Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-08-16
FIGHTING WITH GAME FOWL.
Thousands Are Trained Each Year to
Do Battle.


r. Do Battle.
Few people realize the extent to
which the breeding of game fowl is
carried easin the states of South Caro-
/ lima and Georgia" said Charles w.
I Hollifield. the well known chicken
fancier, the other day. To a correspon-
dent of the Boston Herald. Mr.. Holli-
field was seated on the wide piazza Of
his Hacienda de Ia Vega ranch. near
Macon. Ga, \ gamecock was perched
upon his knee. and nearly thousand
Climax. Shawlnecks and War Horse
cocks and hens ana strutted here and
yonder in the ueighboring barnyard.
| We fancier-." continued the breeder
of chickens of high degree. have our
fayerite strains. We breed extensive
| ~. not only on nnr private ranches. but
in the barnyarGS OF a score Of small
| farmers. The. farmer OF course. makes
Il good thing nIt of our fad. The
cooking enthusiast is willing 20 pay
| fancy prices t. haze his birds bred just
I" suit him.
For my part, | own up to being
very proud of the fact that l am prob
ably the largest breeder of game
chickens in this country. or in the
world for that matter. | expect to
turn out 5000 birds this season. and ]
know of no other man who can say as
much"
Being asked to talk little for the
information of persons who did not
know quite as much as he himself did
about game fowl. Mr. IIollifield said;
The South is the home of the Amer
lean gamccock. There are no chickens
more famous than the Georgia shawl
neck and the War Horse. The cocks
of both these strains are famous now
the world over for their BEAUTY and
marvellous fighting tactics.
The ShaWlncckS especially are
beautiful birds. Their plumage is fiery
red They have raven breasts ana vel
InW legs. Pretty little tassels adorn
IN" crowns of their heads. ana two or
three white streamers float conspicu-
ouSlv among otherwise let black tail
feathers. The strain first found fame
in Georgia pit 80 years ago. It's repre-
stntatiVeS have since wandered far.
They have conquered the f"athoret
warriors of Canada and the celebrated
nan cocks Of Mexico. once i" eN-
trnsiyely bred ana championed 10y
Santa Ana.
The war horse is noted for its
virfousness Not infrequently il can
not he safely handled. even when being
trained for battle. 1t Kills snakes rats
and hawks with the greatest ease. The
fnrrbcars of the American war h"rs
had their nativity in Ireland, and PCS
Sibly mat accounts for their snake
killing proclivties. The war horse
cock has large black eyes and black
beak long ANA curved like that of an
eagle. The legs are smooth ana black
also. The feathering is black with
violet green reflections. giving the bird
an appearancc of high breeding. The
war horse is what is known as
.shufrIing. cock. because he bills his on
pnnent ana then kicks him to death
with his eafiles.
IF he can once come to close quar-
t"rS with an enemy he seldom fails 70
accompiish his purpose. He fights with
great facility on his back or side. with
his bill buried he keeps Kicking
whether he is on top or at the bottom.
The war horse can stand more punish
ment than any other gamecock. te
has often been known to kill an OPP
ponent even when he himself was IN
the very throes of death. He is so say
agrly game he is never conquered
while alive.
1T is interesting to observe con-
tinued Mr. Hollfield. how racial ana
climatic Influences manifest themselves
even in cock fighting. In Canada ana
the Northern states short spurs. about
IL inches long are used. In the south
the spurs are from pa to 3 inches long.
In cuba. Porto Rico, Mexico. Central
America. and. in fact, all tropical coun-
tries the game cock is armed for tn"
pit with double edged knife three
, inches long and curved like a cimeter.
It is sharp as a razor. and is fastened
over the spur of the left leg. 1t is not
1. infreouently the case that cocks
head is cut off by it on the first Nv
with the short spurs of the North
4 fight lasts for 4 half hour: in me
South. with the long Gafiles. it lasts
, 10 minutes on an average; among the
, Latin races in the tropics. where the
miniature cimeter is used. it is over
in n few seconds nine times out OF Ten.
, The hot blood of the South has not the
patience to wait-it wants its nghtihS
to be fast and furious. The sturdy
courage of the Canadian cocker uc-
tdtes short weapon
Mr.. HOllifeld is WldelN NnoNh pot'
in this country and in Mexico through
his contributions to journals eXcius-
lively devoted to game fowl and COCK
ing subjects. He fights his birds III
both countries. and backs them WIN
the courage of an enthusiast.
, 1t is a matter of history that cooking
was in its zenith in England during
the reigns of Henry VIII. ana James l.
The former caused theatre to Dc
built expressly for the patronage ol t''
sport. The noblemcn all had th'lt
| private strains Of COCKS. 1he Earl ~
Derby Of that day bred and walked
no less than loco birds annually. Mr.