r*mmit)er 'J7. 1SB6. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



415 



wore rich in colour, the hackle and saddle being of a very rich 

 straw colour, with clean black breasts and tails, yellow legs and 

 beaks. The hens had nearly white hackles, wheat-colourod 

 backs and shoulders, and light fawn breasts, and the produce 

 was always true to colour and of well-known courage. 



In regard to the superiority of Brown Reds oyer Black Reds, 

 perhaps " Newmarket " is right. Brown Reds for some time 

 back have been bred with more care, and have likewise been 

 more popular ; but I think the Black Reds are fast gaining 

 ground, as some wonderfully line birds havo been exhibited 

 lately. I keep both kinds, and they are selections from the 

 most noted breeds, and I must say that I have more deficient 

 Brown Reds than Black Beds, such as crooked breasts, weak 

 joints, and loose drooping wings, nor indeed do they feather 

 so fast and well. Several breeders are too fond of leggy birds. 

 I noticed at Halifax and other shows some which could not 

 bear their own weight— a fault greatly to be reprehended, more 

 especially in Game fowls. 



I am no advocate for large birds, but think that for exhibi- 

 tion purposes a cockerel should never be less than from 5 lbs. 

 to 5J lbs., and when a cock should not exceed 6 lbs. It is a 

 rare occurrence to see a really good Duekwing at any of our 

 shows. Breeders have confined their efforts more to Reds, and 

 why this should be so I cannot say. They are truly beautiful 

 when bred with care. I sincerely wish the committees of 

 some of our shows would offer a special prize for Duekwings 

 alone. This might induce breeders to take more interest and 

 care in the breeding of this much-discarded specimen. 



I have often wondered how persistently some exhibitors will 

 repeatedly show the same fowls, knowing too well the injuri- 

 ous effects which such a proceeding will have upon the consti- 

 tution of the birds, as well as how fatal it will be to their 

 chance of winning. I noticed several this season that were 

 completely overtaxed, drooping, and spiritless, and most likely 

 these would be used as breeding stock. Can the offspring of 

 such birds be free from taint or inherent disease ? If all do 

 not go well with his birds, let the owner consider every part of 

 his treatment. Are his birds well housed ? Are their pens dry 

 and sweet ? Have they had sufficient green food ? Have they 

 suffered by excitement ? or have they been exhibited too often ? 

 This concerns those who are anxious to win. A bird in health 

 will exhibit a proud, defiant bearing, a brilliant eye, firm flesh, 

 and a powerful contraction of his wings and legs when handled. 

 By closely watching nature's processes you will soon perceive 

 where art can assist nature, and by attending to this you will 

 not suffer your bird's constitution to fail by imprudences and 

 neglect. The corn given should be the best and of easy diges- 

 tion. The walks you obtain should be well sheltered, plenty of 

 pure water should be afforded, and the higher and more choice 

 your breed the more care the birds require. 



My birds have an unlimited run of grass well sheltered with 

 trees, good clean water, a clean, roomy, well-ventilated roosting- 

 house. I feed them twice a-day, and sometimes three times. 

 Their food consists of wheat and barley, the best I can buy. I 

 also give oat cake steeped in ale, milk, or chamber lye ; to this 

 I add wheaten bread and meal, and a few potatoes occasionally, 

 mixed to a nice dry consistency. For a slight indigestion I 

 Rive coarse sugar and fresh butter formed into large pellets. 



The following is very beneficial when birds suffer from 

 purging or weakness. Boil a little sago in water, sweeten it 

 with lump sugar, and add a glass of good old port wine. Mix a 

 little of this warm with a little wheaten bread, and give it to 

 the bird. — Yorkshire. 



PRODUCE' OF EGGS. 



In December last I bought one cock and throe pullets of the 

 Silver-spangled Hamburgbs, and three pullets of the Gold- 

 pencilled Hamburghs. A friend gave me two additional pullets 

 of the former kind, making eight hens. They began to lay 

 on the 2nd of February last, and the following table shows 

 the produce from these eighthena from that date to the 11th 

 inst. : — 



Oxe of your London correspondents, at page 377 of your 

 Number of the 18th inst., gives an account of the number of 

 eggs laid by six hens in the year (I presume he means 1865), 

 and you invite your readers, without confining it to London, to 

 furnish you with similar tables. 



I live in a tolerably large town in the country. My garden, 

 a very small one, is forbidden ground for poultry, and I have, 

 therefore, put up for them a small house 12 feet long, 6 feet 

 wide, and about 7 feet high, half covered with zinc wire, the 

 other half boarded, about -1 feet of it close, so as to make a 

 place for their nests, roosting, Sse. I have moveable frames 

 eovered with linen and painted, to put on the open wire top in 

 case of rain or snow ; and if necessary in midwinter, or other- 

 wise, I cover the exposed sides with cloth, as necessity requires. 

 I merely keep my fowls for their eggs, and raise no chickens. 



February 78 



March 126 



April 170 



May ... .. 169 



Brought forward .... G74 



JnlT in 



August 126 



September 22 



October 85 



Juuo 14'2 i November to 14th 



Carried i orward 



-S. G. J. 



18 

 1081 



CHARACTERISTICS of the PRINCIPAL SORTS 

 OF GAME FOWLS. 



TnE favourite colours of sportsmen have always been as 

 foUow, all white-skinned birds: — 1, Brown-breasted Reds, dark 

 eyes, dark legs. 2, Grey-breasted Dark Greys, black eyes, black 

 legs. 3, Red Cheshire Piles, bright red eyes, white legs. 4, Black- 

 breasted Reds, dark red eyes, white legs. 5, Red-breasted 

 Ginger Reds, dark red eyes, white legs. 0, Dark Black-breasted 

 Reds, dark red eyes, dark legs. 7, Red Duns, dark red eyes, 

 white legs. 



The Brown- Red or Red Brown-rreasted Red is the standard 

 Game fowl of British sportsmen, having been more fought and 

 having won more battles and mains than any other colour. 

 Brown Reds appear to have been first called the Shropshire 

 Reds, from having been first much noticed in that county, 

 and some assert that they were brought into that county from 

 Wales. 



Brown Reds have been principally matched against the 

 Cheshire Piles, the Shropshire Reds and Cheshire Piles haying 

 been at one time the two most celebrated sorts for fighting. 

 Brown Reds being a stronger and harder bird than the Piles, 

 though less quick and fiery, generally beat them, though the 

 Piles were considered a good match for them. The only bird 

 that has generally beaten the Brown Reds is the Dark Grey, a 

 still stronger and harder bird than the Brown Red, the very 

 best of the Brown Reds being only just equal to the average 

 Dark Greys. The throstle-breasted Brown Reds are not so 

 good a bird as the Red Brown-breasted, which are the true and 

 pure-bred Brown Reds. 



The best Brown Reds are now found in south and mid Lanca- 

 shire, Staffordshire, and West Yorkshire, though Shropshire 

 may have been their original county, or perhaps Wales. They 

 are plentiful in all manufacturing districts, and in what is 

 called the Black Country, and are found in and near all the large 

 towns. 



Brown Reds are distinguished by their large, bold, dark eyes 

 — a very full eye — by their loDg and strong beaks, and by 

 their "spurred" heus. Brown Reds are an original, wild, 

 coloured variety, and have been found wild in India of the 

 same colour, but smaller in size. They are the parent stock of 

 all the sorts that hatch the dark-coloured young chickens. 



Dark Greys or Grey-breasted Dark Greys, which are the 

 best Dark Greys, were originally bred from the hardest and 

 strongest of the Brown Reds, throwing first the Grey hens, 

 and subsequently the Grey cocks. The Dark Greys are the 

 hardest and strongest of all the Game fowls, and have been 

 least beaten of any sort, beating all colours in general. They 

 are not very common, but are found in and near all the large 

 towns, though not plentifully. They have been most fought 

 next to the Brown Reds and the Cheshire Piles, and are superior 

 to both, though, perhaps, a trifle less quick than either. Dark 

 Greys are also celebrated for their large, full, bold, black eyes, 

 long and strong beaks, very hard breasts, and for their spurred 

 hens. Brown Reds are the next hardest-breasted sort. These 

 two sorts are the gamest of all Game fowls, and stand cutting 

 or dubbing the best. 



Dark Greys stand steel the best of all the sorts, and Brown 

 Beds the next best. The former will also maintain the longest 

 battle of any, and Brown Reds the next longest. Dark Greys 

 when black-breasted with a light silver feather are called the 

 Dark Silvers, but these are not quite so game as the true Dark 

 Greys. Dark Greys are sometimes called the Gipsy Greys, 

 from their dark combs and dark faces, their dark hens and dark 

 chickens, and their " cutting-out " so dark. The Dark or 

 Gipsy purple-combed hens always breed the best Game cocks, 



