THE ASIATICS. 



69 



proper mating. I always prefer cockerels with hens and 

 early pullets, as I make a specialty of raising winter-laying 

 Partridge Cochins hatched from eggs laid in the winter. 

 Cocks are all right for summer breeding, but the most active 

 cockerels are required for cold winter breeding. In breed- 

 ing for show birds, I always advocate mating as near stand- 

 ard as possible on both sides, using a male as high as possi- 

 ble in cushion with as short a tail as possible and broad 

 across -back. 



In breeding good Cochins, it is difficult to get good 

 shape in males and good penciling in females. In color, 

 white is the hardest to keep out. My idea is if you use a 

 special mating, that is, a cockerel with penciled feathers, 

 you soon will have a white strain of Cochins in males. On 

 the other hand, in mating for cockerels, you soon would 

 have a strain of females without any penciling. I much pre- 

 fer cherry red in males and females with a rich golden 

 edging to hackle, rather than lemon edging. The new stand- 

 ard calls for the same hackle in females as in males. 1 

 think this is a printer's error. 



In judging I have seen the most noted judges make 

 bungling work, aljowing a little under sized pullet, for in- 

 stance, to take first because she was of good color, leaving 

 out shape and size altogether. 



If I were judging Cochins, I would look over the entire 

 lot and select the one with good size, good shape and best 

 color possible, with the other qualities, and score this one 

 first and then be very careful that I got none higher. I 

 believe, if this system was adopted in judging, a better and 

 evener type of Cochins could be established. Then a long- 

 legged, out-of-shape and under-sized bird could not win over 

 other birds far more valuable as breeders. 



In the accompanying photo of a bird I bred is shown 

 the cockerel winning third prize at Kansas City, twenty- 

 seven competing. He is a trifle long on legs, but fine shape 

 of body. His present position is a little more erect than 

 usual, owing to his standing near a coop containing another 

 cockerel. His comb is a trifle larger than I like, otherwise 

 he is a fine specimen. 



0. B. SKINNER. 



MATING PARTRIDGE COCHINS. 



Characteristics Specially Valuable in Male and Female— Inbreeding Necessary to Fix These Char- 

 acteristics— Improvement in Recent Years— Double Mating Advocated. 



By A. W. Bell. 



THE main difficulty in breeding Partridge Cochins is 

 to obtain the desired penciling in the females, with 

 proper mahogany ground color, which is so earnest- 

 ly sought for by all breeders, but as yet has been 

 the reward of the few. In the male the most important, 

 outside of shape and looseness' of feathering is to secure a 

 well-striped hackle and saddle, free from what is called 

 mossiness in the edge of the feathers, and the quill of 

 feather being light, the latter being the result of use of 

 English blood to a greater or lesser degree. 



I know of no special mating that will in one season pro- 

 duce birds with a standard hackle and saddle, except that 

 by breeding from males strong in under-color will assist, 

 and all one can do is to mate such birds with the best pro- 

 curable characteristics in these sections following a good 

 deal in-breeding until you have this point thoroughly fixed 

 in your strain, then attempt another section of the bird, 

 unless you are fortunate enough to possess one good in all 

 points, though of course it is much more expedient to accom- 

 plish the perfection of two or more sections at the same time 

 if possible. 



When we turn to the female though is where the per- 

 sistence and resources of the breeder are taxed to their 

 utmost. To produce every feather on the body as distinctly 

 penciled as if it had been done by an artist, in fact, often 

 say that an artist could not do such work, is an undertak- 

 ing that not every one is capable of accomplishing. , 



A few years ago most judges would pass a hen with 

 peppered fluff sound or cut one-half, whilst now she would 

 lose two points because in this section alone has there been 



such wonderful improvement. I saw last winter a female 

 where one could almost truthfully say every feather on her 

 body was perfectly penciled, and to a Partridge breeder she 

 was Worth a considerable sum. 



Your male should be from what they call a pullet breed- 

 ing strain (would that though the single mating was all 

 that was required to produce any variety), 1. e., a bird whose 

 breast, body and fluff are penciled, with black, and not a 

 solid black as for cockerels. Added to this with a light 

 under-color, and do not object to a little white or grey in 

 wings, as you will easily notice the improvement in your 

 females. 



To a male of this type should be mated a female as dis- 

 tinctly penciled in all parts, as you have, of a mahogany 

 red shade, her under-color being light 



To one who has bred Partridge Cochins, no more beau- 

 tiful bird exists, and no doubt after they become perfected 

 more in color, especially among females, they will be bred 

 considerably in excess of the present time. There is no 

 doubt this deters many from taking up those beautiful birds, 

 the same as with Dark Brahmas. 



I have said nothing as to shape and size, as rules for 

 other colors will answer the Partridge, only the majority 

 of strains are a little too much inclined to a great length 

 of leg in both sexes. This can be remedied a good deal by 

 breeding later in the season, as a majority of birds so bred 

 are shorter legged than those hatched earlier; possibly also 

 they are being inbred more than they should be, which ex- 

 plains their smallness and tightness of feather in compari- 

 son with the Buffs. A. W. BELL. 



