1868.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
323 
Asiatic Fowls—Cochins. 
We obtain, from Asia, and especially from 
Eastern and Southern Asia, a number of strik¬ 
ing and useful varieties of fowls. Among these 
are the Malays, Brahmas, and Cochins, 
all notable for their great size. The 
first named have been long known, but 
are now quite rare in this country, no 
doubt on account of the superiority of 
the other breeds. They are a gaunt, 
leggy fowl, of a somewhat game-cock 
look, but coarse; not so courageous 
in battle, but vindictive and cruel 
towards a weaker foe. The Brahmas 
or Brahma Pootras and Cochins resem¬ 
ble each other in general characteristics 
very closely, yet in some respects their 
habits are so different that it can hardly 
be doubted that they are regarded as 
distinct breeds from no mere fancy of 
the poultry breeders, but from inherent 
differences which careful breeding 
should preserve. We have from time 
to time received from China fowls very 
similar to these, which have borne 
several names now pretty much drop¬ 
ped from the roll. We hear no more 
of Shanghaes, little of Chittagongs ; yet 
these were favorite breeds but a-few 
years ago. The reason of this is that at 
the ports whence we received our China 
fowls, there was very little care taken 
to keep the breeds separate, and com¬ 
munication with the interior was diffi¬ 
cult ; hence Shanghaes with feathered 
legs and with clean ones, white, buff, 
gray, and brown, and marked by other 
differences, found their way to the breed¬ 
ing yards of England and America. 
After sufficient time had elapsed for the careful 
study of the breeds, their habits, and uses, they 
have been, by common consent, classified as 
Cochins and Brahmas, while the clean legged 
varieties of these breeds have been dropped as 
probably mongrels and unworthy of cultivation. 
The Cochins are 
of various colors, 
while in form and 
plumage otherwise 
they are very sim¬ 
ilar. We give en¬ 
gravings taken 
from excellent pho¬ 
tographs of three 
buff Cochi* fowls 
from the yard of a 
young amateur, Mr. 
G. H. Leavitt, of 
Flushing, L. I. 
These birds are re¬ 
markable for their 
size, and though 
their form may be 
somewhat criticised 
by those who know 
the breed only in 
their own yards, or 
^through Mr. Har¬ 
rison Weir’s beauti¬ 
ful and natural por¬ 
traits of famous 
birds, belonging to 
noted English breeders, (in which we must be¬ 
lieve he allowed liis facile pencil to represent 
the birds a little nearer to what he wished to 
see them than they actually were), yet, con¬ 
sidering their weight, it is remarkably fine. 
The cock, photographed at 9 months old, 
weighed at a year old, 14 pounds; the hen on 
the left is an old fowl, and weighs 12 J | a pounds, 
and the other is, or was when photographed, 
9 months old, and when a year old weighed 11 
Fig. 1. —BUFF COCHIN COCK.—FROM A PHOTOGRAPH. 
pounds. We find among the sub-breeds of 
Cochins, those of a nearly pure white color, all 
shades of cream, buff, lemon, partridge colored, 
brown, and even black, or very nearly black. 
The external characteristics of the Cochins are 
large-sized bodies, profusely feathered with soft, 
legs, feathered to the end of the middle and 
outer toes; full neck hackle, and saddle hackle, 
and very small tails, which are nearly concealed 
in the fluff and hackle feathers. The hens have 
delicate combs, mild eyes, smaller legs, shorter 
thighs than the cocks, and character¬ 
istic plumage. The color is various, the 
tail being generally dark, and some¬ 
times black in the buff, lemon, cin¬ 
namon, and partridge varieties. The 
Cochins are a very domestic breed, 
seldom wandering far from their yard, 
even if free range be allowed them. 
They differ in this respect from the 
Brahmas, which wander far, are early 
risers, and late in going to roost, while 
the Cochins are constitutionally lazy 
birds. They are hardy, mature early, 
are excellent winter layers, and crossed 
with Dorkings, Crevecceurs, or games, 
make most delicious and early chickens. 
Broilers sell well in green pea time, but 
the fowls are not superior for the table, 
as tliir flesh is not so delicate as our 
common dunghills, or as the various 
crosses with the Cochins named above. 
Arrange to Sow More Clover. 
The value of red clover as a renovator 
of the soil is not generally appreciated. 
It makes excellent hay, and when con¬ 
sumed makes a manure very rich in 
nitrogen. A ton of good clover hay 
contains about 50 lbs. of nitrogen, 
probably not more than one-tenth of 
which is lost in passing through ani¬ 
mals. It is worth as manure three or 
four times as much as that which we 
commonly cart from the yard in the 
The crop is of very great value for pas- 
The usage 
spring, 
ture or to turn in as a green crop 
of good farmers differs somewhat in the treat¬ 
ment of clover. Some turn in the crop when 
full grown in June. Others pasture it the first 
season, and turn in what is left for wheat. Others 
let it stand without 
pasturing, and turn 
it under for wheat. 
Others take off two 
crops, and turn it 
under the second 
season. The most 
intelligent farmers 
are now favoring ' 
the practice of cut¬ 
ting and pasturing 
through one season, 
believing that the 
soil improves more 
by the growth of 
the roots. It is a 
very strong-rooted 
plant and pene¬ 
trates the soil to a 
great depth. The 
mechanical condi¬ 
tion of the soil is 
very much improv¬ 
ed by the decay of 
these long tap-roots. 
However used, it 
2.— pair of buff cochin HENS.—from a rHOTOGRArn. cannot fail to bene¬ 
fit the soil if the manure that is made from the 
plant is carefully saved and returned to the 
fields where it grew. Clover ought to have a 
fluffy plumage; good-sized heads, with medium¬ 
sized, single combs, large wattles and ear lobes, 
clear, bright eyes, and strong, curved, tapering 
beaks; breasts, broad and full; long, strong 
thighs, set wide apart, with short, thick, yellow 
place in every rotation. The farmers of the in¬ 
terior and of the South have the means in this 
