•Sept. 2, 1886.J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



Ill 



SPRATT'S BISCUIT. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Shortly after the Kew Ha^'cn show I wrSte yOu In Support 

 of your statement that th(^ dogs at New Haven wefe sconfed 

 by 'the food supplied by Spratts Patent. I think I made It 

 clear enough in that letter that I had used them in England 

 and found them all that eould be desired and my bad experi- 

 ence was confined to what had been turned out immediately 



i)rior to and duri_ng the show named. With your periiussion 

 ; will relate my exj^erience since then. At New York I 

 sliowed a St. Bernard, ?*Iarg-cry. She was due to wlielp on 

 Saturday of the Nevi' York Aveek, but showing no signs of 

 being in pup I sent her over. While there she increased so 

 rapiilly in size that 1 thought there must surely be one pup. 

 This was on Wednesday and on Thursday I had Mr. Glover 

 examine lier so that 1 might have her removed. I told him 

 that she could not have eaten very much and. was off her 

 feed, not even caring about her favorite milk and egg. He 

 said she was not in whelp and left lierat the show. Mr. 

 GrloVer's statement was correct and 1 thought no more about 

 the matter till I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. G. G. 

 Oleather, manager of Spratts Patent (Aiuerica) Limited, 

 ftliont a month later. 



Very nal urally we refeiTed to the old con-esjiOndence, and 

 Mr. cncather asked me to try the bisicuits again, giving at 

 tho same time a reason for the trouble at New Haven, My 

 experience with Margery then occurred to me, and I replied 

 that I would willingly" do so, and he sent mc 251bs. eacli of 

 two kinds of biscuits marked "A" and "B." 1 at once 

 placed four dogs on the diet, t\N'o l)eing puppies of ten weeks 

 old. Looseness of the bowels was noticeable for two days, 

 but it was not anything lilte purging. After that their pas- 

 sages became speedily inore natural, and continued so until 

 the iirst bag was iinished. On cliangingto "B," there was a 

 repetition of the experience with bag "A,'' and I am inclined 

 to think the looseness lasted a little longer, but as I was 

 away from lioTue at that time I cannot speak positively. 



I communlcited the results to Mr. Cleather and asked for 

 some more of the "A'" quality, in order to see whether the 

 change back bad any effect. The change was made without 

 any prelindnary mixing of the two qualities, and no laxa- 

 tive results were noticeable. To further test this make of 

 the biscuits, I got home one of nay collies which had been 

 recruiting on a farm after whelping, and let her feed with 

 the rest. The third day she ate heartily of the biscuits and 

 showed hardly any signs of looseness,' even after her first 

 meal or two. Next I tried tbe St. Bernard, which had also 

 been out on the farm preliminary to being bred to Mr. Hopf's 

 Otho. I had with her a little different experience from any 

 of the others. All of these preferred the biscuits soaked 

 wth a little soup and chopped meat mixed with them. Mar- 

 gery, on the contrary, would leave the soaked biscuits and 

 feed out of the .sack of drj" bi-oken ones. She came liack to 

 me on Friday last and has had nothing else but biscirits 

 since theu;^ and ber passages to-day (Monday) are perfectly 

 natural. She is a zealous feeder, and soon took to her eve- 

 ning meal of soaked biscuits with the rest, supplementing 

 that by Visits to the sack during the day whenever she feels ! 

 like it; 



I have now had nearly two months experience with the 

 biscuits and f am pert ectfy satisfied to continue, feeding them. 

 Compared with the necessary work of cooking food it is 

 a pleasure to have them about. At my request Mr. Cleather 

 kindly had tbe last lot broken by their machine, so that all 

 I have to do is fill the measure of biscuits and run water 

 on them until levcd with the surface. I use cold water and 

 let them stand an hour or two as the case may be. Then strain 

 off any water that may be left unabsorbed and pour over 

 tbem the soup wbich is made usually from the table scraps 

 mixed occasionally with a good deal of vegetables. The bi.s- 

 cuits being thoroughly cold to begin with it takes very little 

 time to cool off the feed, which accordiu.g to the instructions 

 sent me, m ust be fed cold. This J found diffiuclt to do always 

 If the TiiscUit s were soaked in hot soup and instituted the 

 cold water, soak instead^ which seems to answer every 

 purpose. . JA3IES Watson. 



THE DISAPPOINTMENTS OF DOG BREEDING. 



HOW constantly does a whole litter, by a really good sire, 

 and out of a good bitch, both having the best of pedi- 

 grees, turn out a tborough disappointment; and instead of 

 one or two members of the litter turning out, as might 

 reasonably be expected, even fair medium specimens, how 

 constantly has tbe breeder to acknowledge "the whole of the 

 litter "Were worthless"— in fact, v\'eeds and outsiders, depart- 

 ing from the type desired, and that of tbe parents. Yet the 

 breeder very possibly studied the subject of mating the dam 

 with the utmost care, and the value of the sire is not unfre- 

 quently amply proved by his begetting some superb oif- 

 spring partaking strikingly after himself, and out of very 

 mediocre dams of no vei-y fashionable blood or appearance. 



Whence the cause? and what is the best tbing to be done? 

 are qiiestions that breeders Avould often ^vish to have eluci- 

 dated, for they are frequently not only disappointed and 

 mystified by the results, but so thoroughly disgusted as well 

 that they throw up breeding in despair, regarding it as a sort 

 of lottery, which it is not their luck to be fortunate in; still, 

 when they see the continued success that attends some 

 breeders, they are forced to admit that breeding cannot 

 exactly be lottery, for some men will command successful 

 results. 



How is this brought about? The reply i,s, by good judg- 

 ment and perseverance, sticking to one's judgment as long 

 as the breeder has reason to believe that judgment is correct. 



I bave constantly seen worthless .specimens with the best 

 of pedigrees and have often been asked to go with parties to 

 inspect a well-bred dog, offered for a reasonable figure, which 

 my friend thought, from the excellence of the pedigree, 

 might suit him for stud purposes. When, however, the 

 animal has been j)rodiiced, my friend has needed little or no 

 persuasion on my part not to purchase the outsider. 



Not long ago I went by appointment to look at a young 

 dog at the kennel of one of the most noted and most success- 

 ful fox-terrier breeders. The dog was oft'ered at a moderate 

 price. When we got there we were shown a specimen nearlj^ 

 as large as a pointer and looking more like a cross between a 

 greybbund and a pointer than a fox-terrier. My friend re- 

 marked: "I fear he won't do; yet would he not perhaps throw 

 one or two good puppies like bis sire?" I replied, "That is a 

 question tbat -with our present knowledge of breeding the 

 most experienced cannot answer with any certainty." But it 

 is certain that tbe type such oirtsiders (?.. e., departures from 

 the required tyi^e) have taken after is the type or sort which 

 they will for the most part have the tenden'cy to beget. Have 

 nothing to do with breeding from sires of inferior form, 

 however good their pedigree, is my advice. Breeders may 

 see that the clever and successful breeders are anxious enough 

 to draft such wastrels out of their own kennels and that 

 should guide smaller breeders. But another fact should be 

 a very -significant warning, which is, tbat if the Stud Book is 

 looked through very few notedly good specimens will be 

 found by unknown and indifferent sires. 



But how is it that Avitb such pedigrees such worthless out- 

 siders and decided departures from the required type, come? 



Tbe answer is, that all domestic animals altered by cir- 

 cumstances and their cultivation, will throw offspring witb 

 a tendency more or less to revert to a more normal type. 

 The change jiroduced in improved breed.s by culture "and 

 selection w ill frec|uently show signs of deterioration, unless 

 tbe selection of such animals which approach nearest to the 

 required type is carefully preserved, and all male specimens 

 departing from the ideal standard are studiously avoided. 

 This explains bow it is at times that from parents of the 



highest pedigree a valueless litter maybe brought fort,h. 

 Wliatistobe done when this happens? Destroy or get rid 

 of the lot as well as the l)reeder can is the best advice, and 

 if there is rea,son to think that tlie alliance should suit, 

 mate the same parents again, however disappointing the 

 former litter, and by so doing I have frequently known a 

 Very Hue litter to be produced— in fact, some of our most 

 noted ch;un])ions hfive been the result of a second litter by 

 the sainc sii-e a) id dam. It has been remarked in breeding 

 dogs and other domestic animals, that if the sire is not 

 changed the off',spring of subsequent alliances take nu5re and 

 more after him in ajipeai'ance than those of the earlier 

 births, which would seem to sliow tlurt the sire ex- 

 ercises an increasing or stronger inftnence over the 

 progeny every alliance. This is well worthy of re- 

 membrance, and breeder .sshould not lose heart, but try 

 again if the whole litter turn out a departure from 

 the required and expected type. It should also lie bornt' 

 in mind that the merits of some of our best sii'es liavc not 

 been fully recognized until after they have pa.s.scd away, 

 sho^^ing, seemingly, that sires improve witb age, many hav- 

 ing begot their best offspring wlien they were growing old. 

 But, it may be asked, how is it we so(! our best sires so con- 

 stantly begetting their liest offspring from mediocre bitches 

 of no very i'asiiionablc pedigree? The atjswer for thi.s is the 

 higher bred (i. c, the more "closely bred) the parent, the more 

 powoi' it has to infiucnce the form of its offspring; therefore, 

 when highly-bred bitches arc mated with a good sire, they 

 exert a greater iT:fluenc(? over tho external form of their pro- 

 geny than less highly bred ones do. Hence we sec far more 

 off.sxiring taking after the sire in extcriuxl form from medi- 

 ocre dams of no very close breeding than their off.spring from 

 more biglily-bred bitches. At the same time it must l^e re- 

 membered that the offspring from indifferent dams, how- 

 ever good themselves, will not in their turn prove as valu- 

 able and prepotent .sires as those who are the offsiiring of a 

 sire and dam already related and taking after the same, the 

 requu-ed family type. At tbe .same time, it will readily be 

 seen that all departures from the desired form, however well 

 bred, .should be avoided for sire purposes, for the tendency, 

 both in tbe male and female, is to exert an iiUluence over 

 the offspring toward taking after the same stirp as the par- 

 ent has itself, at the same time more or less modified by the 

 various ancestral strains in both pai'ents.— ^per, in ilic 

 Btock-Kecper, 



MASTIFF CHARACTER. 



(Concluded from page 91). 



I AM not the only one who has discovered some striking 

 traits of moral and even sometimes physical likeness 

 between the fancier and the breed of his predilection. Study 

 the mastiff' man and the mastiff fancjr, and I leave you to 

 your own conclusions. It bas been said and written that 

 more merrd iers of the gentle sex have proportionately become 

 successful breeders of inastift^s than of any other division of 

 tbe canine race. 



I do not think that in any other fancy one finds that gen- 

 eral good fello\\'shiiD and fiaeudly intercourse wbich exists 

 between gentlemen (I do not say dealers or professional buy- 

 ers and sellers) lovers of the mastiff. Some three months 

 ago I wrote to a mastiff man and bad occasion to give ex- 

 pression to the following .sentiment: "I love the breed for 

 itself and its inherent and intrinsic qualities, but I also love 

 it for tbe many valuable and valued friends and friend,ships 

 it has procured me." His reply to me was: "I too owe the 

 breed a high degree of gratitude; for 1 also b ave gained many 

 friends through it." And what about all this? Well, it 

 illustrates tbe link of connection toward the f atthfulne.s.s 

 and gentleness of tbe class which can produce STicb i-esults. 

 I have often thought that it wotild be a mo.st interesting 

 study to gather up old catalogues, sayings and traditions, 

 old lore containing names, deeds and character of the old 

 mastiff breeders working out tbe idea of connection between 

 the fancier and the fancy! I think that it would throw a 

 very favorable light on our favorites. 



"It's all very fine to talk of gentleness, but look at the iron 

 and wirework cages they are shut up in at the shows. If 

 they were not dangerous their owners would not secure tbem 

 like that." True, but how many mastiff's did you ever find 

 tbtrs severely isolated from the crowd? I rem'ember some 

 half dozen within the long period of the last twenty years. 

 What is that small proportion compared to that of the'otber 

 large breeds? Another consideration must be kept in view, 

 that caging is not always caused by fierceness. Valuable 

 dogs are often isolated to prevent people from pulling them 

 about or feeding them, or for otber reasons well understood 

 by breeders. Then if we alwaj-s knew of causes and origins 

 in the savage ones, bow did these ferocious ones get ferocious? 

 Were they not spurred on to it by improper treatment in 

 youth ? The other day I wa s glancing through the Am erica n 

 Kennel Ecijistcr, the July number, 1885, where I came across 

 an article on the mastiff signed M. B. Wynn, where the fol- 

 lowing occurs: "Strangely enough the last mastiff he 

 owned was one I bred and gave to I. W. Thompson, at whose 

 death it was purchased by Sir George Armytage, and the 

 last time I visited Kirklees (in 1883) old John Sva.s dead and 

 tbe old dog was the only remaining link to remind me of my 

 two old friends. He was chained up under a splendid oak 

 tree, close to the hall. The housekeeper who kindly came 

 out in answer to our ring at the bell, begged me not to go 

 neai- him lest he should bite,;, but being anxious to examine 

 his mouth, and relying on the generous disposition of the 

 breed, I fearlessly went up and patted him, although he 

 could not have recollected me, being a mere puppy of some 

 two months old when be left my kennels. " Just notice the 

 oonfidence in the mastiff's character of one who ought to 

 know them, being a practical breeder of, I believe, thirty 

 years standing. 



I once bought a mastiff bitch off a dealer's bench, and 

 she proved a demon. In less than a year after that I could 

 take her out to friends' bouses, and children could play with 

 her. The secret of ber conversion was kindness. Another 

 time I was rearing a young bitch, and she .showed dangerous 

 dispositions. I watched her, and found that, in their play, 

 children involuntarily teased her. I stopped all games, 

 made the children simply go in and jjass through the yard 

 walking, warning them not to run or to be afr'atd, and pre- 

 venting all sudden or ciuick movements. Her nerves got 

 quiet, and she is perfectly gentle now. Incautious rearing 

 would haA'e made her ferocious. The mother of this puppy, 

 Winna, is my favorite at the present moment, and is so 

 faithful and intelligent that 1 refrain from saying nmcb 

 about her, for fear of people thinking that I draw the long 

 bow. 



People believe that the pure-bred mastiff which is kept 

 and fed for exhibition purposes loses all his characteristics. 

 This is a mistake. HaA'e you ever, when at the Palace shows, 

 noticed a slender-built but distinguished-looking gentleman 

 with dark-blue spectacles? He rambles about^ assisted at 

 times by an attendant, and at times he wanders perfectly by 

 himself. He goes from dog to dog, takes their skulls 

 between the palms of his bands, walks his fingers in all 

 directions over muzzle, .skull, ears and eyes, and at last 

 feels the animal all over. "This is a good one, I see," he 

 will say, or "This I perceive to be a poor one." That gen- 

 tleman 'is absolutely blind. He does not see but feels the 

 dog. He loves the mastiff, and owns, among other fair 

 specimens the well-known brindle champion mastiff bitch 

 Lilly 11. Lilly is a favorite witb him and not without good 

 reason. He almost universally takes her out with hijn when 

 be takes his walks about the grounds of his residence, and 

 she is most faithful to him. Not long ago he had to absent 

 himself from home for several days. On his return he re- 



pairs to his kennels and gives Lilly her u-sual recreation, 



vShe files away and he follows the beaten path. But he bad. 

 not walked many .steps when he runs against his dog. Lilly 

 was standing full against him aci-oss the road, preventing 

 hirn from advancing any further. He strokes her and urges 

 her on, but she does not go. He speaks abraptly, but she 

 budges not. He o7-dcrs, he commands, but all to no use; she 

 keeps barring him the waj^ Surprised at this most extra- 

 ordinary beha vior, he retraces his Steps. On the way back 

 he meets his maiuiger, who was just running after him. 

 The iny.stery is explained, and Lilly is, more ' than ever be- 

 fore, her nuistcr's beloved pet. During the master's absence, 

 some draining works had been pu-shed on, and a trench had 

 been dug across the gravel walk. It was open when the 

 blind man took his walk in that direction, and. lie bad just 

 arrived at it when Lilly. comj)rehending her master's posi- 

 tion, saved him from falling. Had not she stood as 6rm a.s 

 a rock on tlie border of that trench, our fiicTid must have 

 fallen in it and perhaps been killed. HliNKT VAN DooRXE, 



THE FOX-TERRIER SHOW. 



[Special to Forest and Stream.] 



NEWPORT, R, I., Sept. L— The first .specialty show ever 

 held in this country promises to be a grand success. 

 The dogs are admirably lienchcd, and the members of the 

 club are working with a will. A more sir i table building 

 than the one selected could not be found. It is in everyway 

 well adapted for a sniall show. Mr. John Read is Superin- 

 tendent, and Mr. Belmont is the busiest of managers. Taken 

 as a whole the show is a good one; but we are rather disap- 

 pointed with the open class for bitches, the puppy cla.sses, 

 and also with the entries in the cla.sses for wire-haired speci- 

 mens. 



Spl auger and Belgrave Primrose are entered in the class 

 for champion dogs. Neither are first-class, and the battle 

 will be fierce and long. Primrose will pro bablj^ win. In the 

 bitch class Richmond Olive shoxild win over Diana and Lyra. 

 The open dog class is a good one. Twenty entries. Bac- 

 chanal and Valet will most likely be first and second. Dia- 

 dem and INIargueritc arc in such wretched condition that 

 neither should receive notice. Mr. Morrell's Special and 

 Mr. White's Queen will come near winning. In the class for 

 veterans, Royal should win. Dawson has him in capital 

 condition. 'The weather is delightful and success is insured. 



TEXAS FIELD TRIALS. 



Editor Fivcst arid Stream: 



The Texas Field Trials club wn'll hold its inaugtu-al meet- 

 mg for members only, near Marshall, Texas, beginning on 

 Dec. 14, 1886. There will be an all-aged .stake and a stake 

 for puppies w^helped on or after the first day of January, 

 1885. The prizes will be of nominal value. In January or 

 February next we hope to be able to hold a meeting open to 

 all, and offer prizes that will bring the best dogs m the 

 country. John F. Sharp, Secretary. 



MAKSHAnn, Texas, Aug. 34, 18S6. 



JUDGES AT THE WAVERLY DOG SHOW.— Following 

 is a complete list of judges for the Waverly dog show: Mr. 

 John Davidson, Monroe, Mich., pointers, Engllsli, Irish and 

 black and tan setters. Mr. James Mortimer, Babylon, L, I., 

 St. Bernards, foxhounds, basset hounds, bulldogs. Dandie 

 Dinmont, Bedling-ton, Skye, Iri.sh and rough-haired terriers, 

 black and tan, Yorkshire, King Charleys and Blenheim 

 spaniels and toys. Mr. Chas. H. Mason, Brookljm, N. Y., 

 mastiffs, Newfoundlaml, deerhonnds, greyhounds, Great 

 Danes, collies, bull-terriers, fox-terriers, dachsbimde, pugs 

 and selUng class. Mr. A. C. Wilmerding, New York, 

 Clumber, field and cocker spaniels. Mr. N. Elmore, Granby, 

 Conn., beagles. Dogs entered in the selling class at a price 

 not to exceed |35, can be claimed at catalogue prices except 

 by the OAvner. 



THE COLLIE CLUB OF AMERICA.— At a meeting held 

 in New^ York Aug. 26 a club with the above name was 

 foi-med. Officers: President, Jenkins Van Schaick; Vice- 

 Presidents, W. Gilmer Hoffman, Allen L. Apgar; Executive 

 Co]nmittee— Jenkins Van Sehaick, W. Gilmer Hoffman, Al- 

 len L. Apgar, Mitchell Harrison, Roland Worthington.Jr,, 

 Martin Dennis, George A. Smith, James A. Lindsay, .John 

 A. Long, John D. McKennan; Secretarv and Treasurer, Geo. 

 A. Smith, 520 Walnut street, Philadelphia, Pa. A meeting 

 will be held at the Waverly show, Sept. 14, to elect officers 

 permanently. Applications for membership should be sent 

 to the secretaiy. 



THE OLD ENGLISH MASTIFF CLUB'S SPECIAL.— 

 New Y'oek, Aug. 25, 188Q.-— Editor Forest and Stream: We 

 bave just received the following: "New Jersey Kennel Club 

 —Gentlemen: By direction of the sub committee of the O. E. 

 Ma.stifl' Club, I notify you that the Old English Mastiff Club, 

 of England, offer a prize of 10 guineas for the best mastiff, 

 dog or bitch, at your coming show. Very respectfully, Wm. 

 Wade, Secretary Subcommittee," — A. 'P. VEEDEsijiTKOH, 

 Secretary. 



THE STAFFORD DOG SHOW.— The third annual dog 

 show of the Stafford Kennel Club will be held at Stafford 

 Springs, Conn. , Oct. 13 and 14. 



THE DANBURY DOG SHOW.— The annual dog show 

 of the Danbury Agii cultural Society will beheld at Danbury, 

 Conn. , Oct. 5 to 



KENNEL NOTES. 



KENNEL NOTE BLANKS.— For the convenience of breeders 

 we have prepared a serie.s of blanks for "Names Claimed," 

 "Mlielps," "Bred" a.nd "Sales." All Kennel Notes must be sent to 

 us on tbe.se blanks, wbich will be forwarded to any address on 

 receiiJt of stamped and directed envelope. Send for a set of tbem 

 Sets of 2Q0 of any one form, bound, for retaining duplicates, sent 

 postpaid, 30 cents. 



NAMES CLAIMED. 

 Notes must be sent on tlie Prepared Blanks. 



Forest. By C. P. Rogers, Huntington, N. Y., for black and tan 

 Gordon setter dog, wlielped April 13, 18S6, by Bramble (Dr. Aten'3 

 Glen— Gypsy) out of Bess (Grant— Nellie). 



A-nd. By C. P. Roger.s, Huntington, N. Y., for black and tan 

 Gordon .setter dog, whelped April 13, 1.S86, by Bramble (Dr, Aten'a 

 Glen— Gypsy) out of Bess (Grant— Nellie). 



Stream. By C. P. Rogers, Huntington, N, Y., for black and tan 

 Gordon setter dog, whelped April 13, 1886, by Bramble (Dr. Aten's 

 Glen— Gypsy) out of Bess (Grant— Nellie). 



Carnnlits ami Wimic. By C. P. Rogers, Huntington, N. Y., for 

 black and tan Gordon setter dog and bitch, whelped April 18, 

 1886 by Bramble (Dr. Aten's Glen— Gyijsy) out of Bess (Grant- 

 Nellie). 



Judu 11. By AY. G. Young, Ottawa, Ont., for lemon and white 

 Clumber spaniel bitch, whelped March 17, 1886, by Johnny (Ben- 

 Joan) out of Jill (Flash— Eagan's Judy). 



Maida. By Joseph E. Travis, Brooklyn, N.Y., for mouse-colored 

 greyhound bitch, -whelped March 23, 1886, by imported Don ont of 

 Wanda (Dash— Flora). 



Bidali. By H. A. Trash. White Cloud, Mich., for black cocker 

 spaniel bitch, whelped Jan. 24, 1886, by Ober (Oho II.— Critic) out of 

 Belva, (Obo, Jr.— Queen Bee). 



Fanchnn. By Henry Muss, Champaign, 111., for black and tan 

 bitch, whelped June 6, 1880, by Mahomet (Wallace— Gaff) out of 

 ijady (Vortigern— Lilly H.). 



Foil. By Oakdale Kennels, Westbrook, Conn., for liver and 

 white cocker spaniel dog, whelped May 16, 1885, by Horn ell Silk out 

 of Wanda T. (Don— Belle). 



Vaeficr. By Dr. W. Thornton Parkeij Ne\vport, R- 1., for liver 

 and white pointer dog, whelped May 23, 1886, by Dash (Sensation- 

 Grace) out of Zoo (A.K.R, 1444). 



