THE HEN FEVEE. ^ 118 



across the water showed that this was only a heginning, 

 even. In the mnter of 1852 the Cottage Gardener 

 stated that " within the last few weeks a gentleman near 

 London sold a pair of Cochin-China fowls for 80 guineas 

 ($150), and another pair for 32 guineas ($160). He has 

 been offered .£20 for a single hen ; has sold numerous 

 eggs at 1 guinea ($5) each, and has been paid down for 

 chickens just hatched 12 guineas ($60) the half-dozen, to 

 be delivered at a month old. One amateur alone had paid 

 upwards of =£100 for stock birds." 



To this paragraph in the Gardener the Bury and 

 Norwich Post added the following: "In our own neigh- 

 borhood, during the past week, we happen to know that a 

 cock and two hens (Cochin-Chinas) have been sold for 82 

 guineas, or $160. The fact is, choice birds, well bred, of 

 good size and handsome plumage, are now bringing very 

 high prices, everywhere ; and the demand (in our own 

 experience) has never been so great as at the present 

 time." 



In this way the fever raved and raged for a long year 

 or more. Shows were being held all over this country, as 

 well as in execj principal city and town in England. 

 Everybody bought fowls, and everybody had to pay for 

 them, too, in 1852 and 1858 ! 



In a notice of one of the English shows in that year 

 (1853), a paper saya : "There is a pen of three geese 

 10* 



