52 



THE CAMPINES 



Improvement of the Type in American Yards 



Tile original Englisii birds as imported, wliile very 

 much improved in markings over tlie Belgian birds, 

 lacked the distinct and well defined markings of our 

 Campines of today. The head points in particular were 

 also very poor, mostly all having poor combs, which 

 were large and beefy. In the males the tails were short, 

 practically devoid of markings, and carried very high, 

 in many cases squirrel. 



' Since the original importations of the improved 

 type, great strides have been made in the color and 

 markings by both American and English breeders. Also 

 many birds are now exhibited with tails much longer 

 and carried at a low angle, as well as being handsomely 

 marked. 



The head is another section that has been much im- 

 proved, as we now find some birds with combs that 

 would be an honor to any breed. 



The original birds varied considerably in shape or 

 type; most of them being either too short in body or if 

 they had ample length, the body was too broad, resem- 

 bling or approaching the heavy Belgian Braekel. Hav-. 

 ing bred the Golden and Silver Penciled H'amburgs for 

 over twenty years, I knew the necessity of keeping away 

 from the short bodied bird, even if such is full of activ- 

 ity, when birds of stamina are desired, and it 

 did not take me long to discover that the birds with 

 great width of body, even if they had the length, were 

 not active enough to be of any practical use in compe- 

 tition with the egg producing breeds of America. 



Because of desiring to produce only birds of stam- 

 ina, that were full of activity, I began to breed for a 

 long narrow bodied bird, as I found birds of this type 

 were the ones that retain their activity and stand the 

 condition of our climate best. 



The activity of such birds means egg production; 

 and their shape, large eggs, such as have been exhibited 

 at Boston, where they won in competition. I have 

 often noticed birds of this type out over the fields bus- 

 ily engaged in search of food during unpleasant weather, 

 while the broad bodied birds of the Braekel type would 

 be in their coop or huddled back of some wind break. 

 Formation of a Campine Club 



Knowing these conditions and personally being un- 

 able to advise the breeders as widely as should be done, 

 I saw the necessity and therefore advised the formation 

 of an American Campine Club, so breeders could decide 

 and champion the type of birds best fitted for conditions 

 in America. Before the formation of the American Cam- 

 pine Club, which was organized in 1911, there were 

 many types of Campines being imported into America 

 for which American breeders were sending good money 

 abroad and in many instances receiving birds that 

 were of little use for show, or utility purposes. 



Before the formation of the American Campine 

 Club the name "CAMPINES" was not even thoroughly 

 established in America. Some breeders called the 

 Campines "BRAEKEL;"' others desired to have them 

 called "BRAEKEL-CAMPINES," and some were ad- 

 vertising Campines and selling instead genuine Belgian 

 Braekel. 



Many Belgian Braekels were being imported by 

 Americans, who believed they were all that could be 

 desired in the Campine line. If this had continued, it 

 would likely have been the means of discouraging the 

 breeding of Campines, as was the case when the Bel- 

 gian type was tried and discarded years previous. 



Since the American Campine Club was organized, 

 American breeders have been better posted as to what 

 is required and especially since the club has adopted a 

 standard, .Americans, if they send abroad for stock, 

 send a description of such birds as they wish to secure. 



Golden Campines 



Shortly after importing my first English type Sil- 

 ver Campines, I imported from England my first Golden 

 Campines. At that time the English had hardly com- 

 menced the improvement of the Golden Campines, so 

 my first importation from England was in reality the 

 same as the Goldens of Belgium, the males having the 

 red backs and saddles of the Belgian type. 



The original Golden Campines imported did not 

 have as good egg qualities as the Silvers. For this rea- 

 son I did not at that time offer the Goldens to the 

 American public. These qualities were so inferior to 

 those of the Silvers that it has taken several years to 

 produce a strain that fully equals the Silvers in white- 

 ness and size of their eggs. In this strain I have also 

 produced the so-called hen-feathered Golden male. 



At the present writing, June, 1914, there is a pen of 

 these Golden Campines entered in the Missouri Egg 

 Laying Contest. One hen in this pen has laid 126 eggs 

 in six months, which six months included the three win- 

 ter months. I mention this to show what will likely be 

 accomplished in the egg line by a little careful breeding 

 of American bfeeders. The eggs laid by this pen of 

 Golden Campines, during the first five months of this 

 contest averaged in weight, 26.136 ounces per dozen. In 

 addition, this strain has the fine white egg qualities of 

 the Silvers. 



Egg Production of Highest Importance 



The fact that Campine eggs have won first prize 

 at Boston for five shows in succession, competition open 

 to eggs of all breeds, has caused American breeders to 

 consider the egg qualities of the Campines. 



For the Campines to continue to gain favor in 

 America, it is important that the breeders do not over- 

 look their good egg qualities and that they breed only 

 birds of such a type as give the best results in stamina, 

 activity and egg production. 



If the Campine breeders do not overlook the above 

 qualities in their endeavors to retain and improve the 

 handsome markings of their birds, the Campine breed 

 will continue to grow in popularity in this country as 

 it has done for the past few years. 



I have devoted much space to the egg qualities of 

 the Campines for the reason that I feel that it is because 

 of the good egg qualities of the breed that the Campines 

 hold the high place they do with American breeders. 



While American breeders demand egg qualities they 

 also have an eye for beauty and the handsomer we make 

 our Campines, as long as they contain the egg qual- 

 ities, the larger will become the demand for them. 



Not only have the Silvers been improved in their 

 color and markings, but the Goldens have also been im- 

 proved in this respect, as well as their egg qualities. 

 The males of the original Goldens imported into this 

 country were what are now known as the Belgian type. 

 Since that time, as explained above, the Golden Cam- 

 pines have been improved until we now have the so- 

 called hen-feathered Golden Campine male, as well as 

 the hen-feathered Silver male. 



