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JOITRNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAUDENEE. i September 29, 18C3. 



As we look out of the window where we are now sitting, 

 ■we can see a man going round with a pail of meal from pen 

 to pen. The flocks of sparrows, chaffinches, &c., follow him, 

 by flying from tree to tree, and dropping into each pen as 

 fast as he leaves it. Now, we are sure these birds do no 

 good. There is no occasion for them to seek food. They 

 are privateers, or rather priates, and take all that comes in 

 theii- way. They thrive ixpon it. We swai-m with every de- 

 scription of them, and we like to see them about; but it is 

 often a great annoyance to us. 



When we have occasion to remark on the consumption of 

 food, we are always reminded we have forbidden the destruc- 

 tion of small bh-ds. We do not much approve of Indian 

 corn for poultry, but in hard weather, and, indeed, partially 

 all the year round, we are compelled, as a measiu'e of 

 economy, to feed with it, to the consternation of our small 

 pests. 



We follow the controversy in the Times with great in- 

 terest, and the opinions of the amiable and talented men 

 who have wi-itteu on the subject are entitled to the respect 

 and admiration of aU. But it seems to us we want to hear 

 more from practical people who deal with nature and with 

 facts as they bear on pounds, shilUngs, and pence, divested 

 of everything like poetry or sentiment. 



The time of year is rightly chosen, as any one who 

 undertakes to d im inish the numbers of his smaU bu-ds 

 must do so in the approaching winter. It cannot be done 

 at any other time. Nature has endowed them with the 

 property of self-preservation. The gun, if one bii-d at a 

 time be shot at, is too slow to accomplish destruction. A 

 man kills a dozen, and seeing only few about the place, 

 fancies he has "pretty much thinned them," but the truth 

 is they ai-e crafty. After they liave been shot at a few 

 times, they " skedaddle "' the moment they see any one ; 

 but they are always on the look-out. Few people have any 

 idea of the difficulty of extir23ating small birds by means of 

 the gun. A gentleman complaining at a dinner-table of the 

 bad sport he had when shooting, said he wished "black- 

 birds and thrushes were game ; the swedes were full of them, 

 and he could have killed thousands." His friend made a 

 bet with him that he could not kill a hundred in the day, 

 shoot one at a time. It was accepted, and he was allowed 

 the whole day, but he killed only between forty and fifty. 

 We knew an instance where a sick person wanted larks, and 

 three men went out with gims to kill as many as they 

 could. Notwithstanding it was in the winter, and they had 

 hymdreds of acres of cultivated land to go over, the thi-ee 

 did not bring in four dozen. We have seen a positive and 

 literal bushel fuU of small birds killed in one day in a pen 

 during a hard frost, when the ground was covered with 

 snow. We believe smaU birds every year consume large 

 quantities of food, for which they make no return. We 

 have tried to side with those who preserve them, but we 

 caimot. Our experience is, that when there is no fruit, they 

 fly to the poultry-pens ; but that under all cii-cumstances 

 they are at peace with grubs, catei-piUars, et hoc genus omne. 



MIDDLETON AGEICITLTUEAL SOCIETY'S 

 POULTEY SHOW. 



This Show was held at Middleton on the 17th inst. The 

 poultry classes were confined to bu-ds of the present year, 

 with the exception of Tiu-keys and Bantams. For aU varie- 

 ties, excepting Ducks, Geese, and Tui-keys, there were thi-ee 

 classes — viz., cockerel and pidlets, single cockerels, and 

 pairs of pullets. Considering the period of the year when 

 this Show is held, the Committee were certainly justified in 

 excluding old birds fr-om competition. At a Lancashire 

 show it might have been anticipated that the Game and 

 Hamburgh classes would have been most conspicuous for 

 merit, but they did not contain so many pens of really good 

 birds as the classes aUotte<l to Dorkings, Cochins, and Game 

 Bantams. 



The classes for Black-breasted and Brown Red Game stood 

 first on the list, and amongst these the class for pullets was 

 probably the best. In the class for cockerel and puUets of 

 Any other variety of Game, the first and second prizes were 

 given to Duckwings. The fii-st-prize cockerel promises to 

 make a superior bird ; but before he is again exhibited we 



would suggest that the operation of dubbing should be com- 

 pleted, as the half-trimmed state in which he was shoviTi 

 was far from making the most of his appearance. The 

 Spanish were not remarkable ; but the DorJcings were very 

 good, and the pens exhibited by Mr. Statter and BIi'. Newton 

 were excellent. Of Cochins there were no less than thirty- 

 two pens, many of them containing bu-ds of striking merit. 

 The chief pi-izes fell to the lot of Mr. Stretch, Captain 

 Heaton, and Mi-. Hindle. The Hamhurgh classes were hardly 

 above an average ; and in the Golden-spangled class it was 

 difficult to find the requisite combiuatiou of comb, eai--lobe, 

 and accui-ate maa-kings of the feathers. The Game Bantams 

 were a good class. One exhibitor of a good pen had the 

 misfortmie to be shut out from competition, as his birds 

 were put into the wrong class, owing, it was stated, to his 

 not having affixed the proper label to the hamper. The 

 an-angements of the Show were good, and the weather 

 remarkably fine, which, with the immediate proximity of 

 Manchester, and the dense population of Lancashu-e, secured 

 an influx of company which few of oiu- agricultural shows 

 can command. 

 The foUowiug is a list of the awards. 



Game (Black-breasted and other Reds).— First, T. Dvson. Second, J. 

 Firth. Third, R. Parliinson. HiglUy Commended, T. Slatter. Com- 

 mended, J. Holme; G. Taylor. t'ocAci-c/.— First, J. firth. Se-jonil, J. S. 

 Butler. Highly Commended. W. Hargreaves. Pidlets— ¥\rit, R. Parkin- 

 son. Second, T. Statter. Highly Commended, C. W. Brierlev. 



Game (Any other variety).— First, J. Holme. Second, T. Dyson. Third, 

 R. M. Harrison, Cockerel.— Vr.ze, J. Firth. I'ullets.—Virsl, J. HaU. 

 Second, W. Bourne. 



Spanish.— First, S. SiddaU. Second, J. Clewes. Third, S. Tyldesley. 

 Cockrrel. — ViTi,t, H. Beldon. Second, N. Cooke. Pullets.— h'irsl, T. 

 Rogers. Second, J. SiddaU. 



UoKKiNos.— First, T. Statter. Second, J. F. Newton. Third, T. Crow- 

 ther. Highly Commended, J. F. Newton; E. Smith. Cockerel.— YitaWi. 

 Statter. Becond, J. F. Newton. Highly Commended, S. Farriugton. 

 Pu(/c(s.— First, T. Statter. Second, E. Leech. 



CocHiN-Cui(iA.-First, T. Thatch. Second and Third, Captain Heaton. 

 Highly Commended, Captain Heaton. Cackerel. — Firat, E. Kainsden. 

 Second, Captain Heaton. Highly Commended, S. Handlcy. Pullets.— 

 First, F. M. Uindle. Second, Cuptain Heaton. Highly Commended, K. 

 Ward ; J. Frankland ; J. Hartley ; C. .T. Samuels. 



HAMBuncHS (Golden-pencilled).— Fust, Carter & Valient. Second, 

 A.M. Higgin. Third. A. Nuttall. Commended, J. Di.ton ; T. Wrigley. 

 Cockerel.— Wn-st, A. M. Higgin. .Second, A. Bamford. Pullets.— YmX,, T. 

 Wrigley. Second, J. Wellens. Highly Commended, A. Bamford ; J. Firth. 



Hambuegiis (Silver-pencilled). — First, A. Royd. Second, C. Moore. 

 Third, H. Beldon. Highly Commended, E. Hindle ; J. Dixon. Cockerels. 

 — First, J. Andrew. Second, A. Fielding. Pullets.— Fivsl.V. Hlingwortb. 

 Second, E. Hindle. 



Hamburohs (Golden-spangled).— First, J. Andrew. Second, H. Carter. 

 Third, G. Whittaker. Highly Commended, J. Dixon. Cockerel .—Vint, 3. 

 Lancashire. Second, Hepw.irth & Coldwell. Ptt»e(s.— First, J. Andrew. 

 Second, J. Ogden. Highly Commended, E. Smith. 



Hambdrghs (Silvei-spangled).— First, .1. Dixon. Second, J. Fielding. 

 Third, 3. Altham. Highly Commended, Mrs. Sharp. Cockerel.— Yital, H. 

 Beldon. Second, E. Ward. Pullets.— First, E. Stevenson. Second, J. 

 Collinge. 



Hamburohs (Black) —First, K. Goodwin. Second, J. Hope. Third, H. 

 Beldon. C'octfrri.— First, J. Dixon. Second, G. WUitaker. Highlv Com- 

 mended, K. Tatters.ill. Pullets.— Ywst, J. Jaques. Second, R. Battersby. 



Ant Variety not Previously Classed.— First, H. Carter. Second, J. 

 Dixon. Third, J. Smith. Highly Commended, H. Lacy ; W. Bowley. 

 Cockerel — First, J. Dixon. Second, J. Frankland. PuUets.— First, 3. 

 Dixon. Second, S. Farrington. 



Bamtams (Game).— First, J. W. Morris. Second, N. Cook. Third, J. D. 

 Newsome. HL-jhly Commended. J. Whitworth ; W. Laurenson. Cock. — 

 First, R. M. Stark. Second, J. W. Morris. 



Bantams (Any other variety).— First, H. Beldon. Second, E. Button. 

 Highly Commended, C. Walker; R. Glcdhill. CocA-.- First, C. W. Brierley. 

 Second, .1. Magncll. Highly Commended, R. M. Stark. 



Ducks (Aylesbury).— First, R. M. stark. Second, Mrs. Seamocs. Highly 

 Commended, Mrs. Seamons. Commended, D. Reynolds ; F. W. Hindle. 



Ducks (Rouen).— First and Second, T. Statter. Highly Commended, J. 

 Holme. Commended, E. Leech. 



Ducks (Any other variety). — First, J. B. Jessop. Second, J. Dixon. 



Gekse.— First, D. Reynolds. Second, D. Ashbrook. Highly Commended, 

 D. Reynolds. 



Turkeys.— First, J. Dixon. Second, E. Leech. 



The Judges were Mr. Teebay, Preston ; Mr. J. H. Smith, 

 Skelton, near Yor-k ; and Mr. Han-op, Middleton. 



Speed of Cabeier Pigeons. — It appears from a recent 

 trial made at Bourges, that Carrier Pigeons can stiQ com- 

 pete in speed with railways. Last week 145 Pigeons were 

 liberated at Bom-ges at five o'clock in the morning, to decide 

 a wager. The first prize was gained by a Pigeon wtich 

 arrived at his Pigeon-house at Verviers, at fifty-four minutes 

 past twelve. The last arrival was at eleven minutes past 

 one. Thus, in less than nine hom-s, these birds poi-formed a 

 distance of 150 leagues, or 375 miles — a speed which no 

 French railway can eqxtal. — {The BuUding Nexcs.) 



