January 21, 18C9. ] 



JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



57 



our nortliem friends all prosperity, and feel convinced that a Socioty 

 composed of gentlemen who Lave carried out their plans so thoronf»hly 

 will, ero long, render this Show one of the most attractive. 



THE WIIiD TURKEY DOMESTICATED. 



I WAS Burprised t* find stated by Mr. Tegetmeier, in one of bis 

 oompilatioDB, "that though thousands of wild Turkeys have 

 been hatched under barndoor fowls, they have invariably strayed 

 ofi the following spring to their wild kindred in the forests, 

 with whom they have remained, and all attempts to retain the 

 wild Turkey as a barnyard fowl have completely failed." Now, 

 if this error, for error it most unquestionably is, has not been 

 be'fora refuted in your columns, perhaps you may deem the 

 following notes on the matter worth publishing. The facts are 

 all the other way, eo much so that at the principal poultry 

 shows in Canada prizes are regularly offered for the best 

 specimens of domesticated wild Turkeys. I myself have now 

 in my possession a flock of these beautiful birds ; and though 

 the old patriarch thereof, a splendid fellow, answering exactly 

 to the description of the male wild Turkey given on the same 

 page of Mr. Tegetmeier's book, has often strayed away, and once 

 remained away for two nights, he always concludes it is best to 

 come back to his wives and children, and especially to his food. 

 He was hatched from an egg laid in the woods by the wild 

 birds. 



I have raised, and now own, both the pure wild Turkeys 

 and the half-breds, but greatly prefer the former as being 

 infinitely the handsomer, the larger, and much the hardier. I 

 did not lose a chick last year by disease of any kind. Instead 

 of being stupid like the common Turkey, which is so stnpid that 

 the French here always say, " hi-te comme une din<le,",&a stupid 

 as a Turkey, the wild Turkeys are wonderfully intelligent. 

 One mode, however, in which they showed their intelligence to 

 me was rather unprofitable. I gave to .one of the hens a sitting 

 of Light Brahma eggs, she sat upon them faithfully ; but when 

 the first unfortunate chick made its appearance, recognising it 

 was none of hers, she straightway carried it out of the nest and 

 put it to death, afld so with the second and third ; then, 

 apparently despairing of the rest, she destroyed her nest and 

 left it in disgust. A common Turkey sitting near her raised 

 with the greatest complacency a brood of Aylesbury Ducks. 



That it would be difficult to begin the domestication of these 

 birds in places situated near the haunts of the wild ones I 

 have no doubt ; but that it can be done in other localities, and 

 has been done in many places in Canada, is certain. — Fbedebice 

 W. Andrews, ijuehec. 



NOTES ON GOLDFINCH MULES AND MULE 

 BREEDING. 



I MENTIONED in your number of December 24th that I ex- 

 hibited in the north of England and took prizes with Goldfinch 

 Mules. Those birds assisted in winning for me the silver cup 

 at the noted Southampton Show, which took place in the month 

 of November last. I believe the fact of gaining a cup at a 

 show with Mules alone, is unprecedented. Although the best 

 of ray Jonque Mules is a first-class one in every respect, still 

 my recollection and fancy are firmly fixed on a famous departed 

 veteran Jonque Mule, which gained for me a dozen first and 

 second-class honours in England and Scotland during the 

 time it WRS in my possession. The bird not only did good 

 service for me, but travelled several thousands of miles, at 

 one time being in the front rank at Southampton, then again 

 carrying away high honours at the Northampton, Crystal 

 Palace, and Glasgow Sbows. Three years in succession the 

 bird was shown at the latter place ; the second time, to my 

 great surprise, it came home without even a commendation. 

 Nothing daunted, I was determined, owing to having received 

 a communication from Carlisle, to wipe off the disgrace hang- 

 ing to my Mule, and exhibit the bird there again. I entered 

 the Mule with an even-marked Mealy beauty, and had the 

 satisfaction of carrying off the first prize in each class, and 

 receiving with the prize money a couple of well-executed gilt 

 Morocco trophies of the Mule contest at Glasgow. I have not 

 since had an opportunity of showing there, owing, I believe, 

 to the exhibition for cage birds having been discontinued. 



On each of the Morocco honours I have named above is a 

 representation of a Scotch fancy bird, or Don, evidently the 

 bird of Scotland, and exhibited in many shows in the north of 

 England. Under these circumstances 1 certainly do not agree 



with the remarks of Mr. Howarth Ashton, that the " Scotch 

 Don " is a " mongrel." Let it be whatever it may (and of all 

 kinds, I must admit it takes my attention the least), it is 

 quite evident there are numerous enthusiastic fanciers in the 

 north who delight in breeding birds of this description as 

 much as I or others do in Mules, Norwich, Lizards, London 

 Fancies, Belgians, or other kinds. Were we all alike in our 

 tastes, exhibitions would not be what they are. With respect 

 to classes for London Fancy and Crested Belgians (two first- 

 class breeds), being omitted from the Sunderland schedule, I 

 have no doubt it was owing to the likelihood of there being but 

 few entries, and I think it is politic to study more particularly 

 the classes most likely to return something towards paying the 

 expenses of a show. 



Resuming my remarks about Mules, I must say that the last 

 time the Jonque Mule alluded to above was shown by me, was 

 at a Derby All-England exhibition, and after carrying off first 

 honours he was purchased, with a splendid clear Mealy Mule 

 belonging to Mr. Bemrose, Derby, by Major H. Ashton, of 

 Manchester. This bird also took a first prize at the same 

 Show, and was the finest specimen of the kind I ever witnessed. 

 Perfection of feather and beautiful colour predominated in 

 each case. Such birds are not to be seen every day, but I must 

 admit that four finer Jonque Goldfinch Mules could not possibly 

 be together in company than were at the last Crystal Palace 

 Bird Show. The task of judging them was one not very easily 

 accomplished. Myself, with the two gentlemen who officiated 

 with me, after a considerable amount of comparing and casting 

 up the different points, at length decided. It was the nicest 

 possible balance with them, and even when the first award in 

 the class was made, such was the closeness of the competition, 

 that an extra second prize was given. Mules, such as I have 

 referred to, are of great value, and are an honour not only to 

 those exhibiting, but a credit to those who are at the vast 

 trouble of carrying out the shows, secretaries more especially. 



Goldfinch Mule-breeding, like the breeding of Canaries, re- 

 quires much attention, but more so in some respects than in 

 breeding Canaries, owing to the mischievous habits of Master 

 Goldy, who is ever ready for destroying or pulling to pieces the 

 nest, or diving his sharp beak into an egg. As a general rule 

 it is so, but of course there are exceptions, for he, like the 

 Canary cock, will often assist to carry building materials for 

 the hen's nest, and will also feed and help to rear the young 

 ones. 



The Goldfinch is an exceedingly merry bird, and it is in the 

 "merry month of May" that I commence Mule-breeding, 

 having previously prepared my Goldfinches with extra feeding. 

 I have many instances noted down of Mules having been bred 

 before the time I have named. I have known Mules to be 

 bred in February, but it was owing to the birds having been 

 kept in a room where there were fire and gas. Birds so kept 

 will breed earlier than when away from all artificial heat ; but 

 the season is very short under the circumstances, and they 

 fall into moult much earlier, and stop breeding at the time 

 when one ought to be doing the best with them. Fire and gas 

 I do not at aU recommend, but would sooner keep my birds 

 away from them, and wait until the natural period of genial 

 weather setting in. 



During the spring I supply my Goldfinches with canary, 

 hemp, flax, groats, biscuit and egg mixed, and also dandelion 

 fresh from the field or garden. This food with grit, or, as we 

 call it here, Trent sand, and now and then a bath, will keep 

 Goldfinches in good condition, which may be proved by the 

 birds getting well into voice, and giving, after the usual chee- 

 wee-yer, the peculiar twist with their open-spread tails. 



I never attempt to breed with a young or yearling Goldfinch, 

 it being, I consider, a waste of time. I prefer a two-year-old 

 bird — a white-legged one (as such are called by many), which 

 colour the legs become from black or dark brown during the time 

 the birds is kept in a room from a yearling and passing through 

 the moult. I care not whether or not it be a " three-by-six," 

 as termed by some of the London dealers. It may, perhaps, 

 be information to some to learn that this is a Goldfinch with 

 three feathers on each side of the tail, bearirg the usual 

 white patches or marks on their lower portion, with the sis 

 centre feathers black. All cock Goldfinches are not so marked, 

 most of them having but two feathers on each side marked 

 with white, and eight feathers dark in the middle of the 

 tail. It is immaterial to me whether it be a cheverel finch 

 or not, although there is a great cry out for such by many. A 

 " cheverel " is known by the mark on the throat, some birds 

 only being slightly specked, whilst others have a large distinct 



