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sowing of grass seed. In this way the birds are kept clean and 

 at the same time get plenty of good green grass. Of course we 

 provide a place for dusting, which is essential. 



We hatch all our bantams by the good old mother hen, a 

 bantam preferably, for they are less clumsy and make excellent 

 mothers, particularly the Cochin bantams. 



The bantam is certainly coming to the fore as one of the 

 leading breeds of poultry, and here in Lancaster County we are 

 doing all in our power to bring the bantam to the front, where it 

 belongs. All we need now is a good paper like the Poultry Item 

 to help us along and we trust the day is not far distant when a 

 more prominent place shall be given to the bantam in the poultry 

 world: 



DR. C. H. WITMER. 



Rose Comb Black. Male. 



Bantams — Black and White Rosecombs. 



My experience with bantams varies very little from that 

 with larger fowl. Like most other fanciers I have been a lover 

 of poultry from boyhood and among my first possessions was a 

 bantam hen and a fcrood of chicks (large fowls) given me by my 

 mother when wife and I began housekeeping, now almost eigh- 

 teen years ago. I have had a few Buff Cochin, quite a number 

 of Partridge Cochin, but Rose Combs, both black and white, has 

 been my delight. I first began breeding Black Rose Combs 



