168 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



declined to hand over the moiic}'. An appeal was made to 

 the Quarter Sessions held i:i Leicester, in July, upon which 

 the chairman decided that the court had no jurisdiction. 

 The case was s'lbsequently brought hA'»rc Mr. Justice 

 Wightman, at cliambers, but only one result was possible, 

 and"a3 the conclusion of the whole matter, jNIr. Grcenway 

 has just paid the sum of £1 Pi lis.: what his own legal 

 expenses may be of course we have no imvi'.is of knou-in,'. 



Having thus given a brief resume of the case, we have 

 no intention to dispute the decision of the magistrates. 

 They had a difficult duty to perform, and no doubt decided 

 to the best of their skill and judgment ; but we would ask, 

 Does not a law which permits such a state of things to 

 arise, manifestly need a revision.^ We regretted the 

 sudden abandonment of the bill brougjit in last session, by 

 JSIr. Under-Secretary Massey, because we conceived Its 



provisions to bo in the main admirably fitted to accomplish 

 their object. It will be remembered that this measure pro- 

 posed the consolidation of parishes, and the appointment of 

 a district board, partly elective and partly ex officio, to be 

 responsible for the highways of the district, over which 

 they were to appoint a professional surveyor. The prin- 

 cipal exceptions taken to Mr. Massey's bill related to the 

 ex officio members, wlio in some cases would have been all, 

 or nearly all, clergymen, and who would have completely 

 out-voted the elective members. In the new measure 

 promised next session, we trust provision will be made to 

 secure to the latter at least an equality of votes on the dis- 

 trict boards ; and it is a serious question for consideration 

 whether the clerical element should be introduced at all, 

 except perhaps in the case of clerical magistrates. — 

 Leicester Journal. 



THE CRYSTAL PALACE WINTER POULTRY SHOW. 



TheCrystalPalaceatSydenham has been everfamousfor 

 its musical attractions. Mr. Mann's excellent band still 

 daily perform the gems of the best composers of all na- 

 tions. The recollections of the great Handel Festival 

 are still fresh ia the memory of those who at- 

 tended it; and there are yet to be seen, in 

 the central transept, the great amphitheatre and the 

 gigantic organ used on that memorable occasion. But 

 we doubt whether, in the musical annals of the Palace, 

 great and glorious as they a,e, there is to be found an 

 occasion when so many instruments were heard at the 

 same time, and kept so long and continuous a roar, 

 as can now from dawn till dusk be heard in that 

 huge greenhouse. To make the concert perfect, 

 there are only two things wanted : Mr. Mann 

 is not present, with his baton, to lead the 

 noisy orchestra, and tlie peri'ormers have evidently for- 

 gotten to tune their whistles. Bift every note — natural, 

 flat, and sharp — is there to be heard, from the deep 

 o])hicleides and double bass of the Cochins and Bramah 

 Pootras to the shrill piccidos of the bantams — from the 

 trumpets of the ducks and geese to the bassoon modu- 

 lations of the turkeys and the hautboys of the pigeons 

 — every sound is intoned, keeping a i)erpetual roar, 

 that dins in one's oars for many hours after leaving the 

 scene of this noi^y festival. 



To lovers of poultry , and even to the uninitiated public, 

 ■who merely admire size, form, and plumage, the pre- 

 sent exhibition oifer.s a rare treat, for it is as complete as 

 it is varied and large ; and as to excellence and perfec- 

 tion, we have heard several exhibitors, boasting of 

 great experience in these matters, declare that it has 

 never been excelled, if ever equalled. 



To give an idea of the immense number of fowls now 

 congregated in the long and spacious gallery situated at 

 the south extremity of the Palace, we subjoin an ab- 

 stract of the various classes, and the number of birds 

 exhibited in each. 



Classes 1st, 2nd, and 3rd compose the Spanish, of 

 which there are 90 old birds, 147 young ones hatched 

 in 1857, and 17 single cocks; altogether 254 birds. 



This valuable breed is very well npresentf.d ; but, 

 notwithstanding their excellence, when compared with 

 English game and Dorking breeds, they sink into com- 

 parative inferiority, yielding the palm of elegance to the 

 one, and of size, compactness, and weight to the other. 



The 4th, 5th, Gth, 7th, and 8th classes comprise the 

 Dorkings, which have never yet justiHed to so full an 

 extent the well- deserved popularity they enjoy. For 

 well-proportioned bulk, weight, delicacy of plumage, 

 and well-harmonized outlines of shape, this admirable 

 breed is second to none in the world ; and their extraor- 



dinary muster at the Crystal Palace exhibition clearly 

 shows the advantages resulting from their being bred at 

 our farmsteads and around our cottages. It may be pro- 

 claimed as the English breed of poultry j^cr cxctllencc. 

 It is substantial and delicate, attaining early maturity, 

 and i)ronounced by all gourmets as the most savoury bird 

 on the table. What else can be wanted to give them 

 the pre-eminence over all other breeds ? 



Of these there were no less than 153 old birds, 303 

 chickens of 1857, and 46 single cocks ; in all 502 birds ! 

 In these classes, four cocks exhibited by Mr. Fisher 

 Hobbs, so celebrated for his breed of Dorkings, were 

 greatly admired ; and one of them obtained the second 

 prize. 



We next come to our old friends the Cochin Chinas, 

 of bygone celebrity. They are comprised in the 9th, 

 10th, 11th, 12th, 14th, and loth classes, and number of 

 old birds, both buff and white, 75 ; of chickens hatched 

 in 1857, 159 ; single cocks, 31 : altogether 265. 



All we can say of this class is that if such birds as the 

 majority of those which are exhibited at the Crystal 

 Palace had existed at the time of the Cochin mania, 

 great as were the prices then demanded and readily 

 paid, they would have been still greater and better 

 justified. In size, purity of plumage, less awkwardness 

 of shape and gait, and smaller size of bones, they have 

 been greatly improved ; but notwithstanding the evident 

 progress they have made, they must nevertheless yield 

 the palm in every respect to their first-cousins and 

 neighbours, the Bramah Pootras, which comprise 

 the 16th, 17th, and 18th classes, numbering 36 old 

 birds, 63 chickens — such chickens! — hatched in 1857 — 

 and 13 single cocks; in all 112 birds. 



Over the rows of pens, containing the bass instru- 

 ments of the noisy concert, stand in all the pride of 

 their gait, the brilliancy of their plumage, the flash of 

 their brilliant eye, the eagle shape of their fine head, 

 the elastic and firm stamp of their steel legs, the ele- 

 gance of their shape — the ever-loved and petted old 

 English game breeds. And right beautiful is tbit proud 

 and defying array of their pugnacious majesties ! They 

 are comprised in Classes 19 to 27, and number of old 

 birds 192, chickens hatched in 1857, 309 ; single cocks, 

 34 ; altogether 535 birds ! 



What .shall we say of the other breeds ? Indeed, 

 were we to attempt to do justice to all. the short space 

 at our disposal would not half suffice. We are then very 

 reluctantly obliged to dismiss the smaller fry of Gold 

 and Silver-pencilled, and Spangled Hamburghs, so 

 varied and so beautiful in their gay plumage, with the 

 mere mention <if their brilliant names — names suggested 

 by the richness of the embroidery with which 



