JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



[ Uaj 80, 1872. 



he was sent back after only one good meal of soft food, which 

 would be the only feed in about four days ; but he came to no 

 harm. To kill a Brahma by starvation would take at least a 

 week. The gentleman on whom Mr. NichoUs relied, whatever 

 his pretensions may have been, can have known very little to 

 give such an opinion. Few indeed are really competent to 

 dissect a fowl and give such a judgment; for not until heart, 

 liver, lungs, brain, spinal column, and countless other far more 

 obscure organs have been carefully and minutely examined, as 

 well as most diligent search mado for actual injuries, can it be 

 said that "all are in a healthy .state." One smaU spot of blood 

 in the brain would be amply stifflcient to account for death. 

 But, however this may be, anyone who could pretend to examine 

 a bird, and then say that because " all the organs were healthy " 

 it had " died from starvation," after two-days starving only, is a 

 very unsafe guide, and I am glad that the absence of any name 

 enables me to express that opinion freely. That two days on a 

 journey may do irreparable injury I freely admit; but in this 

 case, let it be again observed, the bird arrived dead, which is a 

 ■simple impossibility from such a cause. 



Lastly, Mr. Nicholls says that feeding birds in a pen " must " 

 increase the size, especially with such food as I use. I did not 

 say what I did, that it need " not " increase the size, without 

 having again and again put the matter to the most infallible 

 test — that of the scales. Of course size can be thus increased ; 

 but this depends on the quantity as well as quality of the food ; 

 and my direction was always to keep the birds with eager appe- 

 tites. Some of the best fowls I have ever seen, and bearing the 

 bighest honoms, have not been in the least fattened. Fattening 

 bides many a bird's faults, but a really first-class bird does not 

 need this. I only find fault with Mr. Nicholls's "must," and 

 only wish on my own part to rej)eat the caution against this 

 fattening, which is the chief cause of half that goes wrong with 

 exhibition fowls. The birds I mentioned as having been penned 

 for weeks were carefully kept from any increase of weight, and 

 so too are Game fowls, which are often penned previous to 

 showing. It all depends on the feeding. What I urge is, the best 

 food to get first-class plumage, but sparingly given. With nearly 

 ■all Mr. Nicholls's other remarks I cordially agree. — L. Whight. 



BEDLINGTON POULTRY SHOW. 



In The Jourkal or Hokticultuee for last week I find that 

 •" BEnLiNGTON Terriee," in a criticism on the Pigeon awards 

 at the Bedliugton Show, makes some remarks that require cor- 

 rection ; and, as one of the arbitrators, I feel assured I may ask 

 at least for accuracy of statements as to facts that if unnoticed 

 might tend to our prejudice. I shall iiui'posely avoid any allu- 

 sion to those portions that simply show difference of opinion, 

 and confine myself to three plain facts. " Bedlington Teeeiee " 

 says, " Owls liad thirteen entries, and all very poor except pen 

 275, which was unnoticed." Pen 275 was an empty pen when 

 judged. Your correspondent states, " Barbs were all very good, 

 but Mr. W. B. Van Haansbergen's well-known old Black warrior 

 only obtained the second honours, but ho richly deserved the 

 place of Mr. Orange's bird." \ ,.liva<1\ pul.liM:' ,1 i ., tlie list of 

 awards, the fact is Mr. Van !! :. i r, ■,■,.: a i ia,, entries, 



wonftottthe prizes in the 1' i ' ! ,•';!' i M u i; a;; > s jipn was 

 not noticed. "Bedlingtox Ti.uiaLu ' alou say.-,, " ike Variety 

 class was strong ; the two pens containing White Dragoons anil 

 Yellow Dragoons, Nos. 325 and 326, wei-e undoubtedly the two 

 best pens shown, and richly merited the honours of first and 

 second prizes, which they did not receive." Both Nos. 325 and 

 326 were empty .at. the time the awards were made, but they 

 ■were penned afterwards. — Edw.ibd Hewitt. 



[The first duty of a critic is to be accurate as to facts, and we 

 Togret that we relied upon the accuracy of the communication, 

 ai the writer sent us his name and address. — Eds.I 



MANAGEMENT OF POULTRY AT EXHIBITIONS. 

 . As there are so many shows springing up in aU quarters, I con 

 sider it weU-spent time to make a few remarks upon the manage 

 ment of birds on their arrival at a show, during their stay, and 

 preparatory to repacking. Having had the entire management 

 of the Ipswich exhibitions, and receiving many flattering ac- 

 knowledgments of the birds' safe return," I am emboldened to 

 chronicle the few simple rules I have adopted. 



In the first place, make sure that the pens are closed at the 

 backs and sides, for many a first-class cock is spoiled by thread- 

 ing his sickle feathers through the wires. No pens show birds 

 better than those which have closed backs and sides, galvanised 

 wire netting at the top, and quarter-inch galvanised upright 

 wire rods for the front. Strew the bottom of the pens with 

 coarse and the most colourless gi-it, excepting for the white or 

 Ught-plumaged varieties, for which we use clean straw cut into 

 half-inch chafi. I would here enter a strong protest against the 

 use of sawdust for the bottom of pens, as has been mooted in 

 more than one instance. For feeding I recommend scaldin" 

 some of the best barleymeal, then stiBen up just so much that" 



when the fowls peck at it, it falls into pieces like a properly- 

 cooked floury potato. When they have had their peck at this 

 they may have water put into their tins, as they will not then 

 drink more than is good for them. For their next meal they 

 may have a mixture of small maize, barley, and wheat. Their 

 last meal should always be the same as recommended above for 

 the first, as nothing is worse than feeding birds with dry whole 

 corn just before packing, when they will perhaps be on their 

 journey one or two days and nights. I always give the police- 

 men (of whom, through the kindness of the Mayor of Ipswich, 

 we have several looking round during the Show), strict in- 

 junctions not to allow visitors to molest the specimens with 

 sticks ; for too often at exhibitions a few persons go from pen to 

 pen, poking a stick first at one bird and then at another. 



Lastly, care should always be taken to provide abundant venti- 

 lation, but so managed as to prevent a cutting current of air 

 passing through the pens, which is very injurious, and but little 

 better than the merciless exposure the birds have to endure at 

 some shows where the pens are placed entirely in the open air ; 

 and, as one of our oldest and most respected judges said of one 

 such show, the Ducks appeared to reUsh the downpour of rain, 

 but the other specimens presented a most pitiable sight, let 

 alone the adverse circumstances under which the awards had 

 to be made. Therefore, select a well-lighted, well-ventilated, 

 weather-proof place for poultry shows, for it will contribute to 

 the well-being of the birds and the comfort of the adjudicators, 

 upon whom rests the difficult task of satisfying exhibitors and 

 the public generallj'. — W. B. Jeffbies, Henley Boad, Ipswich. 



DEVON AND E-\ETER POULTRY SHOW. 



This was held on the 23rd and 24th inst. The entries were 

 numerous. The following is the priZ2 list : — 



BR4HMAS.— Dnrfc.— I, R. Uren, Gunnislake. 2, E, Burton, Tmro. ftc, W. M- 

 Snow, jiin., Abbeville, Exeter ; B. F. Parrott, Bristol ; E. Burton, Truro. 



BRAHMA3.— L/^'ii.— 1, J. Bloodworth. Cheltenham. 2, F. Seccombe, Totnes. 

 he. J. Long, Plymouth, c, J. Long, Mrs. Wollacombe, Lewdown. 



Cocmxs— Cinnamon or Biiff.-l,J. Bloodworth. 2, S. R. Harris, Cnsearne. 

 he, C. Bloodworth, Cheltenham, c. O. D. Gonid, Moretonhampstead; Mrs. G. 

 D. Gould, Moretonhampstead ; Mrs. C. Morris. Teignraouth. 



Cochins.— ^ny other- Variety.— 1, "Whitehead & Beachy, Kin^skersweil. 2, A. 

 C. Travers, Falmouth, he, F. Brewer. Loatwithiel ; Whitehead & Beachy. e, 

 C. Bloodworth; J. Bloodworth; Whitehead & Beachy; Miss A. F. Barnes, 

 Bellair, Exeter. 



Dorkings.— 1, E. Barton. 2, R. W. Beachv. /(C, J. Chisuian, Southampton : 

 Mrs. Wollacombe ; G. Eveleich. c, E. Burton : R. W. Beachy, 



QilMe.— Black Rcii—1, H. Browne, St. -Austell. 2, E. C. Pope, Falmouth, c, 

 W. Levering, St. Austell. 



GiME.— Brown Bed.—l, H. E. Martin, Fakenham. 2, S. R. Higham, Mor- 

 chard Bishop. 



Game.— Jnj/ other variety.— 1, Kev. G. S. Cruwys, Morchard, Tiverton. 2, E. 

 C, Pop. c, F. Angel. Totnes. 



B.&itBVRans.—Goltlen-spanftled.—l, H. Feast, Swansea. 2, S. R. Harris, 

 Cusgarne, c, H. Ascott, Tiverton. 



Hamburghs. — Ovldenpencilted.-i. W. Speakman. 2. C. Bloodworth. 



UA:dDCROBS.—Silver'Spangled.—l, S. R. Harris. 2, A. Goodridge, Northamp- 



H. Denham, ExetP: 



Spanish,— 2, S. R. Harris. 



MiNoRCAS.-miid-, Bla-k. or JBiiic— 1. J Hatchings. 2, H. Ascott, Tiverton. 

 lie, H. Leworthv, Barnstaple : F. J, Bucher. Crediton ; J. Hntchings, Exeter ; 

 W. Blackmore. St. Sidwells, Exeter : T. Botterell : E, Burton, c, F. Beck. 



Polish —1, T. Jacobs, Newton Abbot. 2, S. W Probert, Lostwithiel. he, 

 Mrs. r.. Morris, Teignmouth. c. Mi«s F, Solomon. St. Blazey. 



French Fowls.— 1. J, H, Nichols, Lostwithiel. 2, Mrs. Bamett, Croan 

 Manor, Bodmin, c, H, Feast. 



Game Bantams.— BlncA: Bed.—\, J, H, Nicholls, Lostwithiel. 2, T. Jacobs, 

 Newton Abbott, he. J. Croote, Salutary Mount, Exeter: H. P. Price, Castle 

 Madnc. Brf cin. South Wales ; J. Pearson, c. Wingfield & Andrews, Worcester. 



Game. — Any othtr vnrictii —\. Ttov, G B, Knight, Chelmsford. 2, Ashlev and 

 Maitland. Worcester, he. Whv'n Id .^' Andrews; R. P. Ceath, Tavistock, 

 J. Long, Plymouth. 



Bant.vms,- BirtCftor 11 ;. ' ' i fiiwc-comd.-l, Wingfield S Andrews, 

 2, Rev. G. S. Cruwvs. /^■ i !■ '■: ster ; J. Blooiworth, c,H, Feast. 



BastaM3.-GoM or .f I/- . s, , , l. Rev, G. S. Cruwjs. 2,J.H.Amory, 



Tiverton, c, Rev. G. S, Cruwys ; .1. H, Aniory. 



Bantams,— .Iny other variety,— 1, J. Humphreys, Llskeard, 2, 0. E. Cress- 

 ^vell, Bagsbot. 



Ducks,— I, L. H. Rickets, Banwell, 2 and c. S, R, Harris. 



Ant other Varietv,— 1. J. K. I.nv,.ri,i[xc, Newark, Notts. 2. T. G. Ford, 

 Mrs. Huxtahle, Lankey : " 



Selling Class,— C<"' 

 J. Bloodworth ; Hon. an 



. .^. 2, S, R. Higham. /ic. J. Hatchings ; 

 II. l;urford;C. Bloodworth: E. Burton; 

 T. Chambers, jun. .North I .]■ a \ ' I'ravers, Falmonlh; J, H, Nicholls; S. 



.._,.. uf, ^,t,,l„lJ Kectory, Lewdown; J, Chisman. 



1, E. Burton, Truro. 2, J. Tonar, Rougemont, 



R, Harris, c. Mrs. WoU, 



Selling Class,— iZcji 

 Exeter. 



PIGEONS. 



Carriers.-I. T. Chambers. 2. E Burton, /ic. J. Tonar; H. Yardley. 



Pouters —1, H. Yardlev, Birmingham. 2, G. Packham, Whipton, Exeter. 



Bahis,-I, E, Burton, 2. H. Yardley. 



TcMnLERs.-l, H, Yardley. 2, H. Willoocks. Spurbane, Exeter. 



Dragoons,-!, H. Yardley. 2, F Graham, Market Place, Birkenhead. 



Ants ERTS.- 1. F. Beck. Exeter. 2. H. Y'ardley. 



TURBiTs.— 1, H, L, Ricketts. 2, J. Croote, Salutary Mount, Heavitree, Exeter. 



Nuns.- 1, H. Yardley. 2, W. J. Puddicombe, St. Sidwells, Exeter. 



Fantails.— 1, — Nosworthy, Barnstaple. 2, H, Yardley. 



Jacobins,— 1. O, E. Cresswell. 2, J. Bullen, Barnstaple. 



Any OTHER Variett.— 1, W. H, Scott. St. Leonards, Exeter. 2, O. E. Cress- 

 well. 8, J. L. Smith. Newport, Barnstaple. 

 Judge. — Mr. Tegetmeier. 



SELLING DISEASED PIGEONS. 



Sw.ixsEA County Court, — CrooJc versus Watkins. This was 

 an action, and a jury case, brought to recover £7, value of two 



