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JOUBNAL Oe HOETICDLTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



t December 25, 1873. 



awards — of the Show itself ; and of the prospects of attendance 

 next day. 



" And so the "Wednesday night 

 Saw Thursday morning bom." 



We have always admired Glasgow. It is a grand city, and the 

 Scots have a good right to be proud of it. Miles and miles of 

 streets which rival Oxford Street are there, and nowhere do the 

 shops present such a high average of appearance. Far away to 

 the west end, at the end of the noble City Eoad,are the Botanic 

 Gardens, in which stands the "Kibble Crystal Art Palace," in 

 ■which, again, is held this year the far-famed Pigeon Show of 

 the north, and, indeed, of the whole kingdom. We think the 

 name a mistake. Mr. Kibble is deservedly respected in Glasgow, 

 but it does not sound grand, and a simple " Crystal Palace " 

 would be better every way. But the building itself surpasses 

 for its size every place we have ever seen as the site for an ex- 

 hibition. It is all glass, the light unobstructed from a single 

 square foot. Fancy a noble dome, or rotunda, 1.50 feet in di- 

 ameter, connected by a corridor, also glass, 36 feet long by 

 25 feet wide, with a second smaller hall some 65 feet in diameter, 

 and you have all that bare words can give of it. But the effect 

 words cannot give. We have never seen anything equal to it. 

 In the smaller haJl is a cool fountain surrounded by shrubs and 

 moss, and leading-out of one side is what they call a " mossery," 

 or a series of arches and bowers covered with bright-green moss, 

 surrounding miniature pools of water. Bound the large hall 

 are plaster casts of the most celebrated sculptures — one or two, 

 perhaps, rather questionable in taste — intermingled with shrubs, 

 and in this large hall were the Pigeons, not so numerous as at 

 the London Crystal Palace, but in many classes even superior 

 in quality, many winners there having now to retire before 

 more perfect specimens. As a Pigeon Show it was simply 

 perfection. 



With all this the place was almost empty, and it was really 

 painful to see such a Show so little cared for. We were not al- 

 together surprised, for all through Glasgow, so far as we went, 

 we saw nothing whatever to acquaint the public there was such 

 a thing. A very small advertisement in the daily papers was 

 all, and this very advertisement was a curiosity in its way, 

 informing the public that the celebrated "English Letter- 

 Carriers " (!) would be on view. No large bills about ; nothing 

 at the stations ; nothing on the omnibuses — failm-e was inevit- 

 able. We question if, even had it been advertised, a Pigeon 

 Show alone would ever attract a numerous public ; but if the 

 Glasgow folks could see their way to get-up a poultry show of 

 equal rank with theu' Pigeon collection (for which there is ample 

 room in the great hall), and add, perhaps, a show of Canaries 

 and cage birds in the smaller hall, which seems, with its foun- 

 tain and its moss, as if designed for the very pxirpose, the total 

 would form an exhibition impossible to surpass, and which we 

 can hardly think would pass unheeded if well advertised and 

 carried through. With these observations we may proceed to 

 our remarks on the collection of Pigeons itself. 



It will be remembered that the London Committee had invited 

 two of the best Scotch fanciers to judge at the Crystal Palace, 

 and the North British Committee returned the compliment by 

 requesting the services of Mr. Jones, who acted with Mr. 

 Charlton. We are pleased to say that these gentlemen gave 

 very general— even marked — satisfaction. Exceptions to their 

 awards were taken, and we shall state such as general opinion 

 pointed out — but such must always be the case. Critics have 

 time — that all-important item in judging; many birds, too, wUi 

 not show when first put into the pens ; and some classes were 

 terrible work to judge. In spite of all such exceptions, the 

 general verdict was as we have stated. 



The first fourteen classes, of some eighty odd entries, were 

 confined to members of the Columbariau Society. The first 

 class, for Blue Pouter cocks, contained nothing very extra, the 

 cup bird being rather thick. The Black cocks, though only 

 three entries, were better, first prize going to a bird 7| in limb 

 and raven black, but rather heavy-limbed. The third prize 

 went to the bird first at the Palace, rather bad in colour, but a 

 splendid Pouter. The three Red cocks were all a poor colour, 

 and in Yellows there were no entries. Both first and second 

 White cocks were splendid birds, with as little to choose between 

 them as could well be ; third was but middling. In the Blue 

 hens the cup was a splendid bird ; very young, but will be almost 

 perfect when grown. In the Black hens the first-prize was 

 nothing particular, and second-prize was most decidedly the 

 best in all essential points. Red hens had but two entries ; 

 first-prize being a neat little bird, but decidedly small, and 

 second very middling all round. Yellow hens were but three — 

 moderate in quality and well judged. White hens were a better 

 class of nine, most of the birds being mentioned. In this class 

 we consider second-prize should have been first, both second and 

 third being half an inch longer in limb than the first prize bird. 

 In the Carrier and Barb society classes both sexes competed. 

 Black Carriers were an extra class, nearly all the birds being 

 really good. The prize birds were well placed, but a very young 

 very highly commended bird (pen 02) was in our opinion the 



most promising of the whole lot. Duns were also a good class, 

 and well judged, the first-prize being a very young but in every 

 respect magnificent cock. Second was a good bird, but rather 

 down-faced ; third a grand hen. Mr. Massey's birds were fairly 

 distanced. The class for Blue cocks or hens contained four birds, 

 and the prizes were well placed; the third-prize was a Silver 

 Dun hen, and undoubtedly the best Carrier in the whole class, 

 but not being the standard colour could not win ; it is indeed a 

 question if she should have had her third prize, the class being 

 for Blues, but it was hard to pass such a bird over. Barbs were 

 rather middling, the cup bird only being reaUy good. 



The open classes formed the real strength of the Show. Not 

 so numerous as at London, there were many more really first- 

 class birds, which made many classes a rare treat to fanciers 

 and the reverse to the Judges. First came Blue Pouter cocks — 

 not so numerous as last year, but a grand class. The first-prize 

 was the Palace winner, and showed the same grand form he did 

 then. Second was a mistake, pen 92 being worth half a dozen 

 of him, though it must be said that it was very diflicult to get 

 this bird to show. Pen 95 contained a bird decidedly bad in 

 colour, but one of the very best Pouters in the class, and which 

 we believe took first at Birmingham. Pen 94, also, was a bird 

 which would be invaluable for stock. In Black cocks the Palace 

 cup bird was here discarded for his bad colour, the first-prize 

 being a raven black, but not so good a Pouter. Second-priza 

 was also a good colour, and the Judges are evidently " going 

 in " for this quality, which has been so much neglected hitherto 

 in this splendid variety. Red cocks were mostly wanting in 

 colour too, an unnoticed pen, 110, being about the only genuine 

 red, though bad in other points. In all else, however, Mr. Huie's 

 first-prize bird left scarcely anything to desire, and deservedly 

 took the cup for the best Pouter in the Show. Second was also 

 a gorgeous bird.. Y^ellows were a small class of three, and well 

 judged. The cup White cock was a good bird enough, second 

 prize going to the first-prize bu'd at Newcastle. Third was the 

 largest bird in the class, and also longest in feather and limb, 

 but too stout. A highly commended pen, 124, belonging to Mr. 

 Rose, ought by rights to have been either first or second ; but it 

 is merely right to say that he only arrived just before the judging 

 of the class was completed, and got no fair chance, as he coidd 

 not be induced to " show." As soon as he had fairly picked 

 himself up it was nothing to choose between him and the winner. 

 Blue hens were a grand class — very hard to judge (nearly all 

 were mentioned), and the awards could hardly be deemed correct 

 after a mature scrutiny. Mr. Fulton's cup bird was no doubt 

 fine, but not slender enough in girth ; and either Mr. Gresham'a 

 highly commended pen 140 or Mr. Wallace's 145 ought, we think, 

 to have had her position, 140 being a very extra bird indeed in 

 all essential points. In Black hens Mr. Wallace's first and 

 second were about equal, first being superior in colour (though 

 both were lovely in this respect), while second was a httle heavy 

 in limb. In Red hens the judging was at fault ; first-prize being 

 a fine long bird, but deficient both in crop and colour. Mr. 

 Fulton's second was on the whole better ; but the best bird was 

 " Bob's " highly commended pen 1G4, which was first at the 

 Palace, and ought to have been first here. Yellow hens were 

 uncommonly good and well placed, Mr. Huie again coming to 

 the front. White hens were an extraordinary class — one of the 

 best in the Show. Mr. Montgomery was first and third, but 

 third-prize was the best and should have been first. Second 

 has been a fine bird, but is now getting rather too matronly for 

 a strong competition, and should have been displaced, giving in 

 our opinion first and second to Mr. Montgomery's third and 

 first, and third prize to a very highly commended pen, 173, be- 

 longing to Mrs. Ladd. It must, however, be said that the whole 

 class was unusually even for one of Pouter hens. 



In Black Carrier Cocks Mr. Montgomery won with a bird 

 tremendously wattled, but rather heavy in neck. The winner 

 at Birmingham was here third, being gone quite out of order, 

 and apparently cankered. Both these birds were " prodigious" 

 for the stated ages of one year, which were probably intended 

 in a strictly parliamentary sense. Mr. Stuart's bird No. 190 

 wants age, but had this been allowed for by the catalogue, in 

 real earnest, must have won : the stated ages in Carriers have 

 always been a standing mystery to us. In Dun Cocks, the cup 

 was of course won by Mr. Montgomery's champion bird (again 

 entered as " one year"), which is too well known now to need 

 description : the same gentleman took third, Mr. Fulton winning 

 second with a cock uncommonly good all round. The Any 

 other colour cocks were well judged, the prizes of coui'se going to 

 Blues. In Black hens, Mr. Fulton won with a bird known as 

 the best black hen out : second was a hen of capital shape, but 

 very bad in wattle and too much trimmed : third was good, but 

 we thought the same gentleman's pen 213 better, had she not 

 been out of condition ; but for tliis we would have put her 

 second in fact. The cup Dun hen was an all but perfect model 

 in beak, wattle, eye, gullet, and skull : second also a fine bird, 

 though some way behind, and we question, taking points all 

 round, if Mr. Fulton's third-prize, which would have looked 

 nearly perfect but for the cup bird, should not have changed 



