VOL. XXXVII. No. 31 I 
WHOLE No. 15US. '( 
NEW YOK CITY, DEC. 21, 1878. 
PRICE FIVE CENTS. 
Si.00 PER YEAR. 
[Entered according to Act of Oonyresa. In the year 1878, by the Bnral PobliahinK Company, tn the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.] 
poultry garir. 
ODE POULTRY NUMBER. 
POULTRY FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES. 
HENRY STEWART 
POULTRY VERSUS PIRS. 
Pork and poultry enter into close competition 
with each other in production, if not in use. To 
a great extent, pigs and fowls are fed upon the 
waste matters that oould not bo utilized in other 
ways. Their flesh and the eggs of the latter 
enter very largely luto domestic consumption, in 
the aggregate, perhaps to a greater extent than 
into commerce for general consumption. Bat 
it is a fact that the production of pork reoeives 
far greater attention than that of poultry. Yet 
pork is not by any means so healthful a food, 
nor is it so profitable a prod¬ 
uct, at ordinary market prices, 
as poultry. A flock of hens yields 
an annual dividend of 100 per 
cent, upon the investment and 
leaves the stock intaot; while a 
pig simply returns the outlay 
and often fails to do even that. 
For family nse, in the household, 
a flock of hens may be made to 
furnish the major part of the 
supply of the animal food of the 
most healthful and agreeable 
character, in the shape of eggs 
and flesh, at a less cost than in 
any other way. Eggs and chick¬ 
ens, young and old, may be pre¬ 
sented on the table nearly every 
day in such an ondless variety 
of shapes that the appetite is 
not cloyed, and the dish, what¬ 
ever it may be, is always accep¬ 
table to the most delicate and 
refined taste. But pork is—pork, 
in fact and ahv-iys pork—whether 
it is fresh, salted, dried, smoked 
or ohopped into sausage. It is 
always greasy, and while, under 
some circumstances it is an ac¬ 
ceptable and nutritious food, 
snob aH, for iustance, for those 
who are exposed to constant out¬ 
door labor of a severe kind, and 
to much cold, there are thousands 
who are seriously injured by 
using it too frequently. Besides, 
the very name of the Bwiue, 
susscrofa, has ioo close arelation'tothe horrible 
disease scrofula, to make it acceptable to thou¬ 
sands who like to look closely into the natnre of 
the food they consume. Such persons as these 
may choose poultry and eggs without any qualms 
of conscience or stomach. On the whole, then, 
it may be concluded that it would be well if some 
of the o&ro and attention lavished upon pigs 
were devoted to poultry; the more especially 
now that the markets point so significantly to 
the same view. Just now a dozen fresh eggs 
will purchase six pounds of pork and one pound 
of poultry will pay for two, if not for three, 
pounds of it. 
WHAT KINDS Of FOWLS SHALL BE KEPT ? 
Mach of tins backwardness of the poultry in¬ 
terest is due to a want of knowledge of the best 
breeds and their characteristics, so that the 
right kind is rarely found in the right place. 
Thus blame is laid where it does not belong and 
possible profit is missed. Sometime# fowls are 
chosen for fancied beauty and a few feathers of 
a certain color are all that one gets for his 
money and trouble, in place of eggs and chick¬ 
ens. Then, again, a variety that will not thrive 
in close confinement is chosen for a small place; 
and, again, fowls that will fly like partridges are 
sought to be kept outside of a garden fence; or 
a *' eed that will sit ’M brood for weeks and 
mouths continuously, is chosen in the expectation 
of getting eggs. 
FOWLS FOR EQQS. 
There are some breeds that are known as 
“non-sitters" and which rarely evince a desire for 
brooding. These lay on with rare intermissions, 
and are the moat desirable for keeping in town 
or village yards, or for farms where there is a 
large range and where eggs are sought more 
than flesh. The Black Spanish and the Leg¬ 
horns, White and Brown, are the principal breeds 
of this character. When well kept, an average 
of 200 eggs yearly may be expected from each 
hen ; more than this has been credited to these 
fowls. One breeder of Brown Leghorns has 
stated that a hen which died in its eleventh 
year, had produced more than 2,000 eggs. Bat 
let no one who expects to keep a garden in good 
order choose either of these breeds, unless a 
yard is provided and surrounded with a picket 
fence at least ten or twelve feet high ; nor should 
any person who has a desire to live at peace with 
his neighbors, try to maintain such a condition 
and a flock of these fowls at the same time. 
They are active foragers, will wander half a 
mile from home and are wild and suspicions. 
In shaj>e, they are comely and symmetrical and 
the Brown Lsghorns are handsomely feathered, 
and not much unlike some of the Games in ap¬ 
pearance. Their chief fault is their large 
combs which are subject to be badly frozen in 
winter time. 
FOWLS FOR EOQS AND CHICKENS—BRAHMAS. 
The first fowl for flesh, eggs and chickens, is un¬ 
doubtedly the Light Brahma. In some respects, 
it is also an extremely handsome bird. Its fine 
carriage, large sizo, pure white and black plu¬ 
mage, together with its tameness and docility, 
render it very attractive. From its inability to 
fly or jump, it may be kept within a picket fence 
three teot high; and if the house and yard are 
kepi. -JPah, and wholesome food is provided, 
there is no more hardy and healthy fowl than 
this. It is a winter layer; pallets hatched in 
March will begin to lay in November, or earlier. 
Cockerels of eight months may reach the weight 
of eight to nine pounds, and, when mature, have 
turned the scales at twelve to sixteen pounds. 
For market, this is the popular fowl, its yellow 
legs and flesh pleasing the popular eye. As 
broilers they sell readily at high prices, and no 
other young fowl is so juicy or well flavored. 
They may be made ready for market when three 
months old. The hens are good mothers, are 
so docile that they may be lifted off or on the 
nest, and will readily foster strange chickens. 
The chicks are remarkably hardy, aud will thrive 
well in the cold weather of early spring when 
any other varieties would perish. The Dark 
Brahma is not a popular fowl. It is neither pro¬ 
ductive nor hardy, and is now rarely seen, ex¬ 
cept in a few farmers’ yards. 
PLYMOUTH ROCKS. 
The most promising new breed for general use 
is the Plymouth Rock, a oross-bred fowl, origi¬ 
nating from the old but not forgotten Domi¬ 
nique, the Brahma, and some other varieties. 
By careful breeding it has been brought to a 
high standard, and generally reproduces itself 
true to color and feather. It is a heavy-bodied, 
plump fowl, cockerels of eight months weighing 
as many pounds. The hens lay large eggs, 
varying in color from white to reddish brown ; 
and are prolific. Early pullets will lay in No¬ 
vember. The plumage of this breed is of a 
bluish tinge, the feathers being crossed with 
bars of a darker color. For a fanner's fowl 
this undoubtedly comes next to the Light Brah¬ 
ma, and for small yards where chiokens are de¬ 
sired, will equal it. 
ITHE COCHINS. 
The white Cochin is similar in shape, except 
its single comb, to the Light Brahma, but in 
color it Is pure whito It is a hardy fowl, but 
not so productive as the Light Brahma, and its 
chief fault is that it is a most persistent brooder. 
Otherwise it possesses the same good points as 
the Light Brahma, and is a desirable fowl for 
those who can furnish clean rooBting places and 
plenty of room upon a grass run. The most 
beautiful fowls of this olass are the Baft and 
the Partridge Cochins. The former are of a 
light cinnamon or yellowish-brown as to the 
hens, and the cocks are of the same general 
hue, but have a somewhat gayer coat than their 
mates. The Partridge Cochin hens are beauti¬ 
fully feathered, of a rich brown oolor with pen* 
cilings of a darker shade; the cocks, with their 
black breasts, red hackle and orange-red saddle 
feathers, are handsome when young and in full 
vigor, but when old, have the shabby appear¬ 
ance of a worn-ont and seedy dandy. There is 
a black variety of Cochins, which, however, is 
seldom seen except in fanciers’ yards, and on the 
whole, none of the race are desurable for profi¬ 
table keeping. All the Cochins, except a sub¬ 
variety—the Pea-comb Partridge 
Cochins—have single and erect 
combs and feathered legs. 
THE 0AMES. 
The best flavored flesh and 
the richest eggs are those of the 
Game fowl, of which there are 
many varieties. The Black- 
breasted Red and the Brown 
Reds are the beet for ordinary 
use ; the others, as the Duck- 
winged varieties, the Piles, 
Spangled White, Gray, and oth¬ 
ers, being more desirable to the 
fancier. This variety approach¬ 
es nearer to the original Indian 
Jungle fowl than any other of the 
domestic breeds, and is a direct 
descendant from it. The hens 
are good mothers, lay a moder¬ 
ate number of small but richly- 
flavored eggs, and the cocks are 
the most courageous and com¬ 
bative of &U fowls. The Games 
cannot be kept in an inclosure 
without a high fence, and are 
active foragers. 
FRENCH FOWLS. 
Hondans and Creveccanrs are 
highly considered by Borne fanci¬ 
ers as profitable fowls. They are 
somewhat grotesque in appear¬ 
ance, as may be seen from the 
illustrations elsewhere. These 
are the most popular fowls in 
France, and with the oare given 
to them, by the French women, 
