374 
AMERICAN PROVISIONS IN ENGLAND. 
REARING AND MANAGEMENT OF POULTRY.— 
No. 4. 
Pairing. — With good management, peace, and 
plenty, just hefore they are full-grown, the comhs 
of both the young cocks and pullets will he ob- 
served to become of a more brilliant red ; the 
former will crow more lustily ; and the pullets will 
grow animated, restless, and full of busy import- 
ance, as if a new idea had lately broke in upon 
their minds. By-and-by, they will commence prat- 
ing and cackling, and in a few days, the delighted 
pullet will lay her first egg. And when, time after 
time, this first instalment is followed by similar 
deposits, she thinks herself, and is thought by her 
amateur owner, a perfect paragon. Such are the 
pleasures of productiveness. 
In order to keep fowls with advantage, attention 
must be paid to the relative number of cocks and 
hens composing the flock. On this point, there is 
some difference of opinion. M. Parmentier con- 
siders that one cock is sufficient for twenty hens, 
which, in France, perhaps, may be the case, but not 
in the co]d and variable climate of many parts of 
the United Slates. Indeed, it has been found by 
experience, that, if a cock be placed over a nume- 
rous flock of hens, the chickens produced are 
feeble, and the breed soon degenerates, or runs out. 
The old breeders of game fowls, allowed only 
three hens to one cock ; and where renovation of a 
breed is required, this proportion, it is thought, 
should not be exceeded. 
As a general rule, from eight to twelve hens may 
be assigned to one cock, but no more ; nor, indeed, 
even so many, if the fowls are kept in a confined 
yard, where the depressing influence of captivity 
will be more or less experienced. In a cold or 
humid climate, perhaps, this number is the best ; 
but in a warm, dry climate, or where the fowls are 
healthy and have a free range, a greater number 
may safely be allowed. 
When there are two or more cocks of the same 
age, a little management will be required to pre- 
vent them from fighting, which it will be almost 
impossible to avoid ; but one cock may be brought 
up under another, each, in turn, gaining the ascen- 
dency over the male portion of the successive 
broods. For instance, a stock of fowls, intended 
to be increased, may consist of twelve hens, with a 
single cock at the head. Out of the young chickens 
hatched, a certain number will be selected for keep- 
ing. Among these should be the most promising 
and beautiful of the young cocks. When this new 
comer is a twelvemonth old, his progenitor will 
have arrived at the age of two years. In like 
manner, the number may again be added to, till the 
stock is sufficiently numerous. When the old cock 
is past his fourth year, however, it will be advisa- 
ble, generally speaking, to get rid of him ; as he 
then becomes lazy, violent in temper, and exces- 
sively jealous. Should it be deemed necessary to 
introduce a new cock, a young bird should be 
selected, and introduced to the hens at the period 
of moulting, when his older rival will take but 
little notice of him, and ultimately become recon- 
ciled to him by the time that the laying season 
commences ; and, during the interim, he will ingra- 
tiate himself with a certain number of the hens, 
which will appreciate his marked politeness, and 
acknowledge him as their brave defender. 
Where numerous fowls are kept, it has generally 
been observed that each cock has his own female 
train, which follows him, and is always at his 
call ; and that they are divided into coteries, or 
groups, and have each theii favorite places of 
resort ; but should a 6trange cock make a sudden 
appearance on the premises, he will have many a 
hard fight before he can establish himself, either 
in the character of a conqueror, or a defeated 
champion. 
AMERICAN PROVISIONS IN ENGLAND. 
Provisions have at length become so large a part 
of our exports to England, that we think the fol- 
lowing article on the subject, from Messrs. Allen 
and Anderson, of London, worthy an insertion in 
our columns. We regret, however, to notice that 
American provisions are still so imperfectly put up. 
It is disgraceful to our farmers and packers that it 
is so ; and unless they adopt the latest improved 
systems, they must expect to lose money in their 
business, instead of making it, as they may do. 
Their extreme negligence has at length become 
proverbial abroad, and created a great prejudice 
against American provisions. Europeans are much 
more refined in their tastes in such matters than the 
Americans, and the sooner Ave gratify their fastidi- 
ousness in this particular, the better it will be for us. 
The growing importance of the trade in pro- 
visions from the United States, induces us to offer 
a few remarks on the business of the season now 
closing. That it has been an unprofitable one to 
almost all concerned, cannot be doubted. That it 
has, notwithstanding, taken root as an increasing 
branch of commerce, is proved by the import re- 
turns ; and that the consumption of this country 
has been greatly stimulated by the immense supplies 
thrown in, is, we believe, beyond all question. 
Commencing with bacon, the imports of American 
into London, 
In 1847, were . . . 14,161 cwts. 
" 1848, "... 70,823 " 
u 1849, " (9 months,) 140,096 " 
a considerable portion of which was soft, oily, and 
inferior in quality ; and to this circumstance, more 
than to the great quantity, the serious declension 
in prices, and consequent heavy losses to the ship- 
pers, are attributable. 
The article best adapted to the London market, 
is singed sides about 56 to 64 lbs. each. Some of 
the early arrivals of these, last winter, came of a 
very fair quality, and the meat of a good, firm tex- 
ture. The dealers, tempted by the prices being 
12s. to 15s. per cwt. under the Irish, at once intro- 
duced them to their customers ; nor did a decline of 
8s. on the Irish abate the demand for American ; 
and we have little doubt that, had the quality and 
firm texture continued to improve, the Irish must 
have gradually yielded, as to any weighty supply, 
to the cheaper production, from the United States. 
But the subsequent arrivals were comparatively 
so carelessly put out of hand, so soft, oily, and 
inferior, and so mixed in sizes, that Irish sides 
were again preferred, even at advanced rates, while 
the American became, and continued, a dull drag- 
ging trade — many of the best dealers abandoning 
the article altogether. 
At this juncture, Humbro' bacon began to attract no- 
nce. The shippers there paid every attention to the 
