December 20, 1864. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



501 



duee, usually barren, between two different genera, as be- 

 tween the horse and the ass. A cross-bred is between two 

 species or varieties of the same genus, as between a cart- 

 horse and a racehorse. Hybrids, when they are not barren, 

 visually breed back to one of the forms of the original 

 parents, as when a hybrid is produced between a Linnet and 

 a Canary ; but a variety, when not a mere accident, will con- 

 tinue to propagate itself truly. Thus all the Cochin-Chinas 

 breed true, though differing merely in colour. 



We accept the sentence as our own, that "If a bird is 

 like another in its form and plumage, they are of the same 

 species ;" and we would willingly abide by the decision which 

 any ornithologist would arrive at, who knowing nothing of 

 the dispute, had a Brahma Pootra cock and hen shown to him 

 by the side of a Cochin-China cock and hen of the same age. 

 There may be slight differences in the slope of the back ; 

 there may be more meat on the breast (fully accounted for by 

 the Chittagong cross) ; there may be other slight variations, 

 but these cannot shake any man's judgement who sees the 

 birds side by side, the characteristics of the breed, in form 

 and in plumage, are borne by both. 



We see no force in the observation, that the origin of other 

 breeds of fowls is not known, unless it be to strengthen 

 the conclusion as to the Brahmas being a variety, for their 

 origin is known. Nor do we see that the Black Bantam 

 resembling in some respects another black breed, proves 

 more than that the latter may have ministered to procure the 

 colour of the other, just as the Game cock has ministered 

 to produce the Game Bantam ; similarly the Chittagong 

 ministered to produce the Brahma variety of the Cochin- 

 China.] 



COCHIN CHINAS AT BIRMINGHAM SHOW. 



The report of the Birmingham Show shows a falling-off 

 of .£100 in poultry sales compared with last year. This is, 

 no doubt, to be attributed in a great measure to the holders 

 of birds being unwilling to dispose of their best specimens. 

 Capt. Heaton refused .£25 per pen for his two first-prize pens 

 of Buff Cochins, and the gentleman who offered this would 

 doubtless have given a higher price, but Capt. Heaton de- 

 clined to sell ; .£15 15s., was also refused for another pair of 

 Buff hens ; .£10 10s„ for a pair of Buff pullets ; and £15 15s., 

 for a Buff cockerel, and I have no doubt that many other 

 large sums were refused in other classes. These came under 

 my own notice. — C. P. E. 



POULTRY-KEEPING FROM A COMMERCIAL 

 POINT OF VIEW. 



I purpose including in, this essay directions for natural 

 and artificial hatching, as well as rearing and fattening 

 chickens, also furnishing plans, elevations, sections, and 

 details of the buildings and apparatus required. In so 

 doing I shall endeavour to avoid all technical expressions, 

 and I shall not touch upon topics which have no immediate 

 concern with poultry breeding from a commercial point of 

 view ; but I shall confine myself exclusively to giving pub- 

 licity to such facts as I have proved by actual experience. 



I must, however, caution my readers not to be startled by 

 the novel plan of hatching, rearing, and fattening poultry 

 which I advocate, and of which they cannot find corrobora- 

 tion in any book ; and I advise them, before criticising the 

 principles herein put forth, to well weigh all that is stated, 

 and I am confident that every one will admit that they are 

 based upon sound sanitary and scientific laws. 



THE NECESSARY APPLIANCES FOB SUCCESSFUL POULTRY 

 BREEDING. 



An impression universally prevails^ that poultry cannot 

 possibly be bred with profit except on'farms, and then only 

 when bred in large numbers. This is a mistaken idea, as 

 a few head of poultry will yield proportionately as much 

 profit as any larger number. For instance: whereas, in 

 large establishments heavy expenses are incurred for build- 

 ings, rent, machinery, and labour, these charges do not 

 occur with the amateur breeder, who attends to his poultry 

 personally. It is true that large establishments can buy 

 their grain cheaper, and grow their own vegetables; but 

 this, again, is compensated with the amateur, by his obtain- 



ing a better price for his eggs or poultry, even if used for his 

 own consumption, than the large breeder, who is obliged to 

 sell his produce through a salesman at wholesale prices. 



However, to obtain such satisfactory results it is absolutely 

 necessary to observe certain sanitary laws in the construction 

 of the poultry home, and see that the dietary scale is in con- 

 formity with the confined state, and, in fact, providing the 

 poultry with an equivalent of such food as they could pick 

 up when in a free state. 



The poultry home I suggest is applicable alike to amateurs 

 and large breeders, and is intended for the accommodation 

 of one cock and six hens for breeding, or twelve hens for 

 laying, and twenty-four half-grown chickens ; and as the 

 same principle must be carried out whether in small or 

 large establishments, it follows that where it requires only 

 one home for seven, twelve, or twenty-four birds, it will 

 require 100 homes for 700, 1200, or 2400 birds, and so on, 

 in proportion to the magnitude of the breeding establish- 

 ment. This plan has, moreover, the advantages of keeping 

 the races and sexes separate, of affording the means of easy 

 inspection, and of extending and multiplying the homes 

 gradually with the growth of the establishment, besides 

 facilitating the labour in feeding and hatching and the 

 sanitary requirements. 



Another erroneous idea entertained is that poultry will 

 never thrive well in a confined state ; whilst, in fact, they 

 will thrive much better, and be much more productive, than 

 when left roaming about, in all weathers, in search of food, 

 provided the directions given hereafter be implicitly followed. 

 However, it is so far true, that poultry confined in a damp 

 place, ill-ventilated, and not afforded a diet adapted to their 

 confined state, can never thrive. But whose fault is this ? 

 Why it might as well be said that a person cannot thrive 

 during solitary confinement, when it is well known that 

 prisoners with a regular diet, comfortable cells, and appro- 

 priate labour, soon become very sleek and healthful in 

 appearance, and that in proportion there is less disease and 

 fewer deaths in prisons than among the free population, 

 who are compelled to seek a precarious living in all kinds of 

 weather, and whose home is a wretched hovel, deficient in 

 all sanitary requirements. Moreover, farmers have now for 

 a number of years carried on successfully, in confined spaces, 

 the rearing and fattening of cattle, which are called stall- 

 fed cattle, and which system, although nominally more 

 expensive, is yet far more profitable than the ordinary 

 method ; and why should the same system not be extended 

 to poultry ? 



In general the management of poultry is considered of 

 too little importance, and is left pretty well to chance. It 

 is true that of late years poultry exhibitions have created 

 a taste for poultry breeding ; but this is confined solely to 

 amateurs, and what may be called fancy poultry breeding. 

 Yet, amongst all domestic animals, the fowl is, in proportion 

 to its cost or keep, the most profitable and useful ; and here- 

 after I will prove, by figures obtained by actual experiencej 

 that poultry can be reared and sold at the rate of 4d per 

 pound, leaving a handsome profit to the producer. Now, 

 such results, particularly when butchers' meat is lOtl. and Is. 

 per pound, and, moreover, daily rising in price, in conse- 

 quence of the increase of the population, and the decrease 

 of pasturage, ought to prove a sufficient stimulant to the 

 public at large to give a little more attention and considera- 

 tion to an increased production of such valuable animal 

 food, which, by proper management, could, within a very 

 few years, become as much the food of the poor as it now 

 forms a delicacy for the table of the rich. 



However, to obtain such favourable results, it is absolutely 

 necessary to carry out the instructions given hereafter as 

 regards the construction of the poultry home, the sanitary 

 arrangements, and the dietary scale. 



A POULTRY HOME 



Ought to consist of four separate compartments, exclusive 

 of the glass-covered passage, which runs the whole length 

 of the building, to facilitate the service at all times and 

 in all weather. 



1st. A roosting and laying compartment, or bed-room. 



2nd. A glass-covered run, or living-room, in which they 

 can be confined in wet weather. 



3rd. A hatching-room, or state bed-room. 



4th. An open run, or park. 



