The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-19

Backyard feather fancaers of New
York and It's suburbs AFRO often rs keen
and loyal IN breeding to the standards
OF perfection 10 any OF me rich gentle
man farmers who have acres nj rne
grass lsnd available for their poultry
yards and pigeon ooops. a proof Is tho
support the backyard fanciers always
give to the exhibitions of the New York
Poultry and Pigeon Association Mt Madi-
son square Garden. The twcnty-seventh
annual show will open there on New
Years cvo and the entries close on
Wednesday with the secretary, Charles
u. Cleveland, AT hts ONCE In the Madison
Square Garden tower.
Poultry Is kept by tho backyard
~tsnciers chiefly as purveyors Of break
fast III yet many Of them put type
before utility In breeding poultry. while
the pigeon fanciers Of the city and
suburbs are, on the other hand, almost
entirely idealist In seeking to raise only
the most beautiful and perfect specimens
ceptions are the few local pigeon
breeders who cater to the market for
squads and those who raise n train
record homers a. a business.
OF the 500 exhibitors c~atalogued for
last years Madison Square Garden show.
over goo. to be exact just 21s. keep their
birds in or within committing distance
OF New York. This Is n remarkable
showing. for in addition to the many
ordinary vicissitudes and perpiexities
that must be met with and overcome by
the rich and poor fanciers alike. the
backyard enthusiasts have two addi-
tional obstacles to overcome. These are
the regulations OF the Board OF Health,
hfch are particularly against the MAIN
a of breeding fiocks in backyards
unless under the strictest sanitary on
dition4 and the restrictions OF the De-
partnent Of Buildings. especially the
rule f~orbiddirG the erection Of poultry
rouse within Il specified distance Of an
other owners dwelling.
But neither OF the obstacles IN an in
surmountablo barrier 10 success as
breeders OF show winners. as the records
Of the New York Poultry and Pigeon
Association and its annua Madison
Square Garden shows yea after ear
reveal. for NJ man Of the first prizes
and blue ribbons In proportion to the
number of entries are carried of by the
backwards as by the amateur fanciers
from the country who have the added
advantages Of ample resources and ell
outdoors at their disposal.
Cleanliness Ia the talisman that will
overcome n nullify nearly all the re-
strict'ons imposed by both the city bu-
reaue against the backyard fanciers.
A successful exhibitor OF this stamp has
been Miss Pitchlynn. al Indian girl,
who has specialized In Brown Leghorns
in the back yard OF her home at Wash
ington. d. c., with a nne record W
a producer OF winners. One Of the
methods she tried 20 insure sanitary csn-
ditions was the free use OF old news
papers I'm her coops.
The runs and the floors beneath the
perches were kept covered with clean
newspapers. the Innings being renewed
no lees than three times daily. and this
custom, with the cop'ous use OF white
wash. has always assured .ler backyard
flock OF a clean n healthy home. Saw
ing Of space In another consideration
with the backyard fancier. and a Flat
bush owner Of Plymouth Rocks in solv-
Ing this problem with success has in
stalled double decker coops. Each is
built In two stories, the top floors being
used for the roosts and nests and the
ground floors for the exercising runs
Both the heavy and light breeds of
poultry. the Cochins and LanEshans, as
we'll as the Wyandottes. Rocks and Leg
horns. thrive in small as we'll as in
roomy yards, but the backyard fancier
has TO put more hard work into the care
Of his flock. But game chickens and
their hybr!ds need the open country as
much "a guinea fowls. tho speckled pea
fowls that now masquerade so fire.
quently at city restaurants as partridges
or pheasants, and turkeys do. Pit
games. however. are often kept in health
and splendid vigor for their duels within
the city limits, but when young they
need green pastures for their runs. Old
pit games, as with fox terriers. seem tc
thrive best about a city stable. Geese
and ducks are also reliable crops. both
for eggs and to send TO shows. with tho
backyard fancters.
Oddly enough the leading exhibitor
OF run.s at the Madison Square Garden
exhibition and the leading show OF other
cities is a back yard fancier Of New York
The runts are the giants Of the pigeon
world and ut the first glance one natu-
rally associates birds Of such mammoth
proportions with a vast territory. or a,
least the big barnyard OF a country farm
Instead the fancier in question keeps his
birds on the roof OF his Harlem garage
n their exercising coops are in the