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JOUKNAL OF HOETICULTTJKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 15, 1863. 



timity of displaying to advantage every pen could scarcely 

 be wished for. " A fail- field and no favour " being thus made 

 the order of the day, we proceed to note down a few of the 

 leading features of this Exhibition. Black Spanish fowls 

 were the first variety that met the eye of visitors on entering. 

 To sum up facts with brevity, both the classes, whether for 

 old birds or chickens, were beyond question the most praise- 

 worthy that ever yet have been seen at any poultry exhibi- 

 tion. They were indeed marvellous classes, and long, very 

 long, we heai-, were the Judges in an-iving at their conclu- 

 sions of relative perfection. In no case was this more 

 apparent than in the awai-ding of the silver cup to the best 

 pen irrespective altogether of age. Certainly a sad length 

 of time was absolutely wasted in this selection. In vain did 

 the Judges endeavoiu- to pick faults either way, the adults 

 and chicks of 18G3 being so perfect that complaint of either 

 was undoubtedly to find fault without occasion. The con- 

 dition also of either pen was unexceptionable. It was most 

 probably the severest "tie" that ever occurred at any 

 poulti'y meeting ; and, as was justly observed, " to give the 

 cup to either in preference was an absolute injustice to the 

 defeated; but as the cup could not be divided, a selection 

 however undesh'able must be made." Simply on account of 

 the difficvdty of finding chickens able to hold theii- own 

 in perfect Spanish classes against old birds, the result was 

 finally determined in their favour-. Our readers may form 

 theii- own opinions of the annoyance to the Judges at this 

 vexatious delay, when it was afterwards ascertained both of 

 those closely matched pens actually belonged to the same 

 exhibitor — the Eight Hon. Viscountess Holmesdale. Of 

 course the Committee are quite exonerated fi-om all blame ; 

 their duty was sci-upulously to prevent any knowledge of 

 facts as to proprietorship coming either directly or indi- 

 rectly to the Judges, and honestly and to the letter did 

 they can-y out this duty. No doubt they regi-etted the 

 evident downright '■ fix " of the Judges as much as the 

 gentlemen who were ofSciating. 



To say not a single pen of Sjpanisli fowls was shown 

 without great merit is simply stating a most indisputable 

 fact ; nor is it less true that those lovers of Spanish fowls 

 who unfortunately missed seeing these classes this year 

 at Dai-lington wUl most probably live long before such 

 an opportunity again occms. Eefendng to the prize list, 

 aanateurs wUl find scarcely a pen of Spanish fowls exhi- 

 bited unnoticed. The Grey Dorkings were excellent through- 

 out, but many of the best pens were evidently overtaxed by 

 frequent exhibition. Mi's. Fergusson Blair here took the 

 cup with a grand pen well shown of adult birds. The chicken 

 Dorkings were especially good throughout. The Show at 

 Dai-lington gave incontestible proof of the injury done to 

 bii'ds by frequent exhibition, even as applied to that extra- 

 ordinarily hardy race of fowls, the Cochins. If they are to 

 be always on travel they nnist always have attention lavished 

 .on them in proportion. In Buffs Mr. Bates, of Birming- 

 ham, "justly ruled the roast " with birds of not only very 

 superior character, but also in perfect condition ; Mr. C. T. 

 Bishop, of Nottingham, being a very close-treading second 

 prize, the Birmingham cup pen only attaining a commen- 

 dation. In Bufi' chickens Mr. C. T. Bishop took precedence 

 of all comers. Captain Ueaton being the winner of the second 

 prize. In Cochin-Chma fowls, any variety, there was a capital 

 muster. Here, somewhat unexpectedly, a pen of remark- 

 ably good White ones, exhibited by Mrs. Blau-, took not 

 only first prize, but tlie cup for Cochins also. In this class 

 Mr. Stretch showed a particirlarly good pen of Partridge- 

 coloured ones, which took the second premium. Captain 

 Heaton's first-prize pen of a pair of Cochin pullets are 

 worthy of especial mention, as also his excellent single cock 

 that was equally suceesstul. In the class for Single Cochin 

 Cocks it has never fallen to our lot to notice so evidently 

 wrong statements as to age as was then apparent ; but per- 

 chance this was from some mistake in packing. In these 

 days it will hardly pass muster to sho%v as chickens cer- 

 tainly birds of full two and perchance three years old. The 

 BrahttMs were good throughout. The Game classes were of 

 such regular, capital, first-rate character as we only rarely 

 meet with, and this condition was no mean feature in se- 

 curing the Darlingfton premiums. Messrs. Fletcher, Adams, 

 Billing, Sunderland, Fei'kins, and Binns sent poultry in 

 these classes that were jiard as wiiaJebone in featier, .and 



evidently fresh from master-walks. Mi-. Fletcher, of Man- 

 chester, added considerably to his jjlate-winnings at Dai-- 

 lingtou ; and each winner of even a commendation in such 

 competition has much to be proud oi. So good were a pen 

 of Black -breasted Red Game pullets, that they took a silver 

 cup against their male rivals. Hamburghs were decidedly 

 better than customary, this district being proverbially their 

 home. The Spangled varieties showed to most advantage, 

 the Silver-pencilled being the next approach to perfection. 

 The Bantavts were mostly good. In the Variety class a 

 splendid pen of La Fleche fowls sent by Mrs. Blair deserv- 

 edly outshone all rivals, the Cnve Coiurs being the only 

 near competition. The Selling class, limited to a prohibitory 

 price of 30s., was well filled, contained capital pens, and 

 many changed ownership. 



In Aylesbury Ducks, as usual, Mrs. Seamons, of Aylesbury, 

 left all in the rear. It seems as though, in spite of rivalry, 

 this lady possessed some mode of management unknown to 

 others. In Geese Mrs. Fergusson Blah- took first prize and 

 silver cup with a pen of perfect Greys weighing 52 lbs. ; her 

 mixed medley lot of all coloui-s that won first at Bir- 

 minghrun so recently, however, were passed over entirely. 

 The Turkeys were equal to any we have seen for some years 

 past — a glorious lot, bringing to recollection the close 

 approach of Christmastide, when family reunions bring 

 happiness to all around, and smiles and blessings reign 

 supreme. If, however, some of our forefathers, who pre- 

 sided at the festal board a century gone by, could behold a 

 more than thii-ty-pound-weight Tui-key poult smoking ready 

 for the carving-knife on the 2oth instant, perhaps theii- 

 appreciation ot the improvements of modei-n times in poultry 

 would be as bewildering to their ideas as would be the re- 

 cognition of our advance in locomotion. After all other 

 reasonings, sudi facts tend more than all others to the 

 populai-ity of poultry shows. 



SrAsiFH (BlackV — First. Right Hob. Viscountess Holmesdale, Linton 

 Park, Staplehurst. Kent. Second, S. Robson, Brolherton, Burton Salmon, 

 Yorkshire. Highly Commended, R. Teeb..y, Fulwood, Preston ; J. Short- 

 hose, Kewc;istle-on-Tyne ; J. W. Smith, '_>uiidle, Xurlhaniplonshire ; E. 

 Brown, Sheffield. ChjtkC7is.— First and Cup, Rit:ht Hon. Viscountess 

 Holmesdale, Linton Park, Staplehurst. Second, Master A. Uulpath, Edin- 

 burgh. Third, J. P.. Kodbard, Wrington, Bristol. Highly Commended, 8. 

 Corner, Fulwell, Monkwearmouih ; J. Clews, WalsiiU; J. K. Fowler, 

 Aylesbui-y; S. Robson; R. Teeba^ ; H. Beldon, Bingley. Commended, J. 

 Mills, Stockton ; E. Brown, Sheffield. 



DoRKtNos (Coloured).— First and Cup, Mrs. F. Blai-;, Balttiayock, Ineh- 



II. rtine, Inchtare. Second, F. Benson, Boroughbridge. Highly Cora- 



III. nded. Rev. J. F. Newton, Kirby, Stokesley ; Mrs. F. Blair ; J. Kobiasot), 

 Garstan^^ ; Right Hon. Viscountess Holmesd'ale, Linton Park, St:ipieburst. 

 Commended, Mrs. M. Seamons. Hartwell, AyJesbui-y; G. C. Whitwel!, 



Kendal. Chickena First, T. E. Kell, Welherby. Second, Right Hon. 



Viscountess Holmesdale. Third, Rev. J. F. Newton. Highly Commended, 

 J. Bell, Thornton-le-Moor, Northallerion ; D. Parsons, Guerdon, Preston ; 

 Mrs. F Blair ; W. Dolby, Tunbridge Wella Commended, F. Key, Bererley ; 

 F. Benson ; Rev. J. F. Newton. 



Dorking Pcllels {Any variety).— First, Mrs. F. Blair, Balthayock. 

 Seconl. W. Dolby, Tunbridge Wells. Highly Commended, C. Peue, 

 Southrnd, Darlington ; Mrs. F Blair. Commended, Mrs.Craigie, Chigwell ; 

 E. Whitwell, Darlington ; J. Bell, Thornton-le Moor. 



DoiiKiNOs (rthite). — First, Rev. G. Boynton. Lowthorpe, Hull. Second, 



C. Pease. Southend. Cbickeiis. — First and Cup, J. Robinson, Garstaug. 

 Second, C. Pease. Highly Commended, C. Pease; E. Whitwell, Darhngton; 



D. Parsons, Guerdon. 



Cochin-China {Cinnamon and Btlff).— First, H. Bates, Birmingham. 

 Second, C. I. Bishop, Lemon, Noltingham. Highly Commended, T. Stretch. 

 Ormskirk. Commended, Captain Heaton, Lower Brougliton, Manchester. 

 Chickens.- First, C. T. Bishop. Second, Captain Heaton. Commended, T. 

 Stretch, Ormskirk. 



Cocbi!*-Cbina (Any ether variety). — First and Cup, Mrs. F, Blair, luoh- 

 ture. Second, T. Stretch, Ormskirk. Highly Commended. R. White, 

 Sheffield. Commended, E. Tudman, Whitchurch, Salop. C/iJc^fns.- First, 

 H. S. Stobart, Witton Tower. Second, J. Shorthose, Newcastle-oB-Tyne. 

 Highly Commended, T. Stretch ; E. Tudman. 



Cochin-China Pullets (An^ variety).— First, Captain Heaton, Lower 

 Broughton. Second, Rev, G. Gilbert, Claxtou, Norwich. 



BRAifMA PoOTRAS.— First and Cup, R. Teebay, Preston. Second, J. 

 Hinton, Hinton. Bath. Highly Commended, K, Teebay; Mrs. F. Blair, 

 Inehture, CViitAejis. — First, K, Teebay. Second, Mrs, F. Blair. Highly 

 Commended, K. Teebay; F. Powell, Knaresborough. Commended, W. L. 

 Barclay. Leyton, London. 



Gamf, (Black-breasted and other Reds).— First and Cup, J. Fletcher, 

 Stoneclough. Second, M. Billing, jun., Birmingham, Highly Commended, 

 J, Fletcher ; G, C. Whitwell, Kendal ; O. W. Binns. Darlington ; M, Billigg, 

 jun. Chickens.— YiT^U J- Fletcher. Second, W. H. Wordsworth, Chester- 

 lield. Third, H. Adams, Beverley, Highly Commended, G. C. Whitwell ; 

 M. Billing, jun. Commended, W. lientiey, Schotes, Clcckhealon ; D. 

 Parsons, Cuerdou. 



Game (Any other vaiiety). — First, H, Adams, Beverley. Second, J, 

 Fletcher, Stoneclough. Highly Commended. W. A. Wooler, Sadberge Hall; 

 H. ..^datns. Chickens. — First, J, Sunderland, jun., Coloy Hall. Secoad, 

 H. Adams, 



G*.MK PuLLBTS (Aoy Variety).— First »nd Cup, G. W. Binns, Darlington. 

 Second, W. J. Cope, Barnsley. Highly Commended, W.A. Wooler, Said- 



