146 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGB GARDENER. 



[ Angnst 22, 1887. 



eock in condition will weigh from 7 lbs. to 9 lbs., the hens about 

 the same, and chickens from four to four and a half months 

 old 5 lbs. and G lbs., with a remarkably small proportion of 

 bone and offal. 



I am strong in the opinion that in a given breeding stock 

 having proportionate advantages with any other known variety 

 of fowls, a greater weight of flesh and eggs would be produced 

 during a season, and of first-rate quality, from the Houdans. 

 This, I think, may fairly be considered a great acquisition 

 when an increased supply of meat at the least possible cost is 

 absorbing pubhc attention. I do not say that in point of 

 quahty our superior strains of Dorkings and Game are sur- 

 passed as table fowls ; but I hold that a breed possessing the 

 above-mentioned properties in a marked degree is a desidera- 

 tum. The Houdan is a lively, showy-looking bird, of peculiar 

 characteristics. The comb, the crest, the beard, &a., give it a 

 novel appearance ; and the fifth claw I have invariably found 

 to be well developed in the finest specimens, and on a recent 

 visit to the Continent I found this was considered a mark of 

 purity of breed. In selecting them I should look to large 

 frames, short legs, black and white plumage, free from any 

 other colour ; comb of cock not large, neat and even in ap- 

 pearance; in the hens very small; crest, beard, whiskers, and 

 fifth toe well developed in both sexes. The beak should be 

 stout, the earlobes small, and the wattles united to the comb. 

 — W. Masbet. 



HOUDANS AT EXHIBITIONS. 



" LiNDUM," in last week's Journal, wishes to know whether 

 Houdan fowls should have the muffling or beard. I think 

 there can be no doubt about it. " The Standard of Excellence " 

 in exhibition poultry mentions the muffling in the character- 

 istics of the breed. M. .Jacques, the author of the " Poulailler," 

 and the greatest acknowledged poultry authority in France, men- 

 tions the beard, or cravat, as the French call it, and gives the 

 standard size of it in centimetres. I have now before me a small 

 poultry standard, published in the Houdan district, and devoted 

 exclusively to Houdan poultry, in which the beard or cravat is 

 insisted upon, and its standard size given in both cock and hen 

 birds. I have myself imported a great number of these fowls. 

 and I never received but one without the beard. I obtained 

 the bird from an inferior dealer, and consigned it at once to 

 the barndoor, not considering it fit either for sale or breeding. 



I consider that the extraordinary merits of the Houdans 

 entitle them to the serious consideration of poultry committees 

 in arranging prize lists, and I hope that Birmingham will follow 

 the example set by the Royal Agricultural Society of England 

 at Bury St. Edmunds. — Francis B. Heald. 



AN INDUSTRIOUS HEN. 



_ In February I sat a Game Bantam weighing only 17 ozs. on 

 sixteen eggs, all of which she hatched. I then gave her four 

 others which were a week old. She reared them all, and some of 

 the number have won prizes already. The hen soon com- 

 menced to lay, and then to sit a second time ; and having for 

 a fortnight tried in vain to prevent her sitting, I again gave her 

 some eggs, thirteen in number, and now she is bringing up 

 thirteen chickens as fine and even in quality as it is possible 

 to imagine. They are about five or six weeks old. — W. F. 

 Entwisu;. 



UTTOXETER POULTRY SHOW. 



LuciOLY the weather proved most sntisfactory for this Show, although 

 in the previous night, for more than five successive hours, thunder, 

 lightuing, and rain prevailed to an extent rarely known in this district. 

 So continuous was the stoi-m, that before one roll of thunder ceased 

 another took up the deafening peal, till most of even the strongest- 

 built habitations shook to their foundations. It was noted by mauv 

 of the oldest inhabitants of Uttoxeter, that a storm so continuous and 

 of equal severity has not been known since that which occui-red on 

 the night of the death of George IV. Still, as the morning, and 

 in fact the day throughout, proved fine, the Committee have just 

 reasons to congratulate themselves ; and the arrangements of those 

 gentlemen were highly satisfactory. The pens were good, large, 

 and well-looking, forming a double tier some SO or 100 yards long. 

 Although the time of year was not conducive to a very large entry, we 

 have rarely seen in a show of the same extent the classes generally so 

 •well represented. Spanish, Dork-ings, Cochins, Game, Golden- 

 -fipangled and Silvcr-Bpangled Hamburghs were especially so. Game 

 BantamB were good, ae were the Sebrighta ; and Turkeys, Geese, and 



Ducks were not less worthy of praise. In short, it proved an nnusoallj 

 good local Show. 



Spanish. — First, J. Walker, Wolverhampton. Second, J. ManseH, 

 Longton. Highly Commended, T. Rogers, Walsall. Commended, A. O. 

 Worthington, Newton Park. 



Dorkings (Any variety).— First, Lady BaRot. Blitbfleld Hall. SeconS, 

 Hon. Mrs. Arkwright, Derby. Chickens.— First, Hon. Mrs. Arkwright. 

 Second, L. Bagot. 



Cochin-China.— First, A. O. Worthington. Second, E. Brough, Leek. 

 Commended, T. RoRers ; Rev. S. C. Hamerton, Warwick. 



CoCHlN-Cms-A (Auy varietyl.—C'iififns.— First, A. O. Worthington. 

 Second, G. A. Crewe. Highly Commended, W. S. Bagshaw (White). 



Game (Black or Brown-breasted Reds).— First, G. BaKUcU, Cheadle. 

 Second, F. S. Bagshaw. Highly Commended, M. Walnyn (Brown-breasted 

 Red.) 



Game (Any variety).— CTiictfiis.— First and Second, G. W. Hay, Sud- 

 bury. 



Hamburgh (Gold or Silver-pencilled).— First. F. D. Mort, Stafford. 

 Second, C. E. Bootbby, Ncedwood Forest, Burton-on-Trent (Silver-pen- 

 cilled). Highly Commended, E. Bell, Horniuglow, Burton. Chicken).— 

 First, E. Bell. Second, F. D. Mort. 



Hamburgh (Gold or Silver-spangled).— First and Second, H. Bagshaw 

 (Golden-spangled). Commended, T. May, Wolverhampton (Golden^ 

 spangled) ; F. Richardson. Bramshall. ChickeTu.— First, W. Tatton, Leek 

 (Silver). Second, E. Burton, Alton. Highly Commended, T. Blakeman, 

 Tettcnhall, Wolverhampton. Commended. H. Bagshaw (Golden). 



Brahma Pootr.i.— First, A. O. Worthington. Second, Withheld. 



Bantams (Black or White).— Prize, Hon. Mrs. Arkwright. 



Bantams (Any variety).— First, Hon. Mrs. Arkwright (Gold-laced). 

 Second, J. Atkins, jun., Walsall (Game). Commended, J. Atkins, jnn. 

 (Game). 



Ducks (Aylesbury).- First, T. Wareing, Sudbury, Derby. Second, G. A. 

 Crewe, Etwall, near Derby. Commended, A. O. Worthington. 



Docks (Rouen) —First, G. Bagnall, Draycott, Cheadle. Second, F. 

 Richardson, Bramshall. 



Geese.— First, F. Richardson. Second, Miss Littlewood, Forest Side. 

 Highly Commended, — McConnell, Limecrofts (Toulouse). 



TUKKEYS.- First and Second, F. Richardson. 



Guinea Fowls. — Second. M. Walwyn. 



Extra. — Highly Commended, W. A. Rawlins, Stramshall (Spanish 

 Geese) ; R. B. Wood (Houdan Fowls, Creve Cceurs). Commended, C. E. 

 Bootbby, Burton-on-Trent (White Cochins.) 



Sweepstake.— Prize, T. Bladon (Pile Game Cock.) 



Rabbits.— First and Second, T. Baker, Dresden. Commended, F. 

 Harper, Uttoxeter ; T. Baker; W. WiUisford, Uttoxeter. 



Pigeons.— Hors^-Hu-a (any colour). — First, H. Yardley. Second, W. 

 Wilkins, Spiceall Street, tumblers (any colour). — First and Second, H. 

 Yardley. Highly Commended, H. Chawucr, jun., Houndhill (Almond). 

 Commended, H. Bagshaw. Carriers (any colour). — First and Second, H. 

 Yardley. 



Edward Hewitt, Esq., of Eden Cottage, Sparkbrook, Birminghflzn, 

 officiated as the Ai-bitrator. 



HESSLE POULTRY SHOW. 



The second annual Show took place at Hessle, near Hull, when 

 nearly two liundred pens of Poultry and Pif;eous were exhibited. The 

 Poultry, as regards quality, was very good, but suffered severely from the 

 intense heat, being exhibited in pens of open wicker work, and without 

 anj' protection from the burning rays of the sun. We hope next yeai' 

 the Committee will provide better accommodation, otherwise the owners 

 of valuable birds will refrain from sending them. The Rabbits were 

 in a still more pitiable plight, several died through the effects of the 

 heat. Annexed is the prize list : — 



Spanish.— First, G. Holmes, Driffield. Second, H. Hoyle, Ileasle. 



Dorkings.— First, W. Charter, Driffield. Second, F. Key, Beverley. 



Cochix-Chika (Euff, Cinnamon, or Partridge).— Fu-st, O. A. Young, Drif- 

 field. Second, J. Hatfield, CottinRham. 



Any OTHER VARiETY.—First, R. Loft, Woodmansey. Second, W. Charter. 



Game iBhicU-breasted or other Reds).— First, H." M. Julian, HoU. S«- 

 cond, G.Holmes. 



Any other Variety.— First, H. M. Julian. Second, G. Holmes. 



PoLANDS.— First and Second, Mrs. E. Proctor. 



Hamburghs (Golden-spangled).- First and Second, G. Holmes 



Hambdrghs (Golden-pencilled).— First, G. Holmes. Second, J. Marshall, 

 Kirksella. 



Hamburghs (Silver-spangIed).—First,0. A. Young. Second, G. Holmes. 



Hamburuhs (Silver-pencilled). — First and Second, G. Holmes. 



Game Bantams. — First. G. Uolmes. Second, R. Robson, "Wold Carr. 



Any OTHER Variety.— First, Mrs. T. Wilde, Hull. Second, O, A. Young. 



Extra Stock. — Second, J. Hodgkinson. 



SINGLE COCKS. 

 Spanish.— Prize, G. Holmes. 

 Dorkings.— Prize, G. Holmes. 



Cochin-China (l:^uff. Cinnamon, or Partridga). — Prize, R. Loft. 

 Any other Variety. — Prize. W. Charter. 

 Game (Blftck-breasted and otber Reds). — Prize, H. M. Julian. 

 Any other A''ariety. — Prize, J, Hall, Willerby. 

 PoLANDS.— Pri:^e, Mrs. Procter. 



Hamburghs (Golden-spangled).— Prize, O. A. Young. 

 Hamburghs (Golden-pencilled). — Prize, G. Holmes. 

 HA3IBURGHS (Silver-spangled).— Prize, G. Holmes. 

 Hamburghs (Silver-pencilled).— Prize, G. Holmes. 

 Game Bantam.— Prize, G. Holmes. 

 Any other Variety.— Prize, Mrs. T. Wilde. 

 Extra Stock.— Prize, R. Loft. 



Ducks (Aylesbury).— First, H. Lawson, Spring Cottage Farm. Second, 

 O. A. Young. 

 Ducks (Rouen).— First. O. A. Young. Second, W. Charter. 

 Ducks (Common). — Second, O. A. Young. 

 PiGEON8.—J>ra^orea.— Prize, W. Barrett, Hall. Cropper*.— First, F. K«f • 



