1896 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
123 
BUSINESS BIRDS FOR BUSINESS BREEDERS. 
PROFITABLE POULTRY IN PROSPECTIVE. 
The Great New York Show. 
Most breeds have some special feature to commend 
them ; for instance, the Dorkings are considered of 
extra quality for table fowls ; but few people raise 
Dorkings. Probably no breed will lay a greater 
weight—or possibly, number—of eggs than the Mi- 
norcas ; yet the number of this breed is not large. 
The breed which led in numbers at this show was the 
P. Rock. There were nearly 300 specimens in the 
various colors, about two-thirds being the well-known 
old Barred variety. These are familiar all over the 
country, and are great favorites with farmers and 
breeders. Their beautifully barred, though quiet 
suit of gray, contains a plump body mounted on 
smooth, yellow legs, covered with a bright, yellow 
skin, that is attractive when the birds are dressed for 
market. This is a hardy breed, too, though the single 
combs freeze more easily than the rose combs of some 
other breeds. It’s a general-purpose breed, the hens 
not only laying a fair number of eggs, but being 
ready to hatch them as well. Some say that they are 
too persistent sitters. The eggs are brown. 
Much like these except in color are the Whites. 
Many prefer a white fowl and those who do, will find 
these good general-purpose fowls. There were 40 of 
these shown. Of more recent origin—or manufacture 
—are the Buff P. Rocks. There has been quite a 
craze for buff-colored breeds in some quarters, and 
buffs were accordingly produced in several breeds to 
which this color was formerly a stranger. 
Our business hen, the Leghorn, came next to the P. 
Rocks in numbers, more than 200 being on exhibi¬ 
tion. These were divided between a number of dif¬ 
ferent varieties, the Whites falling below the Browns 
in numbers. It was the smallest show of Whites for 
many years, there being but 47 Single Combs, and 12 
Rose Combs. Judged from this exhibition, the Browns 
are gaining in popularity, there being (59 Single 
Combs, and 21 Rose Combs in that color. The old 
S. C. Whites lay the largest eggs of any, and the pur¬ 
est white in color. All of these different varieties are 
regular egg machines, but the eggs of the Browns 
are usually somewhat smaller, and not so white in 
color. They are all smaller in size, mature early, are 
nervous and high strung, and require a high fence to 
keep them in confinement, although enduring con¬ 
finement well. If anything, the Browns are a little 
more quiet in disposition than the Whites. The single 
combs of both colors will freeze if exposed to severe' 
cold, more easily than the rose combs. The Leghorns 
are supposed to be non-sitters, but sometimes become 
broody if too fat. They do not equal some of the 
other breeds as mothers, however. They are not so 
good for market poultry as the P. Rocks or Wyan- 
dottes. They are to the fowls, what the Jersey is to 
the cattle. In the Leghorn classes are also found 
Blacks, Silver Duckwings, and Buffs, but none but 
the fancier has much use for these. 
Wyandottes are great favorites with those who 
have bred them. The originals of these are the 
Silvers, and of these 74 were shown. These are hard 
to breed true to color and markings, and when first 
brought out, many of the strains were so closely in- 
bred as to produce weakness in the offspring. Where 
this is not the case, the breed is a strong, vigorous 
one, with plump bodies, broad in the breast with 
plenty of white meat, with bright yellow skin and 
legs, the latter being smooth. They are heavily 
feathered, and this with their rose combs, fits them 
for enduring colder weather than some of the other 
breeds of the Leghorn class. They are good layers of 
fair-sized eggs, the older birds of some strains laying 
quite large eggs. They are quiet, easily confined, 
good sitters, and excellent mothers. 
The Golden Wyandottes are much like the Silvers, 
except that they are a rich golden color where the 
others are white, a most beautiful combination in 
well-bred birds. Forty of these were shown. 
But we believe that the coming general-purpose 
fowl of the country is the White Wyandotte. It seems 
to combine the good features of the others, and its 
plumage is a pure, snowy white. For market, no 
other color dresses so well as white, and as this is 
combined with yellow skin and smooth, yellow legs, 
the combination can’t be beaten. There were 42 of 
these, and one lot of a half dozen were magnificent 
specimens. They took first prizes all around, and 
were excellent examples of what care, skill and in¬ 
telligence can produce. The prize-winning cock 
weighed 1034 pounds; the Standard weight is 834* 
A young cockerel was larger and better than many 
of the old ones usually seen. The owner said that he 
had numerous chances to sell him for $50 to $75. 
Breeders of the whites say that they lay larger eggs 
than the Silvers, and that they will lay a greater 
weight of eggs than the Leghorns. The eggs are 
brown. The man who gets these, if he get good 
stock, cannot go far amiss. There were a few Buffs 
and Blacks, and some of the new Columbians which 
have little excuse for being. 
J Magnificent specimens of Bronze and Mammoth 
White turkeys were oh exhibition. The former are 
more widely known, but the latter are gaining in 
numbers each year. They are not so much inclined 
to roam as the Bronze, and are preferable on that 
account. 
In ducks, Pekins take the lead as usual. The R. 
N.-Y. has had much to say of these, and still considers 
them the breed for this country. 
How are Eggs Withheld? —In order that any 
gland or organ of the body may perform its function 
properly, it must have a normal amount of blood 
flowing through it, both to supply the needed 
material for the secretion, and also to keep up the 
normal action of the gland itself. The flow of blood 
being regulated by the involuntary nerves, anything 
that excites or worries, interferes with normal secre¬ 
tion (usually by causing spasms of the arteries for a 
time, later followed by relaxation). We see this action 
in the withholding of saliva when one is very anxious 
to swallow dry food in a hurry, especially in some of 
the savage ordeals ; or, on the other hand, the excite¬ 
ment may cause a rapid action of the muscular coats; 
of hollow tubes such as the bowels, and cause an in¬ 
voluntary emission of the contents, or they may act so 
sharply as to cause a complete spasm, and prevent 
any action at all till relaxation follows the spasm. 
Now, in regard to the egg ; wouldn’t the excite¬ 
ment or fear caused by moving the hen, cause a con¬ 
traction of the arteries supplying the egg clusters, 
and for a time interfere with their development? 
And might not the abnormal action of the oviduct 
from the same cause, eject an egg that was already 
formed? Or if the excitement were more severe so as 
to cause a spasm of the oviduct, cause the withhold¬ 
ing of the formed egg for some time ? 
Some time ago you asked for experience in getting 
eggs from moulting hens. In the fall of ’95, I had six 
Leghorn hens, two of them two years old last spring. 
When they commenced moulting, all stopped laying 
but one of the two-year-olds. She kept on laying 
for some time, though she was pushing out feathers 
at the time. She finally stopped laying, and did not 
begin again till most of the others were laying. The 
other old hen stopped only for a very few days, then 
began laying two eggs in three days for a time, then 
one every other day, then farther apart, though moult¬ 
ing at the time. She did not moult completely in the 
fall, but took a new start at it in January, and has 
not a full supply of feathers yet, though I am con¬ 
fident that she has been laying more or less all winter. 
Now her rose comb looks like a sponge full of blood. 
New Jersey. (dr.) w. s. foster. 
Last Subscription Contest. 
This will be the last opportunity for our agents and friends to win a prize this year, 
prize this year equal to our $400 piano. 
SHORT STORIES ARE IN ORDER. 
No other farm paper has offered a 
The New Contest began February io, and will end April 
On May 1, the person sending the largest number of subscriptions, will be entitled to first choice for the following list of premiums. The 
sender of the second largest club will have second choice, and so on. 
The Emerson Upright Piano. 
This magnificent instrument is a 
whole orchestra of itself. We offer 
it the second time because the last 
one gave great satisfaction. It is 
worth $400 in cash. Picture your 
family gathered around this instru¬ 
ment, and then scour the neighbor¬ 
hood for the subscriptions needed 
to win it. It is made by the Emer¬ 
son Piano Company, Boston, Mass. 
Wilcox & White Organ. 
The best way for you to learn just 
what this is, will be to send to the 
Wilcox & White Organ Company, 
Meriden, Conn., and get the cata¬ 
logue. The organ is the “Princess” 
Style 4709, and is first-class in every 
particular. It’s full of music—only 
needing foot and finger to bring 
it out. 
Estey Organ. 
The name “ Estey” is a synonym for 
excellence in organ making. The 
instrument we offer is as good as 
any made by the famous Estey Organ 
Company, of Brattleboro, Vt. It is 
pictured and described in their cata¬ 
logue as Style B 72. Get that cata¬ 
logue and see what it looks like. 
Farmers’ Handy Wagon, 
This is the celebrated “ low-down” 
vehicle which saves your back and 
shortens your lift by one-half. The 
tires are wide so that it will run 
easily on soft or plowed ground. 
Just the thing for hauling ensilage, 
stalks, or in fact, any load that re¬ 
quires much hand work. A fine 
thing this—as you may see by read¬ 
ing the catalogue of the Farmers’ 
Handy Wagon Co., Saginaw, Mich. 
A Kalamazoo Buggy. 
This buggy is made by the Kala¬ 
mazoo Wagon Company, of Kalama¬ 
zoo, Mich., the same firm that sup¬ 
plied us last year. This buggy costs 
$(50. If you need such a vehicle on 
your farm, here is your chance to 
secure it. May 1 is “ moving day.” 
Better celebrate it by moving into 
this buggy. 
Z. Breed’s Weeder. 
The R. N.-Y. has told you how Mr. 
Breed started to make a weeder. 
This machine represents the end of 
his researches. It will kill the young 
weeds. What more do you want ? 
Send to the Z. Breed Weeder Com¬ 
pany, Boston, Mass., and learn all 
about it. 
The Sherwood Steel Harness. 
This is the harness which does not 
permit a horse to “ kick over the 
traces,” because there are no traces 
to kick over. You can’t bark a tree 
with it, or drop a whiffietree on the 
horse’s heels. Our belief is that a 
team can haul a heavier load with 
this harness than it can with the old 
style. Made by the Sherwood Har¬ 
ness Company, Auburn, N. Y. 
Superior Steel Land Roller, 
Farmers understand pretty well now 
when and where a roller is needed. 
If you need one in your farming, 
here is your chance to get one by 
rolling together a club of subscrip¬ 
tions. This roller is one of the best 
that is made. It has a grass-seeding 
attachment. Full particulars from 
John Moore’s Son Co., Raritan, N. J. 
These premiums are all first-class in every respect. The articles are just as good as you can buy, and the manufacturers expect to 
add to their reputation by placing them with our agents. 
THIS IS NOT ALL. —In addition to the chance of obtaining one of these premiums, the agent is permitted to retain the regular 
cash commission. We also pay One Dollar each Day for the largest daily club of subscriptions. We will also guarantee a cash prize 
of $5 to any agent who obtains 20 subscriptions and fails to win one of the eight premiums. 
Now, Are You Readv ? If Not, Whv Not ? 
The Harvest Waits! Who Will Reap It? For any further particulars, address THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, New York. 
