Breeders Must Look to Health and Vi^or 



Breed for Vigor as Well as Sho-H^ Points — Imported Birds Because of the Long Journey in Coops and the 



Changed Climatic Conditions, Are Not as Satisfactory as American Bred Birds— American Bred 



Birds Possess Wonderful Vitality as Shown by a Hatch of 60 Chickens From 



60 Eggs, Set Under 4 Hens — Campine Eggs in Demand by the Public 



Br Walter C- Tonnt, Pitisburth, Pa. 



AFTER visiting and showing Silver and Golden 

 Campines at several of the largest shows last 

 season, I became convinced that the Campines are 

 fast becoming popular with the American fanciers. As I 

 studied the winning specimens last season I was as- 

 tonished at the wonderful progress the breeders have at- 

 tained during the past few years. The Campines made a 

 profound impression upon the breeders and the visiting 

 public at the Club Show in Philadelphia and at Madison 

 Square Garden, December, 1913. In fact, they made 

 many friends and admirers, for they are such a sprightly, 

 stylish appearing fowl. However, after all the pop- 

 ularity this fowl has enjoyed there is an under current 

 of prejudice and criticism abroad among breeders and 

 fanciers of the feathered tribe that the Campine is too 

 delicate a fowl to last long in America. 



Now, as a breeder and fancier of the Campine, I 

 propose to point out in this article where we breeders 

 are liable to make mistakes along the line of our breed- 

 ing stock, in fact, a great many have already reaped dis- 

 satisfaction and became discouraged with the Campines. 



FIRST PRlZe CoCK&RELmD15°X5aUARE(iARDEN,DK.I9l3 1 

 bHENL&YHEl(iHT5 Poultry PARM,P1TT5BUR(J,PEMN. 



The 1st prize cockerel at the Madison Square Gar- 

 den, N. Y., Show of Dec, 1913, was a cockerel possess- 

 ing vitality that is truly remarkable — a ■ quality that 

 every Campine breeder seeks to establish in his strain. 

 His penciling is exceedingly regular and clear from end 

 to end. — F. L. Sewell. 



In the first place, the all important factors of any 

 breed are stamina and vigor, and it is just here that the 

 Campine is being criticized today. This being so, it is 

 up to us as breeders to improve upon the physical condi- 

 tion of our favorites. We all are aware of the fact that 

 a great many Campines are lacking in stamina and vigor. 

 This is true of the imported birds, no doubt due to the 

 distance of travel and the difference in climatic condi- 

 tions. I have found to my sorrow that the imported birds 

 do not possess the same vitality our American bred 

 birds do. I have imported and bought imported birds 

 and found to my sorrow that they will not produce such 

 strong, healthy, vigorous chicks as do our home bred 

 birds. I have imported show specimens and exhibited 

 and I must say they will not hold up in vitality. Let me 

 say right here to the beginner who is starting in with 

 the Campines and is contemplating importing his birds, 

 either for breeding or exhibition purposes, that he will 

 have considerable trouble and disappointment with the 

 vitality of said birds, also with the fertility of eggs for 

 hatching and the stamina and vigor of the chicks. I do 

 say that a specimen that has been imported for exhibi- 

 tion purposes should not enter into the breeding pen 

 during the year of importation. 



Now, dear breeder, if you desire to build up a strain 

 of strong, virile Campines, be very careful in the selec- 

 tion of your breeders at the start. I have met some who 

 have become discouraged and have completely given up 

 this variety and the fault was entirely with themselves 

 and not with the breed. I know there is a desire on 

 the part of us breeders to secure the very best speci- 

 mens possible and many of us have purchased the win- 

 ners at the largest shows in England and put them in 

 our best shows and after the show season is over we 

 found that our favorite birds were beginning to lack in 

 vitality and would not fertilize the eggs. How in the world 

 can we expect anything different after a bird has been 

 shown all over England, then takes a long journey here; 

 then resting possibly a week or a month, is shown at our 

 leading exhibitions? When we stop to consider the en- 

 durability of a chicken one cannot expect such birds to be 

 fit for breeding purposes. 



I do not in any way desire to cast any reflection 

 upon our good English breeders, for some of the best 

 Campines to date have been bred there, but I do say' 

 with all honesty, that if we desire to import birds to im- 

 prove our flocks, these birds should never be exhibited 

 if they are to enter the breeding pens. I am putting forth 

 this arguinent in defense of the breed here in America, 

 for if our fanciers had not improved the physical side of 

 the Campine we could never have hoped for an increased 

 demand for this beautiful and profitable fowl. 



To prove that the Campine does possess wonderful 

 vitality, equal to any other variety of fowl, let me give 

 a personal illustration : Last season I showed our Silver 

 Campine cock at six of the largest shows a week at a 



