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Bantams and Bantam Fanciers. 



By W. C. Stoeckel. 



During the last few years I have read quite a few poultry 

 magazines and could count on my fingers the number of bantam 

 articles that have been published. In these articles it is' usually 

 the same cry: "More about Bantams." There are certainly some 

 good bantams in the country ; some of them are shown at the 

 large shows, but I fear most of them are in hiding-^or discarded ; 

 the term applies either way. Why is it that bantams are thus 

 ignored? Why should they be hidden from the world? Why 

 shotild they be forgotten? Truly, the bantams are beautiful 

 creatures and worthy all the publicity that can be given them. 



I will admit that there are a number of good bantam fanciers 

 scattered throughout the country ; some of these fanciers e^thibit, 

 but the majority of them say, "It is too much trouble; we do 

 not have enough time to condition our birds and get them ready 

 for the shows." If this is true, then what is the use of breeding 

 bantams at all — why not let the breed become extinct? If the 

 fancier is tired of his bantams — if his love has grown cold, then 

 it would be an easy matter to pass them along to some other 

 fancier who would care for them — who would help boom them 

 and make them as popular as they were some years ago. 



If you are a bantam breeder and happen to be defeated in 

 the show-room, don't let that discourage you — say nothing about 

 it, but endeavor to produce something that will win next year. 

 You can do it if you will but try. Then you will becorhe a true 

 fancier and your competitors will appreciate it too. Nearly every 

 man has a little spare time I am sure ; what is a better use for 

 that spare time than to devote it to these pretty, miniature pets? 



If you have had the interesting experience of successfully 

 breeding and improving your stock — write about it; tell what you 

 have done — how you have done it, etc. This will help to atouse 

 an increased interest in Bantams everywhere. Merely some one 

 to assume the initiative is all that is necessary ; the publishers 

 ^ould be glad to give space to articles of this description. 



