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JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



It will be quite unnecessary to keep the Hamburgh cocks ex- 

 cepting during the hatching season, if they cau be otherwise 

 profitably disposed of. They must associate with their hens not 

 later than January, and they must remain until a sufiicient 

 number of chickens are hatched, to take the place of those to be 

 fattened and sold. 



To no class will poultr5' bring such a large share of profit as 

 to those renting a few acres of land, where no restraint is put 

 upon their hberty, aud where their food may be almost entirely 

 grown upon the premises. To the farmer poulti-y ought to be 

 considered invaluable, as they return both a quick and large 

 profit. They must, however, occupy more of his time and at- 

 tention than he usually now devotes to them, but even in this 

 respect they have a decided advantage over the larger animals, 

 for the same hand that presides at his table can as easily under- 

 take the management of his poultry ; indeed, a woman's presence 

 is more acceptable to them in every way ; her ways are gentle 

 and persuasive, and her patience infiuite. 



In conclusion, I hope my readers, especially those who are 

 inclined to be sceptical as to these results, will try my plan be- 

 fore passing their judgment as to its success. I am convinced 

 that they will not be disappointed. — Vincent Skinnek. — Finis. 



UNITE TO COMBAT EVIL. 

 I AM induced to say, I do hope exhibitors and breeders of 

 poultry will take some steps to carry out Mr. L. Wright's sug- 

 gestion of foi-ming a " poultry society " or club, as I think it 

 could not fail to be a source of both profit and pleasui-e to all in- 

 terested in poultry-keeping. If Mr. L. Wright, or some other 

 competent gentleman, wiU put the thing into ship-shape, he 

 will find numbers who are only waiting to be told in what way 

 they cau best help.— E. B. Wood, Woodland Hall. 



UNTRUTHFUL ADVEETISEMENTS. 



We look upon your Journal as an authority in aU poultry 

 matters, and I beg to protest against persons advertising therein 

 eggs pui-porting to be from cup-winning birds at various shows, 

 which they enumerate, if such was not the case. I observed, re- 

 cently, an advertisement of eggs from Game Bantams reading 

 thus, " Having taken cups, first and second prizes at Biiining- 

 ham. Crystal Palace, Manchester, &c., in 1870 and 1871," which 

 naturally leads your readers to suppose the advertiser not only 

 took the cup but also the first aud second prize at each of the 

 shows mentioned. Upon tm-ning over the pages of our Journal 

 (which I have carefully filed for the last eighteen years, and find 

 most useful for reference), I fiud such was not the case. — 

 A. F. H. ^___' 



ME. G. HARDY'S HIGH-FLYING TUMBLERS. 

 It will be in the recollection of the Pigeon-loving readers of 

 " our Journal " that just two years ago there were a great many 

 letters written on the subject of Flying Tumblers. A sort o'f 

 re-action set in for a time against the high-fancy breeds. Al- 

 monds, Kites, Agates, Shortfaced Balds and Beards were for 

 some weeks constrained to hide their pretty little heads ; while 

 as to Pouters, which had at one time taken our pages by force, 

 and kept them for weeks, they might, and possibly did, pout, 

 not for pleasui-e, but from very envy. Well, it was all right. 

 It is one benefit of this periodical that a great variety of subjects 

 are brought before the notice of our readers year by year. Kow 

 one has a kind of predominance, now another. However, cer- 

 tainly the old varieties of Tumblers did come to the front in 

 wondrous force. This revealed that there were yet in England 

 a few such fanciers as there were many years ago — men who- 

 loved to see a Tumbler t'lmble clearly, nicely, cleverly, and who 

 liked to keep a compact flight of such birds. This was quite the 

 old style of fancy — Tumblers loved for the sake of their tumb- 

 ling. Hundreds of years ago it was no doubt the same. Our 

 grave, bewigged, short-breejhesed, clean-shaven ancestors of 

 the last century kept and flew the old English Tumblers ; stood 

 stUl, gazing upwar.ls, making their necks ache aud their eyes 

 water — never mind, enjoying the sight, and right proud of the 

 performances of their birds. I own I was very pleased to find 

 the same race of fanciers still in existence. 'There is room for 

 aU tastes in the Pigeon world. Where is there such a variety 

 of feathered beauty ? Where ? Only tell me where. Some 

 may like flying birds — I mean homing birds ; others, birds that 

 never leave home ; some may trifle with Toys, others with kingly 

 Carriers. Room for aU ; but pleasant it is to find that with 

 newer tastes older ones still co-exist. 



Week after week, two years ago, pages were written by differ- 

 ent hands about Flying Tumblers. Some letters were plagiar- 

 isms on old authors, some shamefully untrue, others very imagin- 

 ative, and others, again, bore evidence of the knowledge, com- 

 petence, and truthfulness of their writers. Among the latter I 

 specially marked the letters signed " H. T., Birmingham," and 

 '■ G. Hardy, Fulham Road, Bronqiton." I say I specially 



marked these, but there were other letters also well and worthily 

 written. Now, Birmingham is out of my latitude ; once, and 

 only once, was I there, but in London everyone must be some 

 time or other in these centralising days. There are more Jews 

 in London than there are in Jerusalem, there are more Irish- 

 men in London than there are in DubUn, and if a man goes no- 

 where else, he is sure to go to London. 'The point with me was 

 to find time to visit anyone in London save on actual business, 

 but I registered a vow with myself that the very first oppor- 

 tunity I would make my way to " 10, Fulhara Road." 



Recently, when in London, I was able to find the required 

 leisure, and determined to find out Mr. Hardy, and I felt sure I 

 should be pleasantly received by a brother fancier. Take an 

 omnibus anywhere in its long run from the city , a Brompton 'bus, 

 a white one, and it stops at the " Bell and Horns," Brompton, 

 and a few doors to the left is Mr. Hardy's. Successful in find- 

 ing him at home, and successful in a fine morning, soon we 

 are in full Pigeon-chat, and then we ascend his Ingh house. 

 Emerging through a trap door I am on the flat roof of that high 

 house, and a fine look-out one has. There, near, is the best 

 modern thing in all London, the South Kensington Museum, 

 and acres of houses and miles of streets beneath one, and not 

 quite the smoke of the city. I mentioned that the roof is flat, 

 and on that flat roof are built the Pigeon pens — themselves, 

 like the roof, flat-topped and lead-covered. "This plan was new 

 to me. I had known the attic converted into Pigeon lofts, but 

 here the pens were erected on the top of the house. I stand 

 before the larger, which has latticed rabbit-hutch-like doors, 

 and when opened you command a view of. the whole interior, 

 and are able to reach every bird, some twenty, perhaps. Some 

 were Red Mottles, some Red Whole-coloured, some Baldheads, 

 and some Rollers, generally Baldhead eolom-, but the white 

 extending down the throat ; not handsome birds to look at, but 

 good on the wing for those who delight in Rollers. This, the 

 largest pen, was divided in two by a door, and a number being 

 put on one side that were not to fly, the rest were let out. One 

 tap of a stick on the leaden roof, and up they go. I saw at 

 once the advantage for Tumblers of having the pens on the 

 roof of a high house. No buildings near were higher, no place on 

 which to settle, and defy all efforts at driving up ; but the door 

 opened, a hit of the stick, and the birds were ascending, com- 

 pact and steady, into the air. Flying Tumblers afford this 

 special pleasure, that, circling jiist above their home, their 

 owner can enjoy their fhght without going from home, as with 

 the homing birds. They flew steadily and well, quickly turn- 

 ing, and not scattering, and some were excellent performers. 



While the birds were up I inspected the other pens ; one con- 

 tained shortish-faced Baldheads, and there was among Mr. 

 Hardy's birds a rich-feathered Almond cock, shortfaced and 

 round-headed, and a better tumbler I never beheld. He did 

 not, indeed, take his place with the high-flyers, but in the"iower 

 region round our heads tumbled to admiration. I never re- 

 member seeing an Almond tumble before, although I have had 

 them back, but not get quite over. Mr. Hardy's most choice 

 and special favourites were a few pairs of Kites — Shortfaces — 

 kept in a pen by themselves. These also were wonderful 

 tumblers ; one cock could scarcely fly up to his nest without a 

 somersault. 



I should obsei-ve that the shelves for breeding were at the 

 back, and quite open, and that the nests used are the rough 

 earthenware pans, which I find after all are much the best, the 

 cleanest, freer from insects, because a scalding will destroy 

 those gentlemen, and less causing a disagreeable smell, as 

 wooden bowls become saturated with manure, and nests on a 

 wooden floor cause the floor to be likewise stained and damp. 



Mr. Hardy takes evidently both pains with and pleasure in 

 his birds. Enjoying a comfortable position in the world, he 

 told me he drives about for miles if he hears of a bird that will 

 suit him, and so gathers together compact-made, proper-shaped 

 Tumblers that wiU tumble, that being his object. Many do not 

 come up to his standard, but he finds a few that do. It struck 

 me that a man so situated has a nice object for his drives, and a 

 nice hobby at home. Ho^' many persons with high and flat 

 roofs might obtain like innocent amusement. — Wiltshire 

 Rectoe. 



THE DRAGOON PIGEON. 



Much has been said and published of late respecting the 

 Dragoon Pigeon, its merits and demerits; but I do not altogether 

 agree with the decision of the gentlemen who have offered their 

 opinion on what they consider the characteristic form and mark- 

 ings should be ; I therefore beg to detail my knowledge of the 

 standard. 



The beak should be dark, approaching black, stout, about 

 1 Hnch in length, not spindled ; the head of a barrel form, slightly 

 raised over the eyes, and prominent at the base ; the wattle on 

 the beak of a tilted form round the eye at the posterior part 

 (pinched, not circular). The eye shoidd be bright red, promi- 

 nent, and watchful, as though the bird were waiting to be off; 

 the neck rather tapering, about three-fourths the length of a 



