202 
The Australasian Book of Poultry. 
addition to being past-masters in the art of showing, the firm have bred some splendid specimens, some of 
our very best, and by practical results have proved that they thoroughly understand the successful mating and 
breeding of the Barred variety second to none. The best they have bred have been ' Champion Pet,' and their 
Champion "95 and '96 hen, the Champion cockerel of '93, and his son, the Champion of '94. ' Champion Pet,' 
most of whose wins I have already enumerated, Messrs. Franklin Bros, brought out as a pullet at Geelong, '90, 
where she was placed first, having to compete against hens, and beating Mr. Whicker's imported hen, the 
winner in the hen class at the Exhibition Show, Melbourne, the same month. At the latter Show ' Pet' was 
first in a class of 26 pullets, and I claimed her for my yard, at the catalogue price of ^10, and she was dirt 
cheap, for within 12 months she repaid her purchase money five times over in prizes, sales of progeny, eggs, 
and her own re-sale. ' Pet ' was of enormous size (like old ' limpress," shaking 12 lbs. when in condition), very 
evenly and though rather closely baried, with a very small tail, and a sweet head, quite in keeping with her 
beautiful quality throughout. She was just a trifle on the dark side, but was perfectly free from the least sus- 
picion of blotchiness in which 99 per cent, of dark hens fail. For a hen she was, perhaps, \ an inch too long in 
leg, but not enough to be denoted a leggy one. Taking her all round, I consider we have only seen two better 
Show hens — viz , the two Champions, ' Tremlett " and ' Empress,' both illustrated in this work. Added to her 
great Show qualities, ' Pet ' was the equal of any Barred Rock I have yet heard of as an egg-producer, and within 
six months (the only time I kept a record) laid over 140 eggs. Messrs. Franklin Bros.' Champion '95-'96 
hen was much of the marking and colour of their famous ' Champion Tremlett,' but not approaching her in 
size, or equal to her ideal type, but still a real top-sawyer, and certainly one of the best dozen Show hens of 
the Colonies. Among other prizes, she won — First, Essendon, '95, hen class ; first, Exhibition, '95 ; first. 
Exhibition, '96 ; and Champion at the two former Shows. Their Champion cockerel of '93 was (through 
' The Rake ') his sire descended from ' Champion Toff ' and ' Champion Empress,' and his son was the crack 
cockerel of '94, beating his sire for the Championship of that year. Both these birds were of capital type, 
big, massive, well-rounded off bodies, splendid bone, and beautiful colour and even markings. Both were a 
little coarse in comb and head, but the '94 bird excelled his sire in quality and evenness of tail-barring, and 
as a Show cockerel we have only seen one better, and that his own son, Mr. Maxfield's 'Champion Wonder.' 
That celebrated hen, ' Champion Tremlett,' the Messrs. Franklin Bros, purchased from Mr. W. T. Wright in 
'91. At the Sydney Show that year she won first in the hen class for her breeder, Mrs. Tremlett, of Marrick- 
ville, N.S.W., and Mr. J. Maude claimed her for Mr. ^\'right at, I think, five guineas, reporting her as the 
greatest bargain in Rocks he had seen here. How Mr. Maude's judgment has been borne out may be seen 
from her record. As for the Messrs. Franklin Bros., she simply .swept the decks right through the years '92, 
'93, and '94 of all the firsts and Championships of the best Shows, and still holds the belt as the best Barred 
Rock hen yet seen in Australia. Her type, shape right through, size, bone, and set-on of legs were simply 
perfection. Her dark markings were a little heavy just behind the saddle, but in all else she was an ideal 
specimen. With ' Champion Empress ' she has been selected to illustrate the breed. The latter was her 
equal in type, and perfect in shade of true blue colour and clearness of barring, but though a 12-pounder, 
not in it with the Tremlett hen for size. 
" Mr. Edward Maxfield, of Upper Flynn's Creek, Gippsland, at present holds premier position among 
the Rock breeders of Australia, both as regards the number and quality of his stock. He won both 
first and second prises in each of the four classes of Barred Rocks at this year's Exhibition Show 
(Melbourne), which is a record for the breed. Mr. Maxfield commenced with Rocks in '90 or '91, and 
in July, '92, bought out all my Barred birds, being a breeding pen which I retained after my sale 
in '91, and a few bred from them, some 12 or 14 in all, the price being £101. From that time he gave up 
all other breeds, and devoted his attention solely to the one variety. Being always ambitious to get to 
the top of the tree, he has not allowed expense to stand in his way, and till he secured that position, 
bought pretty well every good bird at our principal Shows that the owners would part with, and having 
secured so many first-class specimens, and having unlimited room, he had a better opportunity of 
experimenting with various strains, and on a larger scale than, I may safely say, any other Rock breeder in 
