the breath, 
 as if from cold. Do not neglect this, but at once 
 remove the sufferer to the hospital, and give a 
 tablespoonful of castor oil. 
 
 A few hours after, administer one of Baily's 
 " roup and condition pills,'' and take the scale oQ 
 the tongue, which can easily be done by holding 
 the bill open with the left hand, and removing the 
 excrescence with the thumb-nail of the right. 
 
 Eepeat the dose of physic every morning for a 
 
DISEASES. 
 
 week, and give soft food only, mixed with ale 
 and chopped green vegetables. 
 
 If the disease has made much progress before 
 discovery, and rattling in the throat (with dis- 
 charge from the eyes and nostrils) has com- 
 menced, you must use stronger remedies. 
 
 In addition to the castor oil, which should 
 always be given before other medicine, and is 
 perfectly safe, the following recipe by an amateur 
 wiU be found beneficial: — 
 
 " Take of dried sulphate of iron, in powder, half 
 a drachm; capsicum, in powder, one drachm; 
 extract of liquorice, a sufiicient quantity, to make 
 a mass which is to be divided into 30 piUs. One 
 to be given three times a-day, continued to the 
 end of the third, and then followed by the second 
 prescription:" which is "Half an ounce of sul- 
 phate of iron, and one ounce of cayenne pepper 
 in fine powder. Mix carefully a teaspoonful of 
 these powders with butter, and divide into ten 
 equal parts, one to be given twice a-day." 
 
 Each morning and evening, until the, complete 
 restoration of the patient to health, wash the eyes, 
 and inside of the mouth and nostrils with vinegar. 
 
90 DISEASES. 
 
 This is very cleansing, and a few drops inter- 
 nally are useful in removing the mucus which 
 collects in the throat. 
 
 The disease runs its course rapidly. If your 
 bird is not better in a week, it mil be dead. 
 Whole yards are often depopulated by the ravages 
 of this scourge ; single cases occur which are over- 
 looked, and then the disease becomes universal. 
 
 Some think roup merely a neglected cold ; but 
 my opinion is, that it attacks the birds at once, 
 and is contagious. 
 
 The biU of the first suflferer has perhaps con- 
 taminated the water-dish, and such is the virulence 
 of the malady, that it quickly spreads through 
 the whole stock, and is indeed the Poultry plague. 
 
 Even when the fowl appears to have recovered, 
 it must undergo a long and strict quarantine 
 before it is restored to the bosom of its family. 
 
 I do not advise all this care to be bestowed on 
 any but valuable fowls ; if the more worthless are 
 attacked, the sooner they are put out of pain, 
 and hidden from sight, the better, so wretched 
 an appearance does a sickly fowl present. 
 
 Gapes, or inflammation of the trachea, is a 
 
DISEAiii;S. 91 
 
 disease peculiar to chickenhood, and is occasioned 
 by small worms imbedded in tlie throat. 
 
 Tliey can be removed by introducing a feather, 
 stripped to within an inch of the point, into the 
 windpipe ; if turned round quickly, the parasites 
 will be drawn up with it. It is a difficult opera- 
 tion, and often fails in effecting a cure. So, un- 
 less in the case of very valuable birds, I do not 
 advise the amateur to have recourse to it. If the 
 chicken gapes, give it a few drops of castor oil, 
 and occasionally a small piece of bread soaked in 
 spirit of camphor; feed with boiled milk and 
 bread or custard, given by hand until the bird 
 recovers its usual appetite. 
 
 I must repeat, however, that a constant supply 
 of fresh water, and perfect cleanliness, ensure 
 good health : prevention is better than cure. 
 
 Sometimes fowls become crop-bound, when (to 
 save the bird) you must make a small incision, 
 remove the mass of undigested food, and sew up 
 the wound with fine silk thread. Give a table- 
 spoonful of castor oil, separate the invalid from its 
 companions until the wound is perfectly healed, 
 and during this time feed entirely with soft food. 
 
92 DISEASES. 
 
 Hens occasionally drop their eggs on the 
 ground, repudiating nests altogether, without 
 the slightest regard to les convenances. This 
 must be treated medically, and the hen shown 
 the impropriety of deviating from the usages 
 of society; it may happen that they lay soft 
 eggs, and this also demands treatment. A dose 
 of oil, in both cases, should be administered, 
 and a change of diet enforced; the hen is too 
 fat, and must be brought down in condition. 
 Moulting, though a natural process, at times 
 assumes the form of disease. The birds look out 
 of health, and suffer, even to death, unless 
 nourishing food is freely given ; if the weather is 
 severe, many old fowls die. It is advisable to 
 keep them warm, and feed well on hemp-seed, 
 bread and ale, buck-wheat a discretion, and ani- 
 mal food. 
 
 Loss of feather (or mange) must not be con- 
 founded with moulting ; it is a sign ofdebUity 
 and pining. Presh air, good feeding, and free 
 range are the best cures; in country poultry 
 establishments mange should be almost unknown. 
 
 Fowls, if too closely housed or restricted in 
 
niSEASBS. 93 
 
 green food and lime, sometimes attack each other's 
 feathers under the influence of a morbid appetite, 
 and effectually destroy the plumage till next 
 moult. The remedies I have found best, are a re- 
 formation in the economy of their diet, removal 
 of the pecked bird to private lodgings, and the 
 wounded parts rubbed over with sulphur ointment. 
 
 Diarrhcea is caused by the too abundant use of 
 relaxing food : boiled rice, with a little chalk and 
 cayenne pepper mixed, will check the complaint. 
 
 To all my fowls and chickens I give, from 
 time to time, jalap in their food, in the pro- 
 portion of a teaspoonful to 20 birds. It sets 
 them up wonderfully, and keeps them in health. 
 I also give a restorative, recommended by Mr 
 Douglas. He is a weU-known and successful 
 breeder, and I consider his advice very valuable in- 
 deed. He has kindly allowed me to publish it: 
 
 " BiTTEK Rl-MEDY. 
 
 " Half a pound of sulphate of iron, one ounce of diluted 
 sulphuric acid, dissolved together; add two gallons of 
 water, allowed to stand fourteen days. 
 
 " Dose for chickens : — One teaspoonful to a pint of 
 water, twice or thrice a-week. Good also for old birds 
 ill moult." 
 
94 DISEASES. 
 
 " WoLSELET Aviaries. 
 
 " EeSTORATIVE to PEBVEIfT RoUP AND GAI'ES 
 
 IN Chickens and old Fowls. 
 
 " One pound of sulphate of iron, one ounce of sulphu- 
 ric acid, dissolved in a jug with hot water, then let it 
 stand twenty-four hours, and add one gallon of spring 
 water ; when fit for use, one teaspoonful of the restorar- 
 tive to a pint of water, given every other day to chickens, 
 and once a^week to old fowls, will make roup and gapes 
 entirely a stranger to your yards." 
 
 " Pills to Curb Eoup in Poultry and Pheasants. 
 
 " One grain of calomel, one grain of antimony, made 
 into a pill ; one to be given every evening ; fowls kept 
 dry, and fed on soft food ; when getting better, add a 
 teaspoonful of the restorative to the water every day 
 until they have quite recovered, which will be in about a 
 week.'' 
 
 I hope none of my readers will be so unlucky 
 as to have a fowl poisoned; but if so, I give Mr 
 Douglas's method of cure : — 
 
 " How to Treat a Poisoned Fowl. 
 
 "There must be no delay. Give two or three spoon- 
 fuls of castor oil, according to the size of the bird. 
 
 " In half-an-hour administer a strong infusion of coffee 
 — with a little sugar, but no milk. 
 
 " The strength is one ounce of coffee to a wine glass 
 
DISEASES. 95 
 
 of water, given warm, but not too hot, and the bird must 
 be sheltered from cold. 
 
 " After six hours give one more dose, and the recovery 
 will be found perfect. 
 
 "John Douglas." 
 " WoLSELET Aviaries." 
 
 Leg weakness is . generally caused by the size 
 and weight of the body being more than the legs 
 can bear; it is shown by the bird resting on the 
 first joint. Being entirely the residt of weak- 
 ness, the best treatment is that which gives general 
 strength and stamina to the sufferer. 
 
 Citrate of iron must be given dissolved in ale, 
 and added to the food, which may be more than 
 usually nourishing, but not in greater quantity, 
 as oTer-feeding has occasioned the disease. 
 
 Prequent bathing in cold water is very bene- 
 ficial. This is best effected by tying a towel 
 round the fowl, and suspending it over a pail 
 of water, with the legs only immersed, so as not 
 to injure the plumage. 
 
 Absence of lime in the poultry yard sometimes 
 causes leg weakness, and old age invariably shows 
 
96 DISEASES. 
 
 itself ill the "trembling limb." Warmth and 
 generous diet are the sole remedies for this. 
 
 Fowls are apt to be afflicted with (dare I 
 mention it?J corns. These are caused by injury 
 to the foot in descending from high perches. 
 Removal to a grass run is the best treatment. 
 The calosity must first be carefully pared. 
 
 Apoplexy is the result of high feeding; the 
 comb becomes black, and the bird falls down in 
 a state of stupor. Bleeding from the foot 
 sometimes effects a cure, with the aid of medicine, 
 and a continuation of low diet. 
 
 It is weU to know that fowls are no homoeopa- 
 thists, and can hardly be overdosed by simple 
 physic. However, a smaller quantity has the 
 same effect as a larger. 
 
S7 
 
 Ettening. 
 
 I HOLD all artificial fattening and cramming of 
 fowls to be an utter abomination, unless at the 
 hands of the regular poultry salesman, who buys 
 up country birds, and treats them on a system. 
 
 In an amateur establishment, poultry should 
 always be fat, and fit for table, the difficulty 
 being to prevent them becoming too much so. 
 It may not be amiss, however, to shut up fowls, 
 and especially ducks, for a short time, and restrict 
 them in diet to rice and milk or porridge. 
 
 The Brahma, crossed with the Dorking, makes 
 certainly the earliest spring chickens : the white 
 leg and full straight breast will generally appear. 
 
 The Sussex breed is large, and a cross between 
 it and the Dorking will give increased bone to 
 the progeny ; but the chickens are not so early 
 as those of the above-named cross, and I do not 
 think the shape or flesh improved by it. 
 
98 FATTENING. 
 
 Summer and autumn chickens are plentiful 
 enough, and in these seasons the pure Dorking 
 and French breeds are to be preferred; but Jan- 
 uary Dorkings are scarce, and generally destined 
 for early exhibition, so we gladly put up with a 
 less delicate, but larger, style of chicken for table 
 
 use. 
 
 The Creve Cceur attains a remarkable weight, 
 and is the Chapon and Poularde of the Continent, 
 but is late. The Scotch Grey or Chick MerKn 
 (the old name of this breed), also supplies a 
 really good and desirable table fowl. 
 
 Turkeys, geese, and ducks should always be in 
 good flesh and condition. My own are so, inva- 
 riably, and I should be very sorry to condemn 
 any of my stock to the miserable confinement of 
 a fattening coop, with its too common discom- 
 forts — want of air and cleanliness. 
 
 Aquatic birds fatten better when limited to a 
 trough, in lieu of a running stream, and this 
 seems no deprivation to them; they take their 
 bath daily, and it seems all they require, if 
 we may judge by their plumpness and good 
 spirits. 
 
FATTENING. 99 
 
 Tlie little black East Indian duck is a most 
 delicious bird, when fed upon barley meal and 
 celery, indeed almost equal to the famed Canvas- 
 back of America; this mode of treatment first 
 suggested itself to me from a knowledge of the 
 habits and food of that bird, which latter con- 
 sists of the sea-celery (valisneria), found in the 
 mouth of the Delaware ; they obtain it by diving 
 to a great depth, beyond the powers of any other 
 species of duck. 
 
 I have always found that fowls can be induced 
 to feed as you wish them. Science and observa- 
 tion should guide that; Nature, their habits. 
 
 I conclude this short chapter with some 
 remarks kindly afforded me by Mr Muirhead, 
 Queen Street, Edinburgh, Poulterer to Her Ma- 
 jesty in Scotland: — 
 
 "Capons are of very ancient origin, and are 
 mentioned by authors of the middle ages as hav- 
 ing been in use among the Greeks and Eomans, 
 and only seen among nations in the highest state 
 of civilization. 
 
 " The flesh of these birds is very delicate, they 
 attain great weights, and command high prices 
 
100 FATTENING. 
 
 and a great advantage is, that they never quarrel 
 with each other, nor interfere with the breeding- 
 hens. 
 
 " They can mis with these with impunity, and 
 are available in winter and spring of the following 
 year, when cockerels have become too old and 
 coarse for the epicure's table. 
 
 " Practical instructions as to the process of 
 caponizing can always be obtained from our 
 establishment. 
 
 " With regard to cramming, I may say that it 
 is wholly unnecessary, provided the fowls have 
 abundance of the best food at regular intervals, 
 fresh air, and a free run; in confinement fowls 
 may gain fat, but they lose flesh. 
 
 '' None but those who have had experience 
 can form any idea how both qualities can be 
 obtained in a natural way. 
 
 " I have seen fowls reared at Inchmartine 
 (which had never been shut up, or had food 
 forced upon them), equal, if not superior, to the 
 finest Surrey fowl, or those fattened by myself 
 for the Eoyal table. 
 
 " C. MUIEHEAD." 
 
101 
 
 §rfebs. 
 
 Theee is so much beauty in all the different 
 breeds of fowls, each possessing so many good 
 qualities, that it is quite impossible to state a 
 preference for any one in particular. 
 
 Perhaps my individual favourites may be sur- 
 mised from a perusal of these pages, though in- 
 tended to be impartial 
 
 Every breeder has his, or her, own fancy, doubt- 
 less much influenced by the climate of the loca- 
 lity, and facilities for rearing different varieties. 
 
 I pretend not to universal poultry knowledge. 
 When I had not an intimate acquaintance with 
 any breed, I begged the assistance of those well 
 qualified to give the desired information, and 
 this request has been cordially met. 
 
102 BREEDS. 
 
 gorlung. 
 
 This breed has now attained a size qnite mar- 
 vellous, and in point of rich colouring, is un- 
 rivalled; it is a truly English bird, and follows 
 up its resemblance to the character of a Briton 
 in its love of liberty. 
 
 The old coarse breed is now unseen in the ex- 
 hibition room, and is indeed nearly extinct even 
 in market, being replaced by more refined but 
 equally heavy birds. 
 
 Delicate white flesh (that sine qua non), sym- 
 metrical shape, and equal distribution of fat, 
 mark the Dorking, as it at present exists, to be 
 the bird, 'par excellence, of our table poultry. 
 
 There are several varieties, but only two dis- 
 tinct classes — the white and the coloured. 
 
 All Dorkings are delicate until full-feathered, 
 when I consider them as hardy as any other 
 kind of fowl. 
 
GREY DORKING. 100 
 
 The chickens must be kept on hard clay or 
 gravel soil, never on wooden, stone, or brick 
 floors; their coops, in winter, may be boarded, but 
 the tenants must have earth to run upon during 
 the day, or they will become cramped. 
 
 Over-crowding these chickens is the most pro- 
 line source of disease ; irregular feeding, and ex- 
 posure to damp and cold, increase the mortality; 
 there is no such thing as luck in rearing broods ; 
 too often, want of care and knowledge occasion 
 failures. 
 
 Dorkings are, perhaps, more liable to rowp 
 than other fowls; it attacks them when three- 
 parts grown; they also sometimes suffer from 
 slight attacks of cold, and hoarseness. 
 
 Their food should be mixed with ale or beer, 
 and a small quantity of cayenne pepper. 
 
 To intending exhibitors, I may now mention 
 a few of the points essential to success in Grey 
 Dorkings. 
 
 Cock. 
 
 Neckhackle — ^full light straw colour, or silvery 
 grey. 
 
104 BREEDS. 
 
 Saddle hackle — same, and abundant. 
 
 Primary quills — black or grizzled. 
 
 Secondary quills — light grey. 
 
 Upper wing coverts — light grey. 
 
 Lower wing coverts — slightly darker. 
 
 Breast — black, or speckled with white. 
 
 Tail — black, large and sweeping ; a white 
 feather will not cast an otherwise perfect bird. 
 Side tail feathers abundant and long. (This adds 
 much to his beauty). 
 
 Thighs — straight, strong, and black, or spotted. 
 
 Legs and feet — white, and free from feathers. 
 
 Toes — five in number, and quite distinct, the 
 fifth pointing upwards, and not a mere branch of 
 the fourtL 
 
 GoTnb — straight and single, though a rose comb 
 does not disqualify. 
 
 Wattles — red, long, and pendulous, but firm. 
 
 Ear-lobe — red. 
 
 Hen. 
 
 NecJc hackle — light grey, or darker. 
 Back — dark ash, or grizzled grey. 
 

 -'. -^'i '' ' 
 
 ft," 
 
 '-. REY DOREIlfG, 
 
 EdinhiirjjTi Ihnmas C Jack, 
 
GRET DORKINO. 105 
 
 Primary quills — black, or a mixture of black 
 and brown. 
 
 Secondary quills — dark brown, spotted. 
 
 Upper wing coverts — grey. 
 
 Lower wing coverts — grey, and as distinct as 
 possible. 
 
 Breast — ruddy, or grey, if the cock has a 
 spotted breast. 
 
 Tail — dark, inclining to grey. 
 
 Thighs — mixture of brown and grey. 
 
 Legs and feet — white. 
 
 Comh — falling over on either side. 
 
 Wattles — red and firm. 
 
 Ear-lobes — red. 
 
 The following points are kindly supplied by 
 an emiaent English judge : — 
 
 " To the best of my recollection the rule laid 
 down for judging Silver-grey Dorkings at Liver- 
 pool, where they were first admitted as a class, 
 was as follows — 
 
106 BREEDS. 
 
 Cock. 
 
 Breast and tail — pure black, not the slightest 
 stain of white allowed. 
 
 Hackle and saddle — pure silver, without one 
 spot of straw, red, or black. 
 
 Breast — bright robin colour. 
 
 Body — light grey, the shaft of each feather white. 
 
 Hackle — pure silver. Any tendency to red in 
 the plumage of the wing is a great defect. 
 
 " This variety is best known as Lord Hill's 
 breed, and has now obtained a class at most of 
 the principal shows. 
 
 " In point of weight it cannot compete on equal 
 terms with the Grey Dorking, but for colour and 
 shape stands unrivalled." 
 
 WJ^xk gnrlviitg. 
 
 The following opinion, from an extensive and 
 successful breeder, may be relied on as perfectly 
 correct, and affording a true guide to the ama- 
 teur of these lovely birds : — 
 
WHITE DORKING. 107 
 
 "I find the white Dorkings hardy, quite as 
 prolific as the coloured; they lay well, and are 
 excellent sitters and mothers. 
 
 "Their qualities as table fowls are too well 
 known to require any notice from me. They are 
 always in request by dealers for that purpose. I 
 consider their exhibition points to be as follows : — 
 
 Plumage — pure white in both cock and hen. 
 
 Gomh — double rose, bright scarlet, set straight 
 on the head, pointed at the back, well serrated, 
 and firm. / 
 
 Toes — the fifth well-defined. 
 
 Bill and legs — perfectly white. 
 
 Cock — tail, large, with full sweep. 
 
 Ear-lohe — white. 
 
 Neck and saddle hackles — white, free from all 
 yellow tinge, too frequently seen in these birds, 
 and always a blemish. 
 
 " T. D. PlNDLAY." 
 
 There are other varieties of Dorkings, such as 
 the Blue or Cuckoo, the Speckled, &c., but it is 
 unnecessary to give their points, as they are not 
 in request, and little known. 
 
108 BREEDS. 
 
 I consider this a most valuable variety, so 
 hardy, so beautiful, so excellent, in all the rela- 
 tions of poultry life. 
 
 Although it bears a close resemblance in form 
 to the Cochin, I maintain it to be a distinct breed. 
 
 Their habits are quite dissimilar, their eggs are 
 larger, they roam farther from home, and have 
 more spirit, and fiery elan. 
 
 I think their expression indicative of good 
 temper, and yet they are formidable foes when 
 roused, their immense size and weight giving 
 them great advantage over their rivals. 
 
 The hens excel as mothers, and layers of fine 
 large eggs during winter. Even when snow 
 covers the ground, they lay regularly an average 
 of five eggs a-week, and, in fact, at all times, 
 when not employed in the nursery, or renewing 
 their plumage. 
 
 The puUets attain full size at an early age, 
 and are in their prime when eight months old. 
 
BRAHMA POOTRA. 109 
 
 Some judges seem to have a predetermination 
 to give prizes only to the dark variety, entirely 
 overlooking the beautiful light-coloured, which, 
 I think, was, certainly, the original breed intro- 
 duced into England. This is mere fancy, and I 
 affirm them to be distinct varieties. 
 
 They demand separate classes at shows, as 
 much as the BufF and Partridge Cochins, Grey 
 and Silver-grey Dorkings.* 
 
 Purity of race is claimed for both single and 
 pea-combed Brahmas. Precedence is generally 
 given to the latter, and I withhold not my con- 
 sent, provided it is allied to other good points. 
 
 Comb is not an imperative point in this breed ; 
 the single comb resembles that of the Cochin. 
 
 The double or pea-comb is not so easy to 
 describe, but I shall try to be as lucid as pos- 
 sible ; it is very singular in appearance, thick at 
 the base, and is like three combs joined in one, 
 the centre one higher than the other, but it must 
 be (altogether) a low comb, rounded at the top, 
 and the indentations must not be deep. 
 
 * Separate classes are now given for dark and light 
 Brahmas, and generally fill well. 
 
110 BREEDS. 
 
 This (rather negative) description will, I hope, 
 be understood ; in the hope of obtaining separate 
 classes for light and dark pencilled varieties, I 
 shall describe the form and feathering of each. 
 
 Dark Cock — square build, broad chest, digni- 
 fied carriage ; tail, small, and as black as possible ; 
 breast, dark, spangled with white ; ear-lobes and 
 face, red ; wattles, long ; neck and saddle hackles, 
 streaked black and white ; general colour of 
 plumage, grey ; thighs, ditto ; feet and legs, yel- 
 low, and abundantly feathered. 
 
 The vulture hock controversy is very keen. It 
 certainly seems hard that what was only a fevf 
 years ago considered a beauty is now pronounced 
 so great a defect, that birds possessing it (how- 
 ever fine otherwise) are excluded from all chance 
 of gaining the prize. The result is seen in many 
 cases by the almost total absence of leg feather- 
 ing, or recourse is had to the reprehensible action 
 of pulling out the offending hock feathers. 
 
 Hen — regularly marked all over the back and 
 breast ; wing quill feathers and tail, black ; wat- 
 tles, short; legs a,nd feet, yellow, and feathered. 
 
 Light Cock — broad across back, full chest; 
 
BRAHMA POOTRA. Ill 
 
 hackles, full, each feather laced with black ; tail, 
 black; breast, grey; thighs, light grey; wing quill 
 feathers,h\sLck; coverts, white ifeet and fe^s, yellow, 
 and well-feathered ; wattles, red and pendulous. 
 
 Hen — hackles, white, each feather tipped with 
 black ; tail, white, edged with black ; breast, 
 white ; body, clear white ; legs, short and flufiy. 
 The legs of all Brahmas should be short and wide 
 apart. This is a great beauty, and, in both cock 
 and hen, the outer toes should be shorter than the 
 others, and feathered to the point ; beaks, yellow. 
 
 Miss Watts is too well known in the poultry 
 world to require any introduction from me. I 
 append her polite communication as to this 
 variety : — 
 
 " I think all who keep Brahmas will agree 
 with me in giving them a high place among our 
 useful poultry. They are large, and put on flesh 
 readily ; they are good layers, good sitters, and 
 good mothers ; they are also very hardy, apt at 
 keeping themselves in good condition, and, under 
 the unfavourable circumstances of dirty weather, 
 or of living much among houses, they decidedly 
 keep up a cleanly, tidy appearance better than any 
 
112 BREEDS. 
 
 other kind I know. The chickens are hardy and 
 easy to rear ; I very seldom lose any, and I have 
 noticed that they are more clever in the treatment- 
 of themselves when they are ill than other fowls ; 
 when they get out of order, they will' generally 
 fast until eating is no longer injurious. I should 
 like to know if you have noticed this peculiarity 
 in the Brahma.* I believe I am prejudiced in 
 their favour, but it is from experience of their 
 merits perhaps ; so, not exactly prejudiced, but 
 convinced, I was among the first to import 
 them, rather largely, and after keeping them just 
 over seven ^ years, I would not give them up for 
 any other variety that I have tried. 
 
 " The worst accusation their enemies can ad- 
 vance against them is, that no one knows their 
 origin ; but this is applicable to them only as it 
 is when appKed to Dorkings, Spanish, Polands, 
 and all the other kinds which have been brought 
 to perfection by careful breeding, working on 
 good originals. All we have in England are 
 descended from fowls imported from the United 
 States, and the best account of them is, that a 
 
 Quite correct. — E. A. 
 
BRAHMA POOTRA 
 
 Edjiil?i:rgt. [Qianas C Jack 
 
BRAHMA POOTRA. 113 
 
 sailor (rather vague certainly) appeared in an 
 American town, (Boston or New York, I forget 
 which), with a new kind of fowl for sale, and 
 that a pair bought from him were the parents of 
 all the Brahmas. Uncertain as this appears, the 
 accounts of those who pretend to trace their 
 origin as cross-bred fowls is, at least, equally 
 so, and I believe we may just act towards the 
 Brahmas as we do with regard to Dorkings and 
 other good fowls, and be satisfied to possess a 
 first-rate useful kind, although we may be unable 
 to trace its genealogical tree back to the root. 
 
 " Whatever may be their origin, I find them 
 distinct in their characteristics. I have found 
 them true to their points, generation after gener- 
 ation, in all the years that I have kept them. 
 The Pea-comb is very peculiar, and I have never 
 had one chicken untrue in this, among all that 
 I have bred. Their habits are very unlike the 
 Cochins. Although docUe, they are much less 
 inert ; they lay a larger number of eggs, and sit 
 less frequently. Many of my hens only wish to 
 sit once a-year ; a few, oftener than that, perhaps 
 twice or even three times in rare instances, but 
 
 H 
 
114 BREEDS. 
 
 never at the end of each small batch of eggs, as I 
 find (my almost equal favourites) the Cochins do. 
 
 " The division of light and dark Brahmas is a 
 f^incy of the judges, vrhich any one who keeps 
 them can humour with a little care in breeding. 
 My idea of their colour is, that it should be black 
 and grey, (iron grey, with more or less of a blue 
 tinge, and devoid of any hrown) on a clear, white 
 ground, and I do not care whether the white or 
 the marking predominates. I believe breeders 
 could bear me out, if they would, when I say 
 many fowls which pass muster as Brahmas are 
 the result of a cross employed to increase size 
 and procure the heavy colour which some of the 
 judges affect. 
 
 " It gives me great pleasure to write these few 
 remarks on the good qualities of the Brahma, but 
 it is not needed, for I find they are making their 
 way into very general favour by their useful 
 properties. 
 
 " E. Watts." 
 
 " Marton House, South End, 
 Hampstead, London." 
 
MALAYS. 115 
 
 These singular-looking fowls have their ad- 
 mirers. 
 
 They are of great size, and beautiful in plum- 
 age, and their very rarity makes them always 
 interesting objects in an exhibition; the hens 
 lay eggs of average size, of a deep buff colour; 
 they are acknowledged to be very rich in flavour, 
 and for hatching purposes, very few will be found 
 unproductive. 
 
 As the chickens do not fully get their feathers 
 till three-parts grown, they should be hatched 
 early, so as to be quite fledged before cool weather 
 sets in. 
 
 Their native country is the southern point of 
 Asia, and the breed has always been had recourse 
 to, in Britain, where size was required, previous 
 to the introduction of the Shanghaes. 
 
 The coch is a magnificent bird, standing over 
 two and a-half feet in height, of a proud and 
 
116 BREEDS. 
 
 majestic carriage, and will weigh about eleven 
 pounds. 
 
 The colour of the pair first imported was a 
 reddish yellow, but there are now many varieties, 
 black, white, &c. 
 
 The most esteemed, however, is Black-breasted 
 Eed, the exhibition points of which we shall 
 notice. I do not think this fowl so useful as 
 some others, but it is iateresting to the amateur, 
 as showing individual characteristics. , 
 
 Cock. 
 
 Comb — small, and not extending the whole 
 length of the head. 
 
 Wattles — poor. 
 
 Neck hackle — red, dark or bright. 
 
 Saddle hackle — darker. 
 
 Upper wing coverts— inch maroon. 
 
 Lower wing coverts — green, or a bluish black. 
 
 Breast — black, or spangled with a chestnut 
 brown. 
 
 Tail — black, shaded with green. 
 
 Thighs — same. 
 
 Legs and feet — bright yeUow. 
 
MALAYS. 117 
 
 Ear-lobe — scarlet. 
 
 Eye — red. 
 
 Beak — yellow, sometimes tinged with black. 
 
 Plumage — short and close, and very glossy. 
 
 Hen. 
 
 Weight — about eight and a -half pounds. ' 
 
 Comb — hardly any. 
 
 Wattles — none. 
 
 Ear-lobe and face — red. 
 
 Legs and feet — yellow and long. 
 
 Breast — brown. 
 
 Thighs — same. 
 
 Upper wing coverts — ^brown. 
 
 Lower wing coverts — same. 
 
 Tail — black. 
 
 Saddle — same as body — maroon. 
 
 Neck hackle — dark reddish brown. 
 
 The general character of these birds is vindic- 
 tive, cruel, and tyrannical. 
 
 If in confined premises, they are in the habit 
 of eating away each other's plumage, though this 
 is not peculiar to this variety ; and are very quar- 
 relsome, so that they soinetimes appear at an ex- 
 hibition in sorry plight. 
 
118 BREEDS. 
 
 Although this fowl is so well described by 
 Mr Douglas, in the letter which follows, I must 
 append a few remarks : — 
 
 The hen is a good layer, sits well, and is care- 
 ful of her brood. 
 
 She forages zealously for the chickens, and 
 remains with them until they are independent of 
 her superintendence. They are easily reared, 
 require little food, and (in constitution) are far 
 more robust than any other variety. 
 
 The Game fowl continues to breed for many 
 years, without showing any symptom of decay, 
 and in this, is superior to the Cochin, Brahma, 
 or even Dorking. 
 
 If hatched in March, the cockerels must be 
 dubbed in August, to fit them for exhibition. 
 
 Why these poor birds are condemned to 
 submit to this cruel operation, is a mystery. 
 
OAMK 110 
 
 unfathomable, I suspect, even by the judges 
 themselves. 
 
 Cock-fighting being forbidden by law, the 
 cocks should, on principle, be left undubbed, 
 as a protest against this brutal amusement. 
 
 The comb of the Game male bird is as beauti- 
 fully formed as that of the Dorking; why then 
 rob it of this great ornament? 
 
 It is asserted that it is necessary to remove the 
 comb to prevent the cocks injuring each other 
 fatally in fighting; but this is not true; a 
 Dorking will fight for the championship as 
 ardently as any Game bird, and yet his comb is 
 spared. 
 
 Cockerels will not quarrel if kept apart from 
 hens, until the breeding season, when they 
 should be separated, and put on their several 
 walks. 
 
 If pugnaciously inclined, I do not believe that 
 the absence of the comb will save the weaker 
 opponent from destruction ; therefore, I raise 
 my voice for pity, in favour of the beautiful 
 Game cock. 
 
 The rules for colour of legs are very undecided. 
 
120 BREEDS. 
 
 In my humble opinion, light legs match 
 light-coloured birds best, but this is not im- 
 perative, and every colour, except hlack, is ad- 
 missible. 
 
 Mr Douglas's remarks will, doubtless, be 
 thought valuable by the Game fancier : — 
 
 " The Game fowl has so long been a favourite 
 with the public, and is su well and deservedly 
 known, that 1 need not detain your readers vnth 
 a lengthened description of its merits. There 
 are two classes of admirers of this beautiful bird 
 — the one, looking only to those points which are 
 likely to be most telling in the pit, the other, 
 admiring the bird for its great beauty. To the 
 latter class of fanciers I am proud to belong; 
 but I refrain from comment upon those whose 
 tastes, perchance, may diflfer from my own. 
 
 " We admire the Game cock for his bold, 
 defiant carriage, his perfect symmetry and beauty 
 of plumage. We cannot look upon him with 
 any other feeling than that of admiration; his 
 fearless eye, firm and stately step, and bold 
 majestic watchfulness over his harem, seem to 
 
GAME. 121 
 
 convey at once to our mind the idea, ' I 'm mon- 
 arch of all I survey.' 
 
 " Although there are many varieties of Game 
 fowls, one description will suffice for the whole, 
 for the exhibition points are identically the same. 
 I will, therefore, begin with the Black-breasted 
 Eed, believing, as I do, that it is the purest 
 feathered Game that is bred ; for, breed what 
 variety we may, we have never found any come 
 so true to colour as a brood of Black Reds. 
 As more depends upon the Game hen, in the 
 production of first-class chickens, than many 
 are aware of, we will first describe her points : 
 Head, long; mandible, very strong and firmly set 
 in the head; eyes, very prominent; neck, long and 
 graceful; shoulders, square; chest, broad; points 
 of wings almost meeting under the tail; the 
 latter adornment must be close and compact, not 
 carried too erect or loose over the back; thighs, 
 short and muscular; legs, long, and free from 
 feather; toes, well spread; feathers, short and 
 hard. These are the points of a good Game hen. 
 We now come to her mate, the Game cock. 
 Some breeders fancy one weight and some 
 
122 BREEDS. 
 
 another, but I prefer my stock-bird of about 
 five or six pounds weight. Choose a bird of 
 bold, defiant carriage, of good colour, head long 
 and slender, mandible strong, curved, and well set 
 in the head; very stout at the base, full breast, 
 round body, broad between the shoulders, and 
 tapering to the tail. In fact, he must resemble the 
 hen in all his points, except in colour. Having 
 given the exhibition and breeding points of one 
 class of Game fowl, the same qualifications are 
 necessary in all other varieties, however nume- 
 rous they may be; names and colours we leave 
 to the taste of the amateur himself. To give 
 a separate description of each of the difi'erent 
 coloured varieties would be more than your space 
 will permit, for their name is legion; but I 
 may mention a few of those we are best ac- 
 quainted with, viz., Duckwings, Brown-breasted 
 Reds, Brassy Wings, White, Black, Piles, Greys, 
 Birchin Greys, Weedon Reds, &c., &c., all 
 of which have their friends and admirers, and 
 must all possess the different points we have 
 enumerated, whether they are intended for the 
 purposes of amusement and exhibition, or the pit. 
 
GAME. 123 
 
 " To breed fancy, streaky-breasted, brown-red 
 cockerels, mate a streaky-breasted hen to a black- 
 red cock; nine times out of ten the cockerels 
 will resemble the hen in colour. To breed pul- 
 lets to match, the cock must be streaky-breasted, 
 and the hen black-breasted red; these will be 
 the exhibition Brown-breasted Eeds. 
 
 " The principal points in the Duckwing Game 
 cockerel are the clear, vivid wing, black breast 
 and tail, and Ught straw-coloured hackle. To 
 obtain these, breed from a light grey-backed and 
 winged hen, with silver hackle and salmon breast, 
 and a black-breasted red cock ; the hen should not 
 have the slightest shade of red on the wing; this 
 is fatal. 
 
 " To obtain similar puUets, the cock must be 
 Duckwing, and the hen Black-Eed. 
 
 " Piles (cockerels) are bred from a white cock 
 and black-red hen. They will have the clear 
 white feather, light salmon breast, and tinge of 
 gold in hackle. The cockerels are the produce 
 of a red-spangled cock and white hen, and should 
 possess the beautiful white tail, clean hackle, 
 and red shoulder. These remarks are the result 
 
124 BREEDS. 
 
 of an experience of more than twenty years, 
 in breeding the different varieties of Game. I 
 wish (in common with many other exhibitors) 
 there was more uniformity of opinion in judging 
 this breed ; only practical breeders should be em- 
 ployed ; the mistakes made are truly ludicrous. 
 For exhibition chickens I prefer those hatched 
 the last week in March or first In April. At 
 that season nine eggs are sufficient for the sitting 
 hen ; earlier, only seven. The mother with her 
 brood must be cooped under a shed, with a dry 
 bottom, composed of three parts road dilft and 
 chalk, and one part lime rubbish ; this must be 
 renewed every season: at the end of nine days 
 the coop should be placed on turf, choosing the 
 middle of the day for the shift. Until the grass 
 is thoroughly dry, keep the chickens confined to 
 their coop, feeding them once or twice if neces- 
 sary. Give plenty of fresh water, adding a little 
 of the 'restorative' (previously mentioned) every 
 morning before the coops are opened. When the 
 hen leaves the chickens, select the cockerels and 
 put them on a walk with an old cock without 
 hens or puUets. At sis months we put them to 
 
GAME. 125 
 
 separate walks, unless a few intended for early 
 exhibition, wMcli are put to a walk at once, on 
 leaving tlie hen. PuUets must be treated in the 
 same manner. Before sending off birds to exhi- 
 bition, feed them on boiled mUk and bread; neoer 
 on hard food. 
 
 "John Douglas." 
 
 " WolSELET AnABIES.'' 
 
126 BREEBS. 
 
 In Scotland, this breed is mucli valued. It 
 Is of great antiquity, and still to be found in 
 the most remote districts, where other (and 
 Qewer) varieties are unknown. Our poulterers 
 consider it is excellent for the table, and it pos- 
 sesses the great- advantage of white legs and 
 skin. The hens lay in due season, and perform 
 their maternal duties creditably. For the points 
 of this breed, I give the remarks of a friendly 
 poultry fancier, and admirer of this fowl : — 
 
 "I have no doubt that this is a distinct 
 breed. It throws true chickens, and that is 
 sufficient to prove it, although this may be the 
 result of cross-breeding at a period more or less 
 distant 
 
 "In her foreign relations, Scotland has im- 
 ported many breeds from Spain, Hamburgh, 
 Holland, and France, and, as a matter of course. 
 
SCOTCH GREY. 127 
 
 these have impressed the stamp of their features 
 on the Scotch Grey. 
 
 " Some assert that it is a mere modification 
 of the Dorking, fine specimens of which occur 
 of similar colour, which I have heard styled 
 the 'Blue Mottle,' and it cannot be denied 
 that it is largely imbued with the blood of 
 these. 
 
 " Such a cross tends to produce a distinct 
 and valuable species, while an infusion of 
 Spanish, Hamburgh, and Cochin China blood 
 interferes with the essential features of the 
 breed. 
 
 " The cock is rather a slim bird, and the 
 more closely he resembles the Game, the better. 
 He should stand erect, with a proud carriage, 
 the thighs slightly exposed, though less so than 
 in the Spanish. 
 
 "The thicker and more widely set his limbs 
 are, the more perfect the fowl: they should be 
 white, though black spots are not considered 
 positive blemishes. 
 
 " The comh is single, very large, and straight. 
 The head should be small, and the eye bright 
 
128 BREEDS. 
 
 and quick. Much importance is attached to 
 the redness of the ear-lohe. Birds, good in 
 other respects, have often a whiteness in it, 
 and this is, no doubt, owing to defective breed- 
 ing. 
 
 " Although I myself have never seen a cock 
 over two years with the lobe perfectly red, still 
 it is a point to be aimed at, and is, I believe, 
 quite attainable. 
 
 " The colour of the plumage must be particu- 
 larly attended to. 
 
 " The bluish-grey mottled appearance of these 
 birds depends upon the pencilling of the feathers 
 (otherwise white), by broad grey marks across 
 them. Their beauty depends on the strength, 
 without blackness, of these markings, especially 
 at the feather tips, and the purity of the inter- 
 vening white ground. These, together, give a 
 mottled aspect like snow flakes, and this is best 
 observed in the hens and half-grown chickens. 
 
 "The greatest defect in colour is the indis- 
 tinctness and muddling of the grey and the 
 white. 
 
 " The whiteness of the flight sind. sicJde feathers 
 
SCOTCH OREY. 129 
 
 may be a disadvantage, but it is of secondary 
 importance. Birds, (otherwise well coloured), 
 have sometimes black feathers scattered over the 
 surface, and this must be regarded as a defect. 
 
 " Red and brassy marks across the back is a 
 defect that occurs in cockerels, and a yellowness 
 of haclde, in hens. 
 
 "Some very handsome cocks have a rich 
 brownish transparent greyness of the hackle and 
 saddle feathers, which enhances the beauty of 
 their plumage, and is not inconsistent with the 
 requisite style and colour, but I have seen this 
 excessive in some specimens. 
 
 " The hen shows the markings better than the 
 cock. Her figure should be long and tapering, 
 without the bulk and breadth of the Dorking's 
 shoulder, and the comb should be small, and 
 nearly erect. 
 
 " The ear-lobes should be red, but this appears 
 to be more rare than in the cock. 
 
 "The principal points to be avoided in this 
 breed are the bulky body and fifth toe of the 
 Dorking, the white ear-lobes and small size of 
 the Hamburgh, the drooping comb and whitish 
 
130 BREEDS. 
 
 cheek of the Spanish, and the raised hind- 
 quarters and feathered legs of the Cochin 
 China. 
 
 " The great advantage I have observed in the 
 Scotch Grey is, that they are very hardy fowls, 
 and easily fed. The chickens require less care 
 and attention than those of other kinds; these 
 are of presentable size at the age of sis months, 
 and may weigh six pounds. 
 
 " The hens are average layers. Their only 
 advantage over the Dorking and Spanish is 
 their superior constitutional strength; I have 
 seen them thrive, where these (under the same 
 management) became affected with roup ; and 
 their chickens matured well, while the others 
 died. 
 
 "I cannot compare, however, the Scottish 
 Grey with Dorking or Spanish, the former for 
 chickens, the latter for eggs. 
 
 " But for cottagers and others, whose fov/ls 
 may not have the advantage of a roomy and well 
 protected yard, they are possessed of valuable 
 qualities. 
 
 " There has always existed in Scotland, as 
 
SCOTCH GREY. 131 
 
 wide-spread preference for the 'Old Scotch 
 breed,' or 'Check Merlins,' the distinctive colour 
 of which has obtained for it many synonyms in 
 different provinces." 
 
132 BREEDS. 
 
 The Spanish fowl is much admired, and de- 
 servedly so, combining (as it does) so much that 
 is beautiful, dignified, and useful; the hens, 
 though only of a fair average size, lay immense 
 eggs, and are also more precocious, in this respect, 
 than any other breed except the Brahma. 
 
 They seldom condescend to sit, and are not 
 to be desired as mothers, being careless, and 
 flighty ; their eggs should be set under Dorking 
 hens, because these go with their chicks longer 
 than any others. 
 
 Spanish do not feather till almost three-parts 
 grown, and therefore require a steady, domestic 
 mother, who wiU remain with them tUl that 
 critical period is safely past. 
 
 Though, apparently, spirited, the cock is not 
 
SPANISH. 133 
 
 game to the back-bone. He is, fortunately, easily 
 cowed. Probably his motto is — 
 
 " He that fights and runs away 
 May live to fight another day." 
 
 He makes the best of unfortunate circum- 
 stances, and calmly acquiesces in his fate, say- 
 ing in the spirit of his native lord, the majestic 
 and philosophic Don, " My son, if thou seest thy 
 house on fire, approach, and warm thy hands 
 at it." 
 
 The following remarks will be appreciated by 
 amateurs of this widely spread, and popular 
 variety, kindly given to me by a well-known 
 amateur: — 
 
 "Let the bird have — 1st, a pure white face, 
 deep in the lohes, and of good space above the 
 eye, and neither too fat above nor below it, 
 yet not so sMnny-faced as to lose that angular 
 oblong shape which imparts such reverence to 
 the fowl in question; 2nd, erectness, or all but 
 erectness, in comb; 3rd, length in body, and of 
 leg; 4th, long clean neck; 5th, upright carriage; 
 6th, plumage metallic green; and, 7th, good size. 
 I have stated the points in the order of their 
 
134 BREEDS. 
 
 value. Nothing can compensate for the want of 
 the first point, and the same may now be said of 
 the second. Of course, if he be a pretty early 
 chicken, he will show much better in autumn 
 than an adult bird. " John Eidpath." 
 
 " P.S. — Unless a bird answer very nearly to all 
 these marks, he has very little chance of gaining 
 honours in a good show. Pew breeders have 
 more than one such young bird. " J. R" 
 
 Mr Muirhead has kindly given the following 
 remarks : — 
 
 "As the name implies, this breed has origi- 
 nally been imported from Spain. The best-known 
 variety is called White-faced, from that charac- 
 teristic feature by which they are distinguished, 
 so to it we wiU. give precedence. 
 
 " \st Variety. — White-Faced Black. 
 
 Cocks. 
 
 Bill — strong, slightly curved, and dark- 
 coloured. 
 
SPANISH. 135 
 
 Uye — large, dark, and flashing, surrounded with 
 a naked white skin* extending from the base of 
 the comb round the ears and cheeks, meeting like 
 a cravat under the throat, and terminating in the 
 ear-lobes, which are exceedingly long and pendu- 
 lous. If this white face is very large and well 
 developed, it proves high breeding; the texture 
 of the skin cannot be too fine and sioooth, s^d if 
 it is blushed or spotted witb red, it is considered 
 faulty. 
 
 Comb — single aod large, beginning, over the 
 nostril, and estendiBg backwards, should stand 
 very eceetjlbeTegularly serrated, fine in the grain, 
 aitd of a rich vermillion colour. 
 
 Wattles — ^very large, hanging a good way down 
 the neck, which is longer in this than in other 
 breeds. 
 
 The body should be as deep as possible, the 
 shanks and legs being naturally long, and depth 
 
 * It is ths practice of exhibitors of Spanish to shave 
 the down of the edges of the white face, thus to enlarge 
 it and make it smooth. It is a disgraceful practice, and 
 not allowed at Birmingham Show. 
 
136 BREEDS. 
 
 in body from the back to the breast-bone gives a 
 better proportion to the shape, which would 
 otherwise look scraggy. 
 
 The legs are clean and of dark blue colour. 
 
 Plumage — a brilliant jet black, hackles and 
 saddle feathers long. 
 
 Tail — full, rising perpendicularly from the 
 back, and the numerous sickle feathers falling 
 very gracefully. 
 
 Carriage — bold and majestic; this is of great 
 importance in rendering these fowls handsome 
 and attractive. 
 
 Hens. 
 
 " White face not nearly so large as that of the 
 cock. Comh, large, and hanging over one side; 
 it lessens very much during the moulting or non- 
 laying season, and is much affected by cold. 
 Plumage, perfectly black This breed is cele- 
 brated for being egg-producers, a property which 
 renders them very valuable. They surpass all 
 other breeds m the size of their eggs, and they 
 lay constantly, being non-sitters. They are, 
 however, very unfit for table purposes, as they 
 
<l ' I 
 
 '^^, 
 
 S PANI SH. 
 
 EiuihuE^ rkoiriEU! C.Jac!^ 
 
 B.»uai76.jUU.imEaiiir 
 
SPANISH. 137 
 
 carry very little flesh, and consume a great deal 
 of food without ever getting fat. The chickens 
 are very delicate to rear; they are long of fledg- 
 ing, and of showing their good points. 
 
 2nd Variety — White-Faced White. 
 
 "This variety is seldom met with. Good 
 specimens would certainly be valued if only for 
 their rarity. Description, same as flrst variety, 
 except the white plwmage. 
 
 Brd Variety. — Andalusian. 
 
 "Fowls of a bluish-grey colour mixed with 
 black, having white faces; white fowls with red 
 faces have been shown under this name; so 
 called, from having been imported from the 
 Spanish province of Andalusia. Unless this 
 variety is found to possess superior properties to 
 the White-faced Black, as it has not such dis- 
 tinctive points, it is doubtful if the fine name 
 will bring it into repute. 
 
138 BREMDS. 
 
 Mh Variety. — Minorca. 
 
 "So called from having been brought from 
 that island. This variety is also sometimes 
 called Andalnsian, as no doubt fowls of this de- 
 scription may be found there also. Gomh and 
 wattles are similar to the first variety, but instead 
 of a white, a red skin extends from the throat to 
 the ear-lobes, which are of moderate size, and 
 red, though, from mixture with the White-faced 
 variety, the ear-lobes are very often found white. 
 Body rounder, shanks and legs shorter than in 
 the first variety. These fowls are hardy, and will 
 thrive in a confined place, whereas the White- 
 faced require a good run on a dry soU. Spanish 
 fowls have been recommended for keeping in 
 towns, as the smoke and dirt do not afiect their 
 plumage.. The Minorca, or fourth variety, j£ 
 best adapted for that purpose and litey -possess 
 capital laying prc^er^es. 
 
 "C. MUIEHEAD." 
 
QO LAIGHS, OR SCOTCH DUMPIES. 139 
 
 This breed is now almost extinct, but as an 
 attempt has been made to revive it, we may ex- 
 pect to see this Dwarf in Poultry exhibited with 
 good chance of favourable notice, and even with 
 hopes of a special class. 
 
 They can be bred true to feather, and this 
 should be particularly aimed at, to the exclusion 
 of the Mongrels so often pointed out as fair 
 specimens. 
 
 Shortness of leg alone should not constitute 
 their claim to notice. They must have large 
 heavy bodies, bright distinctive colouring, and 
 other points of excellence. 
 
 They are not merely fancy birds, but valu- 
 able as table poultry, layers of large fine eggs, 
 and cannot be excelled as sitters and mothers. 
 
 Gamekeepers have a strong partiality for this 
 breed, for hatching the eggs of partridges and 
 
140 BREEDS. 
 
 pheasants, being so qniet in their movements, 
 and attentive to their young. 
 
 The exhibition points are as follows : — 
 Cock — Tail, full and black; nech and saddle 
 hackles, silvery- white; breast, black or spotted 
 with white; thighs, black, or as nearly so as pos- 
 sible; /onre, squarely built, and broad across the 
 chest ; legs, very short, not above one inch and 
 a-half in length; free from feathers, and white in 
 colour; comh, rose, double and pointed at the 
 back, bright scarlet, as are also the wattles, which 
 should be long and pendulous, almost touching 
 •the ground; ear-lobes, red. 
 
 Hen — Ash-backed, ssilmon-breasted, silver- 
 hackled; in other points similar to the cock. 
 The general carriage is heavy, and gait waddling. 
 The extreme sbortness of leg gives them the 
 appearance of swimming on dry land. 
 
COCHIN. 141 
 
 AH persons conversant with poultry matters 
 are aware that this gigantic fowl was originally 
 imported from China, and has added considerably 
 to our stock of valuable birds. 
 
 Cochins lay regularly, and if not too highly 
 fed, are productive of very fine chickens, which I 
 consider excellent for the table, if killed young; 
 more than that, I cannot say. 
 
 The hens are most exemplary in their ma- 
 ternal duties, and, from their abundance of soft 
 and downy feather, are peculiarly adapted for the 
 purpose of hatching. This seems their vocation, 
 which they accept with the most serene patience 
 three or four times a-year. They enjoy the hon- 
 ours of maternity; their love of this task seems 
 their idiosyncrasy. For them a mother's life is 
 " blessed with those sweet cares, all other joys so 
 far above," and they are often tempted to leave 
 their chickens at too early an age to resume them, 
 which is a great disadvantage in cold weather. 
 
142 BREEDS. 
 
 I have found that, if cooped up, the chickens 
 having egress between the wires, the hens will both 
 lay and tend them; and as they are chiefly de- 
 pendent on her protection during the night, this 
 is a more natural, and therefore preferable plan, 
 to putting the little things by themselves, (even 
 with the protection of a glass house), until turned 
 out into free ranges. 
 
 This variety is very hardy, and may be 
 kept in a smaller space than almost any other ; 
 cockerels, however, must have ample range, if 
 intended to become superior specimens. It is 
 remarkably free from liability to any disease, if 
 well provided with green food; this is indis- 
 pensable. 
 
 I consider the Cochin a most beautiful bird, 
 and capable of comparison with the most grace- 
 ful and high-coloured of our poultry; its ex- 
 quisite feathering, and lovely tints, from the palest 
 buff to deep orange, make this bird peculiarly the 
 lady's own. 
 
 All must appreciate its massive huild, small 
 head, rich, fuU hackle, and majestic carriage; true 
 types of the high-caste Cochin. 
 
COCHIN. 143 
 
 It, perhaps, has a larger appetite than most 
 fowls, and a good hearty meal must be given ; 
 but we are repaid in eggs and early chickens. 
 These are the priacipal uses for which we should 
 keep it. 
 
 The male bird possesses a quiet and easy tem- 
 per, and is peculiarly gifted with the art of calm- 
 ing any violent spirit his hen.9 may display. 
 
 Lords of the creation! what an example do 
 they set you of patience under much provoca- 
 tion! 
 
 To be perfectly truthful, a cross with the 
 Cochin deteriorates the beauty of all other varieties, 
 and adds nothing to the value of chickens so 
 obtained. 
 
 As an example of this, see the gaunt, long- 
 legged, iU-conditioned birds so often the result 
 of a Cochin cock having been introduced into a 
 poultry yard to improve the breed ! ! 
 
 Since writing the above, I have been gratified 
 by receiving a perfect corroboration of my opi- 
 nions, both as to this breed and the general treat- 
 ment of stock, from Mr Stretch, the eminent 
 Cochin fancier. 
 
144 BREEDS. 
 
 His communication is of much value; I there- 
 fore give it verbatim : — 
 
 " I have often been asked what aged birds are 
 the best to breed from. My experience would 
 lead me to say, health is of more consequence 
 than age ; but I by no means despise birds of the 
 previous year. The chickens from pullets' eggs 
 are generally smaller than those from the eggs of 
 old hens, when first out of the shell; but after 
 the second month, they grow much faster, and 
 generally show more constitution. Avoid birds 
 with glaring defects, as they are more surely re- 
 produced than good points. Moderate-sized birds, 
 however, of good shape, often produce as fine 
 chickens as the larger-sized birds. 
 
 " This breed has a great disposition to accumu- 
 late abdominal fat, and consequently their food 
 should not be of too nourishing a quality. Those 
 who give Indian meal or corn (which contain 
 about 8 per cent, of oily matter), have frequent 
 ' cases of apoplexy amongst their poultry. Boiled 
 potatoes, mixed with a little barley meal or mid- 
 dlings, should form at least a portion of their 
 daily food. There is another reason why Cochins 
 
COCHIX. 145 
 
 should not be kept in too high condition.- the 
 eggs of such seldom produce chickens, and in a 
 short time barrenness ensues. 
 
 "With respect to setting, the place chosen 
 should be perfectly free from draughts, and if not 
 on the groimd, some sifted coal ashes should be 
 placed under the straw. A little flour of sulphur 
 dusted under the hen's feathers wUl prevent the 
 accumulation of vermia, thus freeing her from 
 one of the greatest annoyances to which sitting 
 hens are liable. 
 
 "Although a Cochin hen can cover a large 
 number of eggs, I believe more strong chickens 
 can be reared from seven eggs than from an in- 
 creased quantity; and I am sure that this num- 
 ber of chickens is quite as many as the hen can 
 keep sufficiently warm and find food for, to en- 
 sure a rapid growth. For the first week, bread 
 crumbs and hard-boiled eggs, chopped small, 
 should form their food; afterwards groats; and, 
 as they increase in size, wheat and slacked oat- 
 meal will be found a valuable addition. Green 
 food and clean water are essential to health. 
 
 "At three months old the sexes should be 
 
146 BREEDS. 
 
 separated. The cockerels, to grow fast, should at 
 least have soft food twice, and grain once a-day. 
 The puUets should have a more sparing diet, as, 
 if forced into laying at five or six months old, 
 their growth is stopped ; their eggs are small, 
 and they lay only. a few at a time; If allowed 
 time to develope their full form, they not only 
 make much larger birds, but frequently lay thirty 
 or forty eggs before showing any disposition to 
 sit. This frequent desire to sit is a great an- 
 noyance to some parties, and the cause of their 
 services often being dispensed with altogether. 
 It is, however, easily cured, not by the cruel 
 method of ducking the hen in water, but by 
 placing her in a pen where there is no nest, and 
 feeding her well. The fever will generally leave 
 her in about five days, and she wiU soon recom- 
 mence laying. 
 
 " The points aimed at by amateurs who desire 
 success at the numerous exhibitions of poultry 
 throughout the country, are as follows, viz., per- 
 fectly straight fine comhs, the serrations well-de- 
 fined; the body well let down between the legs, 
 the shanks of which should be of a yellow colour, 
 
COCHIN. 147 
 
 short, and well feathered to the end of the toes. 
 Only about an inch of the thighs should be 
 visible above the hocks, and the upper part well 
 surrounded with fluffy feathers. Great breadth 
 of hody, and large size, indispensable. The codes 
 vary in colour, from a dark red to a lemon colour. 
 The clearer they are in colour the better, but a 
 good bird in other respects is not to be despised 
 for a little mealiness in the wing coverts. Nech 
 and saddle hackle should be of a bright golden 
 colour, and copper-coloured tails are preferred to 
 black. The latter should be small and compact, 
 rising gracefully from the body. The hens vary 
 in colour, from a dack yellow to a pale buff. The 
 lighter-coloured hens show to most advantage in 
 an exhibition pen, and are generally preferred. 
 Golden neck hackle, and clear if possible, but a 
 slight necklace is by no means fatal. The car- 
 riage should be rather drooping forward, rising 
 from the back to the extremity of the tail, of 
 which only about an inch should be visible be- 
 yond the surrounding fluff. 
 
 "T. Steetch." 
 Maesh Lane, BootIiE, Liverpool. 
 
148 BREEDS. 
 
 This delicately-beautiful variety demands the 
 same requisites in size and shape as the coloured ; 
 the plumage alone differs — this must be of a 
 brilliant white, without the slightest admixture 
 of yellow ; the contrast of the deep scarlet comb, 
 wattles, pale yellow hill, legs, and snowy plumage, 
 make this bird the champion of its class, if seen 
 under a pure sky, and on a clean grass run. 
 
 It is quite a mistake to suppose the white less 
 robust than the coloured Cochin; they are vigor- 
 ous and hardy ; good layers, sitters, and mothers. 
 
 Harlriirg^, ^t. 
 
 The Partridge, the Black, and other varieties, 
 are almost identical with the Buffs in general 
 characteristics. 
 
 The plumage, of course, differs. In the Par- 
 
COCIIIX. 1-::, 
 
 tridge the hackles should be reddish-yellow, free 
 from dark stains ; tail and breast, black 
 
 The hens have dark penciUings on the hackles, 
 and are generally richly coloured. 
 
 The legs are rather of a deeper tint in the 
 Yellow, than in the Buff variety, especially in 
 the cocks. 
 
 A "white feather" in any of these is as fatal 
 to the Cochin, as it is to those that show it, in 
 another schooL The Black variety is seldom "as 
 black as it is painted." 
 
 The cocks too often show the yellow hackle; 
 good Blacks are decidedly scarce, in spite of 
 Mrs Beecher Stowe. 
 
 There are Cuckoo and Silky Cochins, but of 
 these the " Henwife " knows little, and therefore 
 must be held excused in not entering into their 
 merits; the more, as she thinks them only a par- 
 ticular fancy, and not likely to further the in- 
 terests of poultry. 
 
150 BREEDS. 
 
 These are very pretty, interesting little crea- 
 tures, but altogether fancy fowls, utterly useless 
 for table or market. 
 
 Their bones and flesh are coal-black, while, 
 strange to say, their plumage is snowy- white, soft 
 and silky, resembling spun glass. Their eggs, 
 though small, are said to be excellent, pinkish- 
 white in colour, something like those of the Ban- 
 tam, but I confess to a prejudice against the egg 
 of a Darkie, not even overcome by its silvery locks. 
 
 The cock is a pattern of fidelity and gentle- 
 ness; he assists his partner in the care of her 
 family, and even acts as nursa 
 
 The hen is the best of foster-mothers for Ham- 
 burghs and Polish, their soft warm feathering 
 tempting these delicate little fastidious beings to 
 cotton kindly to them for protection. 
 
 The points of a Silkie Cock are: — Plumage, 
 white ; crest, smaU, low, and set far back on the 
 
SILKIES. l,-,i 
 
 head; comb, dark reddish purple; ear-lobes, 
 turquoise blue; wattles, purple; legs, eyes, and 
 beak, jet black; tail, full, but not with many 
 sickle feathers; body, low set, but large, and 
 broad in the breast. 
 
 Hen — precisely similar points, except the tail, 
 which, in her, consists of a small bunch of 
 feathers lite marabouts. Her comb also is 
 smaller, and crest (or tuft) larger. 
 
152 BREEDS. 
 
 A very elegant and pretty, though somewhat 
 foppish and conceited-looking bird. It is not of 
 sufficient size to be eligible for market purposes, 
 but for private consumption is excellent, the flesh 
 being white and tender. 
 
 Th^ey are almost everlasting layers, but the 
 eggs are, certainly, below average size. They 
 rarely sit, and the reputation of good mother, 
 cannot, with fairness, be classed among their 
 virtues. 
 
 As & fa/my variety, the Polish take high rank, 
 and deservedly so, for they thrive under petting, 
 and really require greater care than more robust 
 varieties. 
 
 A farm-yard would be the death of them; they 
 like a grass run and aviary accommodation, and 
 their plumage increases in beauty with the in- 
 crease of comfort. 
 

 'W>! 
 
 GOLDEN POLISH 
 
 lVnnBJla/6 Afkm^n K'^iir 
 
POLISH. 153 
 
 Their greatest merit is, that, like the Game, 
 they continue to improve in feather for several 
 years, when other varieties of the same age have 
 faded ; they are the Perennials in poultry. 
 
 In plumage they are of different colours. 
 
 The Black should be rmiformly of that hue, 
 with a greenish sheen; crest, full and globular, 
 and as white as possible; cowh, should hardly be 
 visible ; it is merely two small fleshy points ; 
 wattles, small ; tail, black, ample, and well 
 sickled ; legs, lead-coloured. 
 
 The Golden resemble nearly the gold spangled 
 Hamburghs, except in having a top knot, which 
 should be golden brown. The Silver differ only 
 LQ the colours, which are white and black, instead 
 of gold and dark brown. The White Polish is 
 very delicate, and are more often obtaiaed by 
 chance than by special breeding. Buff and Grey 
 Polish have been exhibited, which were very 
 handsome and rare ; a peculiarity ia this variety 
 is that the hen is web-footed. 
 
154 BREEDS. 
 
 These gems of beauty and most treasured and 
 prettiest of pets are, certainly, the most impu- 
 dent, as well as diminutive, of our domestic 
 poultry. 
 
 They are ridiculously consequential, and seem 
 
 as if they prided themselves on their captivating 
 
 appearance. There are several varieties, all pos- 
 
 ■*,■*•* 
 sessing the same passionate temper, and, though 
 
 such perfect pigmies, are most pugnacious, which 
 
 clearly proves their Javanese origin. 
 
 They resemble the natives when under the 
 influence of bang, that intoxicating herb which 
 destroys all sense and reason. 
 
 The hens are very good layers, and many per- 
 sons relish their eggs exceedingly; they contain 
 a greater proportion of yolk than those of larger 
 varieties. 
 
 As mothers. Bantams are imrivalled, fulfilling 
 
BANTAMS. 155 
 
 their duties to a wish ; the chickens should not 
 be hatched till July or August, as it is an object 
 to have them of the smallest possible size, a 
 strange deviation from the utilitarian principle. 
 
 Por the first few weeks they are decidedly 
 delicate ; they seem to feather more quickly than 
 most fowls, and in that stage are apt to die off, 
 the drain on the system being too severe. 
 
 When fully feathered, they are quite hardy, 
 and may be allowed free range, with the mother, 
 in a garden, where they will do much good by 
 devouring insects, (for they are industrious 
 little labourers), and will not injure flowers or 
 vegetables. 
 
 They are a pretty fancy, and being miniatures 
 themselves, are well suited to miniature poultry 
 grounds ; not that they are at all limited to such, 
 for they are prized by fanciers who rear all sorts 
 and breeds of fowls on the most extended scale. 
 They can be kept along with other breeds and 
 fowls with impunity. 
 
 There are many varieties of Bantams, exclusive 
 of the feather-legged, which, like moustache in 
 the pulpit, is a matter, (shall I say fortunately ?) 
 
156 BREEDS. 
 
 of rare occurrence, though the former may be 
 considered more objectionable than the latter, as 
 being more unnatural. 
 
 The points of Gold-laced Sebright Bantams 
 are : — Plumage, golden brownish-yellow, each 
 feather bordered with a lacing of black ; tail, 
 without sickle feathers, carried well over the 
 back, each feather tipped with black; comh, rose, 
 pointed at the back; wings, drooping to the 
 ground; saddle and neck hackles, totally absent; 
 feet and legs, lead-colour and clean; ear-lobes. 
 white. 
 
 The Gold-laced hen corresponds exactly, in 
 plumage, with the cock, but is considerably 
 lighter in weight. 
 
 The Silver-laced differ from the above only in 
 the ground-feathering, which is silvery instead 
 of golden. 
 
 The more nearly the shade approaches to 
 white, the more beautiful is the specimen; too 
 often a yellowish tinge is visible. 
 
 Both classes are distinguished for their strut- 
 ting braggadocio air, and puffed-out breasts, 
 making, as it were, the most of themselves. 
 
BAXTAMS. 157 
 
 The Black bldA White Bantams axe perhaps the 
 smallest of that tribe. One description wiU suf- 
 fice for both, as they differ only in colonr, which 
 miist be stainless in either. Cock — tail, sickled 
 and flowing; comb, rose; wattles, scarlet; ear- 
 lobes, white, and well developed ; legs, deep slate- 
 colour. Hen — similar in plumage. In breed- 
 ing the White Bantam, white legs and bill are to 
 be aimed at; these points greatly enhance the 
 beauty of these little favourites. 
 
 Game Bantams resemble the real game in 
 form, colour, and high courage (only, in size, on 
 a ridiculously reduced scale) ; this gives to the tiny 
 breed a degree of interest superior to any other. 
 
 Fanciers can keep these representatives of by- 
 gone days, and " fight their battles o'er again," 
 in idea, " thrice rout all their foes," and " thrice 
 slay the slain.'' 
 
 Even these innocent little creatures are sub- 
 jected to the cruel process of dubbing. It is 
 indeed monstrous tb rob these pretty fairies of 
 any beauty with which nature has adorned 
 them. 
 
 Game Bantam fanciers ! wiQ you listen to the 
 
158 BREEDS. 
 
 cry of a " Sister of Mercy,'' and abolish at once 
 this barbarous remnant of antiquity? 
 
 The Buchwing and Blach-hreasted Red are the 
 two most esteemed varieties. The points of the 
 former (small size being essential) are: Cock — 
 Breast, black; tail, black and sickle-feathered; 
 neck and saddle hackles, silvery white ; face, red ; 
 head, thin and long; heak, curved. The lower 
 wing coverts of the male bird, which is always the 
 most marked and brilliant in plumage (giving, 
 in fact, the name to the breed), should be marked 
 with blue, forming a bar across the wing. 
 
 Hen — Breast, robin colour; body, ash grey ; 
 hackle, silvery; legs vary in colour, white are 
 much coveted, but very rare. 
 
 Black-breasted Red. 
 
 Cock — Breast, black ; neck and saddle hackles, 
 bright orange-red ; back, brown-red ; tail, black. 
 
 Hen — general colour, chestnut-brown; hackle, 
 pale buff, edged with black; breast, deep fawn; 
 body and wing coverts, partridge colour. 
 
 Each amateur has his own predilection as to 
 
BANTAMS. 159 
 
 the colour of legs and feet. Uniformity, how- 
 ever, in a pen, is indispensable. 
 
 There are other varieties of Game Bantams, 
 as in their larger progenitors, but it is not pos- 
 sible to give the descriptive characteristics of 
 each. 
 
 These newly-imported birds are of various 
 colour.s, but all have the same form — very short 
 leg — well feathered — the tail almost touching the 
 back of the head, as in the fan-tailed pigeon. I 
 have found them delicate in chickenhood, but 
 not so when fuU grown. The buff, white, and 
 black varieties are all very beautiful. 
 
160 BREEDS. 
 
 This breed is of elegant form, and graceful in 
 its movements. It may be called " everlasting 
 layer," because, until in moult, the hen lays 
 almost every day; they seldom show a desire 
 to sit; it is the exception, and only indulged in 
 (I have found) vrhen the birds had a free woodland 
 range, thereby clearly demonstrating the fact, 
 that domestication has impaired their sitting 
 powers. Originally, (of course), they must have 
 hatched their eggs like other fowls. ' I have found 
 both the Pencilled and Spangled varieties good 
 mothers. If not interfered with, (like the phea- 
 sant, in a fine season), she wUl rear all her brood, 
 but, like her, is quite dependent on weather. If 
 confined to a yard, I have never found the Ham- 
 burghs sit ; and their range, even if free, must be 
 wild, to induce a desire to perpetuate her species. 
 They are truly lovely and perfect creatures, 
 and, if size of egg is not a desideratum, this breed 
 
G-OIDEW PENCILIED HiKBUR&H, 
 
 ..Th mnaa CJaolc, 
 
 -^mid.lTi' & Msatn. lifliif 
 
HAMBURG US. 161 
 
 will suit the mere fancier better than any other. 
 It is robust in constitution, and has the knack of 
 keeping itself in good looks eleven months out of 
 the twelve. For the table, what is of it, is good. 
 I have found them safe birds to exhibit; for if 
 the colour and points are good, condition and size 
 are never considered. Mr Brown's description of 
 the necessary points is exactly in accordance with 
 my own experience : he has kindly permitted me 
 to make use of it. 
 
 " The points of ' Silver-spangled Hamburghs ' 
 are: a white ground, with clear and distinct 
 spangles (in the hens) all over the body; tail, 
 white and spangled, or traced on the outer 
 margin of the feathers; blue legs; good double 
 combs, finely serrated and firmly set on the 
 head, with an evenly-pointed spike at the back. 
 The spangled cock must possess the same points 
 as the hen ; with this exception, that his wings 
 are not spangled in all varieties of the Ham- 
 burgh. The larger the white ear the more valu- 
 able the bird, provided it has all the above 
 points. 
 
 "The -points of the 'fiolden- spangled' are 
 
 L 
 
162 BREEDS. 
 
 exactly similar to the Silver, except the ground- 
 colour, which is golden. The cocks in this variety- 
 differ very much. Some judges approve most 
 of those which have a pure hla^h breast — some 
 desire them spangled, but this, so-called spangling, 
 on the breast of a golden cock is seldom more 
 than oblique patches of red, not corresponding 
 at all with the upper parts of the bird's plumage. 
 Seeing the difiSculty of getting a pure and well- 
 defined spangled breast, I prefer a pure black. 
 
 "In the pencilled varieties, the combs, legs, 
 tail, and hackles, are the same as in the spangled 
 birds ; but the tail in the hens is very frequently 
 pencilled, as well as the body. The cock, in the 
 Silver-penciUed variety, is often nearly white, with 
 yellowish wing coverts, and a brown or chestnut 
 patch on the flight feathers of his wing. The cock, 
 in the Golden-pencUled, should be of one uniform 
 colour all over his body — no pencilling whatever. 
 Tail, copper colour, but many first-class birds have 
 a pure black taU. It must be borne in mind that the 
 hackles and head of the four varieties I have de- 
 scribed should be entirely free from any black 
 markings. " D. Bkown " 
 
163 
 
 ^xtut\ $ruh. 
 
 We have received many varieties of 
 fowls from France, some of wbich I can 
 from experience recornmend. As a rule, 
 they are non-sitters — lay large, white, de- 
 licately flavoured eggs, and are excellent 
 as table fowls — being white in flesh and 
 well-shaped. Unlike the Dorking, they 
 lay in winter, irrespective of age, and 
 adult hens, if highly fed, will lay during 
 nine months of the year. I can particu- 
 larly call attention to the three following 
 varieties : — 
 
 This hobgoblin-looking fowl is really a, good 
 and useful one. 
 
164 FRENCH BREEDS. 
 
 Some think its name is derived from the re- 
 semblance the comb presents to a split heart ; 
 others (with whom I agree) do away with this 
 romance, and attribute it to the preponderance 
 of the breed in the village of Creve Coeur, in 
 Normandy, whence we can distinctly trace its 
 origin. 
 
 I have bred these birds largely, and continue 
 to do so, which is a sure proof that I consider 
 this variety (so little known) worthy of consider- 
 able attention in this country. Parisians are 
 quite aware of its merits. 
 
 The breed is scarce, and I have found much 
 difficulty in procuring birds, of a different strain, 
 to breed from — true to colour. 
 
 The pure-bred Cr^ve is of large size ; the cock 
 should weigh nine and a-half pounds, and the 
 hen (which is heavy iu proportion) about eight 
 and a half pounds. 
 
 The pullets come to maturity at an early age, 
 and always outweigh the cockerels. 
 
 Creves possess the great advantage of thriving 
 in a confined space, are remarkably tame, and of 
 great amiability ; but I have found the chickens 
 
CREVE CCEUR. 165 
 
 delicate and liable to roup in damp seasons — 
 they thrive best on dry light soil, and can scarcely 
 have too much sun. 
 
 The points to be aimed are as follows : — ' 
 
 Cock — -jet black body, and tail with the green- 
 ish hue of the Spanish. 
 
 'Seek and saddle hackles — ^jet black, long and 
 fulL 
 
 Top —must be jet black. 
 
 Ear-lobes — ^red. 
 
 Wattles — ^bright scarlet, long, and pendulous. 
 
 Beak — black. 
 
 £egs — black, and free from feathers. 
 
 Comb — scarlet. In shape a cleft heart, or rather 
 like the horns of the fallow-deer. 
 
 Hen — ^identical in colour with the cock, as 
 regards body, legs, and tail. The crest must be 
 very full and globular, either black, or black and 
 white ; the comb is, of course, much smaller — 
 mere spikes. 
 
 The body must be square, breast full, and legs 
 short 
 
166 FRENCH BREEDS. 
 
 These are very handsome, large, showy birds, 
 very lively, and more inclined to wander than 
 the Creve Coeurs. When full grown, they are 
 also hardier ; but as chickens, even more delicate 
 in wet weather. They should not be hatched 
 before May. Their points are : — 
 
 Cock. 
 
 Comb — shaped like horns — quite straight and 
 more pointed than that of the CrSve Cceur. 
 
 Face — bright red, and nostrils wide and ele- 
 vated, v 
 
 Ear-lobe — white. 
 
 Hackles, neck, and saddle — metallic black. 
 
 Phimage — jet black. 
 
 Legs — very dark — almost black — strong, 
 straight, and somewhat long, but concealed by 
 the full, deep breast — a most important point. 
 
HOUDANS. 167 
 
 Hen. 
 
 Comh — small, and spiked. 
 Plumage — jet black. 
 Legs — short and strong. 
 Breast — broad and deep. Size is arrived at 
 in this breed. 
 
 This is my favourite variety of all the Conti- 
 nental fowls, and I hope to see it widely spread 
 throughout our own land. It should be seen in 
 every farm-yard, and I can guarantee that the 
 earliest chickens sent to market wiU be from this 
 breed. The chickens feather quickly, and are 
 altogether more precocious than others, (unless 
 the Hamburgh, that pretty, graceful bird, dimi- 
 nutive in form, but of rare beauty). I have found 
 them quite hardy, and in damp weather much 
 more easily reared than Dorkings. In addition 
 to their laying powers, as table fowls they are 
 excellent — smaller than the Creve Cceur or La 
 
168 FRENCH BREEDS. 
 
 Flgche, but very white in flesh, plump, and well- 
 shaped. Houdans, in their own country, have 
 no particular points of colouring beyond the 
 black and white plumage,, as free from any tinge 
 of yellow as possible. In our exhibitions we are 
 more ambitious and exclusive, and I shall en- 
 deavour to describe the points of merit aimed 
 at by English fanciers and breeders. Size should 
 have much influence in the decision of judges. 
 Premising that the pens of Houdans will be 
 matched in colour of leg, the other points are as 
 follows :— 
 
 Cock. 
 
 Breast — black and white, regularly spotted — 
 full and deep. 
 
 Thighs — spotted, as short and fleshy as pos- 
 sible. 
 
 Neck hackles — white and black, streaked — full 
 and long. 
 
 Saddle hackles — white, and very long. 
 
 Crest — scanty — streaked black and white. 
 
 Comb — branched, and slightly cupped. 
 
 WatUes — red and long as possible, but firm. 
 
HOUDANS. 169 
 
 Tail — white, carried well up, and abundant. 
 Legs — as white as possible, or spotted with 
 grey. 
 
 Feet — do., with five claws. 
 Carriage — bold and upright. 
 
 Hen. 
 
 Breast — black and white, regularly spotted. 
 
 Body — do. 
 
 Comh — small and spiked, or slightly cupped. 
 
 Beard — full and long. 
 
 Crest — very full and globular, mixed black 
 and white. 
 
 There is a variety of Houdan very dark in 
 colour — the ground almost black, with very little 
 white. The tail feathers must in the cock be 
 almost black, and the hackles also be of dark 
 hue. Either variety breeds true to colour. 
 
170 BREEDS. 
 
 The evidence seems in favouz* of our being 
 indebted to our transatlantic cousins for this 
 gigantic race of Poultry. 
 
 There can be no doubt of the existence now, 
 in America, of two distinct classes, the Domestic 
 and the Wild, although they must originally have 
 centred in one common stock. 
 
 'The former is famous for its immense size, the 
 latter for its beauty. 
 
 In our own country we have several varieties, 
 distinguished by colowr only, for they are all 
 identical in their habits and general form. 
 
 I shaU dilate on the peculiar characteristics of 
 each, though I do not think the Turkey is a profit- 
 able denizen of the farm-yard. Their chickenhood 
 is so delicate, that many do not arrive at maturity, 
 even after the greatest care has been bestowed 
 upon them, and much food wasted. When suc- 
 cessful, and fine birds are reared to grace the 
 
TURKEYS. 171 
 
 Christmas board, the price they command is not 
 at all commensurate mth their cost; they are 
 defunct debtors. 
 
 To pay, I consider they must be bred in 
 numbers, and on a system of exclusive attention; 
 but a single brood reared on a farm, fed up to 
 great size and weight, and pampered to their 
 heart's content, will, at the period of sale, have 
 cost double its price in food. 
 
 I know many who will bear me out in this. 
 
 Does any one, then, ask, " Is this species to be 
 tabooed in private establishments?" I say, Most 
 certainly not; it cannot be dispensed with, so 
 elegant in life, so useful in death: who ever 
 heard of a dinner without a Turkey? 
 
 Where attendance is ample, the Turkey may 
 be raised with ease, without any important extra 
 expense in that respect, though its food must, 
 of course, always be a heavy item. 
 
 Adult birds are very hardy, and poults, when 
 fully feathered, will have, in a great measure, 
 survived their earlier delicacy. 
 
 For breeding purposes, birds of mature age, 
 even three or four years, are preferable to those 
 
172 BREEDS. 
 
 of only one year; the hens may be unlimited in 
 number, 
 
 Turkeys select their own laying places, and 
 will return to them faithfully, though their eggs 
 are removed daily, provided a nest-egg is left to 
 mark the spot. 
 
 When broody, the hens may be deposited in 
 any comer, as they are persevering sitters, and 
 wiU not desert their eggs wherever placed. 
 
 If the nest, chosen by the hen, is in a sheltered 
 and secluded spot, it is as well to return her 
 eggs when she gives evidence of a wish to sit. 
 
 I have always found the healthiest birds are 
 obtained from this natural treatment. 
 
 Turkeys roam far in search of privacy for 
 laying, and steal off most cunningly to the 
 selected retreat; they sometimes even defy de- 
 tection, and are not seen till they appear with 
 their brood, generally a small one, for, if the 
 weather ic wet or cold, the chicks die off, as 
 do those of our wild birds — partridges and 
 pheasants. 
 
 Fifteen eggs are sufficient to place under a 
 Turkey; they are hatched on the 31st day. 
 

 "WILD AKERICAN TURKEY 
 
 Eixnbur^.Hhuimia C Jack 
 
TURKEYS. 173 
 
 A similar treatment should be adopted with 
 the chicks, as with those of the common hen. 
 Leave them for twenty -four hours with the 
 mother ; then offer them the yolk of hard boiled 
 eggs, bread crumbs, curd, minced green food, 
 and confine the hen to her coop for a few days, 
 and always till the grass is dry. 
 
 She will, when at liberty, lead them into the 
 unmown hay, and dry plantations, where they 
 will pick up much food, in the shape of seeds 
 and insects, but they must also be fed by hand, 
 three or four times a day, and at regular intervals. 
 
 Porridge and milk, chopped nettles, onions, 
 docks, and cabbage, are all favourite items in 
 their dietary ; some are nourishing, some stimu- 
 lating; they must also have their share of the 
 soft balls described in my chapter on food, and 
 grain of any or every sort. For some years I 
 have made use of Durant & Co.'s* patent meal, 
 for mixing with the other food, and I have found 
 it very beneficial. The poults eat it greedily, 
 and it keeps them in good health and spirits 
 
 * Agent, Mr Daniel Brown, taxidermist, Perth. 
 
t14 BREEDS. 
 
 even in damp weather, which all know is so 
 trying to young birds. 
 
 The curd I have mentioned is prepared accord- 
 ing to a recipe kindly sent to me by a friend who 
 is a great Turkey-breeder, and I have found it 
 excellent, both as food and medicine, the astrin- 
 gent qualities acting as tonics, and my game- 
 keeper has found it a most valuable prepara- 
 tion for young pheasants, reared under hens. 
 It is made as follows : — Mix one teaspoohful of 
 pounded alum, with four quarts of milk slightly 
 warmed, separate the whey from the curd, and 
 give only the latter in a soft state. 
 
 If judiciously and fully fed, Turkey male poults 
 should weigh at least twenty pounds at Christ- 
 mas, and that with only their natural feeding. 
 Any other I repudiate, along with all those who 
 have any experience in this breed. 
 
 The classes of our domestic Turkeys are the 
 Norfolk, Cambridge, and White. 
 
 There is also a pretty buff-feathered bird, more 
 to be admired, however, for its singularity than 
 usefulness ; also a grey variety, sometimes called 
 Virginian, small but elegant. 
 
TURKEYS. 175 
 
 Last, but not least, comes the Wild Ameri- 
 can Turkey of the "forest primeval" — in form, 
 slender and erect, of stately proportion, and 
 dignity of mien — resembling its native pursuers, 
 the chiefs of the prairie. 
 
 It is impossible to conceive any tints more 
 glowing than those which light up the plumage 
 of this beautiful bird ; they are brilliant in the 
 extreme; a ground of brown, burnished with 
 gold, ruby, and green, which, in the sunbeam, 
 has quite a dazzling aspect. 
 
 Unless in the peacock, I know not of such 
 exquisite hues, and in graceful bearing the Wild 
 Turkey stands alone. 
 
 Many of the so-called wild birds sent to this 
 country are hatched from eggs laid in the bush 
 by domesticated hens, which, in accordance with 
 their habits previously mentioned, often lay at 
 great distances from home. 
 
 The really WUd Turkeys are seldom seen in 
 Great Britain ; they never breed, if shut up, they 
 
176 BREEDS. 
 
 are so shy and restless, lose all brightness of 
 colour, and pine away. 
 
 Their large woman-like, gentle dark eyes seem 
 to reproach their gaoler, and their plaintive cry 
 to plead for Eberty; I, for one, never resisted 
 the appeal. They wander to incredible distances, 
 if allowed free range. 
 
 Hence the difficulty of keeping the pure breed. 
 
 Their long slender red legs appear made for 
 traversing the fallen pines, and their close firm 
 plumage for resisting the tangled brushwood. The 
 hens will cross with our " domestic Cambridge," 
 improve the constitution of that bird, and impart 
 some of their native characteristics and beauty. 
 
 For exhibition, the Norfolk Turkey must be 
 in plumage, jet black (not a hlue black), free from 
 any admixture of colour ; legs and/eei the same. 
 
 Camhridge may vary from pale grey to dark, 
 with a deep metallic tint of brown ; legs, light in 
 hue. 
 
 Good matching is imperative; a dark cock 
 must have dark hens, and a light cock light hens. 
 
 This being attended to, size and weight decide 
 the victory. 
 
0EE8E. 177 
 
 These domestic Goliahs are generally divided 
 into two classes, the White, or Embden, and 
 the Grey, or Toulouse, equally advantageous in 
 size, and other good qualities. 
 
 The goose lays early, if well fed, and is cer- 
 tainly a most profitable denizen of our poultry 
 yard, looking to the immense amount of food she 
 contributes to the general use. 
 
 The feathers and down, alone, make Geese 
 valuable stock, even though we do not follow the 
 barbarous practice of plucking the poor creatures 
 alive, once a-year, for the sake of them. 
 
 I find the Turkey an excellent mother for 
 goslings. 
 
 The Goose wanders too far with them, and 
 does not allow them to be familiar with their 
 keeper, of whom, indeed, they soon can be quite 
 independent, as they feed on grass, and forage 
 
 M 
 
178 •■ BREEDS. 
 
 well for themselves. Treated thus, however, they 
 will never, arrive at the size and weight of exhi- 
 bition birds, and I therefore recommend a Turkey 
 mother, or even a large common hen; this latter 
 will cover three eggs ; a Turkey seven; the period 
 of incubation is 30 days. 
 
 Goslings cannot be too highly fed; meal, 
 grain, bread, onions, cabbage, &c., all, in abund- 
 ance, should be set before them. Eats are their 
 natural enemies, and from these they must be 
 protected; in addition, a dry bed under cover is 
 all they require in the way of night housing. 
 
 Geese are much less hydropathically inclined 
 than people fancy, and do not require more than 
 a large trough to bathe in; the breeding stock, 
 5 in number (1 male and 4 females), should be of 
 mature years. 
 
 My ideas as to weights and points correspond 
 with those of the unconquered (though I trust 
 not the unconquerable). Mr Fowler, our "Magnus 
 Apollo." 
 
 His experience is : — " Toulouse Geese should be 
 tall and erect, with their bodies hanging on the 
 ground ; light grey breast and body. 
 
OEESE. 179 
 
 Back, dark grey; necks, darker grey; wings 
 and helly should shade off to white, but there 
 should be little actual white visible; lills, pale 
 flesh-colour, hard and strong; legs and feet, deep 
 orange, approaching to red. 
 
 "The weight of these birds, by careful feeding 
 and management, has become extraordinary; 74 
 lbs. for three birds has been attained. The cup 
 gander at Birmingham in 1859 weighed 33 lbs., 
 and in 1860, 30 lbs.; the three, 71 lbs. The 
 weight of geese may be from 20 to 25 lbs. 
 
 "Goslings, at Michaelmas, often weigh 20 to 
 22 lbs. "J. K. FowLEE." 
 
 There are several semi-domesticated varieties of 
 Geese. The only one I consider of any utility is 
 the Chiaese ; it lays a great number of eggs, and 
 a cross between it and the Toulouse gives a deli- 
 cious bird for the table. Their time of incuba- 
 tion is about 35 days. 
 
180 BREEDS. 
 
 The goose resembles the gander in form and 
 colour, and both have a dark brown stripe down 
 the back oIF the neck. They are graceful iu form, 
 but have that greatest of all defects, a discordant 
 voice, and, being very loquacious, it is a serious 
 evil to be constantly exposed to their whining, 
 discontented, harsh cry. On a distant piece of 
 water, they look well, as they are peculiarly ele- 
 gant in movement ; their colour is brown, shaded 
 into white on the breast;, hill, tuberculated and 
 black; nech, long; feet and legs, black. 
 
 Blossom- white plumage; hills, flesh-colour; 
 legs sxidi feet, orange. 
 
 These birds attain great weights, and are valu- 
 able in the market, on account of the superior 
 quality and colour of the down, but, to look well, 
 they must have access to a pond, and are there- 
 fore alone available to those who possess thi.s 
 advantage. 
 
ROUE IT DRAKE 
 
 
DUCES. 181 
 
 There is not a great variety in our domestic 
 ducks ; only three distinct exhibition breeds exist, 
 viz., the Aylesbury, Eouen, and Buenos Ayres or 
 East Indian. 
 
 They are very hardy, sleeping out of doors 
 in all weathers, from preference. Of course, as in 
 all poultry establishments, there should be a 
 duck-bouse — a mere shed suffices, without door; 
 but a yard is indispensable, if they are shut up 
 at nightfell. 
 
 Where two or more varieties, are kept, they 
 must not be allowed to mis at any season; 
 therefore separate apartments become necessary. 
 Both house and yard should be littered down 
 with straw, frequently renewed. 
 
 A duck sits faithfully, but is the worst pos- 
 sible mother for her own progeny, as she waddles 
 
182 BREEDS. 
 
 off with them as soon as hatched to her favourite 
 element, generally leaving the half of her famUy 
 immersed, unable to extricate themselves ; hence 
 the small broods of wild ducks generally seen — 
 the delicate ones were, in all likeliliood, drowned 
 in their infancy. Ducks' eggs are better set 
 under a hen, who will rear her foster chicks most 
 tenderly; it is even advisable to give a valu- 
 able hen duck's eggs to bring out, as she will 
 have more liberty with them than with chickens, 
 and (not being obliged to cover the young flock), 
 will not have her plumage destroyed. 
 
 Ducklings soon become independent of a 
 mother's care, and, if protected from rats, can 
 be cooped in numbers together, at night. 
 
 Their food should consist at first of meal 
 made into a paste, and given frequently; later, 
 groats thrown into water. 
 
 I find a square, flat, tin dish, the best vessel 
 for this purpose, as also an iron hopper, a cut of 
 which is appended, (fig. 8.) It is filled from the 
 top, and, being heavy, cannot be upset, or the 
 food wasted. 
 
 Ducklings are sometimes affected by cramp; 
 
DUCKS. 
 
 183 
 
 this must be attributed to the absence of dry 
 straw, or the presence of too deep water. 
 
 Fig. S, 
 
 When fully grown, ducks should be fed only 
 twice a-day, on soft food and any kind of grain, 
 always in water; in their wanderings, they pick 
 up a great deal very much to their taste ; they 
 begin to lay regularly in February, often at 
 Christmas, and continue niany months. 
 
 The eggs of the Eouen are large, and of 
 a greeiiish-blue tint; a drake should not be 
 allowed more than four females, or many of the 
 eggs will prove unfertile. 
 
 The wild drake is monogamous, and there is 
 no doubt, to it, our domestic Eouen breed owes 
 
184 BREEDS. 
 
 its origin, though it now differs from it essen- 
 tially. 
 
 With respect to exhibition points, colour, and 
 weights, I can give no information that will 
 be so acceptable to my readers as that of Mr 
 Fowler, the well-known agriculturist, and the 
 most successful breeder of ducks known. 
 
 I subjoin his kind remarks on this variety : — 
 
 " Peebendal Farm, ATLESBtrRT. 
 
 " Rouen Brake should have a yellowish-green 
 hill, without splash of black or any colour, ex- 
 cept the black bean at the tip; it should be 
 long, broad, and rather wider at the tip than the 
 base, well set on to the front of the head. Head, 
 rich, lustrous, green and purple; distinct white 
 ring round the neck, not quite meeting at the 
 back; rich brown or claret breast, reaching low 
 down to the water line. Back, dark-green; body 
 beautifully soft grey, almost coming to white 
 near the tail; tail, darkish green, and curls firm 
 and black; wings, brownish, with broad ribbon 
 mark of purple and white; on no account white 
 flight feathers, this defect is fatal; legs, orange. 
 
DUCKS. 185 
 
 or brown and orange ; weight about 8 lbs., some- 
 times 9 lbs. ; when heavier, some defect of 
 plumage or bill is always found. 
 
 "Rouen Duck — brown pencilling on a greyish 
 hody; the hack beautifully marked with blackish 
 green on light brown base; ribbon mark and 
 other colour of wings nearly like the drake; 
 towards the tail the feathers should be well 
 pencilled, quite to the tip. The head should be 
 marked with three dark longitudinal stripes from 
 the bill past the eye, and the neck on no account 
 should have the least appearance of a white ring ; 
 this would be as heretical as a white flight feather 
 in the wings. The hill should be broad, long, 
 and somewhat flat, brownish orange, with a dark 
 blotch on the upper part ; a slate-coloured bill, 
 or an absence of orange, is a sure disqualifica- 
 tion ; legs, brown and orange. Weight of first- 
 class birds, 7 lbs. It should be remarked that 
 Eouen drakes change colour in an extraordinary 
 manner; they first resemble the ducks, then 
 moult to their true colour, then back to the 
 colour of ducks, and the fourth time moult to 
 their original beauty. J. K. Fowlee." 
 
18fj BREEDS. 
 
 Aylesbury Ducks. 
 
 The great beauty of this breed consists in its 
 snowy plumage; the delicate rose-coloured bill 
 must also be. admired. To obtain it without 
 stain or blemish, free from yellow tinge, is the 
 great aim of all Aylesbury breeders. 
 
 A ferruginous soil, as I have experienced, 
 affects the colour of the bill very much. Al- 
 though correct as to tint, when brought to the 
 fatal spot, in a few days the yellow shade makes 
 its appearance, and can never be got rid of; 
 true, old age produces this colour on any soil. 
 
 The Aylesbury is admirable for its pure white 
 downy feathers, and as it lays early, the duck- 
 Hugs are always first in the market. 
 
 The eggs are white, and excellent in flavour. 
 
 Mr Powler says : — 
 
 "Aylesbwrys — purest white plumage all over ; 
 hills, delicate flesh-colour, long and broad, and set 
 on like the bill of a woodcock; any spots of black 
 or yellow hue must disqualify; legs, deep orange; 
 necks, fine and long. 
 
 "Drake and duck quite alike, in form and 
 colour. 
 
DUCKS. 187 
 
 " A first-rate drake weighs from 9 to 9| lbs. ; 
 ducks have weighed 9 lbs. 
 
 "A good average pen of three, at a show, 
 should weigh 23 or 24 lbs.; at Birmingham 
 (where four are shown), 82 lbs. is a great 
 weight. 
 
 " It should be noticed that Aylesbury and 
 Kouen Ducks, as well as geese, suffer much in 
 weight from travelling; quite as much as 1 to 
 IJ lbs. each on a journey of fifty miles; geese, 
 perhaps, even more. 
 
 " East Indian Bucks should be all of a rich 
 lustrous greenish black, with a perfect absence of 
 white feathers; dark legs and bills. The bill of 
 the drake, dark greenish yellow; a brown breast 
 is inadmissible. They should be as light in 
 weight as possible ; as little as 2 lbs. each would 
 be desirable. 
 
 "J. K. Fowler." 
 
— ♦ — 
 
 " Richard lovea Richard ; that is, I am I." — Shakspeaee. 
 
 " Poet of all time," gracing the closing chapter 
 of even the struggling " Henwife ;" yes, immortal 
 Bard of Avon ! little did you think, vehen you 
 penned these words, that you might have owed 
 fame to her page, had not the veneration of your 
 posterity forestalled it ! ! 
 
 To carry out my principle of practicality, I 
 now treat of "my own experience;" egotist, 
 necessarily, I must be, in so doing ; but without 
 some measure of self-esteem, we could not be 
 conscious of our own identity, and no sucb being 
 could have shown forth as a Patriot, or a suc- 
 cessful Poultry Exhibitor. 
 
 I write, however, in no vainglorious spirit; 
 I havff been beaten too often to boast ; my wish 
 only is to show what amount of success may be 
 achieved by a novice, such as I was a few years 
 ago, in exhibition, though not in table, Poultry. 
 
 Feeling the utter hopelessness of winning any 
 honours with my own stock, I commenced my 
 
192 MY WN EXPERIENCE. 
 
 career by purchasing, in " Merrie England," a 
 splendid pen of Dorkings, which carried all 
 before it, at my first and second exhibition, in 
 Scotland ; so I began well, and though, of course, 
 I bu7, every year, for change of blood, I now 
 breed my own exhibition fowls, — ay, and sell 
 to others for that purpose; and have even been 
 beaten by my own birds shown against me. 
 
 To breed successfully, one must part with the 
 good, as well as the indiflferent, when too nearly . 
 allied, and, though loath to lose them, go they 
 must, either privately or by public sale, which 
 latter is always more satisfactory, both to feeling 
 and purse ; if good, the birds fetch high prices, 
 and there can be no after-reproach ; the public 
 fixes its own rate, and relieves you from that 
 responsibility, which is no small one. 
 
 It is always extremely difiicult to know how 
 much an intending purchaser will give ; you fear 
 to lose a customer, and also to ask too little ; it is 
 inherent in human nature to love a good bargain. 
 
 From year to year, I have added to my hen- 
 houses and yards, till I have arrived at the grand 
 total of forty-two separate runs ; many of a very 
 
Mr WJV EXPERIENCE. 
 
 193 
 
 rude and primitive construction. Some are on 
 the plan given in page 29 ; others are erected at 
 the edge of plantations and shrubberies, as shown 
 in annexed cut (fig. 9.) These have no yards, as 
 
 \^J^^'^' 
 
 Fig. 9. 
 
 Ijiiurol House. 
 
 the occupants enjoy complete liberty; there I 
 place my choicest breeding pens, free from all 
 restraint, thus giving them the best chance of 
 retaining health and vigour. 
 
 When the hens become broody, and are re- 
 
194 
 
 MY OWN EXPERIENCE. 
 
 moved to the sitting-houses, chickens take pos- 
 session, and remain till the sale in the early year, 
 which makes room for their successors. " Wel- 
 come the coming, speed the parting guest." 
 
 The 'parent cocks, meanwhile, are shut up in 
 the yard-houses with a few hens of any variety, 
 in order to keep up a succession of cross-bred 
 chickens for the table. 
 
 I have found the advantage of a number of 
 smaHl houses with covered-in wire runs, (move- 
 able at pleasure to fresh giound), a drawing of 
 which I give (fig. 10.) 
 
 Fig. 10. 
 
 
 Some of tl'.ese yards are of glass, laced over 
 with wire, the houses in both cases being alike 
 detached, bat fitting closely to the runs (fig. 11.) 
 
MT WxV EXPERIENCE. 195 
 
 These "Crystal Palaces" answer admirably for a 
 b'rood of early chickens, protecting them from 
 rain, wind, frost, and snow, and affording the ad- 
 vantage of their receiving every ray of sunshine 
 
 Fig. 11. 
 
 attainable at the season. In this variable climate 
 I never feel. confidence in the weather till May is 
 out ; before that, it is often damp and chilly. 
 
 The houses are 6 feet high and 4 square ; the 
 yards only 4 feet high, 6 lontr, and 4 wide. The 
 roofs are wooden, covered with waterproof felt ; 
 ventilation in the houses is secured by small 
 holes pierced in the end, and, on fine days (when 
 the hen is allowed to sally forth with her family), 
 I leave the door open till her return. At all 
 other times it is locked, and the only egress is by 
 
196 MY WJf EXPERIENCE. 
 
 a trap into the run, the end of which opens like 
 a door, and can thus easily be cleaned out. 
 
 The interior of these houses is fitted up with 
 a row of nests ; occasionally I set two hens in 
 these, and when the broods are hatched, give all 
 the chickens to one. Being protepted from cold, 
 they are not too many, the mother feels herself 
 at home, and the chickens are comparatively in 
 a natural condition ; they even winter very com- 
 fortably in these houses and runs. I find them 
 very useful for a pen of fowls put up for exhibi- 
 tion (in which case a moveable perch is required) ; 
 and for chickens deserted by their mother at too 
 tender an age, when they demand the greatest 
 care ; also for many other exigencies. 
 
 In a sheltered spot, facing south, I have a 
 large lean-to glass-house, divided into three com- 
 partments, each large enough to cpntain twenty 
 chickens, with a mother hen. This house is 
 warmed by a stove, and ventilated by sliding 
 boards — this enables me to rear chickens in 
 January; but care must be taken to air the 
 building well — leaving the doors open in fine 
 weather—to let the chickens run out at wiU. 
 
MY OWN EXPERIENCE. 
 
 197 
 
 In summer, all my small houses are placed on 
 grass, in winter, on dry earth, against a beech 
 hedge, facing the west; twice a- week they are 
 moved to fresh ground: if done regularly, and 
 in line, the ground has time to freshen during 
 each remove. 
 
 When not in use, I have the runs set aside 
 so as to leave the pasture perfectly clear; the 
 grass springs up luxuriantly, and shoidd be' 
 mown at intervals. Lime is sprinkled over the 
 portion of the park allotted to them, which keeps 
 it free from taint. 
 
 Coop, with wire range, (fig. 12), is specially 
 
198 
 
 MY WN EXtEMENCE. 
 
 useful for the night-housing of ducklings and 
 goslings; indeed, these tempting morsels easily 
 fall a prey to rats, — they seem their favourite 
 dainties. Chickens they do not touch, unless 
 pressed by hunger, which, perhaps fortunately, 
 is impossible, where so much food can be had for 
 the taking; yet I have had twenty-seven duck- 
 lings and three goslings carried off in one night. 
 
 FiK. IS. 
 
 For hens and turkeys which must be confined 
 for a part of each day, (and many altogether, if 
 they fight with and ill-use stranger chickens), 
 coop, fig. 13, is essential. The bars of this should 
 
MY OWN EXPERIENCE. 
 
 199 
 
 be rounded, two inclies apart; in the middle a 
 flat spar, which, when taken out, permits the 
 egress of the hen. 
 
 If wooden floors and shutters are wished, they 
 should be made to slide, and more than one for 
 each coop will be requisite; (mine are washed, 
 and put up to dry every second day) ; hence the 
 necessity for duplicates. 
 
 Fig. u. 
 
 
 Coop, fig. 14, is a mere frame of wire, which 
 is employed to secure a refractory hen, while 
 her proper abode is being cleaned, or as a safe- 
 
::00 MT OWN EXPERIENCE. 
 
 guard for tlie food devoted to the chickens; 
 they have access to it through the wire, . and 
 they only. 
 
 Goslings and ducklings, alone of all young : 
 stock, should have food always before them ; they 
 eat little at a time, and (for exhibition), require 
 to be pushed on and tempted. 
 
 I have no special houses, coops, or troughs for 
 Turkeys. They require none; but live in a semi- 
 wild state after the first month, during which 
 the young poults associate with the chickens 
 — the mother being confined in the coop before- 
 mentioned, except an hour or two each day. 
 
 Sometimes, when all my little domiciles are full, 
 I am obliged, hon grh, mal grl, to let my broods 
 wander at large; the strong chickens take no 
 harm, and, perhaps, this roving gipsy life makes 
 them even less liable to disease. Many deaths, 
 however, must occur among the weakly birds; 
 doubtless a provision of nature, in order that the 
 one may not hamper the other. 
 
 The mother walks off with the utmost sang 
 froid, leaving her helpless babes sprawling on 
 the ground, uttering piteous little cries for help, 
 
MY WN EXPERIENCE. 201 
 
 quite disregai'ded and neglected; — they are left 
 alone to die. 
 
 When the time comes to draft off the chickens 
 to their adolescent ranges, I carefully select the 
 most promising for the superior ones, putting all 
 the best of one kind there, and mixing the worst 
 indiscriminately together in inferior houses and 
 situations; from these the table and market are 
 supplied. 
 
 The points of Dorkings, Brahmas, Spanish, &c., 
 can be pretty well guessed when the hen leaves 
 the brood. 
 
 I put about twenty chickens into each hut, and 
 from time to time, take away any that have fallen 
 off in looks since their location there, to make 
 room for those of a better stamp.. I thus weed 
 my runs to the best of my judgment, and a little 
 experience soon makes it comparatively easy to 
 pick out, and do away with, the worst. 
 
 Even with the greatest care, some thrive better 
 than others; these are the "lights and shadows" 
 of poultry life. How often does a single bird 
 represent a brood, if the season proves unfavour- 
 able to delicate varieties: such I do not recom- 
 
202 MY WN EXPERIENCE. 
 
 mend to be hatched early; they cost us too much 
 in care and affection. 
 
 Slight defects in comb or claw are not fatal to 
 the chickens' merits as table fowls; I, therefore, 
 feed such as well as the very best, but do not 
 crowd my intended prize-winners with them. 
 
 I kee]p an exact (even fastidious) account of all 
 dates and numbers in my Poultry Diary, for cor- 
 rectly filling up schedules, arranging iny sale 
 catalogue, and for my own general satisfaction. 
 
 Each day the number of eggs laid is noted 
 down; the houses are aU numbered, and the 
 figure of that in which the egg is found, marked 
 on it by the collector, who need not know one 
 sort of fowl from another. 
 
 / alone arrange the eggs in their different 
 baskets, writing on the shell with pencil the date 
 and speciality. 
 
 Chickens, as they are hatched, are entered in 
 the Diary, as also the fowls killed for table and 
 market, at their respective values. 
 
 When my assistant hen wife receives orders for 
 settings of eggs, I mark them down in due order, 
 that each purchaser may be supplied according to 
 
MY II'tV experience. 203 
 
 the date of application; on the day wished, I 
 select the eggs inyself, and superintend the pack- 
 ing of them. 
 
 This is the form of hamper used (fig. 15); they 
 are made by my own gardeners, and answer the 
 purpose admirably. 
 
 rig. 15. 
 
 1 wish I could say,4^11 the eggs sent in them 
 hatched well, but this I cannot. 
 
 Purchasers, however, should make themselves 
 aufait in the treatmgnt of travelled eggs, as the 
 sender is often unjustly blamed. 
 
 I have sent eggs to the Bahamas (which hatched 
 in the proportion of 8 to ] 3); also to Ireland and 
 Shetland; these all did well, while others, not 
 carried a mile, failed. 
 
204 MF WN EXPERIENCE. 
 
 I buy eggs for setting every year, and liave 
 had varied fortune; I do not, however, take for 
 gi-anted, that the sender is to blame — when I 
 am unlucky. Even wild birds' eggs do not hatch 
 well in some seasons, and every poultry fancier 
 knows that; high-bred prize stock is seldom pro- 
 lific — the hfe is too artificial 
 
 If even two birds are hatched from a setting 
 at L.l, Is., these almie are worth the money; 
 honest dealers (and such names as Watts, 
 Holmesdale, Fowler, Fitz- William, &c., are ma- 
 terial guarantees that they are to be met withj 
 find that price too low for eggs from really prize 
 stock, and put an almost prohibitory value on 
 them, I myself among the number. 
 
 It is nonsense to talk of eggs having been 
 doctored ; Q,ui6L nuncs may swallow such tales, but 
 not the practical fancier or breeder. Our names 
 are too valuable to us in the poultry world, and 
 our honour is quite as unimpeachable as tHat of 
 thieves!! 
 
 When my eggs have hatched badly, I have in 
 some cases given a fresh supply, ungrudgingly, 
 atid, I may say, have also received it. 
 
MY WJV EXPERIENCE. 205 
 
 My metLod of packing is to put each egg 
 upright (previously wrapped in strong paper) in 
 a little nest, as it were, of hay, tightly com- 
 pressed; they are placed as closely as possible in 
 the hamper; on the top is a layer of hay, and 
 paper over all; with a packing-needle and twine 
 the Hd is then fastened dovra. 
 
 Some use wooden boxes, and pack the eggs in 
 sawdust or bran; but I consider the nailing down 
 of the lid causes a jar which is apt to frac- 
 ture the eggs. I never received a setting, packed 
 in this way, which reached me in perfect pre- 
 servation. 
 
 Eailway officials, moreover, handle boxes much 
 less carefully than the more fragile-looking hamper. 
 
 As soon as eggs for setting are received, they 
 should be put under the hen. I have had com- 
 plaints of the failure of eggs from my yards, 
 which, I have found, were actually allowed 
 to lie ia their hamper a fortnight unset; 
 the wonder is that any hatched at aU. Often, too, 
 laying hens are allowed access to the sitting hen's 
 nest, and eggs are broken in the struggle which 
 invariably ensues. 
 
206 MY WN EXPERIENCE. 
 
 Hens often lay during incubation, and, if these 
 eggs are not removed, the result will be the 
 appearance of mongrels in a clutch of a supposed 
 distinct breed. 
 
 A little attention would have ensured the non- 
 intrusion of such black sheep, and probably the 
 better hatching of the travelled eggs, for such 
 require abundant warmth, even more than those 
 laid at home; a tutored eye at once detects the 
 presence of these unbidden guests. 
 
 On the ninth day I examiue the eggs, by the 
 aid of a candle, in a darkened room, in the same 
 way as advised in my chapter on Hatching. If 
 the egg is to prove productive, it will appear quite 
 dark, except a small clear disc at the top; if 
 clear throughout, I remove it as hopeless, and 
 have all such boiled hard (to feed the young 
 stock), which is a great economy. 
 
 I have found that hens hatch well in small 
 separate houses made something in the style of the 
 annexed cut (fig. 16); they may be placed in the 
 shrubberies, or anywhere, if secluded, and the 
 door left open, or closed, as circumstances dic- 
 tate; when the sitting-houses are full, these little 
 
MY WJY EXPERIENCE. 
 
 207 
 
 willow-retreats will be found useful and accept- 
 able beyond expression, to the intended sitter. 
 
 Fig. 16. 
 
 y y ^ 
 
 Willow Sitting-house 
 
 Having before advised my readers to preserve 
 all su]3ernumerary eggs of summer, I now give 
 tliem my own recipe for so doing. 
 
 Once a-week I clear my baskets, selecting only 
 perfectly formed eggs; the slightest fracture or 
 imperfection in the shell would cause the failure 
 of a whole batch. 
 
 I place the eggs carefully in a jar, and pour 
 over them lime-water, which is ma.de by dissolving 
 
MF OWN EXPERIENCE. 
 
 quicklime, in the proportion of two pounds to 
 four gallons of water ; this must stand a day, at 
 least, tiU the residue has settled at the bottom of 
 the vessel ; the clearer portion is then, poured 
 over the eggs, so as to cover .them. 
 
 Should the jar not be fuD, fresh eggs are added 
 from time to time, and as the lime water rises, 
 it is poured into another jar, ready to be filled in 
 like manner. Some use salt for preserving eggs ; 
 I have tried it, and found it worse than useless. 
 It hardens the yolk, and renders the egg uneat- 
 able. 
 
 Be careful that the eggs are at least an inch 
 below the surfaceof the water; place a plate, or 
 Lid of wood, over them, to prevent their floating; 
 tie up the jar, and label it, stating the date, and 
 immber of dozens. 
 
 These eggs are only worth, perhaps, sixpence 
 a-dozen at the time, but when you use them 
 ''which will be in the scarce season, for they keep 
 good many months), they wiU be worth Is. 4d. 
 
 at least. 
 
 For even culinary purposes foreign eggs, — the 
 collection of months, — ^find ready purchasers at 
 
MY WN EXPERIENCE. 209 
 
 that price; but, (were preserved eggs more 
 in use), we would not be so ' dependent on our 
 gallant allies for a winter pudding; tbe sun's 
 partiality makes us owe the juice of the grape to 
 the " Qallic cock" but we have no occasion to be 
 indebted to his hens. 
 
 Our own poultry yards should furnish our 
 tables; there need be no limit to our supply of 
 eggs and poultry, — at present, not, by any means, 
 equal to the demand; for a bountifal and " aU- 
 the-year-round " stock, I ask only a fair trial of 
 my advice. 
 
 Every one has experienced the scarcity of 
 poultry in the country; a dire necessity esdsts 
 for reform, — ^let us have it, and we shall no longer 
 be obliged to eat things — called chickens — ^too 
 often to be classed only with Pharaoh's "lean 
 kine." 
 
 "We have brighter hopes for the fature, we will 
 no longer give the "pas" to our continental 
 dealers; we shall equal them, and then cry, 
 Libert^, ^galiU, fraternM. 
 
 Farmers say that "Poultry rearing is unprofit- 
 able, won't pay, that prices are small," &c., — so 
 
210 M7 OWN EXPERIENCE.. ,• 
 
 are the chickens, — ^make them larger, and prices 
 must rise. 
 
 The importation of ;eggs and poultry from 
 ahroad is enormous; I do grudge to see our 
 fanners throw away so great a source of profit. 
 All keep poultry on a greater or lesser scale, 
 thereby admitting the necessity of such stock; — 
 now, if kept at all, let it be of remunerative kinds. 
 My maxim is, " Whatever-is worth doing, is worth 
 doing well," — and I would rather see our agricul- 
 tural husbands "hen-pecked" all their lives, than 
 beaten by foreigners. 
 
 Let MS give our neighbours useful lessons in 
 poultry, as in the management of the farm, and 
 they must succumb, in spite of their more genial 
 cUmat'e. 
 
 Perhaps my little book may assist iu this 
 laudable endeavour; a certain degree of know- 
 ledge is necessary to organize a System. 
 
 I assure my readers mine is not merely theory; 
 they may judge of this by my facts. To back up 
 this pretension, figures are requisite, and they arc 
 forthcomincr. 
 
MY OWN EXPERIENCE. ill 
 
 " The farm-yard " is patronized by royalty, and 
 dealings in stock — ^not despised; many ladies 
 take an interest in the "Dairy;" I advise their 
 turning their attention to the "Poultry-yard" 
 as well, — thereby giving a stimulus to the 
 breeders of fine poultry, and certainly benefiting 
 their own manages by the introduction of such. 
 
 At the risk of even my word being doubted by 
 the ignorant, I subjoin the weights of Turkeys, 
 Geese, Ducks, DorMngs, Cochins, &c., from my 
 ovm yards. Only those who have real experience 
 in modern poultry will credit the weights to 
 which they have attained, by judicious breeding 
 and feeding. A friend of mine, the other day, 
 spoke (with a misture of surprise and inflreduHty) 
 of a Turkey he knew of, which was said to weigh 
 20 lbs. His surprise was considerably increased 
 when one was pointed out to him weighing 34 lbs., 
 which was strutting about in my yard in all its 
 pride, the consequential protector of twenty hens, 
 the best of which would rival the weight of the 
 cock that caused so much astonishment to the 
 novice. 
 
212 
 
 MY OWN EXPERIENCE. 
 
 I had once a Turkey that weighed 40 lbs., but 
 alas! he is no more, though he lives in his pos- 
 terity. 
 
 I consider the following good exhibition 
 weights, where they are an element of success, 
 which, in many merely fancy varieties, is not the 
 case — colouring and condition being the deside- 
 rata: — 
 
 Turkey Cock, 
 „ Hen, . 
 Toulouse Gander, . 
 „ Goose, . 
 Grey Dorkiag Cock, 
 Hen, 
 Eouen Drake, 
 „ Duck, 
 Aylesbury Drake, 
 Duck, 
 Cochin Cock, 
 „ Hen, . 
 Brahma Pootra Cock, 
 Hen, 
 
 25 
 17 
 25 
 20 
 10 
 
 8 
 
 7 
 
 6| 
 8 
 
 n 
 
 10 
 
 8 
 
 10 
 
 8 
 
 to 30 lbs. 
 
 „ 20 
 
 V 30 
 
 „ 24 
 
 « 12 
 
 „ 10 
 
 ,. 8J 
 
 „ 7 
 
 „ 9 
 
 „ 8i 
 
 „ 12 
 
 « 9 
 
 « 12 
 
 .. 9 
 
 I may mention that a pen of two goslings I 
 sent to Birmingham, in December, 1860, weighed 
 
MY riV EXPERIENCE. 2i;j 
 
 42 lbs., their age being five months. Three Dork- 
 ing pullets (sis months' old) I sent to the same 
 show weighed 23J lbs. 
 
 My own expenses are, perhaps, greater than are 
 required. Poultry is my "hobby," and I ride 
 it. My " staff" numbers three, — a man and two 
 women; my own valuable services must not be 
 lost sight of, — a galaxy of talent — at least we 
 think so, and that is the same thing. 
 
 Fortunately there are fuU lists of our prizes 
 and precedents, during past years, to refer to. I 
 do not think they will show I have been a laggard 
 in the fray; badinage apart, we have been given 
 laurels, and gratefully wear them. 
 
 Not the least pleasure of social life is that of 
 making friends, and retaining them by the later 
 change of ideas and experience on a subject of 
 common interest. 
 
 Such is the mysterious and cabalistic tie which 
 binds poultry-fanciers together, that, without 
 even an introduction, they look upon each other 
 as friends, and are delighted to acknowledge the 
 freemasonry that exists among them. 
 
 From a simple question about poultry has 
 
214 MY WJ\r EXPERIElSrCE. 
 
 arisen a personal friendship, and the kindest pos- 
 sible feeling; how pleasant a chat upon poultry 
 can be, is only known to the initiated few. 
 
 The cottager seeks for information from his 
 wealthier (in poultry) neighbour, and it is for 
 him I enjoy the small country shows, if conducted 
 on an amiable and friendly footing; they are the 
 annual exponents of poultry progress, and a true 
 lover of poultry will take defeat in good part, 
 provided he feels sure that he has been fairly 
 dealt with; though disappointed, he will bear no 
 malice ; but justice there must be, to avoid grumb- 
 lings and heart-burnings. 
 
 Now for my " Balance Sheet," — dreadful words 
 to not a few! Bear in mind that the profits and 
 expenses of exhibition about make an even balance 
 in the debit and credit account, and are therefore 
 excluded; if I huy at shows, I sell also, and in the 
 long-run nothing is lost. I give my regular 
 yearly expenses, and returns of private and 
 market sales — ^including the value of poultry- 
 yard prodiice used in my household. 
 
 Had profit been my sole object in poultry- 
 rearing, I could have shown a much larger credit 
 
MY OWJV EXPERIENCE. 215 
 
 account, for I should not, in that case, have put 
 prohibitory prices on my exhibition pens, but 
 sold them at a remunerative rate. I have refused 
 sixteen guineas for two favourite goslings, and 
 more than once ten for a Dorking cockerel — ■ 
 money could not buy them. I have always 
 found my prizes pay expenses of exhibition in 
 Scotland. It is dififerent when a long jouEaey 
 has to be undertaken to London, Liverpool, and 
 Birmingham. Fame, however, there acquired, 
 sells eggs and stock. 
 
 [Balance Sheet. 
 
Poultry on Hand — Bbebding Stock. 
 15*A February, 1861. 
 
 1 4 Geese at Market value 
 26 Turkeys at 10s. 
 
 15 Bouen Ducks at 2s. . 
 6 Buenos Ayres Ducks at 2s. 
 
 55 Dorkings at 2s. 
 
 36 Brahmas at 2s. 
 
 15 Buff Cochins at 2s. . 
 
 25 Wiite Cochins at 2s. 
 
 12 Crdve Coeurs at 2s. . 
 
 30 Cross-bred Hens for Setting at 2s. 
 
 ^alanx^ 
 
 ..7 
 
 
 
 12 10 
 
 
 
 1 10 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 5 10 
 
 
 
 3 12 
 
 
 
 1 10 
 
 
 
 2 10 
 
 
 
 1 4 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 very vail 
 
 L.38 18 
 
 
 
 The manure from the poultry houses, which is 
 
 able, in (act the 
 
 Eboeipts, 
 
 1860. 
 
 
 
 Eggs sold at Market 
 Poultry sold at market prices 
 Eggs for household, do. 
 Poultry for household, do. 
 Eggs sold for setting 
 Poultry sold for breeding 
 Feathers and Down 
 Poultry sold by public auction 
 
 
 
 L.18 8 
 12 6 
 11 4 
 34 5 
 36 16 
 63 12 
 5 11 
 148 15 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 6 
 3 
 6 
 
 Balance brought down 
 Balance brought down 
 
 Total profits, 
 
 L.320 18 
 
 9 
 
 L.17 1 
 9 16 
 
 
 
 
 L.26 ir 
 
 
 
i^ut. 
 
 Poultry on Hand — Brrktiing Stock. 
 
 
 15th Februm-y, 1860. 
 
 
 
 5 Geese at Market value 
 
 L.2 10 
 
 
 
 10 Turkeys at lOs. 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 10 Ducks at 2s. 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 36 Dorkings at 2a. 
 
 
 3 12 
 
 
 
 36 Brahmas at 2s. 
 
 
 3 12 
 
 
 
 10 Buff Cochins at 2s. . 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 10 White Cochins at 2s. 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 6 Golden-PenciUed Hamburghs at 2s. 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 8 Cr6ve Coeurs at 2s. . 
 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 5 Bantams at la. 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 25 Hens bought in for Setting at 2s. 
 
 
 2 10 
 
 
 
 Balance carried down 
 
 L.21 17 
 ir 1 
 
 L.38 18 
 
 richest Guano, I consider quite an equivalent for the straw and hay used. 
 
 Expenses, 1860. 
 Wages . 
 
 Grain and Oatmeal 
 Baring Meal (or Thirds) 
 Bran 
 
 Indian Com 
 Hemp Seed 
 
 Buckwheat and Linseed 
 Eggs for Setting 
 Medicine 
 
 Ale and Beer . . 
 
 Bread . . . 
 
 Meat 
 
 Advertising and Dairy . 
 Carpenter-Work and Wire 
 Wicker- Work, Setting Coops 
 Cutlery . . 
 
 Feeding and Drinking Vessels 
 Balance carried down . . . . 9 16 
 
 L.320 18 y 
 
 L.80 
 
 
 
 115 7 
 
 
 
 23 5 
 
 
 
 3 2 
 
 6 
 
 31 16 
 
 9 
 
 6 2 
 
 9 
 
 3 8 
 
 
 
 6 17 
 
 
 
 2 1 
 
 
 
 6 10 
 
 
 
 5 15 
 
 3 
 
 3 14 
 
 3 
 
 14 3 
 
 6 
 
 7 1 
 
 3 
 
 1 13 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 6 
 
218 . MY WN EXPERIENCE. 
 
 \ must leave it to the reader to put a price on 
 my own personal labour, time, &c.j do not set 
 them down at too low a figure. 
 
 All dainty food I distribute with my own 
 hands, or give it in charge to one who is 
 acquainted with the wants and circumstances of 
 my favourites. 
 
 Even as late as ten o'clock, on a summer night, 
 I may be seen, basket in hand, containing 
 vinegar, oil, and other " impedimentd," making 
 the round of the houses and coops, in which 
 some of the occupants require the difibrent 
 medicines. 
 
 Should roup unfortunately appear, a regular 
 routine of washing is established ; a small basin 
 for vinegar, and a sponge, are produced from my 
 basket, and every night, and every morning, 
 each sufferer is attended to. 
 
 Such care is rewarded by the speedy recoveg'^ 
 of the patients, and then I gladly Jay aside fhe 
 physic Sia the Jbed, and rejoice the hearts of 
 tlie convalescents with some little additional 
 treat. 
 They aU know me quite well, and, at the 
 
MY WN EXPERIENCE. 219 
 
 usual hour of feeding, will come far on the way to 
 meet me ; I am proud to have them about me. 
 
 * * * * 
 
 " He prayeth well that loveth well 
 Both man, and bird, and beast ; 
 
 He prayeth best, who loveth best 
 All things, both great and small ; 
 For the dear God who loveth us. 
 He made, and loves them all." 
 
 " No man can tetlier time or tide," this is 
 beyond the energies even of the "Henwife," 
 and I must now make my cong^, a book not 
 beiag (as were Othello's " bloody thoughts") — 
 
 I " Like to the Pontic Sea, 
 
 Whose icy current and compulsive course 
 Ne'er feels retiring ebb, but keeps due on 
 To the Propontio and the Hellespont." 
 
 I would not lag "superfluous on the stage:" 
 sweet is the sailor's rest when the voyage is over, 
 and sweet the Author's dreams when the toil is 
 ended. 
 
 Many, perhaps, have deemed me a fanatic, and 
 have, long since, thrown away my book as the 
 raving of a monomaniac. 
 
220 MT WN EXPERIENCE. 
 
 But all have not tlie same tastes, and if any 
 have been my unwearied companions through the 
 pleasant fields of Poultry, I thank them with a 
 warm and grateful 'heart With such, "parting" 
 is, indeed, " sweet sorrow." 
 
 "Parewell, — a word that must be, and has 
 been." Farewell — ^kind reader. 
 
 The Henwife's Own Basket. 
 
 BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY. PEINTEH8, EDINBITRGO. 
 
THE STABLE AND FOLDYARD. 
 
 Second Edition, price 10s. 6d. cloth, 
 
 THE VETERINARIAN'S VADE MECUM. 
 
 By Professor JOHN GAMGEE, 
 Principal of the Albert Veterinary College. 
 
 " In this popular work. Professor Gamgee treats of almost 
 everything worth knowing in the art of healing as appli- 
 cable to the brute creation Will prove valuable to 
 
 all who require the help of such a manual." — Newcastle Ex- 
 press. 
 
 "We heartily commend this book to the attention of 
 every individual who is desirous of adding to his knowledge 
 of the science of successfully treating diseases of the horse 
 and other domestic animals." — Bath and Cheltenham Gazette. 
 
 " This will become a standard work of reference for all 
 persons who study the veterinary art ; and to breeders and 
 dealers in horses, graziers, and farmers generally, it will be 
 found a, safe and practicable guide in cases of emergency. 
 ... Altogether, this is a publication which no man who has 
 
the care of domeltic animals'shquld be'without. Prompti- 
 *ude of action is half the battle when illness creeps into the 
 stable or the foMyard, and with this ' Vade Mecum ' at hand 
 tjberfe is no excuse for delay." — Yorkshire Gazette. 
 
 " Very few manuals' on veter&iary medicine and surgery 
 have been recently published, and Mr Gamgee's excellent 
 epitome supplies a desideratum that has long been felt, not 
 only by practitioners themselves, but by many others who, 
 although without the pale of the profession, are often com- 
 pelled to resort to remedies, ot the nature and doses of which 
 they are to some extent unacquainted. Australian colonists 
 and others remote from professiorial aid, will here find a 
 safe index to the employment and mode of administration 
 of the remedies they find it necessary to keep in stock." — 
 Nottingham Express- 
 
 " The ' Vetermarian's Vade Mecum ' is the second edition 
 of a work by Professor Gamgee, than whom no one is more 
 competent to give directions respecting the health of domes- 
 tic animals. To members of the veterinary profession the 
 work will be specially serviceable, but to many others the 
 help of such a manual must often be needed." — South-Eastern 
 Gazette. 
 
 THOMAS G. JACK, PUBLISHER. 
 
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