November 24, 1863. 



JOURNAL OF HORTICTTLTTIRE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



421 



autumn. The period of separation has not been certainly 

 defined, nor the time that must elapse after the running 

 together of all breeds before the produce of a pen can be 

 depended upon. In our opinion, lif eggs are to be set in 

 Januai-y, the bii-ds should now be all separate. It is un- 

 pleasant to find when the hen comes off that the Spanish 

 have an indisputable relationship tt) Doi-king ; and that 

 there is more than suspicion there has been a miisalliMnce 

 between Hambiu-ghs and Cochins. This early sepai'ation 

 may involve, perhaps, a little more d;--ly laboiu-, as birds in 

 confinement must give more trouble, if they are properly 

 tended, than those that are at liberty. Where, however, 

 they are judiciously treated, and the supply of food, &c., is 

 assimilated as nearly as possible to that they would get in 

 a state of natui'e, we are not sure that fowls, with the excep- 

 tion of one or two breeds as Dorkings, are not as well in 

 good roomy pens open to the sun as they are at liberty 

 during the midwinter months, when the ground is barren 

 of food, and the night occupies two-thu-ds of the twenty- 

 four houi-s. 



Om- motive for treating this question is the number of 

 queries we have at this season of the year, asking how long 

 fowls of different breeds that have been running together 

 should be separated before their eggs may be depended 

 upon. It is a vexed and undecided question; but seeing 

 that faUure is irremediable during the cm'rent season, and 

 that January or Febriiary chickens can only be hatched in 

 those months, we advise immediate separation. The pens 

 sliould be made afresh. All the holes and dusting-places 

 the fowls have made during the summer and autumn should 

 be filled up, and the surface levelled in such a way that the 

 water shall run off during the winter. A good mound of 

 sand should be made in a sheltered spot. If road-grit can 

 be had, so much the better. It is always dry, and the fowls 

 like it much. It is the best material we know for pens. 



HULL EXHIBITION OF POULTEY. 



It required a considerable display of resolution to can-y 

 out a Povdtry Show at Hull, with a probable amount of 

 success, at a date just preceding the Shows now so nearly 

 approaching at Birmingham, Brighton, Leeds, Darlington, 

 Manchester, and a host of minor meetings of Uke character. 

 Yet none who visited the Hull Meeting on the 18th inst. 

 could express a contrary opinion, than that as a whole it 

 was a good one. It was evident, even at first sight, that 

 chickens just at this time of year have great advantages 

 over the old birds for exhibition purposes, and will do so for 

 the nest month to come. This was apparent in every class 

 where such entries competed together. In Game fowls this 

 superiority was necessarily even more developed than in 

 some of the other breeds. Old Game cocks are not, as yet, 

 sufficiently recovered from then- moult to handle with the 

 firmness of feather required ; the young plumage being 

 stiU in most cases only partially matui-ed, and the pen 

 feathers so fuU of sap, as to tend greatly to encoui-age the can- 

 nibaJ-Uke propensity, to which Game fowls especially are most 

 prone, of actually eating each other piecemeal. We noticed 

 several birds that were suffering from this morbid habit, and 

 that, though evidently enduring intense pain, offered but 

 little opposition to theu' mates, even though the flesh was 

 actually being torn atom by atom from the bone. It is well 

 just to remind amateurs, that fowls having once contracted 

 this vitiated taste for flesh and pen-ieat^er are rarely so far 

 broken of the destructive habit as to be ti-ustod again in 

 close confinement, also that the injured bnds in very few 

 instances ever recover their plumage in perfection. It is, 

 therefore, a rule that may be considered as universal with all 

 kinds of fowls — they should never be closely confined tiU the 

 feather is hardened, as well as replaced, or the bad policy 

 of sending them to shows in that condition can only entail 

 both loss and disappointment. 



At the HuU Meeting the whole of tie labour part cf the 

 affair lay on sadly too few hands, for, as at too many shows, 

 the Committee seemed to dwindle into the smallest limits, 

 when work, absolute " putting the shoulder to the wheel," 

 most required it. This is a faUing very generally com- 

 plained of on all sides, and we think the promise " to help," 

 ought to be scrupulously observed (or withheld) at the time 



of the first formation of any poultry committee meeting. 

 Another hint to exhibitors may here be usefully enforced — viz., 

 strict compliance with the rules of the prize schedule issued 

 solely for their direction by each Society. The intending 

 exhibitor should in every case give this an attentive perusal, 

 as different rules are enjoined by different Societies. Want 

 of attention to this point alone caused several pens to be at 

 once " disqualified " at Hull, among which was most deci- 

 dedly the best pen of Grey Dorkings in the whole Exhibition. 

 It must be borne in mind, that exhibiting a hen too many 

 is equally fatal to success as one too few. We shall confine 

 oiu- remarks to a few of the best specimens at the Hull 

 Meeting. 



The cock (a Brown Eed) in the Game class for a cock and 

 one hen, was, perhaps, one of the most perfect birds in the 

 Exhibition, and shown in condition, such as we generally 

 find fi-om the yard of Mi-. Harry Adams, of Beverley. Being 

 " a stag," no doubt his triumphs will be extended to other 

 shows. The single Game cod; class was not equal to antici- 

 pation; indeed, it was difficult to find birds worthy of 

 prizes, even the first prize bu'd (otherwise a model of per- 

 fection) was s uffering li-om an old injury to an eye ; and the 

 second-prize cock, a Black Eed, that last yeai- gained so 

 many premiums for its weU-known owner, Mr. Julian, has 

 this year moulted so radically untrue to feather, that his 

 continued success is impossible where anything at all 

 approaching competition arises. In Hamburghs, it is only a 

 rare exception that we meet with classes so good as were 

 both the varieties of Spangled. These were one of the most 

 striking features of the Show. An exquisite pen of Brown 

 Eed Game Bantams, the property of Mrs. Sharp, well de- 

 served the most favom-able mention. Some remarkably 

 good Polaiids were shown. 



In Geese, Turkeys, and all classes of Duels, the HuU Show 

 stood high. The Buenos Ayrean Duck chiss was not only 

 well filled, but the competition was throughout of the highest 

 order. Mi-. Jessop, of the Beverley Eoad, here held his own 

 against all comers. 



The classes for Pigeons were not only numerously filled, 

 but also -n-ith the choicest specimens. This feature of the 

 Show was, however, robbed of much of its public interest, 

 by all the bii-ds being jilaced decidedly too high for in- 

 spection ; but we hear another season this cause of complaint 

 wOl be remedied. 



The introduction into the prize schedule of " seUiug 

 classes," with prizes, as in other cases, at HuU, proved quite 

 a success. No kind of restriction of age or breed -svas 

 enforced, the only proviso being a limit as to the seUing price 

 — in the fowls to 30s. the pen, and in the Pigeon class to 15s. 

 the pen. A capital competition ensued, with choice the most 

 abundant as to varieties, whilst the limited sums at which 

 they were entered insui-ed change of ownership to not a 

 few pens. Again, the commission on sales to the Society 

 was the same as on all others. The HuU Committee having 

 thus inti-oduced this new feature, no doubt other shows wUl 

 also can-y it into practice successfuUy. 



Dorkings. —First, W. H. Robson, Louth. Second, J. Dixon, Bradford. 

 HiEbly Commended, J. Dixon. 



Spanish.— First, S. Robson, South Milford, Second, T. Greenwood, 

 Dewsbury. Commended, H. Beldon, Bingley ; E. Bro-wn, Sheffield; w. 

 Bowly, Cirencester. ,, ,j, . 



Cochin-China (Cinnamon and Buff). — First, E. Smith, Middleton. 

 Second, T. H. Barker, York. Highly Commended, W. Bradley. Worcester ; 

 C. R. D'Ewes, Knaresborough. „ » • ,. 



Cochin-Chika (Any other variety). -First, G. -Williamson, Nantwioh. 

 Second E. Smith. Highly Commenaed, W. Dawson, Hopton MirHeld. 



Game (Black-breasted and other Beds). -First, H. Adams, Bover ey. 

 Second, Kev. F. Watson, Norfolk. Highly Coniraended, n . Adams, Bererley. 

 Commended, W. J. Cope, Barnsley ; J. Hodgkiusoii, SiiUliouse Lane, Hull ; 

 M. Mantle, Newark. j ttt t n 



Game (Any other variety).- First, F. Sales, Crowle. Second, W. J. Cope, 

 Barnsley (Duckwing). o jc j «„,™.i 



Hambv-rohs (Golden-pencilled). -First, J. Dixon, Bradford. Second, 

 S. Smith, Halifax. Highly Commended, H. Pickles, jun., Skipton; Mrs. 

 Jessop, Hull. v.- , c J T 



Hambdeghs (Sllver-pencmed).-First, H. Be'don, Bingley Second, J. 

 Piatt, Dean. Highly Commended, A. Nicholson, Walkley, Sheffield ; W. 

 Cannan, Bradford. , „ . » j o a t 



Hamburghs (Golden-spangled).— First, J. Newton, Leeds. Second. J. 

 Roe, Manchester. Highly Commended, H. Beldon ; H. W. B. BerwicK, 

 York; W. Caiman, Bradford; G. Holmes, Driffield. „ ., 



Hambceghs (Silver-spangled). -First, H. Beldon, Bmgley, Second, 

 H. Pickles, jun. Highly Commended, W. Cannan; J. Dixon, Bradford; 

 J. Newton, Leeds. Commended, H. Bancroft, Stannmgton. 



PousH (Any variety).— First and Second, J. Dixon, Brailford. Highly 

 Commended, B. M. Stark, Hull. CommendeJ, H. Beldon. Bmgley; D. 

 Hollingwortli, OUey. 



