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JOURNAL OP HOKTICTJLTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. [ ccoember 29, 1863. 



jVIr. Hindson, it is rather hard that it shoiUd be made the 

 ground of an inference ac,'aiiist him. 



Tour inquiries about Mr. Williams I am quite unable to 

 answer. I neither know who he is nor by what means he 

 became possessed of these fowls. I should, liowever, be 

 surprised to learn that there is any truth in the report you 

 refer to— that lie is a person under the control of Mr. 

 Hindson ; and, until some proof is produced ou this point, 

 I must take the liberty of disbelieving that such is the case. 



But let tliis be as it may, the real vital question is — 

 "Were these fowls sent to Bbmingham with Mr. Hindsou"s 

 knowledge or consent? If it can be proved they were, I 

 should be the first to admit that no defence, or even 

 extenuation, is possible ; but if, as I beHeve, they were 

 obtained from the person who had charge of tliem without 

 M!r. Hindson' s authority, tlie imputations cast ui3on him are 

 rmjust, and ought to be retracted. 



I never saw Mr. Hindson until I met him at Bh-mingham, 

 and I have no motive, except a regard for what is just and 

 fan-, in offering my testimony on liis behalf. 



I believe he performed his duties with ability and con- 

 scientiousness ; but I declaj'e my conviction that he is free 

 from all reproach in tliis matter, because what I know of his 

 conduct in reference to these prizes is entii-ely inconsistent 

 with any other suijposition. — J. H. Smith. 



MAjN'CHESTER EXHIBITIOJV OF POULTRY. 



The Poultry Show at Mancljester being one of the last if 

 not the very last show of the kind that takes place in tlie 

 yeai-, is always looked forward to with great interest by 

 exhibitors. This year it formed no exception to those pre- 

 viously lield, for not only was there a good general compe- 

 tition, but certainly the attendance of amateurs was also 

 numerically strong. A great featm-e of the Poultry Show 

 thus annually lield at the BeUe Vue Zoological Gardens is 

 this, the proprietors never leave anything connected with 

 then- exhibition to be carried out by others, unless imder 

 then- own immediate supervision, and it is but common 

 justice to add, that nearly the whole of the actual labour is 

 cheerfully undertalcen by the Messrs. Jennisou, as a task to 

 be personally fulfilled. To this very cause may be attributed 

 no small amount of the Manchester Show's success, and the 

 absence of most of those errors that ofttimes arise in those 

 instances where such matters fall only into the hands of 

 underlings. It is known to many of our readers that the 

 large hall in connection with this establishment is appro- 

 priated for the time being entirely to the purposes of the 

 Poultry Show. A more commodious and well-lighted edifice 

 for a i^oultry exhibition could not be devised than the one 

 referred to; and it is well just to name, that by no means the 

 least advantage is the fact, that the whole is properly heated 

 in case of any sudden requirement, as was the case this year 

 the first day, from stress of weather. A Dog Show is held 

 simultaneously, and the care bestowed on this department 

 is equally worthy of commendation, though, perhaps, some- 

 what digressive from matters connected with poultry. On the 

 morning at an early hour, before the Judges awarded the 

 premiums to the dogs, every dog was carefully permitted to 

 exercise itself in the open air under the care of an appointed 

 attendant, which the dogs evidently much enjoyed, and thus 

 when the Arbitrators proceeded to their duties the animals 

 seemed far more comfortable and at home than we usually 

 find with dogs when first tethered in strange jjlaces. Their 

 rooms were also properly heated. It is these little acts of 

 attention that tend so much to make shows of any descrip- 

 tion successful, and we proceed at once to notice the poultry 

 particularly. 



The Silver-Grey Dorliiigs were certainly not nearly so 

 good as might have been fairly anticipated ; in the class 

 for adults there being not a pen to be CixUed a really good 

 one — so much so, that the Judges must have strained their 

 forbearance considerably to awai-d the prizes at all. We 

 admit the first-prize pen to be the best of them ; but really 

 their condition was the very opjjosite of good, the cock's 

 comb lopping down over the eye more so than any bird's of 

 like breed we ever met with ; but the other competing pens 

 were all of them very faulty in colour of plumage. It is 

 really a pity so good a breed of poultry as the Silver-Grey 



Dorkings shoixld be so badly represented, for they are not 

 omy useful, but decidedly one ot the most attractive varieties 

 (when truly bred), of any of the Dorking family. The 

 Coloured Dorking classes and the White ones made ample 

 amends for previous shortcomings. It is hopeless to wish 

 for better than the Coloured exhibited by Viscountess Holmes- 

 dale, which were rosy-combed ones, and yet by no means of 

 coarse character. The great fault of the White Dorkings 

 arose from the monstrous deformities of the combs in the 

 cocks ; stiU, as before said, this breed of birds was at least 

 equal to those formerly shown. It is essential for amateurs 

 to see that the entries are prefectly correct, as at Manchester 

 several pens of the best of the Dorkings were disqualified 

 from being exhibited in the wrong classes. 



The Black S2xmish fowls, for which no less than six classes 

 appeared in the Manchester prize schedule, were really a 

 chief feature of the Show, and produced a lai-ge entry of the 

 best of birds. Some of the hens, particularly, were of first- 

 rate excellence. 



In the Cochin-china classes for Cinnamon and Buffs, Capt. 

 Heaton left a very slight sweeping of premiums for his 

 rivals. This gentleman, it vfiU be seen by reference to the 

 prize list, secured no less than five first prizes out of the 

 six offered for Buffs — a most extraordinary occurrence in 

 these days for any one yard. The winners at the recent 

 Show at Darlington are now added to Capt. Heaton's stock, 

 so that with proper care and attention not only may he 

 challenge present corapetition, but douljtless wiU be hai-d to 

 beat in futm-e years also, providing the proper mating of 

 his immense stock for breeding purposes be judiciously 

 carried out. Certain it is no one breeder has so many high- 

 class Buff Cochins in his possession at the present moment 

 as Capt. Heaton. The Brown and Partridge-coloured 

 Cochins were of quite average merit and formed a good col- 

 lection. The White Cochins were perfect, Messrs. Dawson 

 and Whitwell showing such as would prove a pride to any 

 meeting. 



The lirahmas were not so good as hoped for, and the 

 Malay classes were absolutely without a single entry in any 

 of the four classes appropriated to them. 



Some capital Polands were shown so far as only two pens 

 were concerned, but the Polish did not muster even half a 

 dozen pens in the whole. 



The Game classes have rarely been excelled, and the com- 

 petition was great. 



The Uamburcjhs were best among the Spangled varieties, 

 the Pencilled not being so perfect in markings as they 

 should be. The Geese, llucks, and Turkeijs were magnificent 

 throughout. 



In the class for ornamental water fowls, the proprietor of 

 the gardens had a really well-filled class of entirely his own 

 birds, and this class was one of the most attractive to sight- 

 seers of any in the Shov.-. Among them were admu-ably 

 plumaged specimens of the Bean, Bai-nacle, and Brent 

 Geese, and by no means less worthy Carolina Ducks, Pin- 

 tails, Widgeon, Teal, Shelldiakes and CaU Ducks, yet the 

 gardens themselves seemed still as well stocked as ever, the 

 quantity kejit by the Messrs. Jenuison being beyond the 

 credence of those who have not yet visited Belle Vue. As 

 there was no competitor, Messrs. Jennison's prizes must 

 literally have walked out of one pocket into the other. 



The entries for Tu/keys were small, but the quality was 

 excellent. 



The feeding and watering of the poultry was most me- 

 thodically carried out, and the Mauchesier Show proved 

 not to have lost interest. The shov,- of Pigeons was better 

 than any that has taken place before under the auspices of 

 this Society. 



Dorkings (Silver Ore}-).— First, E. D. Holt. Second, J. K. Fowler. Cork. 

 — Fir.-t, F. II. Taylor. C'/iifU«s.— i''ii>t, '1'. Slalter. ^ec<mil, 11. U. Hoit. 

 Uij:lily Coiii'oendeii, Li'lr catj'ot. Cockerel. — Fir.ii, Latly 1) .i;ot. Second, 

 ■J". Siarter. Pullets. — First, K. Leech. Second, J. Kobinsun. (Jommendetl, 

 T. Slatter. 



Dorkings {Coloared, except Silver Grey). — First, V'iecountes^ Holmes- 

 dile. .Second. Capt. Hfiiuby. Uiglity Coiomended, Sir St. ti. Gore, Bai-t. 

 Cocfc.— First, J. Jtobins jii. Second, 0. i'l iest. Highly Coiniiiendcd, Mrs, 

 V. S. .^rkwright. CoiniueiKled, A. Potta. Hens. — Fir^I, Sir St. G. Gure, Bart. 

 Sicon<l. .Miss s. J. sniilb. Highly Commended, Mrs. T. T. C. Lister. 

 f'/uckt'tis — First. Viscountess tlolmesdale. Second, Capt. W. Uoriiby, 

 Uiyhly Coninienrled, Sir St. G. Gore, iJart. Comint-nded, Sirs. '1. T. C. 

 Lister'. Ciiekerel — First. E. Tudmati. Second. C. Priest. Highly Com- 

 niemled. J. Smith ; E. Shaw, Commended, Uev. K. Caditgan. raUets.— 

 Fnze, C. Priest. 



