■Febniaiy 1, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOBTIGULTORE AND OOTTAGR GARDENER. 



POULTEY, BEE, AND PI&EON OHEONIOLE. 



WOLVERHAMPTON SHOW OP POULTRY, &c. 



The eleventh annaal Exhibition was held in the Exchange 

 Hall, Wolverhampton, on the 24th, 2oth, and 26th ult. This 

 year a number of commendable alterations have been made in 

 the arrangements of the Show. Hitherto it has been held on 

 Friday, Saturday, and Monday, thus causing the birds to be 

 away from home on the Sunday, and objections were raised by 

 a number of poultry fanciers to having the poultry exhibited iu 

 the same room with dogp, the noise and barking of which being 

 very injurious to the birds, by keeping them in a state of con- 

 tinual excitement. It has been consequently, wisely we think, 

 determined to hold a separate Show for dogs in May. The 

 number of classes have been extended, and a fourth prize added 

 to every poultry class. Classes for cage birds have also been 

 added, and any numberof pens at prohibitory prices were allowed 

 to be sent in the same basket. The above alterations were 

 made in the hope of inducing a larger number of entries, and 

 we are pleased to record that eo far they have been successful, 

 the entries as compared with last j-ear having increased some- 

 thing like 30 per cent. Of poultry there were 877 pens, of Pigeons 

 161, and Cage Birds 71, or a total of 1113, an increase of about 

 three hundred. The room, however, was too small for an exhi- 

 tion of snch proportions, and consequently most of the pens 

 had to be contracted in size, and many were in positions where 

 they cotild not properly be inspected, otherwise the arrange- 

 ments were all that could be desired, and the Committee 

 assisted with praiseworthy zeal in penning and repacking the 

 birds, which were all sent off during the Thursday night. Taken 

 «s a whole the Show was undoubtedly the best in all respects 

 which has ever been held under the auspices of the Society. 



Game headed the list, and as a whole they were of remarkable 

 quality, the crime de la crime having put in an appearance. In 

 old cocks all the prize birds were Brown Reds and carefully 

 selected. The fourth-prize specimen however struck us as being 

 a grand bird, but there must, we suppose, have been something 

 in the handling of him which prevented his taking a higher 

 position. We could imagine no other reason for it. Black Red 

 cockerels were a large class, Mr. Matthews as usual taking first 

 and second with stylieh hard-feathered birds, which undoubtedly 

 were the pick of the lot. Brown Red cockerels contained a few 

 birds of great merit. Here again Mr. Matthews was first, 

 closely pressed by a stylish cockerel of Mr. Martin's, the colour 

 of which we preferred to the first, but he did not quite com- 

 .mand the reach of bis successful rival. In the Any other variety 

 of cockerels the first, second, and third-prize birds were Duck- 

 wings, Mr. Matthews agiiin occupying the pride of place with a 

 bird beautiful iu btyle, fine in feather, and capital colour. A 

 good orange legged Pile was fourth. In Black or Brown Red 

 hens all the winners were Brown Reds, and Dackwings won all 

 the prizes in the Any other variety class, in both of which 

 classes Mr. Matthews was again facile jyrinceps. We, however, 

 Bhonld have transposed the positions of the second and third 

 prize birds. 



Malaya were a good class, but the clay-coloured hens seemed 

 to take the preference over the dark Partridge. It struck us, 

 however, that the Game cross was very apparent in several of 

 the specimens. 



Brahmas. — The competition was strong in all the classes, 

 the cup for the Darks going to Mr. J. F. Smith for an old cock 

 of extraordinary good colour, remarkable quality, and admirable 

 condition. Second a bird of capital quality but not so heavily 

 built. Old Dark hens mustered twemy-three pens, but many of 

 them showed a brownness in colour which was not pleasing ; 

 but probably the thoroughly unfavourable season we have just 

 passed throagh may have had much to do with this. The 

 class generally, however, was a good one, though many being 

 old birds were rather out of condition. Seventeen pens of Dark 

 cockerels competed, the first and second prizes going to highly 

 meritorious specimens. Dark pullets brought a strong com- 

 petition, first being a grand bird, shown in admirable condition, 

 her pencilling being of a character rarely excelled. Second was 

 a bird of extraordinary character, and when we mention that 

 independently of the four prize specimens the Judge deservedly 

 awarded three very highly commendeds, an idea of the strong 

 competition may be imagined. In Light Brahma cocks Mr. 

 Horsfall scored another victory by taking the cup for the 

 Lights with his old Bristol champion, but he was not in such 

 good condition as usual and looking a little the worse for wear. 

 Out of the nineteen pens in this class only eight were unnoticed 

 by the Judge. Light hens were of an even quality throughout 

 rarely seen, and among the Light cockerels were some of the 

 grandest young birds that have been shown this season. A few 

 among the Light pullets were of very high merit, but the 

 generality of them were wanting in condition. 

 Dorkings were about the smallest class in the Show, the cup 



going to a pen of good-sized Darks. In the Any other variety 

 class first, second, and fourth were good Whites, the first very 

 pure in colour. Third were Rose-combed Cuckoos. 



Cochins throughout were wonderfully good, and taking them 

 all through we do not think we have seen a better lot this 

 season, but they were situated in about the worst position in 

 the Hall, in a bad light, and the pens too small for birds of euch 

 size, consequently detailed examination was scarcely possible. 

 In the old Cinnamons, in Mr. Burnell's pair was his old cham- 

 pion cock, and we should have felt quite disposed to have put 

 him again in the prize list. Notwithstanding his mealy wing 

 and a tinge of white iu the tail be is a grand bird, a wonder- 

 ful Cochin. The second-prize pair did not match, the cock 

 being a perfectly Dark Cinnamon. The third-prize pen on the 

 contrary matched splendidly, were fine birds, an-d had our 

 preference for second honours. We also preferred the fourth- 

 prize Buff pullet to any in the class, for besides being equally 

 good in other points she excelled her more fortunate com- 

 petitors in her colour. We do not remember to have seen a 

 better lot of Partridge Cochins, and both in these and the Buffs, 

 so far as we could gather, with the exception of the above- 

 mentioned little difference of opinion the awarding of the prizes 

 seemed to have given general satisfaction. Some little dis- 

 appointment, however, seemed to exist in regard to the judging 

 of the Whites and the award of the cup to pen 384, it being 

 alleged by some most competent critics that there were several 

 better in the class, and in particular the highly commended 

 pen 389 (Tomlinson). The principal objections to the cup cock 

 seemed to be that, although he was a very large bird, he had 

 too much daylight under him, was too hollow at the front, had 

 considerably too much leg, and stood badly — was, iu fact, in- 

 kneed. The second-prize pen we believe contained the cock 

 which won first at Birmingham. As a lot, however, the class 

 was the best we have seen for a long time. 



Houdans. — Good classes, and in both old and young the hens 

 and pullets were superior to the cocks. The first-prize chickens 

 evidently won on account of their perfect comb and crest. It 

 struck us that all the winners had the desired leaf comb. In 

 other variety of French fowls first were Creves and second 

 La Fluobe. A good class, and as in the Houdans the bens and 

 pullets compriRed the better part of the pens. 



Spanish. — Noted as the Wolverhampton Shows have always 

 been for the quality of their Spanish classes, they were, we 

 think, surpassed this year. There were only two classes, one 

 for cocks the other for hens irrespective of age, and the general 

 merit throughout was such that we cannot eulogise ii too highly. 

 An additional cup given by the Committee was awarded to an 

 old cock, and iu this class, in addition to the four prizes, four 

 very highly commendeds and five highly commendeds were 

 also added. In regard to the hens the Judges expressed an 

 opinion that they never saw so keen a competition generally 

 throughout a class as took place here. First was a grand bird 

 in exquisite feather and condition, and we believe ran the cup 

 cock dote for the extra award. 



Polands were divided into two classes, '* White-crested 

 Blacks," and " Any other variety." The cup for Polands, French, 

 and Spanish for some reason going to the Black Polands. In 

 the *' Any other variety " a good pair of Silvers belonging to 

 the Countess of Dartmouth were '.first, closely pressed by Mr. 

 Beldon's Dorchester cup pen, the effects of the recent journey 

 of which evidently told against them in the competition. Third 

 were good Goldens, while Mr. Adkins on this occasion had to 

 content himself with a fourth, but it is impossible both to sell 

 one's cake and eat it. 



Hatnburghs were very good classes especially the Golden- 

 spangles, and it must have been a difficult task for the Judge 

 to select the wiuners, so many being good. First and cup fell to 

 Mr. Dean of Keighley, Yorks, with a very fine pen indeed. In 

 Silver-spangles Mr. Beldon won with a pair, the cock in which 

 is the most perfect in spangling we remember to have seen. He 

 is in this respect something to remember. The first-prize pen 

 of Golden-pencilled contained an old cock which we remember 

 in the same position at Birmingham matched with a very good 

 pullet. Silver-pencilled were a small class, but the winners 

 very good. 



The Variety class was a large and excellent one, first being 

 good Black Hamburghs, second Cuckoo Cochins, third White 

 Leghorns, and fourth Bearded Sultans. There were Selling 

 classes, one for Brahmas, Dorkings, and Cochin cocks, which 

 comprised seventy-eight entries, first and third being Buff 

 Cochins, aud second a Partridge Cochin. A class for pairs of 

 hens same variety, and two classes for any variety except the 

 above, one for cocks and the other for hens, the prices in all 

 not to exceed .00s. They comprised many good birds, which no 

 doubt soon found purchasers. 



iiiici-.!.— The Aylesburies were few in number, but the winners 

 of high quality. The Ilouens were also excellent, and in par- 

 ticular the second-prize drake, but many were not over their 

 moult. Every pen throughout the Any other variety class re- 

 ceived favourable notice from the Judge, the whole being of an 



