Different Breeds of Poultry, 
1 79 
ing wood lots and other indispensable et 
ceteras. I will leave it to the most simple 
mathematician to cypher out our profits, as 
wool is selling this year. 
Yours, very respectfully, 
S. W. Jewett. 
The drawing which Mr. J. has sent us, together with 
samples of wool accompanying the above, represents an 
animal of great size, good form, and apparently vigor¬ 
ous constitution, which his history sufficiently indicates. 
As we are collecting some information on the history of 
Merinos, we should be happy to receive from Mr. J. 
and others, the pedigree of choice animals, for the pur¬ 
pose of seeing how their aeclimation in this country has 
affected their size, constitution, and especially the 
qu'ality of their wool. We have the data of their char¬ 
acter when imported, and it will afford an instructive 
chapter in sheep husbandry, to note the exact progress 
we are making in this important branch of breeding. 
The protection Mr. J. so justly calls for to save our 
investments in sheep from prostration or total ruin, we 
trust will yet be heard and heeded in the right quarters, 
before it is too late. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Domestic Poultry. 
Gent :—Under this head I shall speak of the Barn¬ 
door-fowl, as usually kept in our country. It is true 
that the subject is not so lofty as that of discoursing the 
merits of a noble, fleet and powerful breed of horses ; 
or of the broad and stately developments of our various 
improved herds of cattle; nor so nice as that of dissect¬ 
ing with minute accuracy the distinctive merits of the 
wools of the Saxony and the Merino ; nor so palatable, 
perhaps, as the classifying with epicurean taste the 
comparative gastronomic properties of the Bakewelland 
Southdown sheep; yet the good housewife who loves 
to mix the wholesome ingredients which compose the 
important parts of her delicious puddings, custards, and 
the various delicacies that delight her family, and make 
her friends and visitors feel that they are welcome ; as 
well as the stout admirer of a rich and wholesome din¬ 
ner, and a capital travelling breakfast, will without a 
doubt, feel interested in whiling away a moment over a 
chapter on the merits of the poultry yard. 
Of this useful and most convenient bird, there are many 
varieties. Some altogether better suited to the extremes 
of our northern climate than others, and some perhaps 
better fitted for our warmer latitudes, which are compa¬ 
ratively worthless at the north. For my own part I 
have always been intimately acquainted with poultry 
from a boy, and the first live thing that I ever recollect 
owning and caring for, was a chicken ; and I have kept, 
and raised them, with few intervals, ever since; and 
and even now, although the detail of their care is given 
to others, I as much control and attend to the breeds 
and varieties of my fowls as I did in my earliest youth. 
Therefore disclaiming all authority from others, I speak 
only of my own experience. Of the varieties inhabit¬ 
ing the United States, I have kept and tried them all, 
from the gaunt and almost featherless, and thin haired 
African or Asiatic Hen, to the compact and foot-feath¬ 
ered little Bantam, which thrives and flourishes in half 
the washerwomen’s kitchens of our cities. The lati¬ 
tude of my residence is nearly 43° north, with comfort¬ 
able, well sheltered outbuildings and accommodations 
for their convenience, and I shall speak of them only 
as I have known them in this climate, and name their 
qualifications for a latitude further south. 
And first of their selection. A barn door fowl, for 
perfect utility , should be compact in shape, hardy in 
constitution, and miscellaneous in its food, quiet in dis¬ 
position, and prolific in laying. Without these qualifi¬ 
cations, no matter what the climate may be, the 
creature is imperfect for the uses required of it, and 
therefore not the most 'profitable to be kept or propa¬ 
gated—still, I will speak of the several varieties as 1 
have proved them. 
The Game Bird. —This is a beautiful fowl, of me¬ 
dium size, of almost every color excepting pure black 
and clear white ; a tolerable layer, hardy to raise, and 
nice delicate flesh ; but of a most pugnacious, cruel and 
sanguinary disposition. They are altogether too quar¬ 
relsome for the poultry yard; and as the science of 
cock-fighting does not class within the useful arts, I 
shall pronounee them, other than as an occasional cross 
to give stamina and spirit to a deteriorated and run-out 
yard of dunghill fowls, of little merit for the ordinary 
breeder. 
The Malay. —An awkward, bony, leggy, cowardly 
race; wandering about for the first six months of its life 
with scarcely a feather to cover its nakedness, and al¬ 
most forever in coming to maturity—a wretched layer, 
and worse sitter, usually breaking half its eggs in the 
operation, an indifferent nurse, and never yielding in 
either its eggs, flesh, or appearance, half enough to 
compensate for the anxious and vexatious labor of its 
rearing. When half grown, or in moulting time, it 
looks more like a sand-hill crane than a domestic fowl, 
and although it sometimes gains a weight of 7 or even 
10 pounds, its flesh is coarse, and lacks the delicacy 
and richness of the well bred chicken. Its color runs 
through all shades from a light yellow to a brownish 
black, with little variety on the same bird. They arc 
withal great eaters, and although at the south they may 
both thrive and lay better than at the north, they are 
not to be recommended as a valuable kind of fowl. 
Their eggs are large, of a buff, or light brownish color, 
sometimes almost speckled like the turkey’s. They 
seldom lay more than ten or twelve at a litter. The 
outer shell is oft times very thin, and the under skin so 
tough and unyielding, as in numerous instances to stran¬ 
gle the chicken in its birth, requiring assistance to re¬ 
lease it. On the whole, I have found this a most un¬ 
satisfactory bird, and although they have been praised 
for their great size for the table, and as a tolerable sub¬ 
stitute for a turkey, no competent judge of the latter 
flesh would ever mistake the stringy and juiceless meat 
of the one, for the rich, delicate and variegated flesh of 
the other ; and what good-liver would provide the one, 
when the other, much better, could be procured at half 
the expense? Crossed, however, in a small degree 
with the common dunghill fowl, they give increased size 
both to their egg and body, and may, in mild climates 
be of some value for that object. 
The Poland.—A shining black in color, with a beauti¬ 
ful white tuft on its head ; a medium size, a good layer, 
seldom sitting to hatch, rather tender to rear while a 
chicken, and more thinly feathered and not so hardy in 
cold and storms as the common hen. In a great part of 
the U. States it will thrive successfully, and lay as many 
eggs as any other fowl, perhaps more. Its flesh is good. 
On the whole, a handsome and a profitable fowl. There 
is a white variety, without a feather of any other color. 
These are very beautifnl, but perhaps not quite so hardy 
as the black. There is, also, a splendid gold and black, 
or pheasant-colored variety. These are scarce in the 
U. States. I have seen several beautiful specimens 
imported from England, but was never able to obtain 
any for breeding. These colors are more propagated 
by the poultry fanciers than others, and are seldom to 
be had but of them. 
