ON A TOWN LOT. 67 



pleased with, them that I have decided to discard my Rocks and 

 breed nothing else." 



When I started to breed these fowls my wife was not an enthusi- 

 astic fancier. The beauty of these handsome birds has attracted her 

 attention, as they appeal to the refined and higher nature of all 

 members of the gentler sex. As months and years have passed, her 

 admiration has grown for our beautiful birds. She now enjoys an 

 occasional visit in the parks, and is capable of pointing out high- 

 scoring birds. She always takes much pleasure in visiting them in 

 their Winter quarters. When King Winter reigns supreme, and has 

 driven our songbirds to the Sunny South, away from the cruel, cold 

 blasts, our chickens sing merrily on in the Northern clime, regard- 

 less of how hard the cold wind blows. Their Winter home is one of 

 activity, presenting a beehive appearance, scratching in the- straw, 

 and singing away, when not busy in their nests. 



As my wife steps inside of the pens she has been amused to see 

 some of the more friendly ones perch themselves on her arms and 

 shoulders. Now, my dear reader, do these little incidents I have dis- 

 cussed at such length sound to you as if these birds were wild? 



A prominent Cleveland fancier told me a few days ago that he 

 has been experimenting with eight or ten different breeds, to ascer- 

 tain which was the best layer. After careful tests he is convinced 

 that Anconas are the greatest egg producers. 



At a county fair I was admiring a large exhibit of these birds. 

 One of the exhibitors was a farmer and was a warm friend of them. 

 I asked him how he liked them. He smiled and said, "I have kept 

 many different kinds of fowls on my farm during the past twenty-five 

 years, and haven't found anything to compare with them as egg 

 producers." 



They are meeting all the requirements of the city fancier and 

 the farmers as well. I do not have to refer to the experience of 

 others, but can speak from my own. When the price of eggs is 

 high, I find my neighbors' large flocks have gone on their vacation 

 some time back, while my faithful flocks continue to fill our egg 

 baskets very generously. Such work has been bringing the breed 

 rapidly to the front, until they have won favor with hundreds of 

 fanciers and owners of egg farms throughout the land. They are 

 fast replacing other breeds on large Eastern egg farms. 



The demand for them has-been greater than the supply. Al- 

 though I have been doubling my capacity in both stock and hatching 

 eggs, I have been unable to supply the heavy demand. Each and 

 every season since I have been breeding them I have had to return 

 a great many orders I have been unable to fill. 



