VOL. XLVII NO. 1998. 
NEW YORK MAY 12, 1888, 
PRICE FIVE CENTS. 
$2.00 PER YEAH. 
[Entered according to Act of Congress, In the year 1888, by the Rural New-Yorker In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.) 
THE DORKING FOWL. 
HENRY 
halbTs. 
This earliest mentioned of the various 
varieties of our poultry still holds its own. 
With all the changes brought about by selec¬ 
tion, importation, and crossing, no other form 
is as perfect in its deliniation of an ideal fowl 
as the Dorking: its short legs, large, square 
body, and deep, broad breast, full, flowing 
tail, moderate-sized comb and wattles, make a 
noble figure, one that cannot be improved up¬ 
on either for practical purposes or for finished 
outline or symmetery. For beauty alone the 
Game is its only rival; but for solidity and 
practical use the Dorking stands first. Much 
has been said of its wh te skin—not being 
popular in our markets. It is well known 
that yellow skins are tougher and will stand 
harder usage without betraying it, but the 
time is not far distant, indeed it is already 
commenced, when the white skins and deli¬ 
cately flavored poultry will be in great de¬ 
mand in our first-class markets, and will pay 
for the extra care 
of dry-picking and 
carefully packing. 
It is only a matter 
of time and of appre¬ 
ciation of quality to 
create a demand. 
For a number of 
years Dorkings have 
given way to novel¬ 
ties, and these having 
had their day, the 
old breed naturally 
takes its place again, 
and, taking all things 
into consideration, it 
is doubtful whether 
any improvement 
has been made in all 
the varieties by the 
last 40 years’ breed¬ 
ing and importing. 
Of course, “variety 
is the spice of life,” 
and the great many 
breeds that have 
come to the front 
have produced much 
interest and pleasure, 
uud attracted much 
attention to the beau¬ 
tiful and harmless 
practice of poultry 
keeping, even when 
it is only a hobby. 
The Dorkings com¬ 
prise three varieties: 
Silver Gray (por¬ 
traits of which ac¬ 
company this article, 
see Fig. 131), Colored 
and White. The 
characteristics, ex¬ 
cepting color, are 
alike in all, the Color¬ 
ed being generally 
the largest, and the 
White the smallest. 
They are the best of 
mothers, bright, in¬ 
telligent birds. If 
not the best, they are 
very close to the best 
as layers, for in this 
regard they have 
been much under¬ 
rated. 
Dorkings require a 
good run and com¬ 
fortable houses, and I will venture to say that 
with these few people will want to change for 
any other breed. 
NEW BREEDS OF POULTRY. 
Great difference between Patagonians from 
two different settings ; absurdity of selling 
such dissimilar settings at a high price ; 
the Downies somewhat resemble Light 
Plymouth Rocks , but differ considerably 
from each other; probably the result of a 
Plymouth Rock sport; their alleged origin 
probably incorrect. 
It was my good fortune during a pleasant 
ramble to find myself in a place where the 
Scriptural injunction to “prove all things, 
and hold fast that which is good” is carried 
out to the letter in agriculture—the Rural 
New-Yorker Experiment Grounds. From ex¬ 
periments here carried on, the public secure 
the benefit of the many tests. Here I found 
some chickens that had been hatched for in¬ 
vestigation. Last spring, seeing the Pata¬ 
gonians announced forsale by Samuel Wilson, 
of Mechanicsville, Bucks Co., Pa,, the Rural 
proprietor sent for a setting of eggs, and 
paid $5 for them. Later in the season 
Mr. Wilson sent another setting with¬ 
out charge. Of the first setting two chicks 
survived, both pullets. In form they strongly 
resemble Game fowls, having single combs 
and small heads, resembling what Game 
breeders call a snaky head; bills strongly 
arched; eyes black, large and full; neck 
feathers very dark brown; back dark yellow¬ 
ish drab, with feathers tipped with black, and 
light yellow shafts, under parts light buff; 
tails dull black; legs willow—a decided Game 
trait. 
Four chicks from the next setting of eggs, 
supposed to be the same breed, are different 
birds in every way. Three are glossy black, 
with a little white on the chins and the tips of 
the wings; double combs; small crests droop¬ 
ing down back of head. Three have but five 
toes; the fourth chick has but four toes, is 
tinged with dark brown and no white. All 
have brownish-yellow legs, poorly feathered. 
One can perceive at once the absurdity or in¬ 
judiciousness of sending on t eggs at a high price 
which produce chicks with no more perma¬ 
nent characteristics than those shown in the 
progeny of these two settings. They are evi¬ 
dently a cross between the Game and French 
breeds. In the first two chicks the Game pre¬ 
dominates and others show a touch of Hou- 
dan or Cr«5ve Gceur for color and crests, and 
the feathers on the legs betray a touch of 
Asiatic blood; but the forms of the birds from 
the second setting are decidedly French. 
There is also a pen of eight chickens hatch¬ 
ed from a setting of eggs claimed to be a new 
breed called Downy Fowls or Downies. In 
color they resemble Light Plymouth Rocks. 
Of the lot, three birds are whitish, with wings 
and tails barred, and double combs. Another 
similar bird hasasinglo comb and yellow legs. 
Another is mottled with reddLh-brown on its 
back, wings and tail-coverts, and a double 
comb. Two are of a fair Light Plymouth 
Rock color; but very light on lower back, and 
they also have single combs. All have the 
barbules of the feathers more or less finely 
elongated, making the plumage of a downy 
appearance, in some only faintly developed, 
and in none is it as strongly brought out as in 
the Chinese Silky or the Japanese Fur Fowl. 
The probability is that these birds are the re¬ 
sult of a sport, through the Asiatic blood of 
the Plymouth Rock. I have never seen silky 
feathers from any other origin. It is not pro¬ 
bable these birds are 
produced by a cross 
with the Chinese 
silky fowl, for they 
have dark- purple 
combs, black bones, 
bluish skins, and dark 
legs, which charac¬ 
teristics once bred in¬ 
to a lot of fowls are 
very hard to breed 
out, generally lasting 
long after the downy 
feathers have disap¬ 
peared. The Japan¬ 
ese Fir Fowls have 
white skins and red 
combs. I have cross¬ 
ed them many times 
with other fowls, but 
always found the 
downy feathers hard 
to retain. The top- 
knot was always the 
last character to dis¬ 
appear by crossing, 
as of this, these birds 
show no trace. It is 
very likely that ju¬ 
dicious breeding of 
these Downies may 
develop a curious 
breed. h. h. 
POULTR Y NOTES. 
CAUTION WITH 
CHICKS. 
• ‘ 7?//ft A I. AfejV-y/J/i/LttL- 
SILVIiiEt 'GhRAY^ DOR.KHSTGJ-S. From Life. Fig. 131 . 
Care with insecti¬ 
cides ; feed for ail¬ 
ing chicks ; no con 
diments; profit 
and loss in confin¬ 
ing poultry; grass 
in yards ; look out 
for eggs ; feed for 
young chicks; wa¬ 
ter and coops; let 
hens sit. 
Persons who have 
not had much expe¬ 
rience with raising 
chicks, are very apt 
to use disinfectants 
too heavily and so 
kill many innocent¬ 
ly. This is done by 
mercurial ointment, 
oil of sassafras, tur- 
