CROSSING SETTERS AND POINTERS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1773, 25 October 1879, Page 4

CROSSING SETTERS AND POINTERS.

["Turf, Field, and Farm."] In reply to a letter addressed to Mr Charles A. De Russy, of New Brunswick, in Teference to his father's strain of dogs, which dogs were second to none in their_ day for general field purposes, we have received the following. It" will be found to contain "confirmation strong as proofs of Holy Writ" as to the stand we have taken. It •will be seen that General De Eussy bred altogether for "nose," trusting to breaking for the rest. When he had that, he considered he had all. We hope it will be more -than casually read, for it contains matter for deep study in these days of breeding setter to setter, continually, until as a result, as Holabird states, one half the whelps of the litters die before they are three months old, and of the remaining half we can add, that half of them are either incurably gun-shy or dog idiots. But to the letter: — Field Editor "Turf, Field and Farm.,'— 3m. reply to yours, I would say the dogs referred to were bred by my father from setters and pointers. The strain originated by breeding a liver, colored pointer bitch called Flirt (a rare good one she was), which bitch was sired by Day's Milo (of New York), to a setter dog obtained from Hichard Arden, Esq., who, if I remember correctly, for it is forty years since, resided on the North River at or near West Point. The descendants of the bitch and dog named, were bred by our family for over thirty years, and "in-and-in " to. We bred without regard to the coat of the animal. We did not care whether the sire or dam was long or shortcoated as to hair, or whether both were. That made no difference to us. We did, however, always pick out the best without regard to coat, srze or color. The first requisite with us was nose ; after which speed, action, &c, were regarded. Those of the finest action in the field, other things being equal, were selected first. There never was a particle of difference between those that favored the setter type, or those that took after the pointer stock in taking thick cover. The short-haired were equally at home in that or in briers as were the long.coated. From the above sprang the following wellknown dogs of their time: Van, a red setter; Tell, a large blaok one; Frank, a small black and white; Milo, of the same color, and Brush, a clear black. These all favored the setter in appearance. The prototypes of the pointer stock were all just as good, and among those that I can recall the names of were Van, a pure black ; Milo 11., also black; Joe, of the same color, and Xuck, ditto. All the above-named were as good in the field as could be desired. They ■were high-strung, gamey dogs, though perfectly tractable. Their action was fine ; they quartered their ground in fine style, coursing up to their birds in a bold, rapid manner, such only as a dog certain of his aioae, and that a good one, could do. They carried their heads well up and could always be depended npon to stand. The bitches were 1 bred from one selected with the same care a-'* the dogs, and were equally as good in the fit'W. We paid no more regard to the coats of these bitches than we did to that of the dogs. Consequently wo had as breeders Fido, a and white pointer; Bell, of the same color;' an< * Fannie, a pure black. Regarding the bla * Pointer Ned, shown by MrSchuhardt, of y.'" B * c,tv > I*"™ only say that that gentleman ,/wned a black pointer years ago, bred from a "ver-colored setter bitch named Fashion, by* Van, the blaok pointer named above. Fron"» the Jf" Information I can procure, this' setter bitch Fashion waa out of a small-. lv ered slut named Fannie, which latter bitch showed more spaniel than any other blood. . * ashion was aired by Sancho, a large setter, soll °- Ilver in color. In describing the above i'l°K ß I have used the terms setter or pointer *° designate the long from the short hairea \ ones. In blood they are, of course, as muoh * '

Better as pointer, and vice versa, excepting the ones mentioned on the dam's side of Mr Schuhardt's pointer, which dogs were, as near as I can. learn, setters. I consider that the idea t'nat a cross of the setter and pointer is injurious to either side —the product of which is vu'garly called a dropper only proceeds from ignorance, and is totally at vaviance with the thirty years' experience I hc.ve had with such crosses. Yours, &0., C. A. De. RUSSY. Home Farm, New Brunawiclc, Dec. 30th, 1878.