July
11, 1979
Dear
Mr Plant,
Thank
you for your prompt reply in which I inquired about breeds of fowl in
Australia. Your letter was received by me on the sixth day after I mailed the
letter to you. The other material arrived two days later.
I
have always had a problem with the British
Standard, and this also applies to the German
Dutch Standards, with their descriptions. They are far from complete when
compared with the APA and the ABA descriptions. We describe each breed and
variety from comb to toes, both in shape and color pattern of both male and
female.
A
common phrase in the British Standard
when they refer to the description to of the female, various breeds is the general characteristics are similar to those of the male, allowing
for the natural sexual differences. This is very vague, particularly to a
novice and leaves open for argument, a host of things to interpret by
experienced breeders and judges.
There
are many instances in the British Standard where an either,
or phrase is indicated. For instance, five
or six points in a single comb as well as similar descriptions in color
patterns bay or chestnut, glossy
black or beetle green. In the case of Jubilee Cornish, they require the
ground color to be chestnut brown, nut
brown, or mahogany brown, how in the world, everything else being equal,
can two cantankerous judges be brought into agreement in which specimen is the
best at a showing.
In
connection with your discussion regarding the problems you are having with the
organization of a national Australian Association, I suggest that you ask Mr
Jeffrey for the very latest revision of the ABA constitution and By-Laws as
soon as it is available. I was one, of a committee of three, who recently
revised it. It has been modified a number of times over the years to meet the
demands of changing conditions.
The
ABA was organized in 1914. George Fitterer was its secretary/treasurer for
years, with the exception of 1919 when he served in World War I. I have been a
member since the late twenties and have only missed three meetings since
becoming active. The first miss was my fiftieth wedding anniversary which
conflicted with the meeting date. movement of the annual and semi-annual
meetings around to different sections of the USA and Canada has been one of
the primary features in making our Association such a success Bantams shown
outnumber large fowl four and five times to one. Back in the teens and
twenties and thirties the number of specimens were reversed.
Now
that Fitterer has passed away, I am one of the oldest members. I have served
state representative, director, vice-president, and five terms as president.
In my last term as president, I proposed that we develop our own standard, due
to the many problems of trying to get various breeds and varieties recognized
by the APA, and was promptly given the job as Chairman of the Standard
Committee as well as the task of giving all of the written examination for
Bantam judges. Lynn G.Brenneman relieved me of this latter job about three
years ago, thank goodness.
I
will keep in mind that you are missing the first edition of the ABA
Standard, and try to pick one up for your collection. The fourth edition
is now on the press. It is not too much different than the third, except that
some errors of omission and corrections have been made. Mr Jeffrey changed the
format by including all of the variety descriptions many of which are
repetitive in so many breeds, in a separate section. Some mistakes were made
and corrected also.
I
have a collection of just about all the APA
Standards including a reprint by the reliable Poultry
Journal for the year 1874. I also have all of the Yearbooks
of the ABA, beginning with the year 1917. None were issued in 1918 and 1919.
I
thoroughly enjoyed your history on the Pekin Bantam and noticed a few items
that I had never encountered before. The item on the birds shipped to England
after the invasion which I had never heard of before was particularly
interesting, It makes a strong point for the fact that the Pekin Bantam really
is a distinct breed and not a miniature Cochin.
The
Langshan material you sent me depicts an entirely different type of bird than
our American Langshans. I will attempt to write a standard description this
fall to be called the Australian
Langshan Bantam and send to you for approval. I will have to study more
before making a comment on them. With respect to the games, I will have to
study them more. I am eighty-two and my eyesight is failing somewhat. I will
discuss this with our Standard Committee at our next meeting.
Many,
many thanks for your prompt reply and all of the information that you forward
me.
Sincerely,