October
30, 1983
Dear
Mr Plant,
Both
Mr Jeffrey had been wondering what, if anything, had happened to you; I am
very pleased to have heard from you. (Rec’d 10/25/83).
Mrs
Gary passed away on June 4, 1983 as a result of a massive stroke which she
suffered about three weeks earlier. I’m left alone in a very large house, a
housekeeper who comes five days each week, and my daughter and his husband who
come over the weekend, I miss my wife very much for we had been married just
over sixty-three years. I try to remain active through maintaining my interest
in chickens. I am handicapped greatly since I can read only the large
headlines in the newspapers. I have sold over one-half of my library and
several painting and pictures, the receipts of which are being placed in a
memorial fund for the future payment of premiums to the exhibitors of the
rarer breeds of bantams on an annual basis, to members of the American Bantam
Association. I have designated the American Game Bantam and the Ameraucana for
the start and will add other breeds as the revenues from this fund increase.
The
color patterns for the Pekin (Cochin) Bantam that you mention you are going to
prepare for the breeders in New South Wales have been noted. Two of them
appear In the ABA Standard under the variety descriptions (following the Shape
descriptions) where 9 the plumage color for Shanks and Toes feathering is
noted with the remainder of the plumage covered in the Plumage section of the
standard. I noted that we do not have the Black-red, Blue-red or Pyle, but do
list the Birchen and Brown-red as varieties in feather legged breeds.
I
would presume at the Shank and Toe feathering would be black for the male and
deep reddish bay, pencilled with dull black for the black red variety and that
the Pyle would be white feathering in both sexes. In the case of the blue-red,
I would presume that the male leg feathering would be slaty blue, laced with
darker blue, and the female is questioned, (I can not advise you on this
female feathering. I, also, may be in error on the female leg feathering for
the black-red variety). With exception of the leg feathering, the plumage
section of the ABA Standard contains a description of all parts of the body,
male and female for the varieties you have mentioned. Since the ABA does not
copyright the standard, we would certainly not object to your using the
descriptions thereby saving a lot of research on your part.
I
can appreciate the work that will be involved in preparing a history of the
various breeds you mentioned and would be more interested in reading your
ambitious volume on the fowl history because I know of none who has done such
a treatise. It would certainly be more saleable than the other items you
mentioned.
Best
Wishes!
Write soon.