FANCIERS’ 
JOURNAL 
AND 
POMEROY EX @EUAN GH. 

Mota. F- 
PHILADELPHIA, 
MARCH 5, 1874. Now 10: 


(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
WHITE-FACED BLACK SPANISH. 
WHILE the large or Asiatic varieties have many points 
. of excellence which recommends them to lovers of fine 
poultry, I think some other or smaller varieties have supe- 
rior claims to the breeder’s atttention, where profit is the 
greatest consideration in poultry raising. 
All fowls to be profitable must be carefully bred. 
There are large sections, especially in the southern parts 
of our country, from their remoteness to large cities, make 
poultry raising for market purposes out of the question, as 
freights eat up all the profits. But on the other hand, eggs 
nearly always pay a good per cent. on any investment that 
may be made for the non-sitting breeds of fowls. 
As producers of eggs, large or Asiatic fowls unquestionably 
occupy the background, and the world famous White-Faced 
Black Spanish stands triumphantly in the foreground, un- 
equalled and excelled by none. 
After years of experience with almost every breed of fowls 
that are now enumerated in the whole catalogue of varieties, 
this has been my experience, and so continues, and if I live 
years to come, I doubt not it will be the same. No fowl in 
my knowledge has more tu recommend them. For beauty 
of plumage and style of carriage, they are grand and noble. 
For laying qualities, they cannot possibly be excelled; for 
about eight months in the year they keep up an almost con- 
tinual supply of the very best eggs. And as for drawbacks, 
no fowls have fewer, being hardy, easy to raise, and quite 
free from disease. This last I speak from long experience. 
As for not being good winter layers it is altogether a mis- 
take; fur in a warm climate, they are ready to commence 
business as soon as through their moult, and it takes very 
severe weather to stop them, so great is their desire to stick 
to their work. 
Notwithstanding what our Davenport friend says of their 
inferiority as a table fowl, their color of flesh alone is all 
the objection that can possibly be made against them. And 
my candid advice to my Southern brethern, and all others 
who will take the advice of one who is old in poultry 
breeding at least, is to procure some of this invaluable breed 
of poultry, as it will be a source of pleasure as well as profit, 
as they could proudly call their friends to view their pets, 
and put money in their pockets beside. I am hard to tire 
when speaking of my pets, but perhaps I had better stop 
writing, and give some one else some space in the Journal 
to talk about theirs. 
I hope we shall be able to get the ‘hen fever’’ to fever 
heat again before long. JoHN RUMBOLD. 
‘FOWLING CREEK, Mp., Feb. 1874. 

POULTRY-MARKER. 
Having frequently seen inquiries made by your correspon- 
dents as to the best mode of marking poultry, I enclose you 
a marker of my own invention, which I have used all 


through the past season with entire satisfaction. It can be 
put on or taken off with the 
greatest ease by using two pairs 
of ordinary round pointed wire 
pliers. It is made by letting fall 
one or more drops of melted 
solder on to a piece of stoutish 
copper wire. The solder is then 
stamped with anumber by means 
of a die, and a corresponding number entered on the poultry 
book. The size and number of the drops of solder, and like- 
wise the thickness of the copper wire, can be varied at 
pleasure to suit the size of the chicken or fowl, and every 
ironmonger will furnish a set of number dies of the requisite 
size at a trifling cost. 
This plan may possibly be already known, but I have never 
seen anything at all like it, and as it has been most useful to 
me I wish to make it known to my brother fanciers through 
the medium of your columns. I may add that I prefer two 
drops of solder in case of the accidental defacing or loss of 
one. 
I do not find my marker incommodes the birds in the 
least, nor does it chafe or injure the feathering or color of 
the legs of Brahmas or Cochins.— William Savile, in Journal 
of Horticulture. 


(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
PIGEON KEEPING ON A LARGE SCALE. 
MAwNy years ago, in the countries of Europe, dove-cots 
were attached to nearly all the residences of the landed 
gentry. These cots were of various styles of architecture, 
and were in most cases ornaments to the grounds. Occasion- 
ally unused outbuildings were turned over to the pigeons 
(and then they were more useful than ornamental), or the 
lofts of stables, or even of the house itself, became occupied 
by the birds, but it was considered the thing to have a special 
abode for pigeons; therefore all who could afford it had a 
tower in some conspicuous place devoted entirely to that 
purpose. In these cases the birds were not kept on account 
of any profit that might be made from breeding them; on 
the contrary, they were looked upon as unprofitable attach- 
ments of luxury. The squabs were occasionally eaten, and 
the old ones afforded the youngsters many opportunities for 
improving their skill as marksmen. The small farmers and 
tenants disliked the pigeons on account of their eating so 
much of their garden truck and seeds, and waged war upon 
them with traps and guns. By these means many birds 
that were with eggs or young perished, and no one has as 
yet been able to determine if there be any profit in keeping 
large numbers of common pigeons, and breeding exclusively 
for sale. It has more than once been thought there is money 
in it, yet it remains for Americans to try the experiment. 
Five hundred pairs would require a thousand nests, with 
plenty of room, for commons are very aggressive; they 
