THE BUFF WYANDOTTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2728, 27 June 1906, Page 31

THE BUFF WYANDOTTE.

The originators of sill our new buff varie- ' tics teem to have striven to obtain a very dark reddish colour, trimmed with black. ' The early specimens of all buff varieties came to us with black wings, tails, and necks. Much hard labour has been e\- - p*»nd«»d to obliterate this. The ardent task has been partially overcome in a very ehort time, when compared with the Cochins that • have been scientifically bred co many years and still are not free from these troubles. While in England, Mr E. P. Shepherd, of Croton Falls, N.Y., made some publio statements on buff colour, tays an Ameri- ' can paper, from which we quote the following as published in an English journal. In the course of conversation Mr Shepherd gave it as his opinion that the i. English buff Leghorns were much inferior \i\o the American. The English fancier, he £ thought, had been -breeding for too dark a > colour, and, consequently, many of their come tea ruddy on the wing.

[ Said Mr Shepherd, "The pale lemon colour is the standard colour in America, ground colour being as important as the surface." To these remarks Mr E. C. Lester Kay, the originator of the buff Leghorns in England, takes exception, and. contends for the d&cp orange buff and terms those who differ from hinu thus : "1 am sorry to see the ignorant dead set made by some reporters of late at what they are pleased to describe as redness or warmness on wing bow in the case of buff Leghorn cockerels, this being in reality in moet cases merely the extra richness imparted to an orange buff body colour by the attendant lustre of the p^rt in question, a natural and ineradicable attribute of sex." No one can equal the tenacity of an Englishman in holding a position that is in the least tenable. But this h ihe fineet excuse for a red '.ring bow yet presented, "an ineradicable attribute of sex." We call it a curse to the buff varieties. If quoted eorreefc'y. Mr Shepherd'-e remarks are to be regretted, just on the issne of our new in which all buff breeds are alike described in colour as one even shade of rich golden buff, free from shafting or mealy appearance. It is quite unfortunate to have the whole of England told that we prefer the pale lemon toloot. Expei-ience has taught me that the better way to handle the buff colour is to eradicate as far as possibls all black from the females; drive it out, even if white comes to take its place. In' so doing the moles should at the same time become almost free of any black, other than in the under-tail plumage. By so- doing the surface colour becomes "very light. It- is an easier task to strengthen this than to be rid of the black. To build up the colour when pure " buff and free from biaek, mate together your best coloured specimens, selecting those showing the best and richest undercolour. Continue thus from year to year till yon strengthen the colour itself by selecting the best. In co doing you Eecure the rich golden buff in its purity, free from led, black, or white shadings.