The History of The Hen Fever Part 12

And while the hen fever was thus at its height, almost, in England, we were following close upon the footsteps of John Bull in the United States. At the Boston Fowl Show in 1852, three Cochin-Chinas were sold at $100; a pair of Grey Chittagongs, at $50; two Canton Chinese fowls, at $80; three Grey Shanghae chicks, at $75; three White Shanghaes, at $65; six White Shanghae chickens, $40 to $45, etc.; and these prices, for similar samples, could have been obtained again and again.

At this time there was found an ambitious individual, occasionally, who got "ahead of his time," and whose laudable efforts to outstrip his neighbors were only checked by the natural results of his own superior "progressive" notions. A case in point:

"Way down in Lou'siana," for instance, a correspondent of mine stated that there lived one of these go-ahead fellows, who had been afflicted with a serious attack of hen fever, and who was not content with the ordinary speed and prolificness in breeding of the noted Shanghae fowls.

He desired to possess himself of the biggest kind of a pile of chickens for the rapidly augmenting trade; and so he had constructed an Incubator, of moderate dimensions, into which he carefully stowed only three hundred nice fresh eggs, from his fancy fowls.

The secret of his plan to "astonish the boys" was limited to the knowledge of only two or three friends; and--thermometer in hand--he commenced operations. With close a.s.siduity and Job-like patience, our amateur applied himself to his three weeks' task, by day and night, and at the end of fifteen days, one egg was broken, and Mr. Shanghae was _thar_,--alive and kicking, but as yet immature.

The neighborhood was in the greatest excitement at this prospect of success. Our friend commenced to crow (slightly), and, to hasten matters, put on, a _leetle_ more steam at a venture. The twenty-second day arrived, and the "boys" a.s.sembled to witness the _entree_ of three hundred steam-hatched Shanghaes into this breathing world. Our amateur was full of expectation and "fever." One egg was broken; another, and then another; when, upon inspection, the entire ma.s.s was found to have been _thoroughly boiled_!

A desperate guffaw was heard as our amateur friend disappeared, and his only query since has been to ascertain what actual time is required to boil a certain quant.i.ty of eggs at a given heat, and the smallest probable cost thereof! As far as heard from, the reply has been, say six gallons of good alcohol, at one dollar per gallon, for three hundred eggs; time (night and day), twenty-two days and seven hours; and the product it is generally thought would make capital fodder for young turkeys,--provided said eggs are not boiled _too hard_!

On the subject of the _diseases_ of poultry many learned and sapient dissertations appeared about these days. In one agricultural journal we remember to have met with the following scientific prescription. The learned writer is talking about _roup_ in fowls, and says:

"This is probably a chronic condition, the result of frequent colds.

Give the following medicines: _Aconite_, if there is fever, _hepar-suliphuris third trituration_, or mercury, _third trituration_, for a day or two, once in three or four hours; then _pulsatilla tincture_ for the eyes; _antimonium_, third trituration or _a.r.s.enic_, or _nux vomica_, for the crop."

Isn't this _clear_, reader? How many poultry-raisers in the United States are there who would be likely to comprehend one line of this stuff? We advise this writer to try again; the above is an "elegant extract," verily!

We now come down to the fourth and last exhibition in Boston of the Mutual Admiration Society, _alias_ the a.s.sociation with the long-winded cognomen, which took place in September, 1852.

CHAPTER XVIII.

ONE OF THE FINAL KICKS.

I was chosen by somebody (who will here permit me to present them my thanks for the honor) as one of the judges to decide upon the merits of the birds then to be exhibited: and my colleagues on this Committee were Dr. J.C. Bennett, and Messrs. Andrews, Balch and Fussell.

On the morning of the opening of this show the names of the judges were first announced to the contributors. Immediately there followed a "hullabaloo" that would have done credit to any bedlam, ancient or modern, ever heard or dreamed of. The lead in this burst of rebellion amongst the hitherto "faithful" was taken by one prominent member, who announced publicly, then and there, that the selection of the judges was an infamous imposition. They were incompetent, dishonest, prejudiced, calculating, speculative, ambitious compet.i.tors. Moreover, that it had all been "contrived by that d.a.m.ned Burnham, who would rob a church-yard, or steal the cents off the eyes of his dead uncle, any time, for the price of a hen."

These were the gentleman's own expressive words. He added that he could stand anything in the hen-trade but _this_. This, however, he would _not_ submit to. Burnham should be kicked out of that Committee, or he would kick himself out of his boots, and the Society's traces also;--a threat which did not seem to alarm or disturb anybody, "as I knows on,"

except this same tall, stout, athletic, brave, honorable, honest, truthful, smart, gentlemanly member of this Mutual Admiration Society!

Now, it was very well known, at this time, that the Committee of Judges had been chosen entirely without their own knowledge. So far as I was myself concerned, I should greatly have preferred at that time to have remained an outsider, because it would have then been quite as well for me to have contributed to the exhibition, where, with the "splendid specimens" I then possessed of the Cochin-China and Shanghae varieties of fowl, I could have knocked all the others "higher than a fence" in _that_ show, as I had done in all the previous exhibitions where I had ever competed with the boys.

But the same power which had formed the Committee of Judges also provided that they must not be compet.i.tors. Thus, three or four of those persons who had at the previous exhibitions of this Society been the most extensive contributors,--men who had bred by far the largest a.s.sortments and quant.i.ties of good fowls up to this period, and who had till now paid ten or twenty dollars for one (compared with any other of the members) toward the good of the a.s.sociation, and in the furtherance of its objects,--_these_ men were made the judges, and were cut off as contributors. I was satisfied, however, because I saw that the framing of the _Report_ of this show would fall to my lot again; and I had no doubt that, under these circ.u.mstances, I could afford to be "persecuted"

for the time being.

It is not in my nature to harm anybody; and those who are personally acquainted with me, know that I am _const.i.tutionally_ of a calm, retiring, meek, religious turn of mind. My aim in life is to "do unto others as I would have others do unto me." I "love my neighbor" (if he doesn't permit his hens to get into my garden) "as myself." And, "if a man smite me upon one cheek, I turn to him the other also," immediately, if not sooner. I never retaliate upon an enemy or an opponent--until I make _sure that I have him where the hair is short_.

I once knew of an extraordinary instance of patience that taught me a powerful lesson in submissiveness. It occurred in a Western court, where the judge (a most exemplary man, I remember) sat for two mortal days quietly listening to the arguments of a couple of contending lawyers in reference to the construction they desired him to a.s.sume in regard to a certain act of the Legislature of that State. When the two legal gentlemen had "thrown themselves," in this long and wearying debate, for forty-eight hours, his Honor cut off the controversy by remarking, very quietly,

"Gentlemen, this law that you have been speaking of _has been repealed_!"

I thought of this circ.u.mstance, and I permitted the hen-men to gas, to their hearts' content. When they got through with their anathemas, their spleen, and their stupidity, I informed them that the "Committee" had unanimously left to _my_ charge _the writing of the Report of that Exhibition_.

From that moment, up to the hour when the Report was published, I never suspected (before) that I had so many _friends_ in this world!

The fear that seemed to pervade every mind present was, that _I_ should probably do precisely what _they_ would have done under similar circ.u.mstances,--to wit, take care of myself.

I had no fowls in this exhibition; but there were present numerous specimens bred from my stock, that were very choice (so every one said), and which commanded the highest prices during the show.

There were several _Southern_ gentlemen present, who bought (and paid roundly for them, too) some of the best fancy-birds on sale. It was astonis.h.i.+ng how much some of those buyers did know about the different breeds of Chinese fowls there! Yes, it certainly was astounding! I think I _never_ saw before so much real, downright _bona fide_ knowledge of henology displayed as was shown by one or two Southern gentlemen, then and there;--never, in the whole course of my experience!

By reference to the next chapter, it will be seen how shamefully I neglected my own interests, and how self-sacrificing I was in the report of the Society's last kick, which, as I have already hinted, the Committee left to _my_ charge to prepare.

I had no disposition (in the preparation of this doc.u.ment) to underrate the stock of any one else, _provided_ it did not interfere with me! And, after carefully noting down whatever seemed of importance to my well-being there, I sat myself down to oblige the Committee by writing the "Report" of this show, which an ill-natured compet.i.tor subsequently declared was "only in favor of Burnham and his stock, all over, underneath, in the middle, outside, overhead, on top, on all sides, and at both ends!"

And _I believe he was right_!

CHAPTER XIX.

THE FOURTH FOWL-SHOW IN BOSTON.

This show (in September, 1852) was the fifth exhibition held in Boston, but the _fourth_ only of the Society with the long name.

The Report commences with a congratulation (as usual) that the a.s.sociation still lives, and has a being; and, after alluding to the general state of the affairs of the concern,--without touching upon its financial condition,--it thus proceeds:

"Your Committee would call your attention to the fact that among the numerous fowls exhibited this season,--as upon former occasions,--a very unnecessary practice seems to have obtained, in the mis-_naming_ of varieties. Crossbred fowls have been called by original cognomens, unknown to practical breeders; and a host of birds well known to the Committee, as well as to poulterers generally, have been denominated by any other than their _real_ and universally conceded ornithological t.i.tles. This savors of bad taste; it leads to ridicule among strangers who visit our shows from abroad; and should not be sanctioned by your Society. Errors may creep in among your transactions, in this particular, and many honest, careful breeders may be deceived; but the multiplying of _unp.r.o.nounceable and meaningless names_ for domestic fowls is entirely uncalled for; and your committee recommend a close adherence, hereafter, to recognized t.i.tles only.

"In this connection, it may be proper to allude to a case in point. The largest and unquestionably one of the finest varieties of domestic fowls ever shown among us was entered by the breeders of this variety as the 'Chittagong;' other coops of the same stock were labelled 'Grey Chittagongs;' others were called 'Bramah Pootras;' and others, 'Grey Shanghae' and 'Malays.'

"Your Committee are divided in opinion as to what these birds ought, rightfully, to be called,--though the majority of the Committee have no idea that 'Bramah Pootra' is their correct t.i.tle. That they are not 'Malays' is also quite as clear. Several of the specimens are positively known to have come direct from Shanghae; and _none_ are known to have come originally from anywhere else. Nevertheless, it has been thought proper to leave this question open, for the present; and the Committee, believing that this fowl originates in and hails directly from the East, are content to accept for them the t.i.tle of 'Grey Shanghae,'

'Chittagong,' or 'Bramah Pootra,' as different breeders may elect,--admitting, at the same time, that they are really a very superior bird, and believing that if carefully bred they may be found decidedly the most valuable among all the large _Chinese_ breeds, of which they are clearly a good variety."

"A large sum of money was expended at this exhibition, by visitors, amateurs and breeders,--one gentleman investing upwards of $700 in choice fowls; another, from the South, purchasing to the amount of $350 for extra samples; another bought $200 worth, etc. The highest figures ever yet paid on this side of the Atlantic (for individual purchases) were realized at this show.

"Samples of the China stock originally imported from Shanghae were very plentiful on this occasion, and the high reputation of this blood was fully sustained in the specimens exhibited. Very superior fowls, bred from G.P. Burnham's importations of Cochin-Chinas, were also numerous, and were sold, in four or five instances, at the very _highest_ prices paid for any samples that were disposed of."

Among the premiums awarded to the _Chinese_ fowls by this "Committee,"

were the following:

"CHINA FOWLS.--To H.H. Williams, best c.o.c.k and two hens (of Burnham's _Canton_ importation), $5. To C. Sampson, West Roxbury, best c.o.c.k and single hen (Burnham's _Canton_ importation), $3. To H.H. Williams, third prize, for same stock, $2. To C.C. Plaisted, Great Falls, N.H., the Committee awarded a first prize, $5, for what he called '_Hong-Kong_' fowls; these were of Burnham's _Canton_ stock, also. To A.

White, E. Randolph, for six best chickens (Burnham's importation), $2.

"COCHIN-CHINA.--To H.H. Williams, West Roxbury, best c.o.c.k and two hens (splendid samples, of extraordinary size and beauty), first prize, $5.

To A. White, E. Randolph, best c.o.c.k and single hen (of Burnham's importation), $3. To A. White, for six best chickens (Burnham's importation), $2."