Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-09-24
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LONG.rAlLED ROOSTeRS.
One Tint Sports Tall Feathers Moro
Than Ten Feet Long.


One Tint sports Tall Feathers Morp
Than Ten Feet Long.
The Japanese are proverbially pa-
tient people, and are continually aston
islling the world with examples of the
care they will bestow to bring about
results taking years or even lifetime
to complete. They resemble the Chi
.nese in this respect, and the success
which crowns their efforts would only
be espossible in a country where the life
of human being is held greatly at
discount, where wages are infinitesimal,
and where patience is one of the great
est inheritances received from previous
generations. Many people are femiliar
with various examples of the uncom-
planning resignation Of the Jap and Chi
naman to the belief of their more crude
forefathers in the stunted feet Of wom-
Ven Many are also familiar with the
minute horses which it hus been pos
sible to breed only by generation after
generation of families following the
same profession, and bending all their
energies to breed species of animal
which, by gradually decreasing in size
through the judicious crossing of years,
finally results ir perfect animal.
The small trees with which we are
coming to grace our Christmas tables
in these latter days is another example
of this inherent patience. A tree so
minute that it can be held in the palm
of ones hand-a tree still growing and
having life as perfect and productive as
our own enormous apple trees-seems
tale almost beyond credence; but add
ed to this is still another manifestation
of the adaptability Of nature, for on
the wee branches are the most perfect
of apples, so small as to be unrecog-
nizable, but still as perfectly formed
and as rosy asthe New England apple.
The National museum has just re-
ceived an example of the powers of the
Japs in this mode of stock breeding
which cannot be found anywhere else
In this country. The fowl in question
is rooster, This rooster probably
would not impress one as different from
the ordinary barnyard chanticleer were
it not for the enormous length OF the
tail. The tail is exactly ten feet six
inches in length, and remarkable for
its great beauty. From the back of the
rooster extend dozen long filament
feathers, any one of which would be
long in the ordinary fowl, but three OF
the feathers reach the great length
stated. They are Of a bright peacock
blue, and present beautiful coloring,
especially in the sunlight.
The fowl was the pride of japanese
farmer, and ii took large amount OF
money to induce him to part with tho
prize. Generation after generation he
and his fathers had watched the fowls
of the yard. Those developing an ex'
traordnary length of tail were kept by
themselves and tended carefully. In
time were raised other chickens, with
longer tails than their progenitors, and
from these were bred other fowls, until
the farmers labors were rewarded by
the magnificent specimen now in this
city. Every action of the fowl was
watched so that no injury might come
to the beautiful tail; the yard pavement
was made as smooth and as free from
vermin as the ingenuity of the breeder
could suggest. No rough framework
on which the feathers might tear was
allowed, and that the rooster might be
protected from danger to his adorn.
ments through the pugilistic tendencies
of the other birds, he was isolated with
only his mate for company.
These lone-tailed fowls are only bred
in Shinowaramura, Nagaoka county
Tosa province, and seldom go to other
parts of the country, as their price
places them beyond the reach of al
but the rich, who retain them as a mani
festation of wealth. During the time
OF the Tolligaua dynasty the breeding
OF these fowls was much encouraged
by the government of the feudal lords
and the tail feathers were taken in pay,
ment of local taxes. The feathers were
then used to decorate the lords spears
and were not allowed to be exported
But modern ideas are developing in the
Japanese, and so greatly have theii
commercial instincts been aroused that
what was but few years ago held toe
sacred for the eyes of the foreigner tc
even rest upon is now gladly given into
the possession of that same hated be
ing in exchange for the all-levelins
power-gold.-Washington Post.