October 6, 1863. ] 



JOtTENAL OF HOETICULTUEE AJS^D COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



281 



Birmingham, Birfceahflad, Chester, LiTei-pool, Slanchester, 

 Wolverhampton, and other places. When it is called to 

 mind that tiiis supply seems but little shortened week after 

 week the year throiog'h, all reflective persons will admit that 

 to guide snch wholesale producers to the most remunera- 

 tive breeds is a step in the riglit du-ection, and such as will 

 make ample returns for the amovmt of outlay and personal 

 trouble that may attend it at the outset. 



A few years to come wfll, doubtless, find many agricul- 

 turists around Oswestiy who now consider " a fowl only a 

 fowl whatever it may be," as having an-ived at the more just 

 conclusion, that each head of poultry they rear is of precisely 

 the marketable value it will realise when sold ; and that 

 some " old stagei's " who kept the " same fowls their fathers 

 did before them, as doing well enough for anything," will 

 find to again return to the principle just laid down would 

 curtail their revenue by at least two-thirds of what, with 

 care and management, may be then insured. It is at once 

 candidly admitted that some few of om- best breeds of poulti-y 

 may not suit the neighbourhood, although, perha^js, as yet, 

 never faii-ly tested. For instance : not a single Black Spanish 

 fowl was exhibited at OsweSti-y — an incident that we cannot 

 call to recollection as ever taking place at any poultry show 

 before; but on inquiries on the gi-oimd, we find that the 

 local breeders seem never to have seen them, although con- 

 versant with them by naone. Now, for egg-production (and 

 the sale of eggs never fails — at good prices too), it is well 

 proved that Spanish fowls if not too highly bred are equal, 

 if not sujierior, to most varieties. 



As attention has at length Ijeen an-ested to improved 

 poultry-cultui'e in this neighbourhood, a few years to come 

 will bear conclusive evidence that the institution of a poultry 

 show at Oswestry was a public good. One or two hints to the 

 Committee of Management may not here be ill-placed. It 

 ■would be wisdom on futui'e occasions not to " restrict entries 

 to sixteen miles round." This prevents local breeders fi'om 

 seeing what can be done elsewhei'e, and acts somewhat as a 

 prohibition to tbeir own individual advancement. Even, by 

 way of argument, if the prizes for one year should go almost 

 wholly elsewhere than locally, this fact is cai-tain to produce 

 am amount of emulation to hold their own that will in- 

 fallibly bring improvements homeward on futiu'e occasions, 

 and do eveiything necessary to remove their present apathy 

 in local poultry-management. The trial will not only insure 

 this success, which is a most important one, but it will also 

 as undoubtedly triple the interest and numbers of visitors 

 to fntiu'e shows at Oswestry. The pens on this occasion 

 were placed some 12 inches too high for easy inspection — a 

 fault that will in time to come be easily rectified. Again, 

 the time specified for the bu-ds to be at the Show shoxild be 

 strictly enfoi'ced ; to do so is only justice to those parties 

 who send at the hom- stated in the prize-schedule. If this 

 mle is at all broken, one step only leads to increased delays, 

 and it must be remembered punctuality is the very essence 

 of tire contract, and empty pens the gi'eatest bane of any 

 poultry exhibition. On the late occasion, by far the best 

 Game fowls, and Geese also, came "too late for competition." 

 As a first Show, these little contingencies must ever be 

 expected, and as the Meeting was only in contemplation 

 about a fortnight before being held, it was quite as well kept 

 as could be fairly expected. We regi'et to say that unfavour- 

 able and heavy showers prevailed almost houi'ly. 



The Dorkings were good, the entries of Greys being nu- 

 merous ; and the White ones were sc perfect as to appear on 

 the prize list, though the competition was undivided. Mr. 

 Peploe Oartwriglit's Partridge Cochins were very excellent. 

 Many capital Game fowls were pi-esent, but non-attention to 

 matching the colour of legs was an almost genei-al fault, 

 and in some instances very good bh'ds of quite different 

 varieties were also penned together ! Practice will prevent 

 these mistakes in future. Another rather extraordinary 

 ffeature of this Show was inattention to the number of bii'ds 

 sent together — in several pens one being short of the three 

 bii'ds required by rules ; in others as many as even six were 

 forwarded to a single entry. This rule of numbers can 

 never be broken without loss of position in prizetaking. A 

 goodly number of Banto.ms were shown of no particular 

 value, save a pen of the almost extinct Booted Bantams. 

 These wei'e small, nioely speokled 'ones, such as would re- 

 mind any amateur of long staaiding of his bojhood-daye. 



when such varieties were in high esteem, both for their 

 extreme hardihood and good laying properties. 



Some peculiarly good White Call Ducks were exhibited. 

 Turkeys and Geese were quite in force and of good quality. 



DuRKiNo (Any colour). — First and Second, Lady F. Lloyd. Third, 

 Hon. Mrs. Kenyon. Highly Commended, Hon. Mis. Kenyon ; E. Shaw, 

 Oswestry. Commended, E. Shaw. 



Cochin-china (Any colour).— First and Second, P. Cartwrifjht, Os- 

 westry. Third, Lady F. Lloyd. Commended, G. Williams, Oswestry; 

 P. Ciirtwright. 



Gajif (Any colour).— First, T. Jones. Second, H. Crutchloe, Oswestry. 

 Third, E. Evans, Hengoed. 



Bantamh (Any colour). — First, Mrs. DaTies, Oswestry. Second, Mrs, 

 Lloyd, Aston Haii. Third, G. "Williams, Lloran House. 



HAMJiDnons (Gold and Silver-pencilled or Spangled).— First, C. Cooke, 

 Bradcnhealh (Silver-spangled). Second, T. Jones (Golden-pencilled). 

 Third, G. Williams, Lloran House. Commended, A. E. Evans, Llanrhaiadr. 



Farmyard Cross.— First, Cap. Mansfield, Criggion (Brahmas). Second, 

 E. Hughes, Oswestry (Grey Dorkings and Cochins). Third, J. Groom, 

 Hisland (Crossed Dorkinj^;. 



Turrets (Any Colour).— First, "NY. Mrnnett, Trefarclawdd. Second, R. 

 Legli, Foxhall. Third, 8. Lawrence, Llj-ncljs. Commeuded, Mrs. Lloyd, 

 Aston Uill. 



Geese (Any colour).— First, G. D. Brittain, Sutton. Second, J. Hamer, 

 Glanrafon. Third, K. Peate, Pentreclawdd. Highly Commended, Mrs. 

 Lloyd, "Wynnstay Arms ; J. Thomas, The Newnes. 



DccKs (Aylesbury). — First, E. Shaw, Plaswilmot. Second, W. Jlinnett, 

 Trefarclawdd. Third, Mrs. Lloyd, Wyunstay Arms. 



Decks (Any cither Breed).- First and Third, G. Williams, Lloran House. 

 Second, W. Hughes, Pentreshannel. Highly Commended, R. Morris, 

 Knockin. Commended, H. Jones, Trefoneu Hall, 



Mr. Edward Hewitt, of Eden Cottage, Sparkbrook, offici- 

 ated as the Judge. 



DAY'S GAI^IE PASTE. 



FoK the last five or six years I have been keeping poultry, 

 and for the first and second yeai's had no disease. Since tlien 

 every year I have lost at least half of my chickens by the 

 " Gapes." I tried various things which I was told were certain 

 cures, but all to no avail ; for want of space I could not 

 change my yard. This year I had a brood of Black Spanish 

 chickens which I prized much, being of Mr. Eodbard's strain. 

 Like all the others, when about six weeks old they commenced 

 coughing and gaping slightly. About this time I noticed 

 advertised in your columns " John Day's Celebrated Game 

 Paste;" I procured a canister, and followed the directions 

 carefiilly, and to my gi'eat pleasure, in a week to ten days 

 my chickens were quite recovered. A friend of mine who 

 was losing nearly aU his chickens, has since tried it with the 

 same good success. I certainly will never be without some, 

 it being in my opinion invaluable to poultry-breeders who 

 cannot change their fowl-houses and yards every other 

 yeai-. — Thomas Ace, Ystalyfera Iron Works, Swansea. 



APIAI?IAN NOTES. 



{Concluded from page 244.) 



No. 8. Pmrne-fti-ue.— Ligurian queen. Bees the best as to 

 colour I had. In March populous. Large quantity of brood 

 and very drj-. Bees refused to work in super, though clustered 

 thickly in it. A swarm went off and was lost ; with it, of course, 

 the valuable queen raised last year. Side frames of sealed honey 

 of about 8 lbs. taken since. 



No. 9. FlaUiopped Stravj Bive.—OU stock of common heea. 

 Enormously heavy in March, though not fed at all through the 

 wmter. Moderately strong in bees. Supered seasonably, bid; 

 bees refused to work. If no swarm went off and was lost it 

 shows a DOor state of affairs within, as the bees are not numerous. 

 A Uttle Work was made towards the close of the honey-harvest, 

 and honey taken of about S lbs. weight. 



No. 10. l'ra?ne-?iiue.— Ligurian. My original queen. A mag- 

 nificent colony. In March very populous ; great quantity of 

 brood; a Uttle food, and very wet. A thirteen-mch-square, 

 shallow super made to hold the bars belonging to the frames in 

 the stock-boxes was fii'St put on. This was at different tunes 

 raised by three other boxes, and the result was oi lbs. of super- 

 excellent honeycomb. The hive w as inspected on AugMt lOth, 

 and two frames of sealed honeycomb and brood removed lor an 

 artificial swarm. Seven out of ten of the frames contained 

 brood. I like these shallow supers, putting on one first ; than 

 as soon as the combs begin to approximate the glass window, 

 drawing a wire below, raise the first and sUp a second between, 

 generally without bars or top. Thus the combs are extended 

 downwards. This may be lepeated as the boxes become pretly 



