Savannah morning news., 1886-06-18

The Millionaire Journalists Fancy
for GaIIinaceous Pets and Curios.

1nG NAliliOn&iNt VONIAAhilSt y sAh'
for GaIlinaceous Pets and Curios.
From sAs Ne,0 York World
Ithas long been a popular tallacy tina
men OF great wealth, acquired by theil
own efforts, eventually merge The weak
nesses of ordinary mortaIs into the one
money-gettlng-and are forever
nebarred from that harmless and delight
full thing. hobby. Notwithstanding the
frequency with which this false idea has
been Tefuted, it seems too thoroughly in.
grained To be dislodged, hence the in orma-
ton that Cyrus W. Field had developed a
fonduess for fancy chickens and was ar
ranging for breeding them on large scale
has occasi0nCd an unusual amount Of
wondermeut in the nelghborhood OF his
country seat at Iryington.
The figure fixed by pOpularreport as the
purchase price of one exceptionally well
bred rooster is $1,000. w lille this Is
mistake, no such amount has been PAID for
any OF the BIRDS with whicA the tarm is
stocked, no expense having been spared to
make the chicken houses as complete and
perfect in every respect as experience
can suggest. ana it is not improbable
that the result OF a few seasons breeding
will be some bright-plumaged pets
which Mr.. Field would not part with for
that sum.
Leaving the train at Irvington, drive
of three miles through the handsome
grounds surrounding Mr.. FIELDS house,
past the stables and servants houses clus-
tering beneath great shade treeS-a min
iature Village-and on through the woods
in the rear, brings the visitor to the chicken
farm.
Three houses, each 200 feet In length,
have been constructed Tor the feathered
pets on the east bank of Saw Mill river, a
Aow- rfra fs1fA
A dam at this point swells the water
course to the dimensions OF small lake,
to which, on either side, well-kept lawns
extend down to the waters edge. Two
bridges span the stream, which, tumbling
in cascade over the obstructing dam,
Is lost in a cOpse Of Overhanging trees be-
yOnd.
Aside from the picturesqueness of the
situation, its practical advantages are evil
dent. Sheltered on the east BY a high hill,
upon the slope of which the houses are
built, the yards receive the full benefit OF
sunshine from early morning until late in
the. afternoon.
All three OF the houses are constructed
on the same general plan. The southern
sides of the structures are subdivided by
wire screens into roomy co0ps or
compartments, in which the various breeds
and families are secluded. A wooden cas-
ing four feet high prevents unneighborly
encounters. These compartments are
1Oored with white sand and lighted
through large glass transoms set in the
roof, which slopes sharply away on the
southern side.
The system OF subdivision is carried
into the yard, which is cut by a series of
wire screen fences, seven feet high, into
numerous plots 80 by 70 feet each in eX-
tent, and connected by a series of gates
by which it is possible to throw them all
into one.
Each interior compartment connects
with one of these plots, into which the
fowls may come at will without danger of
a clash between rival ROSTERS. A narrow
passageway runs the entire lengtR OF
each building on the northern side, from
which gates in the dividing screen give
access to the various compartments.
Coop seems q misnOmer in connection
with these model chicken houses, so
roOmy are the numerous subdivisions and
such care has been taken to insure perfect
ventilation. Tne breeding house and the
house set apart for the less hardy fowls
are fitted with heating apparatus TO main
tain proper temperature during the cold
months.
But few old fowls are domiciled on the
farm, it being Mr.. Fields intention to
breed largely IN the beginning by incuba-
tion, for which purpose quantities of eggs
OF choice fancy breeds have been pro-
cured. The incubator is located in an ex-
tensive greenhouse on tue opposite side of
the little stream, and as the chicks are
hatched they are transferred TO the brood
ing house. Already several promising
brOods of youngsters have been turned
over to the protecting care of the hens.
Among the hundred or SO cocks and
hens making acquaintance with their new
puarters when cur representative in
specied them were several handsome
specimens Of partridge Cochins and brown
Leghorns. A glossy coated black Span
ish rooster cast belligerent glances at the
speckled Hamburgs in the adjoining yard,
and scattered through other plots were
carefully chosen Plymouth Rocks, Brah-
mas, Wyandottes and Houdans.
IL IS also intended TO breed fancy ducks.
An experienced fancier has been placed
in charge Of the chicks.