Jannnry 11, 1877. ] 



JOtJRNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGS GARDENER. 



39 



second old birds. In Silver-spangles the great fanlt (whioli we 

 find very prevalent in the north) wai tha bal combs of the 

 cocks. Silver-pencils were good as regards the winners only. 

 Dorkings very good, especially the first, which were Silver- 

 Greya; and Spanish were very good. In Brahmas the winners 

 were mostly yonn;^, and in the Polish cla-ss most of the best were 

 ■White-crested Blacks. Bantams had but one class, and in this 

 Brown Reds were first. Black Kads second, and Blacks third; 

 and in the Variety class were some good Hou'laus aud Cochins. 



Cage Birds weie also good, a Bslgian carrying ofl the champion 

 prize; but there were some very neat Norwich and excellent 

 Green Canaries, also Cinnamons and Da"-s. 



POULTRY— GmK.—Black-bremled and other Efib.-Special, 1, anl 2, T. 

 Erown. S, J. Kntherford. rhc. W. Armstrong. Any other variety. —\, 2, and d, 

 T. Brown. JiMtBURGBS.— Golden-spangled.— I and 2, G. D. Washington, s, F. 

 J. Snowdnn. Golden-pencilled 1, K. Walton. 2, C. R Soni-ir. 3. J. I Milli- 

 can. vkc. W. White, J I. aiiUican F. J. Snowdon. Silver-apangled—Spef:ia.\ 

 and 1, -J. I. Millican. 3. J. Richardsi.n. 3, W. Millican. vhe, F. .1. Snowdon. 

 Silver-peneillcd.-l, W. Jopling. 2, J. Temple. 3. J. Martin. DorkixG3.— 1 

 and 2, F. J. Snowdon. 8, H Wi'binson. vhc, J. Armstrong, G. Armstrong. 

 Spanish —1. H. Wilkiuson. 2, J. Richnrdwn. 3, J. Craig vhc, G. Moor. 

 BluHUAS.— 1 and 2, S. Teasdale. S, H Wilkinson. Poi,and9.— Special, 1, and 

 2, J. Qoodbnm. 3. E. Thomason. Bantims.— 1. J. Hind. 2, A. Haliiday. S. M. 

 A. Proud. c)w. J. Windle. AsY other PnaE Bkeed.—I and S,W. Dodd. 2. J. 

 Hind, vhc, R. Heitherington, J. Dickinson. Selling Class.— 1 and 5, J. 

 Ricbardaon. 9.H. WilkiDsoo. 3 .1. e.'odlmrn. 4.S.'rea8dale »lic,T. Brown, 

 J. I. Millican, F. J. Snowdon. Hens.—\, T. Brown. 2, 8, and vhc J. Goodburn. 

 DCCEH.— X, W. Keenlyside. 2. J. Kindred. 3. J. Richardson. 



PIGEONS.— 1. T. Brown. 2. W. Graham. 8. R. Clark. 



CAGE BTRD3.—CASiBi!!?.—Bc!(;iari.— Special, Land 2, T. Brown. Tellow. 

 — 1 and2, T. Bn^wn. BuiT.-l, T. Brown 2. M. Robson. TeUow-7narked.-l. 

 G.Moor. 2, T.Brown. Bii#-m(irJ.V(i— 1, W. Thompson. 2, T.Brown. Green 

 —I.H.Barron. 2 ar.dS, C. Arm.trong. tide. M. Kobson Dure.— 1, T. Brown. 

 2, R. Clark. S.G.Moor. Dftc, T. Burn. Cotip/c.—l, T. Brown. 2, J. DicSin- 

 80n. Mole —1, J. Rnthelford. Any other Variety.— 1, T. Brown. 



JuDOE.— Mr. E. Hatton, Padsey, Leeds. 



THE PERISTEEONIC AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE. 



This Show is different to other shows, and the difference 

 is for once of the pleasiug kind, for diffeienCLS aro not always 

 pleasing. "Other Pigeon shows," as one happily and neatly put 

 it, "are competitive, this is comparative." No eager hasting 

 with palpitating heart to the pens to see whether yoa have 

 secured a prize, for prizes there are none; no agitatiou about 

 the colour of the cards, for cards there are none ; yea, not even 

 a catalogue to get angrj over its bad arrangement, for catatogues 

 there are none. Then, instead of little pens to bring down 

 **W. R.'s" wrath, the pens are very large; and for a last instead, 

 not a bird looking frightened in a corner all by itself, or two 

 making love or quarrelling, so like unfeathered bipeds, bat a 

 dozen or more in some ci'^es, as in the Almonds, and the dear 

 little Black Mottles a perfect carpet of soft-feathered beauty. 

 'Tib a friendly meeting of fjucitrs, so no fear, though it is held 

 in the tropical department, thaS people will get liol Old faces 

 — i e., well known for Eome years, are around mo; not old in 

 another sense, for fanciers seem to me never to get old. I don't 

 know one on two sticks, and if there be a fancier with one it 

 is not for support, bat only to pass oaressingly over some pet 

 Pouter's back. 



No catalogue— no beginning to this Show. " Where shall I 

 begin?" said I to a brother fancier. "Why, begin anywhere — 

 here," pointing to the Pouters. Ah! he was a Pouter fancier, 

 and 80, deep dog, tries to get his class put first, and so for once 

 he thall. Pouters not Carriers first. Yon Pouters are true to 

 yonr name, for pout you can, and no misteke, while Carriers 

 can't carry. 



Pouters. — Messrs. J. Gresham, Hill, Gill, and Hives sent 

 specimens from their lofia. Mr. Gresham's birds begin tbe 

 row, and proud may he well be, partiouUrly ot a young Black 

 hen in her teens ; no, I mean in her months. A truly beautiful 

 bird, which looks like a cock as to sizo. Lsgs very excellent, 

 and particularly long in the shia. A very fine bird, would that 

 be bad been raven bl'tck. A very graceful young ToUow hen is 

 another noteworthy bird of Mr. Gresham't?, and a pair of very 

 good coloured Red.s. Capt. HtU sent som.j good birds from his 

 gtad, worthy of Castle Hill; t'le king of the castle being his 

 old Blue cock, though higher ou the leg, and very tight in girth 

 is his young Blue. Mi-. Gill and Mr. Combe's birds followed, 

 and were worthy. 



Fantails. — Well, they are next, and so shall come next. Messrs. 

 Maynard, Hemming, and Thnrkell were exhibitors. Those of 

 the first-named were singularly beaatifal, and in neatness, style, 

 and elegance were supreme. Mr. Maynard's seems now to hit 

 the mean with English tail and Scotch grace, and motion. 



Afagpies only one pen — Mr. Herbert's. 



Oio/«^^Mes3r3. K-qnilant, Thomas, Stevenson, Jones, and 

 Schewtzer sent birds. These were naturally from their owners. 

 Very worthy. Strange what a reaoti^n has eet-iu in favour of 

 Eoglisb Offle, which but a few years since were to he annihi- 

 lated ; not that there were not Eome few exquisite White Afri- 

 cans, and a piir of White with black tails of Mr. Stevenson's. 



Turbils naturally follow next to Osls. Their exhibitors were 

 Messrs. Combe, Hardy, StephetB>a, Thurkell, Jones, Taylor, 

 and South. Some few were tbe old-fasbioned plaiu-headed. 

 Mr. Hardy's were very fine; and Mr. Jones's, one especidlyof 



his, a Kite-barred Silver, not a good colour indeed, bnt with a 

 beautiful head. Good in face were some also of Mr. South's; 

 while certainly some other exhibitors' birds were overlarge. 

 two such of Mr. Sxevenson's were excellent in oolour, it being 

 a sound Yellow. 



Jacks were very numeroua. Messrs. Combe, Hardy, Maynhard, 

 Royds, Jonas, Betty, Bird, Heritage, and Easdeu, sent from their 

 lofts. I admired much Mr. Betty's Yellows ; he seems particu- 

 larly lucky with that cjlour inPigeous. Their chains of great 

 width, the mane well up, and the chain coming well forward. 

 Much ground seems now to be gained in this class, as oolour, 

 mane, chain, but narrowness of shoulder and forw.ardness of 

 hood are ttiU to be won. Whites are advancing, though most 

 as yet in points behind the others. 



B(ir6s. —Mtssrs. Chandler, Maynhard, Jones, Hedley, and 

 Heritage showed specimens. Mr. Hedley'a capital Blacks and 

 Reds, Mr. Jones's Reds and Yellows, while Mr. Maynhard was 

 prominent with a pen of young Blacks. 



^niM!c;y,s.— Messrs. Cnckaey, Flecker, Chandler, Theobald, and 

 Tegetmoitr sent some of these useful birds; while Mr. Hudson, 

 who, as one said, must have as many birds as the King of Oude 

 himself, sent large pen after large pen of Homers. One pen of 

 very uniform Silvers of his I greatly admired, also a pea of Blue 

 Chequers, the right Chequer after all. 



Pigmies wero from the lofts of Messrs. Tegetmeier and Hives. 

 The latter named gentleman also exhibited some very luatrona 

 whole-coloured Jacobins. The points wero not over-good, but 

 the change in colour pleasing, while the bloom was like a black 

 drake's. Mr. Hives had also those MaUy-hke Pigeons— Scmtifa- 

 roons, rich coloured ugliss. 



Sa.lly late in my account must now come the Cnrriers— from 

 fifteeii different lofts, their names known to all fanciers. Mag- 

 nificent birds were shown by Col. Hassard, Messrs. Crisp, Hedley, 

 Ord, and others. Perhaps those to notice specially are the 

 Whites. The Colonel had a White bird there of great excel- 

 lence, no Dragoon, but a Carrier. So a!so another fancier, Mr. 

 Hodgson I think, and Mr. Crisp. Now, I do trust that when a 

 class for Whiie Carriers i) offered it will bo filled, not by big 

 Dragoons or Horsemen, but by the genuine birds. Tnis I must 

 chronicle as the advance in respect of Carriers. 



Dragoons were hardly so numerous as usual of late. Messrs. 

 Thomas, Keeler, Betty, Whitehead, Sargeant, and Tegetmeier sent 

 fine specimens. Mr. Sargeant's Yellows were very attractive. 



I have reserved the Short faces for lust. Little gems indeed . 

 Their exhibitors w.?re Messrs. Hemming, Ford, Merck, South, 

 Murphy, Newman, Jayne, aud Taylor. Some pans were empty. 

 Pen after pen of Almonds of various shades, from the light colour 

 of the young to the dark of the old ; some excelling in head and 

 beak, others birds of colour. Interspersed with showy Agates, 

 aud one pea (would there had been more of the prettiest of the 

 pretty) Black Mottles, Mr. Hemming's. Mr. Ford's Almonds 

 were worthy of so good a breeder, and Mr. Jayne'd. Mr. South 

 had two pens, one of Balds, the other of Black Beards. The 

 Short-face part was, I noticetl, much crowded and much 

 criticised. 



As a whole this Show was a very pleasing and good one. We 

 were asked not to look at jaded overshown birds, but birds fresh 

 from lofts, often lofts of those who never show for competition ; 

 hence the result was pens of neat, trim, healthy birds. The 

 Society does the fancy credit and itself honour by such an 

 exhibition. It is also a hospitable Society, for a lunch was pro- 

 \iied, where one chatted agreeably with old friends and made 

 new aoqaaintancos. — Wiltshire Rectok. 



THE BATTLE OF THE HIVES. 



Which is the best hive? is an old subject of controversy— as 

 old as llie bills. In this Journal, as elsewhere, this question has 

 often led to many a keen discussion, but it is one which is not 

 coaficcd to this country alone. In America especially the 

 " battle of the hives " has raged with far greater fury than here, 

 BO that among the numerous patented "best hives" brought 

 out there, aud they are legion, the most recently invented is 

 usually aunounced to the confiding pubUc as the superlative 

 of all. 



While admitting that there are many aspects or phases ot 

 this question wbicn might be very properly and profitably dis- 

 cufsed either as regards definite or general objects, yet the 

 simple question itself, "Which is the best hive?" has always 

 appeared to me a very foolish one. Certainly I could not with 

 all my experience presume to answer it, and I have not yet 

 known any intellif ent apiarian better able than myself. If such 

 a question were askod of me, I could only reply after the Irish 

 fashion of questioning my questioner, with the view of ascer- 

 taiuiug what is meant by " best." 



In ttie controversy presently being carried on m these pages, 

 entitled " Hives," " Moveable versus Fixed Combs," &o-, not- 

 withstanding a great deal of extraneous and irrelevant matter 

 introduced in regard to the facilities and uses of moveable frame 

 hives aud tbe assumed connection of the ttraw tkep with the 



