380 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Far the New Englattd Famier. 



DiXON'S STOCK CHINA FOWLS-THEIR 



COMPARATIVE MERITS. 



Mk. Cole : In a former number of j'our journal, I 

 intimated that I might have something to say, in a 

 future one, of the comparative merits of the Hon. 

 Mr. Dixon's stock of Shanghae fowls We would 

 gladly avail ourselves of the present fowl excite- 

 ment to call the attention of those interested in fowl 

 breeding to some facts going to show their compara- 

 tive merits. 



The past season we have kept some fifty hens in 

 all, consisting of several different breeds and crosses. 

 We have noted particularly their laying qualities ; 

 ai\d are now prepared to state, that we have no hens 

 that have laid as well as those of Dixon's stock of 

 China fowls and their crosses. Next on our list 

 stands the Dorking and Dominique fowls. Of the 

 former we had only two hens, and of the latter sora«i 

 half dozen. We had also one pair of Forbes's stock 

 of Shanghaes, but none of Marsh's stock. Hence 

 we cannot speak from personal knowledge of the 

 laying qualities of the latter ; but my Forbes hen, 

 although she laid tolerably well, has by no means 

 equalled my hens of the Dixon stock. I am aware 

 that it would be injustice to the Forbes stock to 

 conclude, from the number of eggs laid by this single 

 specimen of that stock, that they are not as great 

 layers as Dixon's stock ; but we propose to give ox- 

 tracts from some voluntary letters, received of A. H. 

 Oilman, Esq., an ardent fowl amateur, of Portland, 

 (to whom we sold a number of the Dixon stock,) 

 which go to confirm the opinion wo entertained from 

 our own limited experience. 



In a letter bearing date of June 24, 1850, Mr. G. 

 says, " My poultry yard flourishej grandly ; and as 

 for your stock, it cannot be surpassed in any point. 

 The six hens began to lay the day after they came, 

 and I don't think they have missed a day up to last 

 week, when three wished to sit. As I had a choice 

 lot of their eggs, I set them. They have been per- 

 fectly healthy in every respect. 



<'One thing I wish to mention in regard to your 

 stock ; They take care of themselves better than 

 any fowls I ever saw. They are regular in their 

 hours for laying and roosting, and make little or no 

 noise. I would sooner lose any three of my other 

 stock than one of yours. * * * I am keeping a 

 regular account of each stock, as to laying, feed, &c., 

 winch, if you care to see, some si.x months hence, I 

 will forward. * * * My yard contains now 

 Palmer's [Dixon's] Shanghae, one cack, six hens ; 

 Marsh's do., one cock, one hen ; Fovbcs's do., one 

 cock, six hens ; Cochin China, one cock, three hens." 

 In a letter of June 27, speaking of some White 

 China fowls of the Dixon stock, which I wr.s about 

 to send him, he remarks, "If they only arrive, and 

 flourish as the Palmer's do, I shall be too glad. 

 • * * I never saw finer looking fowls than 

 yours." 



In a letter of July 10, acknowledging the receipt 

 of the White China fowls, Mr. O. says, " The 

 I'.ilmcr importation flourish very well, and at the 

 present time four of them are sitting; one nice 

 brood of Palmer's came out three days since, and 

 on? is coming to-day. r.i:ery egg has hatched thus 

 far." 



Under date of September 13, Mr. G. says, "The 

 White Shanghaes are doing well. Both hens are 

 with chicks," &c. 



" In fact, all the fowls (with the exception of my 

 Marsh cock and hen) that I have had of you are 

 diiferent from my other breeds. Take your Palmer 

 stock, for instance ; they are gentle, regular in their 

 habits, never interfere with the chickens that have 



the same j'ard. They arc also very tame — will all eat 

 from my hand ; and then, not one of them has ever 

 been the least sick since I received them. The same 

 can be said of the White Shanghaes. My Marsh 

 cock and hen are the same ; but I cannot say as 

 much for the Forbes stock. They are not equal in 

 laying qualities ; more hui^gling in all their ways. 

 The male is very large, but not by any manner of 

 means equal to yours." 



Under date of Portland, October 18, 1850, after 

 speaking of some of his other fowls, he remarks, 

 " My Palmer's are my pets, after all ; every chick is 

 finely formed, and I have not lost one from sickness ; 

 they are all hardy, and fast growing, and turn out 

 fawn-colored. 



" Do you remember that dark hen in the Palmer 

 breed, that you sent me ? She has laid over fifty-five 

 eggs, brought up two broods, and now I have sat her 

 again. That speaks well, don't it?" 



It seems to devolve on me to relate what that hen 

 did before sending her to Mr. G. I believe she laid 

 about thirty eggs, and, to my knowledge, sat six 

 weeks, hatched two broods, which were given to 

 other hens, the last a few days prior to sending her to 

 Mr. G., which was on the 5th of June. Had I time 

 and room, I might relate other striking facts that 

 have occurred, adapted to show that it would be very 

 difficult, if not impossible, to find greater layers or 

 sitters. 



The size of the Dixon stock of Shanghae fowls, 

 we believe, is equal to any of the late importations. 

 The roosters will weigh from eight to twelve or thir- 

 teen pounds, and the hens from six to nine. In fact, 

 Mr. Dixon states that it is his impression that he 

 weighed one pullet whose weight was ten pounds. 



The name by which this stock is generally desig- 

 nated east of Westerly is Shanghae ; whilst at that 

 place, and still west, it is generally denominated 

 China, or Cochin China, probably from the fact that 

 most of them have but few or no feathers on their 

 legs. 



A part of this stock is the same, in my opinion, as 

 that received by the Queen, and imported by Mr. 

 Burnham, under the name of Cochin China. This, 

 we think, is demonstrable from the color of the eggs 

 and fowls, and their form, general appearance, and 

 characteristics. We were strongly inclined to this 

 opinion before we saw 'Six. Burnham's fowls, but that 

 fully confirmed us in that opinion. The fowls of Mr. 

 Burnham, denominated Koyal Cochin China, had it 

 not been for the card on his coops, we should have 

 taken as fine specimens of the Dixon stock. Should 

 any one doubt it, he Is requested to call and examine 

 some of our own specimens of the Dixon stock. In 

 fact, Mr. Burnham says that the form of his fowls 

 *' resembles that of our best bred Shanghaes ; and my 

 opinion strengthens, with a further acquaintance with 

 both, that the two varieties sprang from the same 

 original stock. My Cochin Chinas " he adds, " are 

 clean-legged ; the Shanghaes, feathered," &c. 



We will only add the opinion of that celebrated 

 fowl amateur. Dr. Eben Wight. In a letter under 

 date of Boston, May 23, he says, " I am strongly 

 inclined to the belief that many of the Shanghae 

 fowls which have come out (meaning those with 

 smooth legs) are from the same stock as were those 

 received by the Queen, under the name of Cochin 

 China. For instance, Marsh has two vai'ieties ; the 

 cock is feather-legged, as well as were some of 

 the hens ; but his best hen, very dark-plumaged, 

 smooth-legged, was probably from the same stock as 

 were the famous Cochin Chinas. That best hen has 

 laid one hundred and seven eggs in the last consecu- 

 tive one hundred and fourteen days." 



Again, speaking of Dixon's stock, he adds: — 

 " Whether white or red, they arc very fine in form, 

 and here have proved very prolific." He also gives 



