History and Progress of Campines in America 



The Exhibit of Bol^iau Gampines nt New York in 1894 — The Breed Dropped From the Standard of Perfection 



— The First Importation of the English Type Was in 1907 — These Birds Were Then Exhibited as 



'"Improved Campines" — The Merits of This JNeMf Type — These Utility Features Must 



be Preserved and Developed Since the Popularity of the Breed is 



Based on Its Real Worth as Well as Its Beauty 



Br M. B. Jaoobna, Bidtelield., N. J. 



j^wN THIS article treating on the Campines since 

 J_ they came to America, I will not attempt to get 

 into ancient history of the breed abroad, but will 

 confine myself to the breed as sent us and its growth 

 and progress since it has been imported into America 

 from both Belgium and England. 



I will take my readers back a few years to 1893, 

 when the breed was first imported from Belgium, its 

 native home, into America and exhibited the followmg 

 year, 1894, at Madison Square Garden, New York, at 

 which show there were on exhibition two pens of the 

 Belgian type birds; one being a pen of Silvers and the 

 other a pen of Goldens. These birds as exhibited at 

 that time were practically the same as the present-day 

 Belgian type Campines. 



On account of being what could be called a curios- 

 ity at that time, these two pens of birds attracted quite 

 some attention. The exhibit, however, failed to produce 

 much true interest in the breed, although behind it 

 were some of the best fanciers of our country. 



At that time I was breeding among other breeds, 

 Golden and Silver Penciled' Hamburgs, and I recall very 

 clearly as I looked upon the exhibit of Belgian Cam- 

 pines that the appearance of these birds made such a 

 poor impression upon me that I then remarked, "1 

 would never breed those things." Little did I then 

 dream that the appearance of the breed would be so im- 

 proved as to permit me to become as deeply interested 

 in it as I am at the present day. 



The fanciers that were back of the Belgian type ai 

 the time they were originally exhibited at Madison 

 Square Garden, New York, made efforts to popularize 

 the breed. Through their efforts a Standard for both 

 the Golden and Silver varieties was accepted by the 

 American Poultry Association and admitted to the 

 American Standard of Perfection. The Standard as 

 then adopted called for what is practically the Belgian 

 type of today. 



On account of the appearance of the birds and the 

 fact that to breed to such a Standard required a dou- 

 ble mating, this Belgian type did not appeal to the pub- 

 lic or the fanciers in particular, and as the birds appar- 

 ently did not give sufficient results to induce the breed- 

 ers to continue to handle them for their utility, the lit- 

 tle interest that was aroused in this Belgian type soon 

 died away, and the breed was finally dropped from tne 

 Standard of Perfection. 



Introduction of the English Type 



This was such a blow to the Belgian Campines that 

 the Campines remained a dead issue in America until 

 the English produced in the Silver variety, what is 

 known as the English type, the males of the English 

 type being marked, as is now well known, the same as 

 the females and not having a white back and saddle, as 

 in the Belgian type. 



In the latter part of 1906 I sent an order to Eng- 

 land for my first importation of Campines. At that 

 time I did not put any faith in the Campines as a breed 

 in themselves, on account of the poor showing made by 

 the Belgian birds as imported years previously. 



I imported these first Campines to use in a cross 

 as an aid in producing a new breed I was then work- 

 ing on. 



This shipment of Campines left England January 

 1st, 1907. When these birds arrived, I was surprised to 

 find that they were of such a type as could be bred from 

 a single mating and that by careful breeding, they could 

 be much improved in their handsome markings. 



As I had been a fancier of the Penciled Hamburgs 

 for years, the markings of these English type Campines, 

 which were similar in many ways to the markings of 

 the Penciled Hamburg females, appealed to me. 



In addition to this, the original hen which was sent 

 me laid an exceptionally large, pure white egg. This 

 large white egg I will admit here, as I have often done 

 before, did more in attracting me to the Campines than 

 their handsome markings. 



When I discovered what improvements had been 

 made in Campines by the English after the Belgian type 

 had been discarded by American breeders shortly after 

 they had been exhibited in 1894, I was so impressea 

 with this new Campine that I decided to give them a 

 trial; however, I did not exhibit them until I had tested 

 them and proved to my own satisfaction that they were 

 a worthy breed, that should be widely introduced into 

 America. 



When I first exhibited and advertised this new type 

 of Campines (English type), I called them the "Im- 

 proved Campine." This I did for the reason that they 

 were so much improved over the Belgian birds exhib- 

 ited in 1894. 



As other breeders took up this new type of Cam- 

 pmes and realized the advancement made, many of 

 them were quick to adopt the name "Improved Cam- 

 pines," which was soon established, and by it the new 

 type is now known in America. 



My original importation of Campines being so 

 promising, I at once sent back to England for more 

 Campines and shortly afterwards imported some Bel- 

 gian birds for comparison. While the original English 

 birds were far superior to the Belgian birds, there were 

 some changes necessary to be made in the English type 

 to improve their beauty as well as change to be made 

 so that they would give the very best results in this 

 country. 



To secure the best results in fertility and stamina 

 in the offspiing from these imported birds as breeders, 

 it was of course necessary to thoroughly acclimate the 

 stock. This was easily accomplished, however, in most 

 cases in two generations. 



