MO 



JOTJKNAl OF HOETICTJLTtTRE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Octolier 27, 18C3. 



their poiiltry. I do not intend to do so vmless'it is altered, 

 but it struck nie when you noticed the prize list, which you 

 generally do in The Journal of Hokticultitre, if yovi con- 

 curred with my opinion, you might make some remark upon 

 the unsuitableuess of the time. I should have thought the 

 week after would have done as well, as there does not seem to 

 be any great show advertised then. My apology for troubling 

 you must be, that it seems a great pity for such a good 

 Show, that the Committee have chosen sxich a time for 

 holding it." 



[We have not seen the Manchester prize list, but we 

 publish the foregoing extract from a letter written to us by 

 one of the most successful, and most extensive exhibitors, 

 and add oui' opinion that any arrangement whereby poultry, 

 and, consequently, their attendants are kejit away fi-om 

 home at Christmas, is most objectionable. We hope that 

 other exhibitors will coincide with our correspondent. — 

 Eds. J. OF H.] 



CETSTAL PALACE POULTEY SHOW. 



Our anticipations were fuUy realised, and amateiu's sup- 

 ported this Exliibition in every way. We know not that we 

 ever went to any show where all things were as comfortable 

 as they were here. The two gi-eat elements of light and ah- 

 abound, and with a double row of pens on each side, the 

 whole space of the centre was open to spectators. In our 

 opinion this is preferable wherever possible, to a row in the 

 centre dividing the promenade, as it enables spectators to 

 see the bu-ds without efl'ort or inconvenience, and also 

 allows them the aii- they need. Experience is not thrown 

 away on so good a general as Mr. Houghton, and accordinglj' 

 rather than interfere with the conxi cVwil of the whole, or the 

 comfort of the visitors, he placed the Ducks out of doors, 

 and he did wisely. Eouen Ducks, and still more Buenos 

 Ayrean, requii-e a strong light, and were never shown more 

 favourably than last week at Sydenham. It was a clean 

 and pleasant Show, and as our friend the Bloomer says iu 

 " Sponge' s " celebrated tour, " May we have to record 

 many such in our imperishable columns." The notice of 

 the classes will, by theii' length, prevent any further remai-ks 

 by way of introduction. 



We must speak iu terms of commendation of the Spa»is7i, 

 and here we shall have to notice that which will occiu- again 

 — the success of a new name. Mr. Parsley was first-prize- 

 taier in every class of Sjianish. It need not be infeiTed 

 from this fact that his victory was an easy one — he was well 

 run up by the second and third prizetakers. 



" They conqnered all but Parsley ; 

 Parsley, them." 



It is unnecessary to say that Dorkings were strong. They 

 live on the thi'eshold of the Show. They may be at home at 

 five in the morning, and judged in the Show before nine ; 

 add to it that those most acquainted with Dorkings in the 

 Dorking country, have made this theu- show and tilting 

 ground ; yet, on this occasion they were beaten, and a 

 gentleman from Berkshire beat one pen which took first 

 prize. Good names followed. Capt. Hornby was second ; 

 Lady Hobuesdale tliii-d ; and Mrs. Fergusson Blair fourth. 

 This says as much as a page of writing. The Eev. Mr. 

 Hodsou, LadyLegge, and Messrs. Priest and Wilcox showed 

 excellent birds. Lady Hobnesdale showed some beautiful 

 Buff chickens, which deservedlj' took fii'st prize. Many 

 most excellent bii-ds were disqualified by bad combs. There 

 are cuiiosities in these things. 



The combs of the Wliite Cochin pullets were perfect 

 throughout the class. Those of the Grouse were very good ; 

 those of the Buff ■very faultj'. Mi\ Stretch was strong iu 

 Grouse; and Lady Holmesdale showed beaiitiful White, 

 beating Mr. Chase. In the Single Cock class both prizes 

 were taken by Grouse bii'ds. It is worthy of remai-k that 

 the Buif was the weakest in point of merit of all the Cochin 

 classes. 



The Bralwias were very beautiful, and formed a strong 

 and attractive class. We had here another new name — 

 Mr. Barclay — who took first prize, but very hard run by 

 Mrs. Fergussou Blaii-. Mi-. Priest's cocks were very good. 



We never recollect seeing better Brahma classes. 



The Black-breasted Keds were the best among the Game. 



The Piles came next, the Brown Keds were not as good as 

 we have seen them, and Duckwings do not show as well as 

 chickens as they do as adults. The prize birds belonging to 

 Messrs. Stubbs', Eev. G. S. Crawys, and Mr. Matthew were 

 perfect. Messrs. Wood, Pares, and Dawson also deserve 

 especial mention, as do all the prizetakers in these classes. 

 The Single Cock class brought the same names to the fore 

 as the others — Messrs. Stubbs, Matthew, and Cock. 



It is another of the curiosities of poultry and poultry- 

 showing that the Hamburghs are never good alike. Some- 

 times the Golden, sometimes the Silver are the best. We 

 had on this occasion a show of Silver-pencilled equal to the 

 best days of the class ; but the Golden, that have for some 

 time been the perfection of pencUling, were many of them 

 inclined to mossy plumage. Lady Hobnesdale took two out 

 of thi-ee prizes in Silvers, and is likely, we think, to repeat 

 her victory. Mr. Robinson will also be hard to beat. The 

 Golden-spangled were quite as good as the SUver-penciBed. 

 They formed a tr\Jy remai-kable class full of good birds, and 

 the comijetition was a hard one. Messrs. Ellis and Brook 

 may be proud of theu- birds. In the SUver-spangled, 

 although they were not withoiit merit as a class, yet there 

 were important points that remained desiderata. The 

 hackles of the hens were too light, and some of tlie cocks 

 were almost white. Even Mr. CoUinge's first-prize hen, 

 which had many good points about it, was not fi-ee from 



; these defects. 



! With the exception of the Golden, all the Polands are 

 looking up. The Black and the Silver were perfect. In 

 the former well-known names were obliged to be passed 

 over, and in the latter Mr. Adkins showed matchless birds, 

 easily taking Ijoth prizes. The Sinylc Cocks also called forth 

 the strongest commendations. 



The Malays v,-ere not as numerous r.s usual. This should 

 not be at the Crystal P;\lace. These birds are associated 

 for many yeai-s with Wapping, EatclilTe Highway, and the 

 river's side, yet they only sent four pens. Mr. Sykes took 

 both prizes. 



We always think the Various class a sort of thermometer, 

 giving the height or otherwise of the poultry pursuit. It 

 may safely be said it is at blood heat, if varieties are to tell 



I for anything — Black Hamburghs, La Flcche, Houdans, 

 Creve Ca5urs, SOkies, Chamois, Polands, Poule du Mans, 

 Jaijanese, and many ofners. It is fan- to notice the increase, 

 numerically and in merit, of the Crtve Coeiu-s and the Black 

 Hamburghs. 



The Golden and SHver Sebright Bantams were not so good 

 as we have seen. Many of them had the Cochin fault of 

 indifierent or faulty combs. The Whites were excellent, the 

 Blacks good, the Game beautiful. Mr. Munn was very 

 deservedly successful, being fii-st and second with excellent 

 birds ; Mr. Crawford third. We here venture to repeat that 

 which we wrote so recently : A Game Bantam should not 



I droop its wing like a Sebright. There was a tune when any 

 Bantam that had the plumage of a Game fowl was a mai-vel, 

 but that is no longer the case. When twenty good pens 

 compete. Judges look for an approach to perfection. The 

 DuckT.'iiigs and varieties formed a vei-y interesting class ; 

 seven pens figured deservedly in the prize list, Mr. For- 



' rest's Duckwings and most excellent feather-legged White 

 ones called for notice. But the most em-ious and, ^e must 

 add, meritorious aad attractive pen was one of Bufl' Cochin 

 Bantams — Cochins in every resjject but size. Mi-. Herrick 

 may be proud of his success. The cocks were also vei'y good, 

 Mr. Fowler was first with Aylesbury Vvcks, tlu-ee birds 

 weighing 22?. lbs. The second prize went to a new amateur, 

 Sh- St. George Gore. Bart., the weight 20.1 lbs. The Eouen 

 class was a perfect one, and here Sir St. G. Gore performed 

 no mean exploit — he beat all competitors, even Mr. Fowler ; 

 his birds weighed 18i lbs., half a pound more than Mr. 

 Fowler's. The highlj' commended bu-ds weighed nearly 

 17 lbs. per pen. A beautiful class of Buenos Ayrean brought 

 honours to Mi-s. Wolferstau and Mr. Ballance. It is im- 

 jDOSsible to imagine anything richer than, the plumage of 

 these prize birds. They were out of doors, and with the 

 sun shining on them they were the perfection of the breed. 



Mr. Fowler took both the prizes for "White Geese, but they 

 did not weigh so well as they have sometimes done, the 

 heaviest pen 46i lbs. The same may be said of the Grey, 

 Mr. Dolby's fii-st-prize pen was 54 lbs., Mrs. Seauions' 50 lbs. 



