Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-19
BDEEDIyG GAME-COCKs.
An Industry In which II Is S'"i"e"
Tint Tennessee IL pre-Emtneh''
CIilan (TennJ Letter.

Tennessee is the home OF the nheSt
game fowls ir the world, ana hsh'ihs
cocks have been reared here for 10 years
Thare have been 22OD) game cocks SOFA
I'm Tennessee within the last year. almost
every State I'm the Union being Represent
cd in the list OF purchasers. SeNeTdl nun
dred golden-breasted cocks were sent W
Spain. the home OF the black COCK, "iier'
the sport OF hAlting IS as old as history
The income from a famous COCK VAIN,
where - 10 co cocks are raised anu sVi'
every year. is at least more remunera'Ne
and profitable than stock tarm. 40
fairly good game cock Is sold Tor less
than g.. and the cocks OF the best hshtlhs
strains have brought a high as 500.
There is not village or hamlet In Ten
nessee where the breeders Of fine game
cocks do not have walks. In the Suburbs
of the cities you can find dozens OF these
walks. and they nave correspondents IN
every part OF America who sell FOR them.
But il is known that cock raised IN the
country is a harder and longer-lived
fighter than the bird which breatnes the
air Of the city all his days.
4 game chicken is differently shaped
from a common chicken. The game fowl
has longer body and is more compactly
built The game cocks head is the buzz
yards head with a hawks bill. There are
twenty-one strains Of the best fighters
but in this number the commoner breeds
are not included. Game chickens are or
every color, from white. through golden.
red. and blue tlnts. to Jet black The com
mon idea that unless a cock is red he Is
not game is fallacious. since some OF the
best pit fighters have not a streak OF red
in their plumage.
Game chickens are bred for plumage.
for fighting qualities. or for bone and
muscle. The chickens bred for plumsge
are obtained from pheasant hens crossed
with a game cock. When fighting blood
is wanted. the owner OF walk Will watch
the fine points of his fighters and select
the best for the head Of his fighting
strain. When bone and muscle are de-
sired chickens with small toes and legs
are not wanted. \ buyer at a distance
always queries IL the chicken is big-boned.
II not. there is no sale for him. The most
careful and successful breeders are al
ways on the lookout for new blood. Chick
ems raised for plumlge are used for show
purposes Flghtlng-b bred chickens are
used for pit purposes. Chickens bred for
bone and muscle are always sought for
new blood among old strains.
Game chickens bred in various sections
Of America are as different as the coun-
tries themselves. The southern chicken
is the best fighter, and always has been,
on account of the fact that more fighting
is done through the Southern States, and
that the strains are always strengthened
by the introduction Of lresher fighting
blood The chickens 81 the far West.
California particularly. are Of different
breed from the American chickens. Their
chief strain was obtained from imported
japanese blood-called in pit nomencla-
ture "Japs." and so known in the fighting
world. These Japs ar mixed with Ameri-
can game strains. and have great rcputa-
tions as fighters.
\ chicken is sold according to age
weight. and strain The walks where
they are raised are cut up into small
parts, covered with wire netting, and the
cocks separated. This is done TO make
them warm-blOoded, for 4 cOd-bOOded
chicken will run every time. The hen
| generally matches a brood Of from twelve
to eighteen chickens. The young cocks
can crow at six months. and In eight
! months they begin 10 show their pusna-
cious qualities After this age they are
salable for pit purposes. and between
his second and third year the cock Is
AZ his best. They are bought at all
weights between three and one half and
nine pounds The average fighting weight
/ is from five to seven pounds. Chickens
and but rarely at odds. Fighters must
| be in the pink Of condition. Those trained
/ for fight are usually exercised from ten
| days 10 three weeks before the fight.
| Exercising or boxing a cock H. TO pick
| him up under his breast. raise him five
| or six feet I'm the air. and let him fall.
Naturally. he will raise his wings and
| hutter to the ground This done a num-
| her Of times In the walk each day. will
| harden his muscles and work the fat
off However. some chickens are kept
In such condition all the year that they
| can be taken from the yards and fought
| al a moments notice.
Cock-hghting Is called the gamest sport
under the sun. and all countries engage
| in IL. Andrew Jackson, Felix Grundy,
| John Sewer, John Bell. and the foremost
| statesmen of Tennessee were great cock
| fighters in ante-belum days. and the
| sport has many patrons now-men OF
| prominence. as a rule The tricks Of
skifu cock are many There are cocks
| which have their original methods Of
| fighting Some OF them Will fall back
| ward, and as the opponent, flushed with
! victory. is in the act Of leaping upon the
| fallen cocks breast the victim will leap
| forward and plant the steel through the
| unwary vctOrs brain. Sometimes after
! a chicken Is blind he will come of victor.
| and again, even with a broken leg, they
! have been known TO win the fight.