Pleasurable poultry keeping by Brown Edward 1851-1939

Author:Brown, Edward, 1851-1939
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Poultry
Publisher: London, E. Arnold
Published: 1893-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

Bred hy and the property of Mr. W. S. Finsent, Rose Hill, Neioton Abbot.

Winner of Cups, Birmingham, 1889.

a degenerated race compared with the " improved" Sussex breed. It has also been claimed that the Dorking does not owe its origination to Surrey or Sussex at all, but comes to us from the north of England, for in Wingfield and Johnson's Poultry Book, published early in the fifties, we find it stated that "some writers have even ventured to assert that the native place of the Dorking is among the Cumberland hills." It is certain that in that region is a race of five-toed fowls, and bearing other points of resemblance to the Dorking. These are known in Cumberland as the "Jew" breed, but it appears to be called still farther north " the silver pheasant kind," and at Edinburgh " the old Scotch breed." In the Gardeners' Chronicle of 1848 we find: " This Jew breed is said to be very ancient in Cumberland, and it is still very usual for the Lancashire men to carry off any fine birds of this race which they see amongst the mountain cottagers. However, it would be a vain attempt to trace the- origin of a breed which was described nearly two thousand years ago by a Eoman writer ; and, as Eoman. stations abound in Cumberland, it is quite possible that a poultry-fancying Praetor, fifteen hundred years since, might send or carry in the same year the first couple of Dorking fowls to the bank of the Thames, and to the old camp at Ambleside, or Castle Hill near Keswick." Columella's remarks, to which reference has just been made, were as follows: "Let them be of reddish or dark plumage, with black wings. . . . Let the breeding hens be of robust body, square built, full breasted, large heads, with upright and bright red combs. . . . These are believed to be the best bred with five toes." The latter part of this description would stand for the Dorking of to-day. What is desired in this breed is a long, broad, and deep

126 PLEASUBABLB POULTBY KEEPING.

body, square built, with shortish legs, and capable of carrying a large amount of flesh on the breast. A most important point in the Dorking is its white feet and legs. Some people think that dark-legged fowls cannot have the same purity of flesh as those with white feet; but this is an error. Still, the point referred to is greatly in favour of the Dorking for table purposes. Further, there is the fifth, or supernumerary, toe, which is of no value in itself, but simply a sign of race purity, and for that reason should be maintained. No bird without this pecuUarity would be accepted as pure bred, and all dark or spotted-legged Dorkings should be rejected.

It is often said that the Dorking is not a hardy fowl. This is, however, misleading. The Dorking cannot certainly be kept on any soil or in any place, and damp, cold ground is fatal to it.

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