242 



JOUENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ March 14, 1872. 



annoimced and formally noted. This aloue would be a great 

 lenefit. 



Surely such a scheme is not utoiJian. I have felt its need for 

 long, and have thought this a favourable opportunity for seeing 

 ■what is thought of it. Actively I could do little for it ; but there 

 are people who could take it up and cari-y it to completion, if 

 only there are enough fanciers who share these convictions, and 

 who are willing to unite together, and to act together, in seek- 

 ing to raise the tone of that great body to which they belong. 

 — li. Weight. 



TEIMMING BIEDS FOR EXHIBITION. 



" Cheltenham " appears to acquiesce in all you say, as eveiy 

 honest exhibitor must do, providing the clause would stop the 

 nefarious practice of trimming. But much as I detest trimming, 

 I should not Kke to enter my birds where such a clause was in 

 force, unless I knew that my birds would not be tampered with 

 on the route, or when they arrived at the show field, which, as 

 is weD known, has been done by some imprincipled persons. 

 There have been such injuries as plucking or breaking the 

 tails. It is not very long since I heard a well-known exhibitor 

 say that one of his Game cocks came back from a show with his 

 tail cut clean off. So, as long as we have such persons to con- 

 tend with, I think it would not be safe to exhibit under such a 

 clause, because men who will commit dastardly acts like the 

 above would be the very persons to look out for an opportunity 

 to trim some valuable birds in a rough and ready way, and when 

 the birds were put up by auction buy them at a low figure, and 

 thus cheat the honest exhibitor out of his birds, when perhaps 

 no reasonable amount of money would have bought them of the 

 owner. So I ask. Where would the owner get redress when the 

 judges could prove on oath that the birds were trimmed, and 

 the public woiild naturally believe them ? Therefore I think 

 the remedy worse than the evil. 



I would suggest that committees appoint a competent person 

 to take a casual glance at all the pens before the judges make 

 their awards, and tick off all the numbers of those pens he 

 thinks are trimmed, and give the nuonbers so ticked-off to the 

 judges. These, when they came to the pens which are supposed 

 to be trimmed, would examine them very minutely, and, if they 

 found any birds that had been trimmed, would disquaUfy them, 

 and any other Idnd of stock the owner might take prizes with 

 at the show. Let the names be published in your .Journal for 

 twelve months, so that secretaries might see the defaulters' 

 names and refuse their entrance fees until the expiration of the 

 above time. — T. Baickeb, Illingworth, near Halifax. 



MANAGEMENT OF FOWLS AT SHOWS. 



I WAS in hopes that " Winnee of Four Cups " would have 

 replied to "Amateur's " article in your impression of February 

 15th, but as he has not done so I oiler a few remarks. I would 

 have liked very much if " Amateub " had given his name, for 

 then people could judge for themselves whether his sawdust 

 experience were worthy of a place in the minds of those who 

 have none but valuable stock to experiment \ipon. 



For my own part I would be most \ruwilling to try such an 

 unnatural experiment upon my birds. I would assist Nature, 

 not oppose it. It is extremely natural for fowls to pick up sand, 

 stones, lime, and such Uke, but until now I never heard of their 

 attempting the sawdust, and I still think their doing so arises 

 more from necessity than choice ; if they were set at liberty 

 they would choose something more natural. I would like very 

 much if some of the gi*eat breeders would state their opinions 

 on tills very important subject. I am far from thinking with 

 " Amateur " that the birds fit for exhibition are in an unnatural 

 state, but the very opposite — namely, in a high state of nature, 

 and I have no difficulty in keeping them in that high state of 

 natui-e ; but if birds that have been treated weU all their lives 

 he taken and cooped-up for eight or ten days, and denied all 

 access to their veiy natural bill of fare — small stones, lime, sand, 

 &c., (deny a bird these, and pray with what do you expect it to 

 digest its food ?) — I do not wonder at indigestion setting in, 

 which is disease enough, and which I believe my cup cockerel 

 •lad, and nothing else. 



What is to prevent committees having the pens well cleaned 

 out once a-day, and the floor of each sprinkled with road grit, 

 itc. ? It is quite as easily obtained, and much more natural 

 than sawdust. " Amateur " asks what my exhibition birds 

 were fed upon before sending them to exliibitious. Well, mine 

 were fed upon a mixture of oatmeal, Indian meal, and shai-ps, 

 equal parts of each, in the morning, and barley at night. Every- 

 thing that is natural for birds to eat should be given them when 

 at shows to make up for the want of hberty, fresh air, and other 

 natural conditions. — James Cl.u4k. 



SHIRE Rector " in his kindly notice. He makes the request on 

 account of several persons having expressed their regi'et that 

 they could not afford the expense which fifty shilling parts 

 would involve. 



GAME BIEDS AND BANTAM SHOW. 



I SHOULD Hke to call attention to a new show that I have 

 suggested to the Crystal Palace Company — that of Game birds 

 and Bantams. I have long felt that a show of this description 

 would be very interesting. The Bantam fanciers will now have 

 an excellent opportunity of exhibiting the beauties of these 

 charming and much admired little birds, there being no less than 

 eleven classes, with three prizes to each class. I have been led 

 to make this large number of classes with hope of seeing again 

 cultivated some of the old kinds which are seldom now exhibited, 

 such as the Nankeen, the Booted Browns, Cuckoos and others. 

 Let the Bantam fanciers send their birds, and I will do my best 

 to render the attempt a success. I hope also those who have 

 Game birds will assist by sending some specimens, as there are 

 eight classes for Pheasants, five for Grouse, and five for Partridges 

 and Quails. Amongst others I trust I shall see a specimen of 

 that grand bird the Capucaille, also the Blackcock, Red Grouse, 

 and Ptarmigan, and some of the numerous varieties of the 

 Pheasant and Quail. I believe the schedule of prizes is now 

 ready, and may be had on apphcation as per advertisement in 

 this Journal. 



I may add that this show is not intended in any way to inter- 

 fere with the large annual London show, but is suggested by me 

 for the purpose only that the public may have the pleasure of 

 seeing hve Game birds and also all the many varieties of Bantams, 

 for which there are seldom, if ever, separate classes at most of 

 our poultry shows. — Harrison Weie. 



FAKENHAM POULTEY SHOW. 



This was held on the 27th and 28th of February, at the Com 

 Hall, Fakenham, and was a gi-eat success. The entries numbered 

 450, a marked contrast in quaUty to the Exhibition of Septem- 

 ber last. The arrangements of the Show were well carried out. 

 Of Dorldngs there were sixteen entries, the cup (the only one 

 remaining in the county) was awarded to a good pen of Dark 

 Greys ; Lady Gwydyr carried off the cup for the Cochin and 

 Brahma classes. Tlie show of Game was very fine and the com- 

 petition severe. The cup-winners of Brown Reds were claimed 

 by Mr. S. Matthews, of Stowmarket. The second prize was also 

 awarded to Brown Red. A very good pen of Duckwings took 

 the first prize in the " Any other Variety " Game class. Sarti- 

 hurghs were well represented ; the Spangled and Pencilled were 

 sho-rni in two classes. Silvers in both cases carrying off the first 

 honours. Spanish were fair. The Minorca class as a specula- 

 tion was a failm-e, only three pens being exhibited. The first- 

 prize winners were good birds, but sadly out of condition. A 

 pen of White took second honours. Mr. W. K. Patrick, of Lynn, 

 had it all his own way in the Poland, class. There was a good 

 show of French fowls, nine pens out of the sixteen entries obtain- 

 ing notice. As usual Bantams were in sti'ong force. The cup went 

 to Brown Reds. The Rev. F. Cooper's as usual took the first prize 

 in the class for any variety of Game. In the Any variety class 

 there were but six entries, a fine pen of Black Hamburghs win- 

 ning. There was a special class for live fowls suitable for table 

 purposes, very poorly filled. The Selling classes were fairly 

 fiUed, and a great many pens changed owners. Turkeys and 

 Geese were weD shown ; in the latter the first prize was awarded 

 to a pen of White, Chinese second. Aylesbui-y and Rouen Duclcs 

 were classed together, -\ylesbury winning both first and second 

 prizes. East Indian were first, and Muscovy second in the Any 

 other variety class. 



Bahbits were above the average. 



There was a good display of Pigeons ; the cup-winners were 

 Barbs. 



The Canaries and other Song Birds were first-rate, and at- 

 tracted much notice. We published a list of the awards last 

 week. 



Do^'ER ANT) CrsQUE Ports Show. — ^We recommend the follow- 

 ing rule to other Committees, although it does not go so far as 

 we recommend. 16.— The Treasurer of the Club wiU withhold 

 payment or delivery of any prize awarded to an Exhibitor on 

 receiving from the Secretary a certificate in writing under his 

 hand and countersigned by a majority of the Committee, that it 

 has been discovered subsequently to the award of the Judge that 

 a regulation of the Club has been broken with respect to any 

 birt^, and such certificate shall be final and conclusive on all 

 persons, and no Exhibitor shall have any right to appeal there- 

 from. 



The Illustrated Book of Poultry by L. Wright. — Mr. Spalding Show. — I have to acknowledge the receipt of the 

 Wright requests us to state that this book will only consist of undermentioned subscriptions towards a five-guinea cup or 

 twenty-five parts in numbers, not fifty as supposed by " Wilt- i piece of plate for the best young Carrier of any colour, bred in 



