166 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



r March 1, 1877. 



plao93. ^Mrs. AUsopp's bird in pen 261 was a remarkibly good 

 hen, bnt she had a email piece torn on one side of her face, 

 which kept her, we flnppose, out of the prize list. The Spanish 

 cap went to the cockerel. 



French made but small classes. Soudan cocks were poor, 

 and we did not see a comb in the class we really liked. Hens 

 W9ra;mDoh better, and Mrs. Vallanoe scored another triumph fir 

 htir grand old hen, which, as we have before stated, is onr beau 

 ideal of Hon dan markings. SecDod was also a well marked 

 large hen, as too was the third, but the latter did not lock quite 

 ao bright as the first-prize bird. We were sorry to notice that 

 the Rev. W. Pearce's cockerel had had his tail injured, aptiarently 

 by having the chief fail feathors cut ripbt asunder in the middle, 

 lu Crrve cocks the first won easily. He is lustrous, large, anl 

 well shaped, but poor in bead. Second was a good bird, but not 

 80 large as the tirst. Crtve hens only numbered six. The 

 first good in fhape and siza, but not very pre'.ty in crest. 

 Second and third were fine hens, but not in their best looks. 

 Miss Arnold sent a sl.ate-coloured hen, which was good in 

 points, and we thought deserved some nolice. 



GAJin had six classes and eighteen prizes, half of which and 

 the cup were moriopolised by Mr. Matthews. The cock was a 

 fine old dark bird of splendid sbape aud bright colour. The 

 chicken from the same yard, which won second, closely, how. 

 ever, pressing on his heels, for he was a Btylish biid with 

 Crtp'tal ca'riHge and in splendid feather. The first hen in 

 Black Beds was a shapely bird, and good in colour. Of the 

 Brown Rctts, as a lot, Wr thought the cocks the most superior, 

 but the wiuLiiig hen was a fine one in hard feather. In the 

 next cock class good JDuckuinijs were first and second, while a 

 yellow-legged Pile of quality won third. In hens the winners 

 were all Diickwinfjs. The first a pullet of much merit, sound in 

 ■colour aud iu fine condition. 



Sf_ Malays wiih fourteen pens were a fine lot, first once more 

 gniuK to Mr. Lecher. The cock is a good one, but we fancied 

 either Mr. Penny's or Mr. Stanley's hen before his companion. 

 We liked too Mr. Brauford's pair. Mr. Juint sent two good 

 pens, tint hardly of as good colour as the winners. 



Leghorns had two classes, in which were seven pens of 

 Browns and five of Whites— no very great muster. We thought; 

 in Browns the winning pair were the largett ; they bad good 

 combs aud earVibes; the second also were a smart pair. Wiiites 

 wer- n't quite fo good, and we did not much admire the colour 

 of thi- first cock, but iu other respecti he. was a good bird. 



Andall'sians were moderate. Nine of the eleven entries be- 

 longed to Mr. Fry and Miss Arnold. We thought there was an 

 inclinatien to high tails here as in Leghorns, bnt the winners 

 were appirently well chosen. 



Silkies made a pretty little collection. The winners we liked 

 much, and we placed them in that position before the cards 

 came round. Secnnd cnntaiued a sweetly pretty cock, but a 

 poor hen; and tuird were but moderate iu claws aud crest, but 

 had the pretty turquoise blue ears. The judging gave us the 

 idea tba' combs on the c^cks had been taken mote iLti consider- 

 ation than anything. We have always made a great p int of 

 ■this feature, but wo do not think for it claws, crests, and silki- 

 ness should tie disregarded. Mrs. Holmes's highly c.immeuded 

 pen v&i laher coar.e or else good. Mr. H. Dean sent a pretty 

 pair, bnt one bird had a crooked toe. 



The Variety cla^s was a good one. La Flcche winning first and 

 diokoo Cochins second honours. There were also other good 

 birds of this latter variety and another excellent pen of La 

 Fleche. We saw, too, tome Black aud Wljite Minorcas and a 

 pen or two of the " wild Turkey's " couuectiona. 



Tho Sale classes as a lot we thout;ht remnrkably poor. We 

 noticed one or two fnir Light Brahmas, a sound coloured pair 

 of Buff Cochin bens of Mr. Darby's, and a good pair of White 

 Cochin hens of Mrs. Tindal's. Spanish here were well repre- 

 .1-nled, aud iu their classes won all the three first prizes. The 

 French Selling classes were but meagrely filled, but the fact is 

 by now most fanciers have either disposed of or have eaten their 

 surplus birds, and purchasers are mostly Buit>;d. — W. 



Dorkings. — Coloured gnoi cl.asses. Cocks.— First-and-cup 

 (Parleti) a well-shaped bird with good feet. Second (Burnell) 

 appears to have been recently fighting, but the accident did not 

 deirive hiiu of hit position, which we thought he justly de- 

 served. Hens.— Parlett agnin first with a fi'iie bird, second and 

 third also pood. Silver Grei/s a capital class. The competition 

 between the first aud secoi, d was Vrry cIohc. Third a n'ce pen. 

 Cuckoos pleased us very much. Nine entries, nearly all good. 

 The improvement that baa been made in this variety during the 

 lift two years is very satisfactory. Wliilcs a small class of five. 

 The winners were an e,\qoihite pair, aud well deserved the cup. 



Cochins— i'K/s (cock-).— First a grand bird, beautiful in 

 colour and well feathered ; second a»;d third closely presntd liy 

 pens G2, (i:i, and 67. Farlridge (oocWb) a moderate class. The 

 prizes we c oieidered were juntly dihtr'Kuttd. H-ns were su- 

 perior to the cocks. Mr. Wood exhibitiid three splendid birds. 

 The fiirst was the lnrge^t and perhips the best shaped ; but the 

 pullet iu the adjoining pen (90) was much more clearly marked 



on the breast, and equally as well feathered in the leg. Pen 88, 

 the same owner, we also thought deserved a position. TVkites 

 wvre a very beautiful lot. Some lit'le fault was found with the 

 hackle of the hen iu the winning pen, but we thought the 

 Judge's aw irds correct. Blacks wcrs iiir. They appear to have 

 found many new friends, and we trast the ensuing season will 

 show some marked improvement. 



We thought the Hambdrohs very good classes as compared 

 with the average standard of merit through the show. Golden^ 

 spriiigled (eight entries) — The cup went to the first pair in this 

 class. The cock is a lovely bird in carriage ; but part of his 

 breast almost too heavily spangled to please us. Second a small 

 and neat pair, very even in mooning; third a very narrow- 

 comt>ed cock with blushine' lobes, aud a hen somewhat uneven in 

 spangling though bright. Silver spangled (eleven entries). — First 

 and St cond were two lovely pens, splendidly shown. The cocks' 

 siekli-s were singularly well spangled, and their hackles beauti- 

 fully white. The first cock was the best in carriage ; but in 

 some points we preferred the second hen. The third-prize pen 

 contained a very fair cock, but his comb, we fear, not as nature 

 made it; and a beautiful hen all roui d. Goldm jycyicilled 

 (twenty-one entries), a capital class. This is now everywhere 

 the best and best-filled class of Himburgbs, we fancy because 

 they are so much more easily bred than the other varieties, 

 good cockerels and pullets beiog produced from the same pen if 

 only judiciously mated. The firtt cock was neat in head and 

 even in colour, bnt with Utjly bars across his sickle; the hen 

 evenly marked on a good ground colour. Second a good cock, 

 and a heu rich in colour but rather coarse in marking. Third 

 not a good pullet — badly maiktd on the breast; but a capital 

 cock with a well-laced tail. Mr. Hildswtrth's very highly com- 

 mended pen contained a cock with fine carriige ; and Mr. 

 Cr-Sfwell's highly commeuded pen a very pretty pair all round. 

 Silver-2>eneilled (seven entries) — This variety is certainly at a 

 low ebb. The only really good pen was the first, the cock of 

 which had a beautiful tail. Sec md was acock tf rribly out of 

 c ndition, with reddish lobes but well laced tail, aud a very 

 fair hen. Third were not well hhown ; the cock had a good tail 

 but bad comb. Black (sixteen entries) — Ttiese were most un- 

 fortunately placed, some of the pens being at one ead of the 

 building iu a capital light, the rest at the other end almost in 

 diiiktiess. Firfct was by far the most lustrous aud green cock 

 we ever saT, with very fair carriage; the hen preity in shape 

 but rather puiple than tureen. Second a iieat and good pair all 

 round, but in the bad light. Thiid only a fair pair; the hen 

 very bad in comb. Mr. Serjeantson showed two capital pairs, 

 one apparently quite equal tottc fiist-priz.< pair ; bnt unfortu- 

 nately ihey wtre penned after the Judge had gone round. 



Polish. Golden-spangles (<even entries). — Tbe first pair were 

 large in crest; but ihe hen's crest was almost white. The oocU 

 Was, for the breed, in good plumage, with a dark tail, and his 

 markings really incline to sparg'iug. Second a cock with crest 

 better )u shapo than the first, antl a prettily lactd hen; but 

 generally inferior to the fir.-t pair. Third a cock » ith enormous 

 crest thrown too far forward, and a ben too heavy in marking. 

 Silvers (''our entriee) — First a marvellous pair; but we do not 

 like a cock's tuft so much over in front. S^-cfiud were a pair 

 with very well shaped crests. Black or anv other variety (eight 

 entries) — The Polish cup went to Mr. Norwood's pair of Blacks 

 first iu this class. They are now well kuown and remarkable 

 f r their well-formed crests. Second another beautiful pair of 

 Blacks; the cock has a splendid crest, and the hen is a perfect 

 bird, though her crest does not s^em to have fully expanded 

 since the moult. Well it may not do so, as we believe she is 

 eleven years old! Thiid Black again; tbe cock's crest a little 

 rough in front ; the pullet waa, we think, the first Birmingham 

 bird, with a splendid tuft for her age. Oue poor pair of BuSs 

 put in an appearance. 



Bantams —Game, Black Bed (feuiteen entries). — The bird* 

 iu this class were generally too large. The cup pen, however, 

 were a lovely little pair, the cock capital both in style and 

 colour. In the second pen was a cock not well dubbed and 

 swelled about the head, with a ben far too dark; third were 

 large ; fourth pan contained the second best cck in our opinion, 

 bnt a mi.s-y ben. Brown Beds (five entrie-), were all large and 

 not a good class. The second-prize pair were much the smallest, 

 but til" cpck carried his tail badly. Fourth were good in 

 carriage but very big. Any other Varietij (uiue eoliiof). — Fiist 

 small Dnckwinga good in style, the cock's wing colour mixy; 

 second Pile-', the cock good, hen too large ; third Dnc-kwings; 

 f iiirth pretty Piles, which we should buvo put higher. Single 

 Cocks (t-n entries) — First a beautiful little Black Red ; seoond 

 another equally good in form but much larger; thiid a fiir Pile; 

 fourth a Duckwiug. Black (ibirieeu entiles). —First a neat 

 pair, hi u rather devoid of sheen ; second rather big but good in 

 gb Es and stylish; third large ngaiu. the cock very bright, but 

 his tail feathers too broad. Schrights (teu entries), were not 

 BO good "s wo have seen tbem. The c.ip pair were Silvers; the 

 cook very good, the Leu too lightly laced. Second Golden; tha 

 heu a model of lacing, but he cock too hcivily marked. Third 



