THE ASIATICS. 



33 



LIGHT BRAHMA TAILS. 



The Advent of Laced Coverts on Females and a Prophecy 

 That They Will Yet Be Required on Males, 



By George Pukdue. 



CONVERSATION with Mr. Sewell at the late New 

 York show, during which we discussed the progress 

 that had been made in Light Brahmas, brought to 

 both our minds the pullet "Progress" that was ex- 

 hibited art; the first show held by the "New York Poultry 

 and Pigeon Association" in the American Institute Building 

 of Ntfw York City fifteen years ago. At that time Mr. 

 Sewell made me the accompanying cut and it was published 

 the same year in the Poultry Monthly of Albany. 



This was the first pullet ever shown with tail coverts 

 laced. For a number of years I had been trying to bring it 

 out in a creditable and well devised manner. In those days 

 the east was still tolerating tire score cardi and you can im- 

 agine how I felt when I found the judge had cut her three 

 on the tail. He had run against something so foreign to 

 the ordinary tail of the day that he made as heavy an im- 

 pression as was possible. At the present time a female that 

 has not a laced tail is not a show bird and' there is not any 

 question in any breeder's mind but that it has done more to 

 beautify the breed than any other one development. 



Did you ever stop to think that it is within the limits of 

 nature to have every covert and saddle feather in a Light 

 Brahma male laced and that it would add to the beauty just 

 as much as the coverts have to the female. I know many of 

 the wise judges will shake their heads and turn thorn down 

 just the same as they did the pullet "Progress" fifteen years 

 ago; but it will come just the same, and when it does it will 

 be one more stride toward beautifying the breed. 



of this character, nor do I advise young breeders to go in too 

 strong, but keep "Progress" in mind; increase your color; 

 educate your judges; show them what quality to. At the 

 time "Progress" was shown the standard requirement was a 



Illustration by Sewell of JLaced Tail Coverts on a Light Brahma 

 Cockerel exhibited at the recent New York Show 

 by George Purdue, 



clean back. As the color of the breed increased disqualifi- 

 cation for black was modified to "prevalent" in the back. I 

 do trust that the next step will be to wipe out every dis- 

 qualification except for fraud. The American Standard has 

 done more to retard the progress of the Light Brahma than 

 it has ever done good and has kept the Light Brahma twen- 

 ty years behind what it should be. My standard consists of 

 that which is most beautiful to the eye and without it we 

 cannot make progress. Shape and color well de- 

 fined is quality. GEORGE PURDUE. 



Light Brahmas as Market Fowls. 



taced Coverts of Iyight Brahma Pullet exhibited at the First New York 

 sketched by Mr. Sewell fifteen years ago in illustration of '-the first 

 ever shown" with covert lacing; Bred, owned and exhibited 

 k George Purdue, Proprietor, Norwood Farm. 



We exhibited in the New York show last winter three 

 cockerels, from one of which Mr. Sewell made the illustra- 

 tion which appears in connection herewith. 



This article is not written to encourage the sale of birds 



Of those who first took up the raising of mar- 

 ket poultry and made it a special and profitable 

 feature of their business, a considerable propor- 

 tion pinned their faith to the Light Brahma. Those 

 in particular who catered to the demand for roast- 

 ing chickens, which combine large size and soft, 

 tender flesh, found this variety well suited to their 

 use. Their experience indicated that the smaller 

 breeds, approaching maturity earlier, could not be 

 brought to the size and weight required to obtain 

 the highest price without acquiring enough hard- 

 ness of flesh and toughness of muscle to graduate 

 them from the quality desired. 



A good majority of the large growers of these 

 birds prefer this variety to-day and some dealers 

 will pay a higher price for the Light Brahma car- 

 cass, assuming that the name guarantees the qual- 

 ity to some degree. The wisdom of this choice 

 of variety is proved by frequent, well authenticated 

 reports of sales involving numbers of these Brahma 

 roasters at over two dollars per head. James Ran- 

 kin stated in the Reliable Poultry Journal that he raised a 

 flock of this variety to roaster size and disposed of them at a 

 price which netted him ?5 an hour for the time he bestowed 

 upon them. H. A. NOURSE. 



Show and 



pullet 



by 



