POULTRY. 535 



point out to you one who will be successful as a stock-breeder in future years, whether he 

 breeds poultry or larger stock. To many children, girls as well as boys, pets of some kind 

 are a real necessity; and the love for pets should be fostered by the parents to the extent 

 of their ability. Aside from the pleasing appearance of pets, there is a real benefit which 

 you confer on your children by giving them pets to care for; for it engenders habits of use 

 fulness, and gives them something to care for regularly, which habits cannot be formed too 

 soon. This point is not sufficiently considered, though it is worthy of mature consideration. 



No neater, prettier, or more attractive pets can be given to the little ones of the household 

 to care for, than Bantams; for their small size and handsome plumage and proud ways, make 

 them objects of unfailing interest. They can be kept in a small yard, if necessary, and do 

 not require very great care. They are hardy, and many an enterprising boy has put a 

 number of stray dollars in his pocket from the sale of his surplus stock money which he 

 prizes far more than that which he did not earn by his own exertions. A boy must learn 

 to contrive as well as work, and save as well as earn, or he will be good for nothing.&quot; 



The principal varieties of Bantams are Game (which includes almost every variety of the 

 Game fowl), Rose-combed Black, Rose-combed White, Golden Sebright, Silver Sebright, 

 Nankin, Japanese, Pekin or Cochin, and Booted White; besides these, there are other varie 

 ties less common, such as the Cuckoo Bantams, etc. 



Game Bantams. These are diminutive specimens of the Game fowls, which com- 

 bine the beautiful outlines and plumage of the latter breeds, with the small size of the 

 Bantam, and were produced by crossing the English Game fowl with the Bantam, and 

 repeatedly selecting for stock-birds those chickens which most closely resembled the Game, 

 thus breeding in-and-in, until the desired size was reached. This creation, as it were, of the- 

 Game Bantam breeds, is one of the most striking illustrations of the breeder s art, and the 

 triumphs that can be attained in the direction of change and the formation of new breeds. 

 The leading varieties of Game Bantams are Black-breasted Reds, Brown- breasted Reds, Dork 

 ings, and Piles, although nearly every variety of the Game breed is represented in these 

 Games in miniature, and which closely resemble their larger brethren in all points except 

 size. The average weight of the full-grown cock is from twenty -two to twenty-six ounces, that 

 of the hen about twenty ounces. In breeding these little birds, the great points aimed at are 

 the general shape or contour, good feathering, and color. To avoid repeating these points, 

 the reader can refer to the description previously given of Game varieties, which will be found 

 sufficiently definite for all purposes. 



For breeding good Game Bantams breeders of experience advise selecting and mating 

 the birds early in January or even earlier, with one cock to about four hens that are from 

 eighteen months to two years old, and one can then commence setting the hens about the last 

 of February. They will generally hatch a little sooner than the larger breeds, and usually 

 on the nineteenth or twentieth day, if the hen is a good sitter. They can be hatched all 

 through the spring until the first of June, and as our opinion we should say it were advis 

 able, in our northern climate, to delay hatching till the last of April or first of May for such 

 diminutive chicks. The eggs hatch better on the ground, with a little hay or straw for 

 lining, since the moisture thus derived from the earth seems to be beneficial to the eggs. In 

 very warm weather many breeders sprinkle the eggs with warm water each day for two or 

 three days previous to hatching; that is, beginning about the fifteenth or sixteenth day of the 

 sitting. The chicks will not require food for the first twenty-four hours after hatching, and 

 should then have boiled egg chopped fine given them, or a little custard of eggs and milk 

 mixed with soaked bread crumbs. The chicks are quite hardy, but the hen should be con 

 fined in a coop of good size until they are at least five weeks old, and should have access to 

 fresh grass, fresh earth, and fresh water. We do not approve the recent idea of some 

 breeders of the &quot;no water&quot; principle for fowls of any kind, whether young or old; they 



