310 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGK GAllDENEB. 



c uwch 13, laes. 



it bo true, as perhaps it is, that he has bred alarRer proportion 

 of good birds from a pivon number of chickens than any other 

 breeder, it may fairly bo attributed to his breedinp in-and-in 

 for so many years, so that ko has fixed the breed to a certain 

 extent, and I should certainly expect from such birds to obtain 

 a larger number of good birds than if I bred from those oh- 

 taineil from sources of which I know notliing ; but I will 

 venture to say that neither Mr. Crosslnntl, nor any other breeder 

 in England, can always breed from (iamo Bantams, or any 

 other variety of poultry, a largo proportion of first-class birds 

 among the chickens reared. I say emphatically that any man 

 who says that he can, is making a statement which will utterly 

 mislead those who believe it. " Wii.tsiiie;k Kector " will re- 

 member that his original statement was, that Game Bantams 

 were so largely exhibited at Birmingham, because they are so 

 easy to breed. I, and I think every one else who read hia 

 communication, understood him to mean breed good. If he 

 meant that, then I have said what I think as to that ; but if he 

 meant that so many eggs are fertile, and consequently so many 

 chickens may be reared, may I ask Uim whether this reasoning 

 would not equally apply to the Black and Wiite Bantams which 

 our favourites are fast superseding ? 



Since WTiting the above I have seen " \ West YonKsiriRK- 

 MAN's" letter. He evidently had hia birds from Mr. Crossland, 

 as to whose breed I have already spoken. I do not think £1 

 each for the birds taken altogether was a high price, and cer- 

 tainly no indication that they were all very good. I have sold 

 many birds this season at two and three guineas each which 

 were anything but good— that is to say, what I understand by 

 good. The fact is, that if " A West Yorkshireman's " birds 

 were all good — i.e., first-rate, the cocks were worth from £10 , 

 to £20 and the pullets from £3 to £.5 each, and Mr. Crossland i 

 himself must have sold them considerably under their value. I 

 I will now conclude by again asking with '• Gallcs," How it is 

 that good birds fetch such prices if they are so easily bred ? | 

 How is it that Mr. Hawkesley refuses '£'20 for his bird ? I ', 

 mention him, as be is no novice at brooding Game Bantams, 

 and, of course, if they are easily bred, he has plenty more as 

 BOod._ How is it I refused £15 for a bird I bred last year? i 

 How is it that Sir St. George Gore recently gave Mr. Crossland ' 

 £10 for a pair of pullets? I want some more definite answer 

 to these questions than a reference to the tulip mania, which 

 is not in point. Again I ask, How is it that the gentlemen 

 who found Game Bantams so easy to breed good do not sweep 

 off all the prizes ? How is it that so few really good birds 

 are shown — so few, in short, are in existence ? The first-class 

 cockerels of the year 1865 may be counted on the fingers : how 

 is that, if they are so easily bred ? And as to pallets, it will 

 astonish those who can breed them so easily to learn that, 

 though I began to inquire before the Birmingham Show for 

 some first-class pullets, I have been unable up to this day to 

 obtain them, though I would willingly give £10 for a pair; 

 and yet, notivithstanding these facts, Game Bantams are easy 

 to breed ! — P. 



Not knowing the address of the " Wiltshire Rector," I 

 cannot directly compliment him for the stand he has so firmly 

 made, and held so well, about my pets, Game Bantams ; and 

 30 clearly has he spoken the sentiments of my mind as to their 

 being easy to breed, that I could almost fancy, whilst reading 

 hia communications, that he was looking over my notes on 

 their breeding, and then strolling amongst my stock. Your 

 correspondents, "Gallus," and "W. F. E.," seem to think, 

 as our " Wiltshire Rector" has parted with bis Game 

 Bantams, and not continued to be an e\liil)itor of them, that 

 he only holds his ground. They are droadfully mistaken, and 

 if stock is gone, there is more than one vard left that con- 

 tains birds that In-ecd both good and true;" and if " Gallus," 

 "W. F. E,," "Wiltshire Kkhtor," or anv other fancier of 

 Game Bantams, wishes to prove whether they are easy to 

 breed good, then I say Iiere is evidence. f..r I have bred Game 

 Bantams for eight years, and so closely have I given the 

 Black Reds ray attention, that very rarely indeed have I at- 

 tempted to rear any other class of "birds, and, perhaps, not so 

 many of these as I ought. However, I have exhibited rather 

 more than sixty pens of Black Red (iame Bantams in my 

 own name, and that of Mr. George Noble, and have won up- 

 wards of fifty prizes, and only on eight or nine occasions have 

 my birds been shown without either obtaining a first, second, or 

 third prize. Again, last year (1865), I bred seventeen cockerels 

 and nine pullets, and I realised upwards of £50 for fourteen 



cockerels out of this number, and for two pullets besides. I 

 fancy I kept the best for myself. 



Again, I do not considct that my cockerels are anything so 

 near perfection as my pullets are; and if I may be allowed, I 

 will construe the words of "Gallds" into "very good," in 

 place of " certainly not have written," and I must say after 

 that, that I believe the rest of the sentence, " they are easy to 

 breed good;" at least I have the opinion of some of the best 

 breeders and dealers, that they have not seen any pullets to 

 beat, if equal, mine. 



Now, as to breeding one good bird in a hatch, why, such words 

 make my .shoulders almost touch my ears, as they recall to 

 my recollection how I stood in the Bantam category about three 

 years ago. I can fancy the stock of " Gallds," and " W. !•'. E.," 

 and how angry I feel just now, and I suppose they do the same, 

 as most likely our positions were somewhat similar. Only lost 

 year a certain Yorkshire fancier, Mr. W. F. Entwistle, of Otley 

 iperhaps the " W. F. E."), told me he had bred and killed up- 

 wards of seven hundred birds as worthless. When I write of 

 my ill-luck of three years ago, I am reminded that I then had 

 a fancy that a cross would bo beneficial, consequently I gave 

 £3 :is. for a pen, and their produce and stock, with the ex- 

 ception of one hen, I killed. She %vas good-looking; and a 

 friend of mine, Mr. R. Smith, of Hull, was in love with her, 

 and even offered me £5 for her. However, I lent her to him. 

 and the result was similar to that which occurred in my own 

 case. Whites, Blacks, Browns, Grey, Spangled, and even pie- 

 bald Blacks and Whites, were the colours they bred me ; but 

 now, before mine are hatched, I can tell any one pretty nearly 

 what they will be, and if I were to have one photographed, I 

 could safely say that nine out of every ten would be the exact 

 facsimile. If "Gallus," " W. F. E.," or "Wiltsuirb 

 Rector " in particular, give me a call at any time, I will make 

 him as comfortable amongst Bantams us he seems to be 

 amongst his own fowls, if looking at a few choice birds will do 

 so ; and if his visit be delayed for a short time, he will see rather 

 more, as my breeding stock is showing fruit. I will pay his ex- 

 penses of coming, if he is afraid of being again disappointed in 

 the colour, head, neck, legs, or style in particular, and I say 

 my birds will not disappoint him. Like my fellow fancier, 

 Mr. Crossland, I do not believe in crossing with any one's 

 strain to such an extent as some people would lead us to believe 

 is the proper method. 



Here is the history of my strain. In the first year I picked up 

 in the country for a mere trifle a cock Black Red Bantam, and 

 a hen not related to him. I bred from the two, and some little 

 improvement was the result of this cross. Next year I crossed 

 with the cock the pullets that were bred from him, again I 

 fouud some improvement, and for the following year I obtained 

 a Duckwing cockerel from Mr. Crossland's yard. From this 

 date my strides began to bo more rapid, until I introduced 

 another str.ain, then I was placed hnr.i de combat ; but such 

 reliance did I place in my old stock, that I felt more success 

 would attend my efforts another year, and I crossed with birds 

 from the yard of Mr. Smith, of Hull, behaving kindly lent me 

 his old cock and four hens. This was the greatest hit I ever 

 had in my Game Bantam breeding. I have not introduced any 

 fresh strain these two years, and do not intend to do so, my 

 fear is not half so much in not breeding quality as quantity. 

 Mr. E. Hewitt, of Sparkbrook, saw my birds last September, 

 and he wUI, perhaps, tell you what they were, as most likely 

 he will have some faint recollection about their evenness in 

 (iu.ality, although not so many in number. 



By-the-by, here is an instance which, perhaps, may in some 

 measure illustrate the case. At Keighley Show last year, Mr. 

 Hewitt was judge, and he was somewhat puzzled betwixt two 

 jiens in the Black Red Game Bantam class, as to which to 

 award the first and second prizes to, so much so that he had 

 them taken from their positions and placed in two pens close 

 to each other, so that he might be the better enabled to make 

 his award satisfactorily, and when he had so done — both pens 

 had left my yard not many hours before — the first-prize pen 

 was mine, the second I had sold two days previously, and 

 Keighley was the appointed place of transfer. Not so very 

 uneven, " Wiltshire Rector," when I bred then less than 

 thirty birds altogether, and one of the best judges was thus 

 driven to this extremity. 



Two more instances and I have done. First, Mr. Smith's 

 strain, if I mistake not, has sprung from the brother to the 

 bird on which Mr. Crossland lays his foundation. The other 

 is : I was a breeder of Game Bantams for four years, with tho 

 advice of an old exhibitor and careful Gome breeder for teu 



