The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-08
BACK TO FIRST.
Attempt to Breed Chickens Back
to the Original.
PrOI's. Dyche and Err Bring
Experiments to Topeka.
FOWL ARISTOCRATS.
They Make Up the Kansas
Chicken Show.
Opened Today at the Topeka
Auditorium.

Hybrid chickens, an attempt to get
back to the primeval chicken, viii be
on exhibition at the state poultry show
which opened up formally this morning
in the Auditorium.
Prof. Err of the state Agricultural
college and Prof. L. L. Dyche of the
State university have been experiments
ing along this line with several varieties
of the chicken family, and their expert
ments will be represented at the show
by the hybrid birds, resulting from the
crossing.
The Black Langshans and. the White
Leghorns have been used in the cross
ing by Prof. Err while the experiments
of Prof. Dyche have been directed to
the Light Brahmas and Plymouth
Rocks. Results thus far obtained seem
to indicate that the original fowl which
we cherish at Sunday dinners was black
but aside from that the experiments
have not been advanced far enough to
tell what variety they approach.
A learned scientist first advanced this
theory of reversion in order to get at
the original chicken, his theory being
that all of the various kinds of birds
which have cropped out since have been
due to crossing and to the machinations
of the breeder.
The theory was successfully establish
ed with regard to the pigeon, the expert
rock pigeon was the forbear of all the
highly differentiated varieties of today.
In other words. old Father Noah had
only one kind of pigeon in the Ark st the
time Of the flood and that was the COM
mon clay rock pigeon, the tumblerss
pOuters and others have been bred since.
The experiment Of Prof. Err and Prof.
| Dyche cannot help but be interesting
and the hybrids viii form one Of the
most important attractions at the show
1 this week
Never before have there been so
/ many pigeons on exhibition as this
year; over 500 are entered already.
! and there is a possibility that the num-
! Der may jump TO 1000. Fanciers
/ from Milwaukee, Chicago, st. Louis
! st. Joseph, Kansas City, Denver, Mani
I towoc, Wis, and points in Iowa are
shipping in pens. From a spectacular
single and double tumblers. The
tumb blers are some OF the hoi pOlloi;
they are the athletic members Of the
! pigeon family, and can do stunts that
would make some Of these acrobats
on the stage look cheap. The judg-
/ ing of the tumblers will probably COM
| mence tomorrow, under the direction
of K. J. Muir, of Chicago, who is an
authority throughout the United
! States.
Breeders of squads will have a good
/ showing. There were only a couple
of pens of squads last year and the
exhibition in this line was a little weak,
/ but the development of the squab in
/ dustry has assumed large proportions
within the past year.
Pouters, which swell out their
/ breasts until they resemble in ap-
/ pearance some of these grand opera
/ singers. are on deck again. In addi-
| ton there are fantails jacobins, and
homers.
OF the local exhibitors Isaac Sheetz
and George Burghart are interested
/ the heaviest; the former has some 100
about so. Each has about eight diff
/ ferent varieties. A pair of birds for
| which Burghart paid $50 apiece, and
1 which secured first prize at the worlds
/ fair, is in the lot. Daniel Olson is en-
/ tered for Jacobins and Turbits, Roy
/ Payne with Dragons, Spurrier &
/ Wallace with Pigma Pouters, Parlor
/ Tumblers and Owls, George Kiauer
with Parlor Tumblers, Jacobins and
number of pens.
Prizes to the extent of $3.50 are
! offered to the pigeon men; 5000 OF
I these are confined to merchandise.
while $3.50 is in money. The indi-
/ vidual prizes range from 5 to $40 in
value No sweepstakes are offered
The pigeon department Is under the
\ direct management of the western
/ Pigeon club. with NJ. F. Hankla acting
as representative.
Challenging cries of the roosters
echo through the Auditorium. and the
volume of sound is constantly being
/ added to by new arrivals. This after
noon the first judging commences; this
| is of the Leghorns.
1--WE are going to have a great
show" said Secretary Owens.