Kovember 18, lOTS. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



383 



I woold safely allow anyone into an exhibition, as far as my 

 birds are concerueii, for I do not believe there is one man in the 

 " fancy " who would harm a feather of them, so high an opinion 

 do I hold of all my poultry friends. Of course there may be 

 " black sheep," but at the very many shows, in all counties, I 

 have attended, I have never seen one case. — Eegikald S. S. 

 AVooDGATE, I'emburi/, Tonbridgc WcUSy Kent. 



UNCONNECTED NOTES. 



Is Class 27, Elack Red Game Bantams, at the Oxford Show, 

 my pen, -ITJ, was " commended." This was omitted iu the cata- 

 logue, but I saw the card upon their pen and received it back in 

 the basket. A commendation is, perhaps, not much to be proud 

 of, but in a class of thirty-five, and only eight noticed besides, 

 it is something. 



I should like to notice, not as a disappointed exhibitor, for I 

 am satisfied, that white deaf ears were more prevalent tbau I 

 expected. In one prize pen the cock had decided traces of them, 

 and in a highly commended pen both cock and hen. 



And now, before the Crystal Palace Show comes on, may I 

 urge the Judges not to give a prize to duckfooted birds ? When 

 I say that I have, iu different years, bought a second-prize pen of 

 Duckwing Game Bantam pullets which turned out (at least one 

 of them) duck-toed, and last year the only prize pen of Black 

 Reds in that large Bantam Selling class, m which the cock was 

 badly duck-toed, I do not think the protest needless. Of course 

 <aveat emptor; but still you do trust a good deal to judges' 

 opinions, and no doubt I did not look at the birds as closely as 

 I should have done. 



And now I wish to notice a curious point, also in a Crystal 

 Palace prize bird of last year — viz., the second-prize Silyer-Grey 

 Dorking cockerel. I bought him and he was (alas 1) a fine bird, 

 but he broke a toe, got sickly, and dming his moult has had to 

 be killed. Had I, however, read a passage in the last number 

 of Wright's "Poultry Book" before his death, I would have 

 endeavoured to keep him alive longer. The passage I refer to 

 is on page 500, and relates to Gallus Bankiva, " The ueck-hackles 

 when first moulted are replaced not by the true hackles, but by 

 short dark grey or black feathers, which remain for two or three 

 months before they are replaced by the new hackles." Mr. 

 "Wright says that he has never been able to find these in any 

 breed but Game ; now this Silver Grey Dorking moulted his 

 neck-hackles, and they were being replaced by short square- 

 ended black feathers, and I did not see on examination any of 

 the true silver hackle coming. I was therefore the less inclined 

 to take much trouble with him, as I thought him useless for 

 breeding Silver-Greys, even if he should have recovered, which 

 seemed more than doubtful. As I have plenty of his stock left 

 I shall be able to see if any of them develope a similar tendency 

 in moolting. — E. Spesser Tiddem.vn, Childcrditch Vicarage, 

 JBrentwood. 



GEEAT YARMOUTH POULTRY SHOW. 



This was held at Yarmouth, in the Drill Hall, on Wednesday 

 and Thursday, the 5th and Gth inst. The Hall is an excellent 

 one for the purpose, being capacious, and the light well diffused. 

 The pens were of a very substantial kind, being made of wood 

 and rod iron with sliding doors, and these are intended to be 

 let out for hire. The Show was open to the public for two days, 

 bnt the previous day had been set apart for judging only, a 

 mistake which we have reason to believe will be rectified for 

 another show ; but notwithstanding this drawback, the Com- 

 mittee was -well patronised in point of entries, and though many 

 of the best exhibitors were represented, yet the local element 

 was well to the front, and showed a most decided improvement 

 in the birds over those shown last year; in fact, so close was 

 the race against some of the crack birds, that a single point 

 would have decided in favour of those of the locality. 



Single Game cocks were first on the list, all colours being 

 shown together, and among these were some good birds. The 

 Black Ked cockerel to which the cup was awarded, showing 

 fairly that that variety is on an improving march, it being long 

 since so superior a bird was shown ; second was a Brown Red 

 cockerel ; and third an old cock of that colour ; the former, a 

 well-moulted bird, being a little shy or too wild for the show 

 pen. In single hens all were Brown Reds of this year, and the 

 whole class good ; the competition in the first three being so 

 close as almost to suggest a to.ss-up for place. Game cock and 

 hen was a poor class, but the winners (all Duckwiugs), good, the 

 two first being grand in colour but somewhat soft, while the 

 third was the best cock in the class, but shown with a bad 

 ben. \Dorking.^ good in colour, large, and well-formed, were 

 first; second, Dark; and third, Silver-Grey. Spanish poor, if 

 we except tbo two first pens, the first of which were a grand 



gftir of 'chickens. Cochins, single cocks, were first a grand old 

 nff ; second. Buff ; and third, Partridge. Hens were also first 

 a Bnff, second a White, and third a Partridge, all being capital 

 birds of their kind. In Cochin chickens the first were capital 

 Bafls, thoagh yotmg, the others Partridge but undeveloped. 



In Brahmas, single cocks, an old bird stood first, and cockerels 

 second and third, the whole being good and the competition 

 close. In hens of that variety, the cup for the section was 

 awarded to a grand oldJien, large, good in pencilUng, and well 

 developed; the second-prize hen falUng little short m point of 

 quality but not iu as forward a state ; the third also bei2g a 

 hen Li'-ht Brahmas were single cocks, a large well-marked 

 cock first ; second a good bird but lost iu colour. In hens a 

 yoiin-^ bird of moderate size but grand marking was first; a 

 laroelieu, but out of condition, second; and thud a fair puUet. 

 In^the chicken class Dark were first, and Light second and 

 third Hamburghs were not numerous nor the quaUty good, if 

 we except a few pens. In Spangles, Golden won the cup ; the 

 Silver not proving up to the mark, although with the exception 

 of the tail-hackle of the cock in the first-prize pen of the latter 

 variety they were good, but in this point he was wanting, 

 being entirely free from spangling. Two pens of the Gold- 

 pencilled were very good and close in points, aud the cup for 

 Pencilled awarded here, while only the first in Silvers were up 

 to the requirement. Black Hamburghs viei^e mostly white in 

 the face, though the first and second were grand pens. Bantams 

 (Game) Black or other Beds came next; hut wo were dis- 

 appointed with these, for as a class they proved poor compared 

 with what might have been expected, although most pens con- 

 tained one good bird. The first aud third goiug to Black, and 

 second to Brown Reds. Game Bantams (Any other variety), 

 were much better, and the cup awarded to a grand, close- 

 feathered pen of Piles ; the second being also capital Piles but 

 rather dirty ; the third being very promising Duckwings. Black 

 Bantams were very good, but the White faulty m comb ; and in 

 the Variety class were some good Golden Sebrights, and the 

 first and second prizes were awarded to that variety. In the 

 class comprising breeds not before mentioned, Creve-Coeurs 

 stood first. Gold Polands second, and Malay chickens third. 

 The Selhng class for cocks was very large, aud many birds were 

 noticed ; a very good Partridge Cochin winning first, a pro- 

 mising Silver-Grey Dorking cockerel second, aud a Dark Brahma 

 third, the local cup for several classes being awarded here to 

 a fine Dark Brahma cockerel. Hens were also numerous, and 

 many were very good ; and here Brahmas were first, Partridge 

 Cochins second, and Silver-spangled Hamburghs third ; and iu 

 Ducks, Rouens won all the prizes. , , , , . , 



Pigeons were a nice collection, some of the classes being good. 

 The cup for the best bird iu the Show going to a handsome 

 Black Carrier cock, although we are sorry to say some of the 

 best birds in this class came too late for competition. The 

 point cup was won by Mr. Fulton. In Carriers, single hens, a 

 grand Black was placed first, and the class was good, loung 

 Carriers were a strong class, and some of the birds especially 

 "'ood the first-prize Black, which also won the local cup, being 

 a stron" bird ; the second also a very promising hen, and the 

 third a cock. Pouters were a grand lot ; a slim-built White being 

 first a White also being second, though a little dirty. Barbs 

 were a very good class, the first-prize Black cock running very 

 close for the cup ; while in young birds were some birds that 

 will no doubt, be heard of again ; the first being a Yellow, 

 second Red, aud third Dun. Tumblers, Short-faced, were also 

 a good class. The first in this class being awarded to an Almond 

 cock, the second to a Red Whole-feather, aud third to an Almond. 

 Fan'tails were very good, the first being a large tailed bird but 

 not as good in carriage as the second and third, yet all three did 

 credit to Newark, which is the home of the Fantail. Dragoons 

 were first Yellow, second Blue, both pairs being of the strong- 

 built' kind. In Antwerp!, Silver Duns won all the prizes ; and 

 in the Variety class. White African Owls were first and third, 

 and a most beautiful pair of Black Trumpeters second. The 

 Selling class was very large, and some good birds were m at 

 easy prices. -i • iu 



The Canary classes were fairly represented, and m the 

 Norwich classes the Derby blush was apparent on the winning 

 and some other specimens, aud fairly ran off with the awards; 

 this section was very good ; the Crested class being one of the 

 best, while the Ticked were a nice lot. Even-marked Jonques 

 had also some capital four-pointed birds. 



As is often the case, a great drawback in poultry and Pigeons 

 was the late arrival of many baskets, some even arriving as late 

 as five o'clock on the day on which the birds were judged, and 

 in consequence too late for competition. 



CKyir. -macUbrmatrd or other Ji«i«.-Ct)cfc -1 and Cop. J. R. Fletcher, 

 sloncclouKh 2, H E. Martin. Kakenhom 3. J. ChMt-r Nantwich. land! 

 I.,.cal. S. J. F. Stafford, Yarmouth, he. U, F.. Martin ; S. Mafh.^w, stowinarket : 

 .I^Andrcws, Worcester; J. R. Fletcher, c. E. Bell, Burton-on-Trcut: T. 4 K. 



^'tiSy^-m^khrm.tol or oth,r M.— H;«.- I. S. Matthew. 2. J. R 

 Fleti^lier Local Cud 1. 2. and 3. S .1. F. Stafford, kc, .). S Pcaraon, Great 

 MeUoiTF. A l"< cds.'^Finborough ; U. E. Martin ; S. J. F. Stafford, c, li. W. 



^T.Z:.^Afv"'oltrvarMu.--i. W. F. Enlwi,1e, Wratfleld. 2, S^ Mallhow. 3. 

 ,T. Fletcher. 1 aud a Local. W. Durrani. Yarmouth. Iu:, E. W. Southir»od, 

 Fakenham. c, J. Andrew. ; H. E. Martin. „, .,. .. , > n t- 



DoKKiNtu -1 and Clip, Henry Linitwood, Barking, Ncedham Market. 2, E. 

 Hooper Culne. 3, T. & II. Heath. Norwich, he, i. I'arlclt, Great BaJJow; E. 

 W. S.mthwood : A. S. Clarke, Lowestoft. , 



Spanish.- 1 and Cup, K. NewWtt, Epworth. 2, H. Wilkinson. Roptou..8 and 

 1 Local, K. Beazor, Yarmouth. 



