ey 
FANCIERS’ JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 137 
Gorrespoudence. 

Mr. Jos. M. Wavs. 
DearSir: Shippers of fowls find it difficult to provide suffi- 
cient water for their trip. I have been acting upon the sug- 
gestion of my son, by putting into the vessel a float, made of 
thin board, enough smaller than the inside of the water-ves- 
sel, so that when swollen it will not bind; have in the centre 
a hole into which the fowls can put their bill, and the thing 
is complete. 
The idea is taken from the carrying of water in pails on 
the cars, into which the train men lay a piece of board or 
plank. Let poultry men try it and they will like it. The 
wattles of the fowls are held up out of the water, and the 
coop may be tilted more than one would suppose without 
spilling from the dish, and it would be difficult to get it all 
out without actually upsetting the cage or box. 
Truly yours, &c., 
WILLIAM ATWOOD. 
Bic FLAtTs, CHEMUNG Co.,, N. Y. 

mee 
Mr. JosepH M. WADE. 
Dear Sir: TheJournal bearing date of February 5th, came 
to hand this p.M., and has been carefully perused the second 
time. You need no assurance that it received a cordial wel- 
come. It will be loaned and reloaned until all fanciers in this 
neighborhood have had the pleasure of reading and making 
its acquaintance. 
Several have promised to subscribe, and I know they will 
not delay, as they cannot afford to be without its weekly 
visits. 
A weekly poultry journal is no longer an experiment, 
and parties who predicted failure, have only to examine 
your columns of fresh interesting reading matter, to see that 
the supply is equal to the demand without the aid of old 
musty poultry records. 
I did not intend writing a treatise on breeding, mating, 
or management of any new variety of imported ducks, or to 
tell you that my yards contain the finest specimens of Light 
Brahmas to be found in the country at $75 per trio; but on 
general matters. 
First, to congratulate you on the fine appearance of the 
Journal, and the success that has thus far attended your 
efforts, judging from the liberal advertising patronage you 
have received, which is the very best test of merit. 
Article headed ‘‘ Do as you Contract,’’ page 89, reminds 
me of a small transaction I heard concerning a Western 
breeder, who prides himself on his standing and stock he 
exhibits, which by the way frequently takes prizes. 
Last season he ordered some Brahmas from one of the 
leading breeders in this State, and after raising a number of 
fine chickens (some of which received premiums this winter), 
made complaint, and after threats intimating that the fowls 
were not pure breed, insisted on returning them for the 
purchase money. 
The great uneasiness concerning the late meeting of the 
American Poultry Association is beginning to wear off, and 
the reports of its transactions received leave no room for 
complaint of rings, &c. 
The important business was fully deliberated upon by 
men of experience and good judgment, and transacted in a 
most creditable manner to all concerned. 
The new standard will be looked for with much interest 


by would-be standard breeders and fanciers generally. Some 
of the first will be severe in their denunciation, while the 
more considerate will not look for perfection, and be content 
with the vast improvement over the old standard. 
Now let every state and local poultry association in the 
land wheel into line, indorse the action of the American 
Poultry Association, send on their applications for member- 
ship, and by every word {and thought add to its efficiency 
and prosperity. 
ILLINo!s. 
—wee + 


Mr. Jos. M. WaDE. 
Dear Sir: I beg leave to inform you I received per 
steamer Denmark, on Saturday, a pair of the finest Ayles- 
bury ducks I ever saw. Yours truly, C. B. Eben. 


HINGHAM CENTRE, Mass., Feb 11, 1874. 
J. M. Wank, Esa. 
Dear Sir: Seeing in your paper of Feb. 5th a description 
of a large egg, I thought I would give an account of an egg 
that one of my Light Brahma hens laid the 6th of February ; 
it measures 14 inches in circumference the long way, and 7 
inches the short way ; weighs 4% ounces. 
Yours respectfully. 
P. N. SPRAGUE. 

(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
PREPARE FOR NEXT SHOW. 
THERE are many among amateur poultry fanciers who 
could take premiums at some of our leading shows, did they 
but have the courage to send their stock. The trouble 
seems to arise from the fact that they misapprehend the 
meaning of the standard. They seem to take it for granted 
that no stock will have any chance which will not figure 
over eighty-five or ninety points. 
I confess myself to a little guilt in this matter. Some 
time ago I had made all my preparations for sending a trio 
each of Brown Leghorns and Plymouth Rocks to one of 
our leading shows, but just on the eve of making the entry, 
my courage gave way and my stock remained at home, 
though one of the trios had been expressly matched for me 
by a leading breeder and exhibitor for this particular show. 
Guess my mortification when on meeting a friend on the 
street to-day who had been at the show referred to; almost 
the first thing he said was: ‘ Your stock should have been at 
the show ; you would have taken first premium or both.” I 
had no doubt as to the value of my own stock, but I, without 
any ground whatever, imagined that there would probably 
be better on exhibition, and kept mine at home. 
mistake, but too late to correct it for this season. 
At the late Buffalo show, a premium of $100 was offered 
for the finest dark Brahma hen. What is the result of the 
investigation ? Simply this: that the winning bird figured 
less than a hundred points,—just ninety-five and a half,— 
and this is probably the best, at least one of the very best 
hens in the United States, and yet she is not perfect. 
Isn’t there encouragement for the amateur in this result ? 
Isn’t there encouragement for all of us to know that this 
first premium bird under this hundred dollar inducement 
falls short of perfection by four and a half points? It ought 
to set every breeder and fancier at work, whether his flock 
consists of five or fifty, to produce some birds which shall be 
worthy of the next show. And when he has bred the birds 
I see my 
