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WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
the size, deep, compact bod$ short legs and fifth toe of 
the Dorking, which in form they closely resemble, but with 
much less offal and smaller bones. * * * * In weight, 
the Hoadan is pre-eminent among the French breeds. We 
feel certain that by breeding for this most useful quality, the 
fowl may be reared to a greater weight than even the colored 
Dorking. Imported (from France), Houdans frequently want 
the fifth toe, evidently derived from the Dorking ; and it might 
at this early period be easily bred out. * * * We have in 
this breed the size, form and quality of the Dorking, with ear¬ 
lier maturity. The hen is a most prolific layer of good-sized 
eggs, which will almost invariably be found fertile. The 
chickens feather rapidly, but are nevertheless exceedingly 
hardy, perhaps more so than any except Cochins or Brahmas 
(and White Leghorns), and therefore are easily raised with little 
loss. They are emphatically the fowl for a farmer, and will 
yield an ample profit on good feeding, both in eggs and flesh.” 
I will only add, to cross with common fowls, the cocks cannot 
be surpassed, and particularly the cross with Brahma hens ? 
which will result in a fowl of rare excellence. 
Brahmas —Light and dark varieties are the most desirable 
of the Asiatics, as well as the most valuable of the many Va¬ 
rieties yet introduced. Except in marking they are very simi¬ 
lar in their characteristics. While, as a mere matter of fancy, 
we prefer the dark variety, others, for a similar reason, prefer 
the light. They will bear neglect, confinement, and being 
heavily feathered can stand the cold better than any other 
fowl. Early hatched pullets, with gocd care, will furnish a 
bountiful supply of eggs through the winter ; in fact, as winter 
layers, no breed equals them. As a table fowl we prefer them 
to the Cochin, but they are not equal to the Dorking, Houdan 
Dominique and some other varieties. For early market 
chickens they are unequaled by any for profit. 
Cochins —May be called the originators of the mania, or 
“hen fever ” that raged from 1847 to 1850 and ’51, when for¬ 
tunes, almost, were spent in procuring them. Even within the 
