March 31, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



253 



precise original stock from which, the valuablo barnyard breeds 

 have descended. 



NOTES ON THE LEEDS CANARY SHOW. 



I thought the season was over, and that breeders were busy storing 

 away show cages and cleansing their breeding cages, when I was 

 startled by the appearance of a schedule — a schedule extraordinary, 

 being neither more nor less than a facsimile of that issued by the 

 Crystal Palace Company, but in this instance by a single individual, 

 Mr. Thomas Claphatn, the proprietor of the Leeds Royal Park. I say 

 a facsimile, though the prizes, which were extremely liberal, were on 

 a somewhat Bmaller scale, as well they might be, coming from the 

 pocket of one man. In this respect, however, the exhibitionising part 

 of the Canary community may look for a revolution, something sen- 

 sational, when the next Leeds Royal Park schedule appears. 



The Park itself is a large enclosed recreation ground, of how many 

 acres I cannot say, my idea of what 48f0 square yards represent being 

 rather indistinct. It is beautifully and tastefully laid out, and orna- 

 mented with statues, fountains, ornamental trees and shrnbs, and bears 

 all over evident marks of most lavish expenditure in the attempt to 

 cater for the amusement of the masses. A very attractive feature is 

 the large conservatory in which the Show was held, the " Tropical 

 Department " in miniature. The birds were ranged in single and in 

 some cases in double tiers on the inner side of a wide walk, which 

 traverses the circuit of the building, the centre being for its entire 

 length a forest of Camellias and other beantiful plants. The classes 

 were divided by, and the cages interspersed with pots of Hyacinths, 

 Tulips, and gre.nh use plants in bloom, and the tmit ensemble was very 

 charming. The detail of an exhibition of birds was new to the pro- 

 prietor, but the business-like way in which he coped with his diffi- 

 culties pleased me immensely. He was assisted very efficiently by 

 Mr. Bailey, of Thirsk, who also offieia'el as Judge of the foreign birds ; 

 indeed, he remained the entire week of the Show as custodian-general 

 and professional adviser, so anxious was Mr. Clapham to take all 

 possible care of the valuable specimens entrusted to his charge. They 

 included in most of the classes the first-prize winners of the year, Moore 

 and Wynne being first with their Clear Jonque Norwich, which, minus 

 a tail, could not compete successfully at Sunderland, but with 0.75 of 

 a tail ran equal second at tie Palace, and at Leeds, in the full bloom of 

 condition, beat one of the first birds of the year, and — I have since been 

 informed died I — died with his first prize nailed to his cage : perhaps 

 as fine a specimen of a Clear Jonque Norwich cock as ever was 

 caged. Both " tit," it might have been a near thing between him 

 and the second prize, but condition and plumage are strong points, 

 and the little beauty certainly was resplendent with true Northampton 

 polish. 



Mr. Bexson showed a good Buff (third prize) in colour, but I thought 

 him rather deficient in meal. Mr. Walter stood first and second in 

 this class. A friend writes me, " Popular opinion was in favour of 

 Mr. Bexsons bird." Another friend writes that fanciers in his town 

 say they have " better Norwich than were shown at Leeds ! " Popular 

 opinion is fickle, but I will just whisper in Mr. Bexson's ear Mr. 

 Walter's own verdict — " I have him easily for first, but I think he has 

 a pull over me for second." Walter never gets any farther than 

 thinking, but when he looks you full in the face with his big eyes, and 

 says he thinks he is a step too high, it is well to hold a consultation 

 with yourself, and see whether you may not havo made a mistake. 

 And perhaps I did. 



In the Variegated classes Moore & Wynne had it nearly all their 

 own way, though both Walter and Bexson carried off second prizes 

 with neat specimens, the Ticked Buff of the latter being a remarkably 

 fine bird. 



The Buff Crested were very superior, but I cannot say so much for 

 the Jonques. Mr. J. S. S<vithenbank, of Bradford, was second with 

 a bird of wonderful quality ; and Dr. Waller, of Anerley, Surrey, 

 showed a heavily marked but fine Crested bird. I saw it at the Palace 

 and longed for it, and it caused me just the slightest spasm when I 

 met it again at Leeds, and I rushed np the lighthouse staircase lead- 

 ing to Mr. Clapham's library, not to lly to the tonics and stimulants 

 kindly placed on the table for strangers from a distance, but to ask the 

 price. I returned to the conservatory and went no more near that 

 •age, lest I might do something rash. 



Belgians were all second-class, but the winning birds good of their 

 kind. A dirty-looking bird in a small cage manufactured from a cigar- 

 box lost tho first prize mainly from not having room to extend 

 himself. 



In Jonque London Fancy Dr. Waller was first with a very good 

 specimen, bnt in Mealies there was no competition. 



Lizards were good, very firBt-rate both Gold and Silver. Mr. Young 

 was first in each class, Mr. Stansfield and Mr. Ashton being second 

 with most excellent birds. 



Mr. Bexson, as usual this season, was first for Cinnamons, Jonqne 

 and Buff. I gave them their maiden winning honours at Whitby last 

 September, since which they have had almost uninterrupted successes. 

 I hope their children may be worthy of their illustrious papa and 

 mamm a. Variegated Cinnamons were not numerous, but Mr. Young's 

 first was rich. 



The " Any other variety " was a capital class, nearly every bird 

 being mentioned. The winners were, first a fine Coppy (W. Shakle- 



ton) ; second, Glasgow Don (Mr. Ashton) ; third, Variegated Yorkshire, 

 (W. Heap.) . 



The Mules were very numerous, and included the best birds in the 

 Exhibition, Messrs. Ashton and Yonng being the most successful com- 

 petitors. Mr. Stansfield was an easy winner in " Any other variety,' 

 with his Bullfinch and Goldfinch hybrid — a lovely bird. 



The Foreign Birds were a most attractive feature in the Show, but 

 Mr Clapham's private collection was an exhibition in itself, consisting 

 of large Scarlet Macaws, White Cockatoos, Lemon-coloured Cockatoo, 

 Leveillant's Parrot, Senegal Parroquets, and a host of smaller birds 

 " too numerous to mention." 



My duties over, I returned home, rid Manchester, staying Saturday 

 night and Sunday at Polofield Hall. My recollections of this last 

 Show of the season, somehow or other, seem connected with my climb- 

 ing into a high bed as large as a parish church, and waking np in the 

 morning and hearing a chorus of little voices in the nursery — 



" Little children will be there." 

 And those who have little children there can enter into the simple 

 refrain which followed. Then I seem to recollect how the small chorus 

 (one hardly out of its nest feathers; stood in the porch, turning up 

 their rosy little faces for a kiss from mamma before we went to church. 

 And I remember a walk round tho garden and finding fault with the 

 Strawberries— badly grown, very badly grown ; a houseful of Roses ; 

 a lot of immense Ducks, which, either because it was Sunday, or 

 because of corpulence, seemed to take things very easy— all but one 

 old drake, who ran about as if he was training for a swimming match ; 

 a white fox terrier, a sort of canine butler, which carried empty soda 

 water and other bottles out of the room, and indulged in a little leger- 

 demain, swallowing lighted paper— a conservative dog, also, which 

 gave three cheers for Disraeli, but whose political morals I corrupted, 

 and by bribery and gentle moral suasion induced to cheer lustily for 

 Gladstone. I remember much kindness and hospitality all mixed np 

 with a most pleasurable flying visit ; and I remember leaving Man- 

 chester by the 12.30 mail on Sunday night, and seeing " Jacky sit- 

 ting up in bed next morning at six o'clock, asking me what I had 

 brought him home from Leeds.— W. A. Blakston. 



BEE EPIDEMIC. 



What is the cause of bees dying this month by hundreds 

 outside their hives while they have a good stock of honey re- 

 maining ? I find that this is the case with my own bees as well 

 as with those of almost every person in the neighbourhood. 

 I had a good stock of my own in a bar hive, well protected from 

 cold by cloths and boards ; they played from the beginning of the 

 month up to last week, and I found hundreds dead outside daily 

 until they ceased to play. When I lifted the hive, I found the 

 few remaining (about a small cupful) quite dead, and upwards 

 of 20 lbs. of fine honey remaining. I could not perceive any 

 damp, spider, or moth, and the boards were quite clean, having 

 placed a new board a month ago and kept the others clean 

 during the winter. I find my neighbour has a bar hive with 

 two large supers (a drum, and a large hive on the top of that), 

 which was quite full of honey in the full, weight about Christmas 

 160 lbs. Last week the bees played for the first time since 

 Christmas, and every day my neighbour finds hundreds dead in 

 all directions in front of the hive. They have been well pro- 

 tected through the winter inside a room, and entered from a 

 hole in the wall. To all appearance he will not save a bee. 

 I have examined several other straw hives in the neighbour- 

 hood and find a great many bees dead, with a quantity of honey 

 remaining, and those that are alive are dropping around the 

 hives and dying. — A Young Beginner, Newton Abbot. 



1 This disease seems to be nearly, if not entirely, identical 

 with the "bee plague" which daring the last two years has 

 devastated many of the apiaries in Kentucky and other parts of 

 the United States, and appears thus far to have defied the 

 ingenuity of our trans-Atlantic brethren who are apparently 

 unable either to discover its cause or to suggest a cure. We, 

 however, think it not unlikely that it is identical with " dropsy," 

 the nature and cure of which were first described by Mr. Wood- 

 bury on the 26th of December, 1865, and which has been more 

 recently referred 'to by " R. S.," in our number for the 16th 

 September last.] 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Accbington Show.— This Show is to be held on April 7th, not on April 

 21st, as stated in the advertisement last week. 



Whitehaven Show.—" In answer to ' B. D. B.,' I can say, for one, that 

 had I not threatened, after having written several letters, I should, no 

 doubt, have been without my sale money yet, and it took twice to send 

 £1 16s. id., for two pairs (less the commission), the Secretary having 

 omitted one pair on the first occasion. It is now three months since the 

 Show, and I never asked for the money until two months had elapsed, 

 and it took them up to Saturday laBt to complete the amount.— Taos. 

 Rule, Z>Mraam." 



