362 



JOURNAL OF HOBTIOULTUKE AND COTIAGE GARDENER. 



[ November G, 1873. 



Magpies.— 1, C. G. Hitchcock, Oxford. 2, R. Pulton. 



Any other Variety. -1. H. Yardley. 2, S. Salter. 



Local Class.— Wrjjn?/?-? .^fi/ircrjjA-.—l, W.Tomlin, Oxford. 2, Powell & Crane, 

 Oxford. 3 and vhc, W. l; Pratt. 



Selling CLASS.-]. S. S.iUi;r. 2, A. Damarall. 3. L. Allen. London, /tc, W. 

 W. Wootten, Headingtiin (Priests); Capt. F. G. Coleridge (Blue Owls), c — 

 Gearv. Moretou, Bideford (Silver Owls); W. P. Keall, Wantage (Blue Englisli 

 Owls); A. Damarall; G. H. Gregory; S. Salter (2); Miss J. Milward. 



The Judges were— PoiiUr;/ : The Bev. G. F. Hodsou (who 

 officiated for Mr. Hewitt), Mv. Teebay, and Mr. Tegetmeier. 

 Pigeons : Mr. Esquilant and Mr. Jones. 



The Age of Eggs. — The "Medical Press and Circular" quotes 

 the following from a French book, to ascertain the age and con- 

 sequent freshness of an egg: — Dissolye 120 grammes of common 

 salt in a litre of water. If the egg is one day old it will sink to 

 the bottom ; if it was laid the day before it will not reach the 

 bottom ; if three days old it floats ; and if more than five it comes 

 to the surface, and the shell projects more and more according 

 to the staleness. 



now imitating Nature as closely as possible by radiating the 

 warmth upon the top of the egg only, and allowing the under 

 side to remain somewhat cool. Your readers will at ouca see 

 that this is a natural method ; and as the germ floats only at 

 the top side of the egg, and remains so in whatever position 

 the egg may be turned, we consider this beautiful provision of 

 Nature to be our unerring guide, aud our experiments have 

 proved that this is the correct method for us to apply our heat. 

 We have not in any way altered the configuration of the ap- 

 paratus ; each remains precisely the same. 



ARTIFICIAL INCUBATION. 

 The following is in reply to " T. G. Wright." 



The 



temperature for hatching is 104°, but if it falls a few degrees 

 lower occasionally, as it does when the hen is off her eggs, 

 BO harm is done. We know nothing about the need for 

 turning the eggs, nor do we recommend any incubator, and 

 we only reprint the following from a former volume to 

 supply the information you need. 



The accompanying engraving, for which we are indebted to 

 Mr. P. Crook, of 20, Motcombe Street, Belgrave Square, is a 

 representation of Crook's improved incubator, which, though 





Crook's Improved Incubator. 



not differing materially in principle and form from the older 

 apparatus, nevertheless presents some important modifications. 

 To show more clearly what these are it will be necessary to de- 

 scribe briefly the original apparatus. The size known as No. 2 

 was calculated to hatch sixty hens' eggs, or eighty-four Pheasants' 

 eggs, was 22 inches high, 15 inches wide, and 11 inches from front 

 to back. The trays of perforated zinc, lined with blanket, were 

 enclosed each in a compartment, all the sides of which, except 

 the front, were hollow, and served to contain water, by which the 

 requisite degree of heat was communicated to the eggs. To heat 

 the water, both in the old and improved apparatus, a lamp is 

 employed, which burns a highly-rectified non-explosive oil, the 

 burner being a brass tube pierced with five of the smallest 

 holes which it is possible to drill, and filled with cotton threads 

 to draw up the oil. In lighting the lamp a piece of burning 

 paper is held against this tube till the vapour from the oil 

 ascends and is lighted. Externally, the water-jacket is covered 

 with blanketing to prevent loss of heat. The new apparatus, 

 instead of being closed at the back, is open, so that there is 

 always a current of cool air from front to back below the eggs, 

 and these receive the heat principally on the upper side, as in 

 natural hatching. 



The alterations and improvements are stated by Mr. F. 

 Crook to have " originated not from any inefliciency in the prin- 

 ciple of our former incubator, but to avoid, as much as we are 

 able, those disasters happening through inattention, the results 

 of which are to dry-up the moisture necessary to the perfect 

 development of the germ, and destroy the vitaUty of the chick. 

 To describe our alteration it will be necessary to say that we are 



-UtLlicial Xiearia^ Apparatus. 



" The artificial rearing apparatus, of which the above is a re- 

 presentation, is very simple in its construction, and is,_in fact, 

 a more perfect carrying-out of the plan proposed by M. Reaumur, 

 whose works upon the subject of artificial incubation are well 

 worthy of the attention of poultry-breeders. The apparatus 

 is a slanting casing of hot water, with a loose casing of per- 

 forated metal, aud lined with lamb skins ; a lamp is placed at 

 the back end, which keeps up the required warmth for winter 

 use. It is intended that this useful adjunct should be attached 

 to a coop, as represented by the dotted lines in the engraving, 

 which prevents the birds from flying on to the top of the appa- 

 ratus ; the oblique construction of the apparatus enables the 

 chicks to nestle comfortably up to the top side, in imitation of 

 Nature, as if the chick were nestling under the hen. There is 

 no warmth applied to the feet of the birds, as we have found 

 from experience tliat when they are warmed from the floor upon 

 which they rest, they become weak and languid, soon have the 

 cramp, aud readily take cold. The warmth in this, as in the 

 improved incubator, is only applied to the top or back of the 

 bird." 



SHORT-FACED TUMBLERS, AND PIGEON 

 CLASSIFICATION. 



I THINK " TuiiKEY QuiLL," iu " our Joumal " for October 23, 

 has hit a blot in regard to the above subject. All the varieties 

 of Short-faced Tumblers are such thorough high-class fancy 

 birds, are of such ancient lineage, and so exquisitely beautiful — 

 a beauty all see well in an exhibition cage, unlike some varieties 

 which show badly, that I think they deserve much encourage- 

 ment. The sprightly Short-faced Bald and Beard, that lustrous 

 gem the Black Mottle, and those striking-looking tinies the Red 

 Mottle and Yellow Mottles, must not be suffered to die-out. 

 Let committees offer prizes, the birds will come; if not the 

 first year, they will come the second and third years. I wish to 

 see more attempts at breeding these birds. Those who can 

 keep flying Tumblers, and have a small space for a wired-in 

 Pigeon house as well (and who has not ?), can manage these 

 varieties, for they are so small, they require but little room. I 

 hope, though too late this year, that the Crystal Palace Com- 

 mittee will alter their schedule in behalf of these birds another 

 year. 



I own that personally I do not like the exhibition of Pouters 

 of "any colour or marking." I know they have great value for 

 breeding, but they smite my eye, and do not please it when 

 seen at a show. Perhaps there is one exception — viz., in that 

 land of Pouters Scotland, they may fairly appear, but in England 

 I would have tbem iu the Selling class. 'I'he standard colours 

 for show, the off-colours for use in the lofts of their owners, and 

 to be bought. Of all things let not the high-fancy Tumblers 

 lack encouragement — they were fancy birds a century ago. — 

 WiLTSHUiE Rector. 



NOHTIUMPTON 0BSITH0L0G1C.1.L SOCIETY'S ShOW. "I beg 



respectfully to inform you that we have carried out our No. i 

 regulation in the schedule to the letter, and the five birds de- 

 tected as artificially coloured were sold by auction on Monday 

 evening, aud realised the sum of t'2 5.s. — an average of 9s. each 

 — and it will be applied towards defraying the expenses of the 

 Exhibition. The whole of the coloured birds were purchased by 



