The St. Mary banner., 1906-04-21
RAISING GAME CHICKENS
SECRET HANDED DOWN BY GEM
GRAFTON OF BREEDERS.
Differs From the Poultry Business as
it Involves d Number Of Finer
Points Which Are Known Only TO a
FeW-Trainina the Birds.

clale5 the New Y-rk Sun. The former
F.! requires only a GOOD knowledge OF
poultry breesltng. while the latter in
wolves as we'll a nun. Der OF finer points
which are known only to a few who
have been ,ong ana closel yconaectcd
W.,h the work
These secrets have in many cases
been handed d5wn from generation to
generation, carefully guarded. Every
Lrea Ter of game chickens il the South
feels that the success OF his birds
is largely dependent upon these Sc
crats. and they are without doubt
largely responsible for the success OF
birds raised by Southern breeders. \
few facts concerning game birds and
Their raising for the pit. secured from
Virginia planter, Will be OF general
interest.
This gentleman says his ancestors
brought their original stock Of game
chickens to this country, and their de
scenlarts have been raising them ev-
er since He is confident that this
particular strain Of birds can hold
their own with the best the country
affords. This is not all idle talk, tor
his birds have won fights in the prin-
i ciple cities Of the country.
FIRST of all, the birds have been
raised only for fighting purposes, and
/ then year after year II careful breed
4 inc and selection has developed quail
tics which could be secured in 70 9th
! CT way. Birds are raised only from
7 winners and sister. of winners.
The chickens are kept together from
! the time they are hatched in the
spring until the Young eockefeis, or
stags. begin to manifest f-hting pro-
clivities. That GENES in the fall.
They are then separated. and each
stag IS placed on walk. That means
that farmer or negro is paid to take
the cock and keep him on his farm
with not more than * hens IN such
a place that he Will not come in con
tact with any other cock for year,
One might think the Bird should be
fighting all that time to develop his
mettle. hut careful study Ia shown
that this is net the case. During the
wear the bird sees no ctAer cccEs;
he is absolutely king OF the little
realm il which be rules, and he re-
allies it,
He grows in stature, d:@n;ty and
courage. In fev months n0thiH6
can eacrGach on his territory without
a cha!le9ee, and stubborn fight, lie il
cow. horse. mute. aos o. man.
At the end of the year these cocks, /
sometimes spread over q territory
twenty miles in circumference, are |
gathered in and c1GpeI up, prc2ara- |
tory 70 testing. The fa1cie" h9'da 1t
t,e mains f0r nis ova and bis friends
amusement, and in this NaE finds out
what qualities tie COCKS possess. = /
fz,l1 means Gelc.- " one air+. and il .
Consequence thee is 4 thinning 2ut-
Sometimes wncn tWo bj1ds of eX-
ceUrional worth are pgc togetaer they
are soDarated after they haze demon
srra II their good q12lttics, because
they ale too v1l}l5b!e % ae S2cH-Eced.
The hast birds afe t4tl S-!3p~d 20
various parts of Ihe country 70 tdAe
part j. biz fgA,s-
\ main, 0r c-2hSsA-. is 2n i.3teEesL-
irg affair. y couple OF l1se.i. 12F III
stance ,is,t twenty 'iE',s L0r 4 purse
OF 5000, 500 or 500, WIN - or S''
oil each 1is,ic. If one man Was e.9'@A
fights. he GETS ne purse, pits '-e
amount on each f@,t le wins. ana me /
Loser gets the money .9f t-'e "s'-17
Ii wins. tbs heip5 nm 70 Pay eA-
penses.
Large sums OF money are ais9 p"l
up on the result @ 'ie -ll''1'i' o' o-'
each cAD9rGt9 I4-ll, ~ TIE con! J.iI1