88 



JOUKNAL OF HORTICOLTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



[ July 31, 1873. 



"The few difficulties found at starting had been easily over- 

 come. The two essentials were : first, that the chicks were im- 

 luecliately taken from the hen, so as never to miss and fret after 

 her; and, secondly, that for about two daye they needed keep- 

 ing in a box floored with dry earth, with a small mother at one 

 end, so that they could not wander away from it. This was 

 *'the preparatory school for young gentlem.en," its sole object 

 being to teach them, to know the apparatus and how to go 

 under it. As soon as they were perfect in this lesson they were 

 turned down with the others, the whole beinff treated as one 

 large brood, and agreeing perfectly. Mrs. Cheshiz-e's small 

 mother consisted of an ordinary indiarubber foot-bottle filled 

 with boiling water, and placed over canvas about 10 inches 

 square, stretched on a frame, and furnished with flannel strips 

 as in the case of the larger one. This occupied half of a com- 

 mon wooden box, the chickens having the other half to run out 

 n. If a few thicknesses of flannel are placed over the bottle, it 

 will keep it warm enough for a whole night; and even when 

 boiling will not be too hot for the chicks, the indiarubber and 

 mother under being bad conductors of heat. Should such a 

 separate infant nursery be thought troublesome, Mrs. Cheshire 

 sugge-^ts that a small portion of the large mother may be penned- 

 off and furnished with a small enclosed run in front, so that the 

 chicks cannot wander away till they have learnt to know it, 

 which is the sole object desired. 



*'Both plans of rearing having been fairly tried by the lady 

 from whom we have obtained these interesting particulars, the 

 comparative results are stated by her as follows : — " The ad- 

 vantages of the artificial plan seem to be — 1. Great economy of 

 hens if they are needed for laying. If a hen be kept cooped with 

 chicks for three weeks [and we should say five weeks is nearer 

 the mark], she has been sis weeks out of the breeding-pen ; and 

 after she is returned to it her first four or five eggs will not be 

 fertile. 2. Economy in food ; as all eggs, grits, and other dainty 

 food go to the chicks. Special dainties for very young ones are 

 easily given in a feeding-coop, through which the larger ones 

 cannot pass. 3. Economy in labour of feeding and cleaning. 

 This is very great, while there is always capital dry accom- 

 modation for the chicks on wet days. 4. The extreme tameness 

 of the chicks, A hen often prevents her brood feeding till the 

 attendant has gone; but under this system little chirpers of 

 three or four days old will run and flutter up to whoever has the 

 charge of them; and they never seem to fight or quarrel. 5. The 

 impossibility of losing chickens by trampling. (». The greatly 

 increased cleanliness of the chickens, which retain the utmost 

 purity of their beautiful down until its loss. Oar experience 

 also proves that they feather more quickly. And, lastly, in- 

 creased size ; we find that we get the same weights on this plan 

 at ten weeks old which we formerly got at twelve weeks. I 

 might add the possibility of raising fine chicks early in the 

 year ; since if cold weather comes on they can nestle even at 

 eight or ten weeks old if they will." 



" We ought to add that we are thoroughly convinced by actual 

 inspection of the great superiority in every way of this plan of 

 rearing, and that Mr. Halsted's enthusiastic praise of it was fully 

 borne out. The principal reason of the success is, in our opinion, 

 that every chick can have as much bi'ooding as it likes, whereas, 

 when with the hen, weakly ones may often be seen and heard 

 entreating warmth and shelter which the vigorous ones do not 

 need, and which the hen will not give. These chicks die off, 

 while with the artificial mother they are nourished into strong 

 birds. The only difficulty isto tell the different strains, which to 

 the fancier is important. Mrs. Cheshire effected this by dyeing 

 them on the back. By the time this disappears the memory 

 can often be trusted; and if not they can then bo marked in 

 other ways. 



"The subject is so important to many, that we have thought 

 it well to give this further information upon it while treating of 

 the last of the more useful non-sitting breeds of poultry." 



CASTLE EDEN DISTRICT POULTRY SHOW. 

 {From a Corrcspondoit.) 



The sixteenth annual Show of the Castle Eden Horticultui-al 

 Society was held at Seaham Hall, near Sunderland, on the 

 22nd iust. Spanish were a good class. Of DorJdnrjs there were 

 few, but the first and second prizes went to good large birds. 

 The first and second Cochins were first-class pens. Brahmas 

 were of fair merit. Of Hamhitrghs there was a good muster in 

 the four classes, although several pens did not arrive until 

 nearly noon, and of course too late to be judged. In Game 

 there were several birds of superior merit. Two very good pens 

 of Bantams were shown, but it was thought by some of the 

 fancy that the commended pen should have been placed second. 

 The class for Malays excited considerable interest, as many of 

 the fancy had subscribed for a cup, and most of the sux^porters 

 of this breed sent their best birds. The first pen consisted of a 

 very beautiful cock bird and a good Partridge-coloured hen, the 

 latter of a colour which is more required in Malay classes. The 

 second-prize pen from the same exhibitor was moulting, but to 



my fancy I should have given a preference to the second-prize 

 cock, as being of the true type of Malays. I never saw a better 

 tail, and he was lon^ in the legs and neck. The third-prize 

 birds were the largest in the Show, but the cock lacked condition, 

 and was of a very dark colour ; the neck had too many feathers 

 on— a fault with all the rest of the birds. This pen, to iny fancy, 

 should have been fourth. The fourth-prize cock bird was of fair 

 merit, but deficient in the true style of a Malay, especially in 

 the length of the leg and neck. The hen was too much of the 

 common colour. The Rev. N. -T. Ridley sent a pen, of which 

 the cock was the best coloured bird in the class, and the hen of 

 fair merit. The cock certainly seemed shorter in the legs than 

 the other prize birds, which was no doubt his only fault. 



Spanish.— 1 and c, R. Mooic. En'it Sainton. 2, A. Bun:las3, Durham. 



Dorkings.— 1, Mrs. Eurdnn, Castle Edeji. 2, A. Bu^laaa. 



Cochin-Ghina.— 1 and 2. G. H. Procter, Dtirham. c. J. Lawson, Sanderland. 



BitAHMi PooTRA.— I and 2. R. Moore, c, "W. Whitfi^I-l. Hetton. 



^K^m\:nGU3.—Hilver-i)encinfd.~\, R. Moore. 2. W. Lainp, Sunderland. 

 GoldoupenciUed.—l, R. Mo.-re. 2, G. Howey. Goldr.nspangled.—^ . A. BufTlaaB. 

 2, W. Wbitfield. Hetton. SilviT-?pailfiled.-l and 2. R. Moore, c, W. Whitfield. 



Okyiv..—Black-hreasted or other Rcd.—l, E. Aykrovd, Leeds. 2. C. V^jiiables. 

 Sheraton. Castle Eden, he, A. Buglass. Any otkei- breed. — 1, W. Laing, 

 Sundorland. 2. R. Moore. 



Bantams.— G'(m''.~l and c. G-. Hall, Kf^ndal. 3, J. Ri^g. Wataontown. Ainj 

 other variety.— \, R. Moore. 2, Mrs G. W. Elliott, Pensher. 



Malay.— 1, Cup. and % Rev. A. G- Brooke, -hrewsbury. he, G. Hall. 



Ducks. — vlyit"i/)i(ri/. — I, W. Laing. Rjucn, — I, Mrs. Snook, Seaham 

 Vicarajie. 2, J. Howe. Seaham Colliery. 



Any Variety.— C'/i(cfcc7[s.—l. Mrs. Burdon. Castle Eden. 2, C. Venables. C, 

 Mrs. M Oust I Brahma Pootra) ; J. N. Lawson (Brahma footra). 



Geese.— i. Mrs. Matthews. South Hetton. 



ExxKA Stock —1, A. Bui^lass (Silver Pohmds). 2, W. Whitaeld (Black Ham- 

 burghsj. c. K. Moore (Black Hamburghs). 



Judges. — Mr, A. Sutherland, Mr. Charles Barker. 



LEICESTER POULTKY SHOW. 



The following awards were made at this Show, held on th© 

 29th inst. We must defer our comments till next week. 



DoRKi'Jos. — 1. M. M. Caehmore. Sheepshed. 2, E Miles, Leicester. Chickens. 

 — PrizH, E. Miles, he, H. Yai-dley, Bii-mint,'hatu. Cockerel.~9rize, E, Miles. 

 c, E. Keudriek, jun., Lichfield. 



Spanish. — I. H. F. Cooper. Walsall. 2, M. Brown, Ab KetUeby. 



Cochins.— C/HHrtf/ion ami Baff.~\, H C. Woodcock, Leicester. 2, J. Ward, 

 Ashbyde-la-Zouch. c, H. Yardley. Chickens. — 1, H. C Woodcock, c, J. 

 Hassall. Wigston Magna. Cockerel.— Prize, W. A. Baruell, Southwell, c, H. 

 Yardley. 



GocHLSs.— White.— I. R. S. S. 'Woodga*e, Pembury, Tunbridge Wells. 2, G. 

 Barker. Aylestone. Chickens.— Prize. W. A. Biirnell. he, H. L. Sandera, 

 Apperly, Leeda ; Mrs. A. WiUiamaon, Leicester; Rev. K. Story, Weueley, BeAale, 

 Cockerel— Prize, Rev. R. story. 



CocHitJs.—Any oJier varieti/.—\, H. Yardley. 2, H. F. Cooper, Walsall. 

 Chickens. — Prize, T. Sheppard, H umber stone, he. H. F. Cooper; Rev. R. Stury. 

 c, G. Barker. Cockerel.— L^rize, '£. Shoppard. he. Rev. R. Story. 



Brahmas.— 1 and he, Mrs. A. Williamson, Leicester. 2, H. C. Woodcock, c, 

 E.Kcndricb- juu. Chiekens.—l. Mrs. A. Williamson. Extra 2, E. Keudriek, 

 jun. he, W. Ford, Humbevstone ; J. Watts, King's Hciith, Birmiugham. 

 Cockerel. — Prize, E. Kendriok, jun. he, Mrs. A. Williamson. 



Game.— 1, E. Bell. Burtou-on-Trent. 2, A. Peake. Som'^rby, Oakham, he, W. 

 E. Oakeley, Atherstone. Chickenji -Pcize, K. Bell, he, W. E. Oakeley. c, 

 T-ord Mauchline, Danington Park. Cocfc^rfL— Prize, Lord Maucliline. Cack. — 

 Prize. W. E. Oakeley. Atheretone. 



HAnn\-RGiiii.— Golden or biLi>erspan/fled.—l, J. Watts. 2, M. M. Cashraore, 

 Sheepshed. 



Game Bantams. — 1, E. Bell. 2, Lord Mauchline. he, J. Watts. 



Bantams.— Ci(;rtft-?-'!7Sfed.—l, H. Yardley. 2, J. Watts, c, .1. W. Argyle. 



SELLiNrt C1.KSS.— Cock or Co'-kerel.— I, T. Sheppard. Humberstoue. 2, H. F. 

 Cooper, Walsall. he,W. E. Oakeley, Atherstone; W. A. Burnell. Southw^ll. 

 c, G. Barkur, 4yleatone: G. B. Bcaittiwaite, Staokley. Hens or Pullets.— * and 

 2, T. Sheppard, Humberstoue. ho, H. L. Sanders, Apperly ; G. Barker (2); .J. 

 Watts; T. Shiippard. c. G. V. Braithwaite; M. Brown; H. P. Cooper. Walsall. 



Ducks. — Aylesbury. — Prize, T. Sear, Tinewick. he, E. Kendriek, jun , Lich- 

 field. Rouen.— Prize, E. Kendriok, jau. Any other variety.— ^riza, H. Yardley, 

 Birmingham, /ic, Hon. H. Hastings, Derby; Sir A. G. Hazlerigg, Leicester ; 

 J. Wat's, Birmingham. 



TutiKEi'S —Prize. W. H. Johnson. Braunstoue, 



Geese.— Prize, J. Parker, Kilby Bridge. 



PIGEOKS. 



CABRtERB.- 1, H. Yardley. 2, J. Watts. 



PdOTEKS.— L H. Pratr,, Handsworth. 2, H. Yardley. c, H. Yardley; H. E. 

 Emberlin, Oadby ; J. Watts. 



Fantmls —I, H. E. Emberlin. 2. H Yardley. he, J. F. Lovcrsidge. Newark ; 

 M. ivl. Cashmore, Shpepahed. c, W. H. Toraliueon, Newark-on-Trent. 



TcRBiTs — 1 and 2. H. Yardley. he, J. Watts. 



Magpies.— 1. f. Watts. 2, J.*T. Hincks, Humbortstone. 



Anv other Variety.— I and 2, H. Yurdloy. kc, RiLiht Hon. Lord Mxuchline, 

 Derby; J. T. Hincks. Humberfjtone ; J. Watts : M. M. Cashmore. 



Selling Class.— 1, H. Y'ardley. 2, C. Norman, Westerfield. 



RxBRiT^.—Lop-eared.-l, F, Banks, London 2, W. Canner, Leicester, he, 

 Hon. P. Ha3tin.is. Derby ; M. ^L Cashmoi-o. Ann other variety —I, E. S. Smithy 

 Boston. 2, .J. T. Hincks. he. F. Banks ; S. C. Pilgrim, Hiucklcy ; F. Sabbage, 

 Northampton (2) ; E. S. Smith. 



Judge. — Mr. E. Hewitt, Sparkhrook, near Birmingham. 



LISKEAED POULTRY SHOW. 



[From a Correspondent.) 

 Tnn fifth annual show of poultry was held at Liskeard on the 

 21th iust. The entries were more numerous than in any former 

 year, there being upwards of 130 pens of poultry and Pigeons, 

 divided into twenty-nine classes, competing for prizes varying iu 

 amount from five guineas to three shillings. Game headed the 

 list, and were most numerous, and the class for single cocks of 

 any White-legged variety, for the improvement of table poultry, 

 brought out as fine a lot of Hennies as were ever exhibited, to- 

 I gether with some Muffs and Tassels. There could scarcely he 



