114 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
April, 
it having been brought to great perfection by that gen¬ 
tleman, after years of care and attention. It is thus 
described by Martin: 
“It is very small, with unfeathered legs, and a rose 
comb and short hackles. The plumage is gold or silver 
spangled, every feather being of a golden orange, with a 
glossy jet black margin; the cocks have the tail folded like 
that of a hen, without the usual recurved drooping sickle 
feather, or rather these feathers are abbreviated, straight 
or nearly so, and broader than usual. Hence the term 
hen-cocks often applied to them. But although the sickle 
feathers are thus modified, no bird possesses higher cou¬ 
rage, or a more gallant carriage. The attitude of the 
42 —sir john sebright’s silver bantams. 
cock is indeed singularly proud, and we have often seen 
one of them bear himself so haughtily, that his head, 
thrown back as if in disdain, has nearly touched the 
two upper feathers of his tail. Half-bred birds of this 
kind are not uncommon, but birds of the pure breed are 
not to be obtained without trouble and expense; indeed, 
some years ago, it was almost impossible to procure ei¬ 
ther a fowl or an egg.” 
Bantams are, of course, kept chiefly as a curiosity— 
they ar e fancy fowls. The hens are good layers, and 
the eggs are of delicate flavor. The flesh is also fine 
in the grain, and of superior quality; but they are too 
small to be saleable in the market. 
In addition to the varieties of fowls above enumera¬ 
ted, there are some others which deserve a passing no¬ 
tice. Among these may be mentioned the following: 
The Persian or Rumpless Fowl. —This breed is 
chiefly remarkable on account of its being destitute of 
a tail. It is supposed to have been brought originally 
from Persia. We are not aware that the breed possesses 
any particular valuable quality. It is not uncommon in 
this country. 
The Frizzled or Friesland Fowl. —According to 
Martin, this breed is originally from Eastern Asia, and 
is often seen in Java, Summatra, and in India. It is 
occasionally met with in America, but is not common. 
It is a mere variety, and not a distinct species, as some 
have supposed. It takes the name of frizzled from the 
feathers—with the exception of those of the tail—be¬ 
ing turned or curled towards the head, giving the fowl 
the appearance, as has been facetiously remarked, of 
having been “ drawn backwards through a brush-heap.” 
They are tender—the feathers do not afford protection 
against wet, apd they are unable to bear exposure. 
The Silky Fowl. —This is another accidental varie¬ 
ty, which Temminck described as a distinct species un¬ 
der the name of Gallus lanatus. We have known se¬ 
veral instances of fowls of this description having 
sprung from those of the ordinary character. They are 
more difficult to raise than common fowls, owing to 
their destitution of feathers. 
The Russian Fowl. —This appears to be only a va¬ 
riety of the crested fowl, differing but little from the 
Polish and Hamburg breeds, excepting that it has, in 
addition to a large top-knot, long feathers, like a beard, 
springing from the under side of the throat. 
The terms “ Barn Door Fowl,” and “ Dunghill 
Fowl,” are applied to all fowls which are of no parti¬ 
cular variety, and in regard to the breeding of which 
no particular attention is paid. 
We will remark in conclusion that, though we do not 
think it advisable that every person who keeps fowls 
should become a professed fancier , yet we think with 
Martin, that “more systematic care should be paid by 
the farmer than is generally done, that less should be 
left to chance, and some discrimination exercised in the 
choice of stock. We do not claim for the fowl a weight 
in the scale of importance equal to that of the ox, sheep 
or hog; at the same time we contend that the import¬ 
ance of poultry is greater than at first sight might ap¬ 
pear; consequently, that all attempts to establish good 
breeds, at once hardy, w T hite fleshed, quick fatteners, 
and abundant layers, are meritorious; nor indeed are the 
labors of the professed fowl-fancier to be regarded as 
useless. Were it not for his labors and care, the con¬ 
tinuance of no breed, it is to be feared, would be effect¬ 
ed. There w'ould be no stocks to which to apply, by 
way of correcting the degeneracy of any race.” 
tlalue of 33onc0 ao a JFtrtUjer. 
Eds. Cultivator —In the slight measure of agricul¬ 
tural reading which it has been my good fortune to en¬ 
joy, I have frequently been surprised to find, there were 
those who, to judge by their writings, were in doubt 
respecting the great value of bones as a manure. With 
us, their exceeding great value has long since passed to 
a proverb. Our most stubborn farmers,—those who 
have been the most wedded to their old notions, and the 
most opposed to all new things,—have ceased from 
doubting, and not only admit their fertilizing properties, 
but use them freely; but, as I said before, there appears 
to be some who are yet skeptical, and who can not real¬ 
ize the important fact, that these apparently indestruct¬ 
ible matters contain properties of the most fertilizing 
character. For their benefit then, with your permis¬ 
sion, I will use the columns of your valuable journal, 
to lay before your readers, some facts which have come 
under my observation, and which have not only convin¬ 
ced me, but likewise all those who have been familiar 
with them. 
Some twenty or twenty-five years since, on the banks 
of this beautiful stream, from the banks of which I am 
now writing, and the name of which I have assumed 
as my agricultural nom de guerre, there existed a farm, 
which, as has been but too frequently the case, was 
worn and exhausted to a degree that those who see it 
now, for the first time, would scarcely credit. It would 
not convey an accurate idea of its sterility, were I to 
say, it had been exhausted by excessive cropping, for 
that would only imply that the prolific property of the 
soil had been spent; but in this instance, not only had 
that been the case, in the fullest sense of the word, 
but the soil itself had been washed from its whole sur¬ 
face. It w T as almost surrounded by the waters of this 
stream, and being light and loamy, it had been washed 
into chasms and gullies in every conceivable manner. 
I can even now remember, when a boy, looking with 
compassion, upon its poor, miserable and forlorn ap¬ 
pearance. 
At about the period I have mentioned, it was pur¬ 
chased by Mr. W., a bone grinder, of Philadelphia. 
