FANCIERS' JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 



169 



THE BALD-HEAD TUMBLER. 



One of the most striking and pleasing birds to the eye, of 

 the Tumbler class, and a bird which is springing largely 

 into favor among fanciers, is the Bald-head Tumbler, a 

 bird, by the way, that, until very lately, has not been 

 taken much into the notice of our breeders in America; but 

 several fanciers, after meeting together and consulting on 

 the breeding powers and beauty of this class of Pigeons, 

 concluded to give these birds a thorough trial. After care- 

 ful and systematic breeding, they have succeeded in pro- 

 ducing birds of the most approved style and feather. As 

 some of your readers may not be acquainted with this 

 variety of Tumblers, we will endeavor to describe the birds 

 as they appeared to us while on exhibition. Bald-head 

 Tumblers are about the size of our common Turbits, which 

 they resemble very much in shape. Their bodies are of one 

 solid color, either yellow, red, blue, black, or silver. Of 

 these five colors, the black are the most common. Good 

 birds of the other four colors are worth and do bring large 

 prices. Above the line of the eye the feathers of the head 

 are entirely white, from which characteristic marking 

 comes their name. Their thighs, flight feathers, and tail 

 are also white, and with the dark colors of the body form a 

 most pleasing contrast. The wings of the best specimens 

 droop and touch the ground. Their eyes are and should be 

 of a pearl color, and the choicest birds possess a white and 

 very short bill. 



At the late exhibition of the National Columbarian So- 

 ciety, just closed, we were introduced to a gentleman who 

 has made these birds a specialty, who informed us that he 

 had paid as much as forty dollars per pair for these birds in 

 England, and in his opinion there were no better layers or 

 more successful breeders to be found, search the world over. 

 This gentleman's birds were awarded all the first premiums 

 by the judges at the above show. Why is it that these birds 

 are not more seen in the coops and lofts of our fanciers? Is 

 it because they are scarce ? or is it because the birds are 

 owned by only a few fanciers, who have a "corner" in this 

 particular class of birds. We are rather inclined to think 

 the latter is the case, and if so, we say "Down with all 

 rings and corners." However, in our judgment, if our fan- 

 ciers would take the breeding of these birds into considera- 

 tion, the "rings" would soon be abolished, and every 

 fancier would be able soon to exhibit at our shows these 

 really beautiful birds. 



In conclusion, allow us 'to congratulate the managers of 

 the National Columbarian Society for their efforts in bring- 

 ing them to the notice of our fanciers, and the neat manner 

 in which they were exhibited. 



Yours truly, K. & S. 



©ovmiroinUiuc. 



(For Fanciers' Journal.) 



Me. Jos. M. Wade. 



Dear Sir : lean hardly take up a journal that has any 

 poultry news in, or paper devoted entirely to the poultry 

 interest, without seeing very many inquiries as to finding an 

 antidote for the worst of poultry diseases, roup. 



Let me tell you a little of my experience for the last ten 

 years, five in England and five in this country, in treating 

 this disease. It is by sulphurous acid medication, or by 

 letting the bird be exposed to the fumes of sulphur burned 

 in the atmosphere, which produces sulphurous acid gas. I 

 have found it the cheapest and most reliable remedy that 

 can be used for either fowls, horses, or human beings, that 

 are affected with roup, epizooty, or catarrh. It acts like 

 magic, and relieves the patient at once. Two or three ap- 

 plications a day, for a day or two, being all that is necessary. 



The mode of application is as follows : Take a small shovel- 

 ful of red-hot cinders from the stove, and place it on a stool 

 or chair (on something, so that it will not burn the article), 

 in the middle of the room, or outhouse, barn, or any place 

 that has a door and windows ; sprinkle on the cinders a tea- 

 spoonful of flour of sulphur (powdered -brimstone), and let 

 it smudge ; it will only glow, and give off sulphurous acid 

 fumes, which will cause the fowl that you are operating 

 upon to cough and sneeze, at the same time bringing up 

 through the nostrils and throat phlegm and mucus. You 

 need not hold the bird over the fumes, but sit a yard or two 

 from it, and breathe it yourself as well. If you are troubled 

 with catarrh or cold in the head, I will stake my professional 

 reputation that in five or six fumigations, that it will entirely 

 disappear, and until fresh cold is taken you will be cured. 



When the epizooty was raging so bad with us a year ago, 

 in my district I had over seventy horses that I fumigated 

 twice a day, and I treated nearly one hundred and fifty by 

 advice during the epidemic. I turned horse doctor for a 

 time, and I can truly say, that not one horse that was 

 thoroughly fumigated, and ordinary attention given to it, 

 died or had any relapse. 



I wrote an article on the subject, which the editors of the 

 Rochester Union and Advertiser were kind enough to publish, 

 and I had dozens of letters, from some of our most prominent 

 horsemen and farmers, thanking me for giving them a cure 

 so easy and certain as the sulphurous medication. 



I have had many valuable birds sick, and whenever cold 

 or roup symptoms put in an appearance, I just retire to a 

 small room with my patient, and a pan of red-hot coals, a 

 little sulphur, and ten minutes' fumigation. After four or 

 five applications, I find my bird better every way, and not 

 once has it failed. 



The fumes, which to some are not at all disagreeable, can 

 be soon expelled from the room by opening the window or 

 door, and it will not damage either furniture or the most 

 delicate articles. 



My little boy ha9 twice had a severe cold this winter. As 

 soon as it appears my wife takes him on her lap, and has 

 some sulphur burning for a few minutes in the kitchen or 

 sitting-room, and in a couple of days he is over it, and per- 

 fectly well. 



It saves a doctor's bill, and many a restless night. For 

 children with croup or hooping cough, catarrh, or any affec- 

 tions of the bronchial tubes, inflammation of the lungs, &c, 



