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FANCIERS' JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 



for half the money ; fowls that will not count as many points, 

 often by one third, as the lower-priced birds. 



These complaints give scoundrels one great advantage, 

 which no doubt they are very glad of; it enables them to 

 get a larger price for their fowls, thus enabling them to in- 

 crease their business. 



Again these complaints come from those who have fowls 

 and eggs for sale at fancy figures. The public would do 

 well to shun those parties, for there is reason to fear that 

 they may get the progeny of this same stock that has caused 

 such heavy blows to be aimed at some devoted head. I 

 never buy of these. I want better stock than they possess. 

 I am sure I always find it too. I don't wish to be understood 

 to say that all the low-priced fowls are good — far from it ; 

 but the idea is this, the man who gives ten dollars for a trio 

 of good fowls can reasonably be expected to sell both fowls 

 and eggs at a lower figure than those who import their birds 

 at a cost of forty to fifty dollars per trio, or even more. And 

 good home-bred fowls are as good, or even better, than im- 

 ported ones ; they have the advantage of being acclimated 

 here, which is worth considerable. I believe that when a 

 man " humbugs " another in the poultry business the victim 

 ought in justice to others take the first opportunity of pub- 

 lishing the "scamp" far and wide, and thus benefit the 

 general public. So, my friends, when you do get " bit " let 

 us know who did it. Another class are those who are al- 

 ways vilifying the judges at the poultry exhibitions because 

 their fowls did not take the premiums (this is really the 

 trouble). All the judges are a pack of idiots, or perhaps 

 worse. Oh dear, what will the consequence be at last ? I 

 think the judges generally know their business, and, so far 

 as my judgment goes, right loyally do they do it. I never 

 shall allow such parties to run their stock off on me or my 

 friends so long as I can prevent it. These continual insults 

 to the judges are a disgrace to the men who make them. 



As forjudging the sex of eggs, I have experimented a num- 

 ber of years, and picking out eggs with pointed ends or air 

 chamber in any particular position has always failed to give 

 satisfaction. My rule is this : cockerels for cock chicks, cocks 

 three years and upwards for pullets, which gives about as 

 good results as any. Some pretend to say chicks are weakly 

 from old cocks : it is all nonsense. I have chicks this sea- 

 son from a Black Spanish cock six years old that are as good 

 and strong as any in the country. John Rtjmbold. 



Fowling Creek, April, 1874. 



(For Fanciers' Journal.) 



COLOR OF BRAHMA EGGS. 



Editor Fanciers' Journal. 



In reference to the remarks and inquiries of F. T. K. 

 relative to the various colors of Brahma eggs, I believe that 

 the egg of the Light Brahma, when purely bred, should be 

 of a dark brown color or shade, and that those of other 

 colors have a mixture of foreign blood, which has never 

 been bred out, although the fowls may have counted and 

 won a majority of " points " at exhibitions. Exhibiting 

 fowls to show their purity amounts to nothing. I have bred 

 White Leghorns for the past four years, and changed the cock 

 every fall. I have one pullet with blue legs and one with 

 yellow breast — quite buff. I never saw sports from them 

 before. Their great-great-grandmother has no doubt been 

 foully dealt with at some time, but her chicks never showed 

 it until now. There is no cock about my place excepting the 

 White Leghorn, and has not been for four years. There is 

 nothing that will carry its kind and still retain the traces 

 of another without showing it longer than a hen ; but by 



constant crossing with a non-related cock of her own kind, 

 as pure as can be had, it will eventually bring them pure, 

 but it takes many generations. By breeding this way 

 the foreign blood is removed, and it shows it in the 

 chicks by the appearance of "sports." I found the mother 

 of the imperfect chicks, and off came her head, as well 

 as those of the progeny. I also previously discovered this 

 by closely examining the eggs, a portion of which were of a 

 slightly pinkish white, while the others are a milk white. 

 Unless good cocks are selected, as pure as can be found — 

 and it takes many breedings or generations to make them 

 so — there is no use in exhibiting them and saying they are 

 pure, as we are not sure, although they are bred to feather 

 and have other indications. So long as they are bred 

 together they will breed alike ; but change the cock, which 

 will show you the bad blood, if there is any. It may be 

 the fault of the hen, or both, but generally the former. 



W. J. Pyle. 



(For Fanciers' Journal.) 



CONNECTICUT POULTRY NOTES. 



The State Poultry Society has elected officers for the 

 ensuing year as follows : President, H. T. Sperry, Hart- 

 ford, Vice-Presidents, G. W. Bradley, Hamden ; C. H. 

 Crosby, Danbury. Recording Secretary, Dr. George L. 

 Parmele, Hartford. Corresponding Secretary, J. S. Gil- 

 man, Hartford. Attorney, Ex-Mayor Robinson, Hartford. 

 Twenty Vice-Presidents are to be added at the next quar- 

 terly meeting. The next annual exhibition will be held in 

 Hartford, December 15th to 18th. It is expected that the 

 premium list will amount to over $3000. The next quar- 

 terly meeting takes place in Hartford, Tuesday, May 12th. 



Several gentlemen in Hartford interested in poultry fan- 

 cying and the breeding of poultry and pet stock have organ- 

 ized a society under the name of the " Hartford Fanciers' 

 Club," and in connection with the State Poultry Society 

 have opened a room in one of the public buildings as gen- 

 eral headquarters for both associations. The room is very 

 handsomely furnished ; its walls are decorated with paint- 

 ings, engravings, and chromos of poultry and pet stock; 

 and its tables are supplied with all the foreign and domestic 

 publications relating to poultry and pet stock, as well as 

 the leading agricultural journals. A library containing, 

 every known work upon poultry and pet stock will soon be 

 added to the other attractions ; so that the room will furnish 

 more information relating to these subjects than can be 

 found in any other one place in the United States. Wed- 

 nesday evening is known as "Discussion night," and that 

 evening in each week is devoted to the discussion of some 

 particular breed. The meetings are largely attended, and 

 the discussions are exceedingly lively and interesting. This 

 feature is doing much to strengthen the society. The farmers 

 of the neighborhood attend the discussions, and are learning 

 that the State Society is intended as much for the breeder of 

 poultry for the market as for the fancier who breeds only 

 for exhibition prizes. 



The Connecticut fanciers are importing very largely this 

 spring. Mr. Amos Whiting, of Hartford, has just received 

 some very fine Bronze Turkeys and Sebright Bantams from 

 England ; Mr. P. W. Hudson, of South Manchester, six 

 trios of Games from Ireland and England ; Mr. C. A. Pit- 

 kin, of East Hartford, several trios of Leghorns from Italy ; 

 Mr. C. H. Crosby, of Danbury, seven trios of Game Ban- 

 tams from Ireland and England ; Mr. H. T. Sperry, of 

 Hartford, a flock of White-crested Polish from Holland ; 

 and Mr. A. W. Warner, of Hartford, a flock of Muffled 

 Silver Spangled Polish from England. 



A strenuous effort will be made in Hartford to secure the 

 first exhibition of the National Society in that city. It is 

 stated that Baltimore offers to raise $3000 for premiums ; and 

 it is thought that Hartford will go $2000 better, and so get 

 the exhibition. 



Fanciers and breeders will do well to send their cards and 

 circulars to Dr. George L. Parmele, Recording Secretary of 

 the Connecticut State Society, who will see that they are 

 filed in the society's club-room. 



