SHANGHAE FOWLS. 73 



my efforts in the rearing of the Dorking fowls, as in those of the 

 white Shanghaes. A gentleman of considerable experience, who has 

 tested, as he thinks, thoroughly, the value of these two breeds, informs 

 me, that he is so well convinced of the superiority of the white 

 Shanghae over every o-thez-, that he intends now to confine his atten- 

 tion solely to this breed. 



I have sent a number of this breed to the south and west, and 

 nearly all who have written me on the subject, have expressed their 

 unqualified approbation of the beauty and excellency of these fowls. 

 A gentleman in this neighborhood, who obtained a pair, informed me 

 a few days since, that for the last six months, the hen had given him 

 an egg almost daily, with the exception of a few days, when she 

 wanted to it ; he would then confine her for a short time, when, true 

 to the mark, she again commenced her daily performance of duty. 



There has been a disposition on the part of some, to cry down the 

 imported breed of fowls ; and they have gone so far as to state, that 

 our native breeds are superior in almost every respect. You hear the 

 terms humbuggery, yankee notions, and such kinds of slang, freely used. 

 How little do such persons reflect, that such a course would preclude 

 every improvement, and check the spirit of enterprise in every thing 

 else. The truth is, that hundreds of fowls have been sold in our mar- 

 ket, under the name of Shanghae, Cochin China, &c., which have 

 scarcely any more relation to these fowls, than a turkey-buzzard ; and 

 because from such a worthless stock, nothing but disappointment could 

 proceed, the full-blooded importation has been regarded as worthless 

 fowls. Shall we look to such persons for testimony ? Ought their 

 declaration to have weight with men of candor and judgment ? I 

 hesitate not to say, there is no humbuggery in the full-blooded impor- 

 tations. If the experience of two years is worth anything, I am plain 

 to declare, that they are a hardier fowl, better layers, and better for 

 the table, than our native breeds, and that it costs no more to keep 

 them than common fowls. Such has been my experience, be it worth 

 more or less. 



It is a good thing that you have opened the columns of your paper 

 to this subject. It matters not whose opinion is crossed, so that truth 

 only have fair play. If the Dorking fowl, or any other, can be proved 

 to be superior to the white Shanghae if even the native breeds, (as 

 some assert,) can be proved more excellent than the imported then 

 will we bow with deference to superior judgment, and bid our 

 favorite chanticleer shut up his mouth and crow no more. 



There is a question of some importance which occurs to me, viz ' 

 how far the diversity of climate may operate in reference to our 

 imported fowls. A gentleman of New England, now present with 

 me, remarks, in reference to the white Shanghaes, that he has never 

 seen any fowls of this kind equal to my stock, although he has 

 attended all the poultry fairs in New England, and is well acquainted 

 with Dr. Wight, and other gentlemen, who have these fowls. He waa 

 much astonished to see how greatly the superiority of the progeny had 

 exceeded the parent stock which was sent me from New England. To 

 what can we attribute this but to the difference of climate ? May not 

 our climate in Pennsylvania be better adapted to this class of fowla 

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