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JOURNAL OF HOBTIGULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



Docembac 4, 1878. 



The hen Selling-class prizes were mostly awarded to birds which 

 had been very good at one time, but now almost past duty and 

 with formidable spurs. On the whole we must confess to a great 

 disappointment and sense of general falling-off in all the coloured 

 Dorking classes. Silver-Greys too, though select, were not on 

 that account very good. The eight cocks were well judged, the 

 two prizes being good, but no others call for remark. The cup 

 for cockerels (twenty-one entries), was given to a bird of exceed- 

 ingly doubtful character; inheadand plumage he appearedyouth- 

 ful, but possessed old-looking spurs, seven-eighths of an inch 

 long — W6 measured them — and with evident signs of a surgical 

 operation on at least one foot besides. The second-prize was 

 very good, and Mr. Raines' pen, 156, also contained a bird which 

 deserved far more than he got. The highly commended birds 

 were also pretty fair. One of the first-prize hens was much better 

 than the other, but we confess to liking Mr. Eaines' pen again the 

 best of any in the class. In pullets a palpable error was made, 

 the second-prize being, though entered at £3, better than the 

 first. Silver-Greys, too, were, as a whole, very poor, and the 

 season does not seem to have suited the entire Dorking family. 

 White old cocks, eight pens, were perhaps the worst class of aU. 

 First-prize was good, but second was a very deep brownish 

 yellow, most unsightly, though large. The first-prize cockerel 

 very yellow again, second-prize being much neater and Ijetter 

 in colour, but decidedly small. Hens and pullets were small 

 classes and well judged ; but it deserves remark that pen 207 

 had the plainest signs of a White Cochin cross, and the first- 

 prize puUets were of a yeUow colour which, as occurring in the 

 female sex, hitherto free, needs much care to prevent becoming 

 general. Eeviewing the whole, the Dorkings were certainly the 

 weakest classes in the whole Show. Several coloured cocks 

 and cockerels, even among the prize-winners, presented also 

 the plainest traces of a "new move" in the shape of a Brahma 

 cross. We must say, judging solely from results, we much 

 prefer the old Dorking pure. Black feet arising from overmuch 

 breeding for very dark plumage, were far too common. 



Cochins. — Feeling very dull after the Dorkings we came to 

 the Buffs, and immediately felt better. If Buffs are not good at 

 Birmingham, what is likely to be ?— but courage, the old B. B.'s 

 revived us. The very first pen we found third-prize, and im- 

 mediately thought, Here is either a mistake, or what must the 

 rest be ?— massive, heavily feathered, and deep in colour on 

 wing. But passing on to the other twenty-five old cocks we did 

 come to a better — immensely large, deep gold in colour, well 

 feathered, splendid saddle, and, though by no means up in con- 

 dition after moult, not unworthy his position. Second was 

 good all round but small. Fourth we thought a mistake ; colour 

 and head were very good, but saddle was very narrow, and 

 there was a want of leg feather under the hock. Fifth-prize had 

 many good points, but was much too deep in colour on the 

 wing: the same exhibitor's pen, 232, should have displaced 

 cither him or fourth-prize in our opinion. Of the thirty-nine 

 cockerels many— very many — were exceedingly good. First- 

 prize was a now well-known winner, in colour as good as ever, 

 but fast faUiug in condition, and beginning to show a serious 

 twist in the comb from over-showing. Second really grand in 

 quality. Fourth likely to make one of the best, but as yet 

 though large, raw and unformed. Third we did not like, being 

 almost white on the back though fine in shape, and pen 277 

 might have displaced him ; this last bird only wanted tail to be 

 an almost perfect Cochin. Fifth but middhng, legs being too 

 close and tail long. 



Hens (nineteen entries), contained chiefly grand single birds, 

 which was particularly the case with first-prize. The second 

 were better matched, but neither equal to best in first-prize pen, 

 these last being the old-fashioned Light Buff. Third-prize, too, 

 were very light colour, but well-shaped ; they had both, however, 

 bad combs. Fourth well-shaped, but not a match, one being 

 mealy. Fifth rather small. Pullets (thirty-nine entries), were 

 badly judged; first-prize being large, but far from Cochin in 

 shape, being narrow, very long-tailed, mealy in colour, and one 

 very badly twisted in hackle. Second a fine-shaped pair of light 

 colour, rather overwashed to look well. Third-prize rather 

 small, and one bird out of sorts, but sound and neat Cochins. 

 Fourth a beautiful colour, but moderate in feather and rather 

 ■wanting in cushion. Fifth rather spotted in hackle. The best 

 single bird in this class was in Mr. Tomlinson's pen, 33G, but 

 not well mated. 



In Partridge cocks the three prize birds were grand specimens) 

 but of the rest the less said the better. The judging in this 

 class did not please us, the second-prize being in our opinion 

 the best. He was no doubt inferior to the first in comb and 

 colour, but so really graud in shape, that we consider that he 

 should have had the cup for the best Cochin cock iu the Show : 

 we have not for years seen a bird we liked so well iu this breed. 

 The cockerels showed the prevailing fault, being all clxunsy in 

 shape. Among the nine pairs of hens there was no pen well 

 marked, the only bird so distinguished being one with a twisted 

 comb iu pen 372, which was speedily claimed by a well-known 

 breeder. The winning pair of pullets (thirteen entries), were 



better, being good in colour, but small and poor in comb. Second 

 and third larger, but poor in colour. There is much room for a 

 skilful amateur in this breed ; he would find winning compara- 

 tively easy. Whites were good as a whole. First-prize old cock 

 was not a good white, but large and grandly feathered. Second 

 a httle long in back, but fairly enough placed. Third very 

 yeUow, and somewhat clumsy behind. The first-prize cockerel 

 carried his wings badly — so high, in fact, as to spoil the saddle 

 completely. Second rough and bad in legs, otherwise in our 

 opinion best of the class. Third a good bird, but wanting in 

 that undefinable quality called carriage. The first-prize hens 

 deserved their position, though one was somewhat wanting in 

 cushion. Second-prize should have been disqualified, containing 

 one pullet, and, if we are not much mistaken, the very pullet 

 which won the cup at the Crystal Palace. No doubt showing 

 puUets for hens has not tlie same fraudulent complexion as 

 showing hens for pullets, and we do not mention the matter in 

 that sense ; still, it is not fair to other exhibitors, and the penalty 

 should have been inflicted. It is only fair to add that the said 

 pidlet was about the very best in the Show, or that we can 

 remember for some years. Third were not large, but neat, nicely 

 matched, and good Cochins. The best single hen in the class 

 was in pen -124, but her mate was nowhere. The first-prize 

 pullets, again, were very unequal in quality, and neither so good 

 as the one we have mentioned in the hen class. Second had 

 beautiful combs, and were the best-matched in the class, but not 

 so good as the best bird in first-prize. Third were good colour 

 and shape. The whole were an excellent class, as were the hens. 



Bk.\iimas. — This once-despised breed now fiUs the largest 

 classes at aU good shows. Thirty-six old cocks contended, and a 

 grand lot they were — the best lot of old birds we have ever seen. 

 'The cup bird was grandly feathered, good colour, and very 

 massive; in fact, too massive for our taste, being almost like 

 a Cochin. Second-prize was a shade yellow, and had a twisted 

 hackle, but in other respects was a splendid bird, and was bid- 

 up at the auction from eight to twenty-two guineas. Third was 

 rather clumsy, and not, in our opinion, so good as same exhi- 

 bitor's pen 4G4. Mr. Liugwood's, 462, was also a grand old cock, 

 and there were other birds fit to show and win anywhere, the 

 whole being a most dilficult class to judge. The cockerels were 

 one short of a hundred entries. The first-prize was a fine bird, 

 but bad in saddle and tail, which was too upright, and had 

 long streamers, which the owner deserves credit for showing 

 without plucking. Second was rather coarse. Third fine iu 

 shape and saddle, but rather yellow. Fourth was large, but 

 rather clumsy, and very brown on the wing. Fifth we did not 

 like at all, being very coarse and a nasty brown on the shoulders. 

 Sixth a very neat and stylish bird. The cup bird at the Palace 

 was unnoticed in this class ; he certainly was gone very yellow, 

 and was said to be hump-backed, but we failed to discover this 

 latter fault, and should have l)een disposed to put him second, 

 displacing second to fifth. This class was far inferior to the 

 cocks. The Selhng class seemed to answer its purpose, five 

 cockerels in consecutive order being marked "sold" by twelve 

 o'clock Monday. The first-prize was a really good cockerel, and 

 sold for eleven guineas and a half; he certainly would have 

 been about fourth in the open class. Second was also very 

 good, and reaUsed five guineas, though yellow. Pen 592 also 

 contained a very good bird. In hens, first were a long way 

 ahead. Second also very good, but the rest were a poor lot, 

 with a few good odd hens among them. Pullets were a grand 

 class of eighty-nine pens, the first three pens standing clearly 

 out, but the rest being very difficult to judge. The light on 

 this class was fortunately excellent, which was the sole cause of 

 many Palace awards being reversed. The first-prize were large, 

 finely-pencilled, and well feathered. Second-prize contained 

 one young and small bird, which will ere long be far the best 

 of the pair. Third also contained one very young bird with no 

 tail yet grown, which will be as good as any in the class. 

 Fourth were well marked, but wanting shape, and tho same 

 remark will apply to the sixth. Fifth were rather coarse in 

 comb, but neat iu shape, and pencilling good. There were 

 besides several excellent pens highly commended, and almost 

 any number of good odd birds, Mr. Pritchard especially havinc 

 several good ones. The Selling class for hens and pullets was 

 poor, with only a few exceptions ; but the first-prize pen realised, 

 we believe, £10. 



The adult Light cocks (twenty-three entries), seemed, as a 

 rule, rather out of condition. First was very large with little 

 marking and rather yellow, but well-shaped. Second also want- 

 ing in marking, and also in feather. Third was small for an old 

 bird, but beautiful colour and carriage. Pens 729, 741, and 748 

 were fine specimens. In the cockerels (sixty-nine entries), we 

 thought a mistake was made in leaving pen 786 (Mrs. William- 

 son), out of the prize hst, where we should h.ave placed him 

 rather high. He was rather yellow, but not more so than many 

 of the prize birds, and very superior in almost all other points. 

 Passing him, wo can fairly congratulate Mr. Dean on his first- 

 prize bird, which thoroughly deserved liis position, and though, 

 no doubt, rather small, is in every other point the nearest to 



