Back in 1984, this curious eight-year-old was flicking through the pages of the book Bantams in Colour when he began to wonder why the Wyandottes [that looked exactly the same colour as the Light Sussex] were called Columbian. Almost two decades later, and after a fair amount of research, yours truly has learned that the name Columbian was bestowed on a new variety of Wyandotte born from a chance cross and which was first exhibited at the Columbian Exposition and World’s Fair in Chicago, Illinois, in 1893.
The bird was predominantly white across its body plumage, with a beautifully contrasting black neck and tail feathering. This attractive black neck feathering, surrounded by a very narrow white fringe to each feather, is often affectionately referred to as the cape among exhibition breeders.
GENE DISCOVERY
It would be some 70 years later that the Columbian gene was found to be behind the fowl that proudly displayed a very distinct plumage of a singular body colour with black feathering restricted to the neck, tail and wing areas (and feet in feathered varieties, such as the Brahma). The gene’s dominant action of having little regard for most types of feather pattern — and hence making the body a solid colour instead — was discovered by geneticists J Robert Smyth and Ralph G Somes in 1965.
THE MAIN COLUMBIAN VARIETIES
Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av Country Smallholding.
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Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av Country Smallholding.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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The Secret World Of The Honey Bee
Who knew that honey bees are the best builders? Nicola Bradbear from Bees for Development reveals how they build their parallel wax combs with extraordinary accuracy
Tip the light fantastic
The latest offering from Ifor Williams Trailers is the Single Axle Tipper, which is simply perfect for small-scale farmers
The legacy of The Good Life
The Good Life captured the public’s imagination when it first aired in 1975. On Country Smallholding’s 45th birthday, Jeremy Hobson looks at this and other programmes with a self-sufficiency slant that have captivated urban and rural dwellers alike over nearly half a century
‘The hens took shelter under the pig trailer in the paddock'
A tree Armageddon frightens poultry diarist Julian Hammer’s flock and leaves him with a mammoth clear-up job
Tools of the trade
In the second part of his mini-series on tools that are useful around the holding, Kevin Alviti takes an in-depth look at the iconic scythe, a thistle paddle and forks that were once virtually indispensable to small-scale farmers
The nightclub bouncer of the sheep world
Adam Henson waxes lyrical about the Texel, which boasts such a stocky body that it resembles a box of muscle on four legs
Buying on a tight budget
As demand for smallholdings increases and prices continue to rise, is there a way to achieve your dream without forking out a fortune? In the first part of a new mini-series, Liz Shankland explores the possibilities
Crazy for crafts
In an ordinary back garden and single paddock near Kidderminster, Kay Dalloway has created both a thriving smallholding and a successful fibre business — all while working full time for the NHS. Helen Babbs drops by to find out about her ventures
Game on
A little preparation in the autumn months will help to make the transition into winter smoother and put your garden and tools on a better footing come the spring, says Stephanie Bateman
1975 And All That
Country Smallholding is 45 this month. To celebrate, Jeremy Hobson takes a look at some of the changes — both good and bad — to small-scale farming over that near half-century
