28 
THE GREAT POULTRY SHOW AT BOSTON. 
some of which could not have cost less than 
fifty dollars a piece, and were probably got up 
especially for this occasion. 
The following memorandum of the coops 
and kinds exhibited by Messrs. Pierce & Os¬ 
born, of Danvers, Massachusetts, will give 
your readers a pretty fair idea of the various 
sorts kept by those who make a business of 
chicken breeding, together with the regular 
“ trade prices.” To commence with the tallest 
kind 
Coop No. 1, contains Shanghaes. Price, per 
pair, $4, of three varieties. Parsons, Perley 
& Forbes ’ importation. 
No. 2, Black Spanish, $5 per pair. 
“ 3, Guilderland, 3 “ 
44 4, Rumpless, 3 44 
44 5, Dominique, 3 44 
44 6, Black Poland, 3 44 
44 7, White, do. 3 44 
44 8, Golden, do. 3 44 
44 9, Golden Hamburg, 5 44 
44 10, Spangled, 5 44 
44 11, Singapore, 3 44 
44 12, Silver pheasant, top-knot 
fowls, 5 44 
44 13, Bolton greys, 3 44 
44 14, Brown Dorkings, 4 44 
44 15, White, 44 4 . 44 
44 16, Yankee game, 5 44 
44 17, Java, 44 5 to 10 44 
44 18, Sicilian fowls, 3 44 
44 19, Jersey Blues, 3 44 
44 20, Plymouth Rocks, 4 44 
44 21, Fawn-colored Dorkings, 4 44 
44 22, Chittaprats, 3 44 
44 23, Royal Cochin-China, 6 44 
44 24, Manilla Bantams, 3 44 
44 25, Sebright, 44 3 44 
44 26, Cuba, 44 3 44 
44 27, White ducks, 2 44 
44 28, Spanish, do, 5 44 
This list only embraces a part of the varieties 
of one exhibitor. The yards and hen house, 
(which is an old conservatory,) of these gentle¬ 
men, covers about three acres of ground, upon 
which they keep an average stock of 1,000 head, 
and some thirty different kinds. During the 
breeding season, each variety is kept in separate 
apartments; the cocks being introduced to hens 
for the purpose of 44 judicious crossing,” with as 
much care as would be shown to a Durham 
bull, or an English race horse. The feed is 
principally corn, costing 75 cts. a bushel, and is 
kept constantly before them in feeding hoppers, 
which are filled once a-fortnight. Oats, barley, 
potatoes, dough, and meat are fed occasionally; 
water every day. Cost of food consumed will 
average about two cents a week per head; and 
it requires the labor of one hand most of the 
time to look after the establishment. During 
the moulting season, all except the game cocks, 
are turned out to grass together By keeping 
the house warm through the winter, with plenty 
of food, they get a supply eggs, which then sell 
for high prices in the city. In the spring, they 
bring much higher rates for the purpose of rais¬ 
ing stock; not however to be eaten, as will 
readily be seen by the enormous sums they sell 
for, to others affected with the same fever. For 
be it distinctly understood, the above are not 
44 fancy prices,” nor such as an individual would 
generally have to pay for a single pair; nor such 
as have been realised during the day. 1 saw one 
cock change hands at thirty dollars, and a hen of 
the same Shang-high sort, at fifteen—the owner 
refusing twenty-five dollars for a pair, and I 
was credibly informed of another transaction 
at fifty dollars for a cock and hen; which I un¬ 
derstand is not an unusual price among the 
fancy. 
The owner of one of this giraffe breed, see¬ 
ing an old farmer eyeing a remarkably tall 
specimen that was stretching his neck away up 
into the upper regions of a three-story coop, 
inquired of him if he would like to make a pur¬ 
chase ; observing how much it would improve 
his old stock of poultry. 
44 Wal, I guess not; I live in a one-story house.” 
Why ? What has that to do with the matter ? 
“Wal you see, I keep my seed corn up gar¬ 
ret, and I don’t want to lose it.” 
No. Well you don’t want to keep your fowls 
up garret do you ? 
44 Oh ! Bless your soul no!” 
What then ? I don’t see your objection.” 
44 Don’t see! No Sir, can’t that tarnal great 
long-legged rooster stand on the ground and eat 
corn out of the garret window ? You don’t catch 
me with such a beast on my farm. Improve my 
poultry. Ha ? Why, I would’nt cross that critter 
upon anything except a she jackass; and a 
darnation mean one at that. Faith ! The hens 
look as though they were of that breed—I’m 
sure the owners are—they’re all stern;” and 
with that sage observation he walked off with the 
air of a man whose dignity had been highly 
offended, with the idea that a gentleman of his 
appearance of good sense, should be offered a 
Shanghae cock to improve his stock of poultry; 
which, as I afterwards learned of him, consisted 
of some choice Jersey blues, a few brown Dork¬ 
ings, and a good stock of yellow-legged Domin¬ 
iques ; also a few Bantams, to please the chil- 
