JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTA GK GARDENER. 



[ Januaay G, 1870. 



Noawicn (Ticked and unevenly.nwked _BnBW. Moore & Wynne. 2, he, and 

 ,, .1. Bexsoii. :i. I:. Hawin.li.. >''" • " ;• ' '»"" %,„„„ 4 wvrnie. 2. G. Taylor, 



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rut. nek ' I, T S! i.i.st .■ M. Mnrkt".. 1m . .1 1 ,.> 1". . '',',,,,, Middles- 



^^MO^i^S-ip: Bexson. 2 anil :*, J. Smart, Fenham. 8, B 

 U ^"^J"iV^;;r^,n^"rwui.l; e M:T^ C &exson. S.Moore * Wynne 

 In-, R. L. Wallace. i «.„„„„«* Burton 2. J. Garbutt. 8, G. M 



„e^^ISSoS Ye ^lr^^y"Cu:'C;e 8 \;y. I.C E. Br«™ 



N. 



• r ;;'' ,,'."': j'C'ja'tsi°e°™s& B,lrtm - 3, A.Brown, vhc, W. 



G "!""' ■''.-/ '. , '"'.'.'; mIVvi''.^' ; " V' ; m<m-';- !j' Wynne. 2. .1 Robson, 



'" b . m MWdle B l.r..u,li. I..-.S.T. M.^.NoriMlerton. 

 ,in,l .mevenly-niarkcd). — 1, W. Bulmer. A J. 



8, R. Robinson. . -Ii -'. Z- 

 Goldfinch Mule (J 



Speck. 8, S. T. Mosae. 

 Goldfinch Mi i-r. lit 



3, J. Robson. lie, R. Hi 

 Linnet Mule.— 1 



T- Z l', Moore & Wynne. 2 and Win, Stevens &, Burton. 

 Dan.' c, W. Nichols. . „ ,„ 



i^net MULE-i am. ,. c B«»;i«"'"- , -■ w ,, :i1 "'" ;:::;,. ';{' w,"?J. 



''ffS 2, J. Garbutt. 3 and .lie, W. Nichols, Middlesbrough. *c, Z" 



Andrews (Bullfinch}. 



Judge.— Mr. J. Calvert, York. 



THE GLASGOW PIGEON SHOW 



(North British Columbarian Society's). 

 (Continued from Vol. XVII., page 534.) 

 THE PIED POUTER CLASSES-STANDARD COLOURS. 

 The time has long since past for a merely casual «wfc«f« 

 Scotch friends in then- Pouter successes. Of this superb variety they 

 are the champion fanciers, and for some years have ,M*«1. 

 position as great as their southern compeers in the Carrier and Shoit- 

 Faced departments. Starting with underbred stock they have been . in- 

 strumental in rescuing the Pouter from a decadence which well nigh 

 threatened its extinction, and have brought their birds as a da t» 

 degree of perfection never before attained. A well-earned reputation was 

 tlrisyear again upheld, more than redeeming the failings in the genera 

 ctss'es reported 'by us last week. That so excellent a display shouhl 

 have been subjected to any drawback was much to be regretted , but 

 such was the coldness of the hall, that some 34(1 Pouters, for the mo 

 part brought from warm rooms, were thrown out of show nor was it 

 £ll the third day that the majority fairly recovered To this circum- 

 stance may be ascribed certain errors in the awards which otherwise 

 conld not' have occurred with such experienced Judges as Messis. 

 Esquilant and Corker. At the best, Pouters are a very treacherous 

 class to judge, and from the necessity (peculiar to these birds), ot 

 getting them into a state of familiarity they are liable, more that any 

 other variety, to prejudice from the ordinary vicissitudes of railway 

 journeys, change of diet and scene ; such causes often producing a 

 dullness very troublesome to the judges. . 



The one pervading feature of this year's Exhibition was the im- 

 proved cleanness and uniform accuracy of the markings, a result at- 

 tained without any loss numerically, or any forfeiture of the grand 

 structural properties, symmetry, limb, length, and carriage. In this 

 fact is fonnd the benefit of such wholesome criticisms as appeared in 

 our Journal two seasons ago, when an impartial effort by Mr. Volck- 

 man to give a greater relative importance to colour and markings was 

 unfortunately misinterpreted and received with symptoms ot over- 

 sensitiveness and impatience. Practically, however, his views have 

 been amply vindicated, and such strides have been taken, especially in 

 the markings, as will affect the Pied classes favourably for years to come. 

 The youn" birds, for the first time, were shown singly instead of in 

 pairs This arrangement should be continued in future seasons, tor 

 a Pouter can only be judged on its individual merits, and the breeder 

 of even a Bingle commendable specimen of a variety so grand is 

 entitled to share in the honours of competition. 



Merging the several classes according to colour for the sake of con- 

 venience, it will be fonnd that the Blue Pieds alone were a show in 

 themselves, numbering no less than ninety entries, forty-seven cocks 

 and forty-three hens, and fifteen and eleven respectively being young 

 birds No ordinary competition has ever brought out in one colour so 

 much strength either in quantity or quality ; and it was m Blue Pieds 

 that the improved plumage points told with most effect. Glancing 

 down a row of these birds they seemed almost figured to pattern, the 

 line of neat half-moons, clean breast cuts, white thighs, and black bars 

 being unbroken by the presence of any glaring irregularities. A favour- 

 able feature, too, was the comparative rarity of chequered feather and 

 kite bars, although further improvement is possible, as also in the 

 matter of bull eyes, which appeared in remarkable profusion. No. 16 , 



a cock shown by Mr. Montgomery, was first prize in the old class— of 

 standard properties, hut somewhat unfortunately placed on its legs, 

 whKl. are loose-jointed and slightly foul-feathered comparing nn- 

 h, nrahlvwith he grandly-proportioned limbs of Mr. Millar s third 

 ■ 'bird Mr. Cochrane stood second with a bird of considerable merit, 



, mined by very foul thighs, after Mr. Ure's first in young cocks 

 f, wed Mr Huie as second, with a bird of good style but somewhat 

 Jay in eron and bull-eyed. The hens, both old and young, were 

 excepUonably good, Messrs. Rose, TJre, Millar, Wallace, and Mont- 

 gomery sharing the prizes, some of the birds competing very closely 

 Indeed in all the Blue classes so many excellent birds appeared that 

 it seems invidious to select any for special description. In a few cases 

 ,,,.,-lmiw the hens by their delicate breeding seemed available rather 



, • I ' show-, 1 n than the stud. We would not, however, quarrel with 

 a result so far on the side of excellence, but merely throw out the hint 



10r if W opinionVdiffered as to some of the awards (and in the many ra- 

 mifications of good taste opinions may differ, and should dilier),Uie 

 Z I .risin" number of entries and liberal proportion of standard birds 

 must be Taken into account. A case, we think, was made out for tome 

 Sue of "commendation," a courtesy costing little, and where 

 deserved always appreciated, when, doubtless, some pens apparently 

 overlooked would have been noticed. We instance, amongst others, 

 No His Mr. Matthew Stuart's handsome bird ; Nos. 52, 28o\ and jU% 

 hens shown by Mr. Montgomery; also Mr. Volckman s No. _//, a 

 tall-limbed hen of sprightly upright carriage and large crop, but some- 

 what short in tail. In a class so thoroughly established judges may 

 well in future be choice, exacting the utmost finish of contour grandeur 

 of limb, chasteness of colour, and accuracy of marking Awards so 

 trenchant will thus encourage the erection of great unsullied pedigrees 

 and will banish impure and weedy strains to an oblivion from which 

 may they never return ! 



Black Pieds for some seasons past have stood in need of extra cul- 

 tivation, it is therefore gratifying to record that a decided move in 

 advance is being made. Owing to its scarcity, perhaps no class has been 

 subjected to so much of trick and prejudice, especially by the in usion 

 of Blue blood, thus robbing the colour of its 'raven brilliancy 

 for the mere sake of numerical advantage. On the present occasion 

 bright colour appeared in more than average strength Foremost in 

 a good class of young cocks stood No. 5, exhibited by Mr. Ure-of good 

 carriage, symmetrically proportioned, stocking-booted, nearly 19 niches 

 in feather,' and 6! in limb. In marking, however, the crop was gay, 

 and but one of the wings was pied. Amongst the old cocks. No. 118, 

 a large cropped, handsome bird of Mr. Hiue's stood first and was also 

 ! awarded [I special medal offered annually by Mr Volckman for 

 "excellence of form and carriage; somewhat inclined tc , rin 

 head " hot discovering no appearance of weeding. Running this bird 

 very closely, to the taste of several, came No. 119, bringing Mr. Mont- 

 corner* the second-prize, a very showy bird, cleanly marked on bib 

 breTst and pinion, but decidedly inferior to its rival in size and set of 

 c op-the Pouter's distinctive feature. Two entries ot Mr. Wok- 

 man', taking the third prize and a commendation, were much i ad- 

 mired for the superior rotundity and prominent carriage of their 

 Xbes We may here remark that a Pouter's crop should be well 

 defined starting^'rom the chest with some abruptness; throughout 

 he Show we noticed a too-frequent absence of this d.gn, y.ng property. 

 No l'B Tfine hut unnoticed bird of Mr. Ure's, and Mr. Millars 

 highly-commended pen, should do good stnd service this season. 



The Black hens, either voung or old, if we except Mr Montgomery s 

 voun" bird No. 7, were not up to so high a standard as the cocks 

 lie ng" in several cases under-s.zed. So remarkable a specimen a 

 No 7 £ only seen at rare intervals. Of contour so delicate at first 

 sight i scarcely reveals its actual measurement of 1? inches mfeatW, 

 ',,1 nearly 7 in limb ; n.celv pied on crop and pinion, close-limbed, 

 XockLgbLted, and otherwise" faultless unless we may mention thin- 

 ,,, , of le» bone, a defect which age will correct. Exhibited in the 

 Urge show pen, its carnage was excellent in every sense, stepping 

 gracefully o/marching leisurely with crop dilated and well control ed, 

 a,,.! for its :.L'- playing with a coquetry more often seen in cock bints 

 In adult hens fe. Volckman ranked as first and highly commended 

 £th satisfactory specimens: Mr. Stewart, of Bir mingham stood se- 

 cond and Mr. Millar third, with a very neat bird, the more worthy ot 

 noticeTeing that with a shortish limb it conveyed the impression of 

 cons^derablelength. The commended and stylish bird of Mr. Mont- 

 gomerv merited a higher position .1 „„..<— viz 



g An almost universal blemish characterises the Black classes viz 

 f ml throbs which no amount of weeding obviates. As a hrst step to 

 m rovement the foul feathers should be allowed to remain for exhi- 

 lu?in breeders would then have an opportunity of estimating the 

 eno mity of a: defect with which they have to contend. Despite the 

 affectation of undervaluing plumage, a growing »««**»«£ «- 

 discernible at all our best shows ; and just as imitation is the sin 

 cerest flattery " so the aspirations after sound colour are revealed by 

 the lustre occasionally borrowed from the pomatum pot. When will 

 anciers learn that they blacken their characters far »»« ^u, *he, 

 blacken their birds by the Madame-llaehel-like arts of polishing . 



TbsgTand class, perhaps the grandest of Pouter classes deserv s 

 at the hands of breeders a highly conservative treatment. Whatever 

 advantages may have been gained by crosses to foreign colour, and 

 whatever in the affected mysteries of the loft, breeders may achieve 



