16 



JOUBNAL OF HOETICULTOBE AND OOTTAGK GARDENEB. 



( January 7, '. 



opposite the box I suspected the device at onoe, and tucked 

 them out with a loDg stick. 



Now. if poultry societies will establish good souud rules, and 

 select judges of eminence, character, and nerve, who do not 

 care one farthing whom they please or whom they offend, 

 poultry showing, which by a first-rate judge (of this county 

 ^he acted at Birmingham, I believe, last year), is said to be 

 worse than horseracing, will become as honourable and credit- 

 able as it is now said to be the contrary. I give the name of 

 the judge privately to the Editors. I would not allow the 

 lemoval of a single feather. Every man may say, "I only re- 

 moved a soiled feather." I presume that with good judges a 

 soiled feather would not disqualify a bird otherwise deserving 

 a prize. I suggest that such excellent and fair judges as Mr. 

 Hewitt and Mr. Teebay should be consulted, and their co- 

 operation asked. If Birmingham and Manchester would set 

 the example, societies in other places would soon follow suit. 

 Mutilations and additions are unfair towards the unsuspecting 

 purchasers. Twisted, lopping, or spriggy combs may be here- 

 ditary and transmissible to the offspring. Hence, though 

 Game cocks look best with dubbed combs, it may be, by re- 

 moval of malformed combs, a great injury to purchasers whose 

 interests should be protected. Go the whole hog ! Insist upon 

 the birds of all classes being shown without mutilation or 

 addition of foreign substances, and we may hope that the term 

 " worse than horseracing " will be no longer applied to poultry 

 exhibitions, which are most useful and delightful. — W. F. 

 Eadclyffe. 



[We fully appreciate the spirit in which this communication 

 is penned, but we see no reason for qualifying the epithet 

 "fraudulent" when applied to the act of trimming or dyeing 

 birds in direct defiance of the published rules of an exhibition, 

 suoh trimming and dyeing being for the express purpose of 

 deceiving judges and purchasers, and thus obtaining, or intend- 

 ing to obtain, money which would not be obtained if the judges 

 and purchasers were not so deceived. — Eds.] 



FRAUDS AT POULTRY SHOWS. 



Will you be so good as to add my name to the protest 

 against trimming fowls so spiritedly taken up by our friend 

 " Nemo," who deserves the most hearty thanks of all honest 

 exhibitors ? 



There is one point that has not yet been mooted as to our 

 exhibitions that I for one should much like to see carried out — 

 viz., that every bird exhibited shall either have been bred by 

 the exhibitor or have been in his possession at least six months, 

 or else that the breeder's name be mentioned in the catalogues, 

 as is done at cattle shows. What credit is it to a man to gain 

 a prize or eommendation with a bird he has just bought? 

 Whereas, if he had bred it he would have far more satisfaction 

 in the prize ; also, those who might purchase eggs of him 

 for setting would know that they were purchasing eggs of a 

 man who had bred some good birds, and not, as I fear is some- 

 times the case, of one who keeps a lot of roughs, and a show- 

 pen bought of some one else to give his own a name. — Philip 

 Ceowley, Culverton House, Alto7i. 



[We have received the following additional signatures for 

 the protest: — 



W. A. Burnell, Winkburn Hall, Southwell. 



GeorginaBurrell, Stoke Park, Ipswich. 

 *0. E. Gresswcll, Hanworth Eectory, Hounslow. 



G. S. Cruwys (the Kev.), Cruwys Morohard Court, Tiverton. 



Francis James, Peckham Eye. 



Matthew Leno, Dunstable. 



Henry P. Leech, Woolpit, Bury St. Edmunds.] 



OAKHAM POULTRY SHOW. 

 In spite of the opinions Mr. Fowler has quoted, I think that 

 the management was not so perfect as it will no doubt be here- 

 after. I sent my birds to the Show on the understanding — 

 which, if I mistake not, I gathered from the prize list — that 

 they would be lodged in the Riding School, whereas, "An 

 Exhieitok" tells us that they were placed ia a cold tent, or, 

 rather, as your own correspondent calls it, " a spacious mar- 

 quee." This, possibly, could not be helped, and may not be a 

 breach of good faith, but I submit that on another point an 

 alteration would be an improvement. Although my residence 

 ia within 100 miles of Oakham, and close to a railway station, 

 I was obliged to send my birds away at mid-day on Monday, 



yet did not receive them again until Saturday. In fact, they 

 were absent almost as long as if they had been to Birmingham 

 instead of Oakham. The birds were, doubtless, well cared for 

 while at the Show ; but so protracted an absence from home 

 is as unnecessary as it is injurious. I would suggest that on 

 a future occasion, if the Show be held, as this year, on a 

 Wednesday and Thursday, the pens should not be required at 

 Oakham until 12 o'clock on Tuesday. The birds could then 

 travel on Monday night, and arrive fresh on Tuesday. The 

 judges, entering on their duties at noon on Tuesday, and con- 

 tinuing next day until 10 or 11 o'clock, would have ample time 

 to do their work properly. Finally, the birds should be dis- 

 patched homewards the moment the Show is closed, and 

 not be allowed to linger when delay may bring disease or 

 death.— E. M. B. A. 



TURKEYS' PENS AT EXHIBITIONS. 



Some time since I read in your Journal remonstrances from 

 unjustly imprisoned Turkeys at two poultry shows. In the 

 first instance the appeal was successfully made to the Bath 

 and West of England Society, and when I visited their show 

 at Salisbury I had the gratification of seeing these noble birds 

 displaying their plumage in extensive pens. In the other 

 case the Society ceased to exist, and, therefore, had not the 

 opportunity of following so good an example. 



At the Bristol Sbow now going on, I regret to observe a 

 revival of niggardly accommodation, the less pardonable in 

 these days of increased Turkey magnitude. Upon the floor is 

 a long, narrow row of dismal cells, through which it is almost 

 impossible to see the inmates, and these, if they survive their 

 five days' incarceration, are not likely to come out of it un- 

 scathed. 



Whilst writing upon the subject of Turkeys, I would suggest, 

 that as these birds are judged chiefly by weight, it would be 

 more satisfactory to exhibitors if the weights were affixed to 

 the pens, especially as in instances like the present other 

 points are hidden from view ! — The Tukkey's Advocate. 



BRISTOL AND CLIFTON POULTRY SHOW. 



"VVe are vcrj- glad that the Committee, by their boldiie.ss and liberal 

 schedule, have at leugth pat this Sbow nest to Birmingham, liaTing 

 exceeded Manchester by tweuty-two pens ! We rejoice the more 

 because tbey lost heavily by each previous Exhibition. In numbers 

 the pens were — of Dortings, 111 ; Spanish, y9 ; French fowls, 56 ; 

 Polish, 2-1; Cochins, 164 ; Brahmas, 110; Hamburghs, 109 ; Game, 

 MB; Game Bantams, 80; other Bantams, 65 ; *' Other varieties," 49 ; 

 Bucks, 43 ; Turkeys, 16 ; Goese, 7. 



In Brahmas the hen class was much better than at Birmingham. 

 Cocks and cockerels were rather poor on the whole; but the pullet 

 class was surjiassingly superior. There was hardly a bad pair. The first- 

 prize birds at Birmingham were here only highly commended, and the 

 cup Liverpool hens not even mentioned. Ia iJorhings, Mr. Douglas's 

 pen was excellent, though it was only highly commended. The birds 

 were worth their price of £25, Some of the best birds were passed 

 over, apparently because tampered with notably. We are told, but 

 wait for further information, of trimmed hocks, and several very 

 good Buff Cochin-Chinas, which were plucked at the tails. Also, that 

 several excellent Game birds seemed to be passed over on account of 

 the hackle being pulled out. We hope to publish further detaUa next 

 week. 



Dorkings (Coloured).— CocfccrfiL— First and Cup, H. Linj^wood. Bark- 

 ing, Needham Market. Second, J. Martin, Clainet^, Worcester. Third, J. 

 Elyar, Osmanthorpe Hall, Newark. Hi^fhly Commended. Mrs. Arkwright ; 

 J. Martin ; O. E. Cresswell, Hanworth ; L. Fatten. HlUmore, near Taun- 

 ton ; T. Rogers, St. Helen's ; Rev. G. Hustler, StilUcgfleet Vicarage, York. 

 Commended, R. W. Beachey, Kingskerswell ; J. S. Lowndes, Hartwell, 

 Aylesbury. Pullets. — First and Commended, R. W. Beachey. Second, H, 

 Lingwood. Third, L. Patton. Highly Commended, Hon. H. W. Fitzwilliam, 

 M.F., Wentworth Woodhouse ; J. Douglas, Clumber ; Mrs. A. C. Thynne, 

 Penstowe, Stratton ; Mrs. M. Seamons, Hartwell. Aylesbury; Mrs. Ark- 

 wright, Etwall Hall, Derby; Lieut. -Col. Lane, Bracknell; L. Patton ; H. 

 E. Brown ; Miss J. Milward, Newton St. Loe. 



Dorkings {Coloured).— CocA:.— First, L. Patton. Second and Third, J. 

 Martin. Highly Commended, Dr. Campbell; Mrs. Arkwright. Com- 

 mended, Hon. H. W. Fitzwilliam, M.P. Hens —First and Cop, J. Fox, St. 

 Bees. Second, Dr. Campbell. Third, Lieut, -Col. Lane. Highly Com- 

 mended, C. Cork, New Shoreham. Commended, Hon. H. W, Fitzwilliam, 

 M.P. ; J. Douglas. 



Dorkings (Silver-Grey). —Coc/ccrrL — First, Lieut.-Col. Lane. Second, 

 J. S. Lowndes. Tiiiii.1, O. E. Cresswell. Pullets.— First, D. Hardie, 

 Sorbie. Second, J. Blead, Bilstou Road, Wolverhampton. Third, J, 

 Elgar. 



i)ORKiNG3 (Silver-Grey). — Cock. — First, J. Shorthose, Newcastle-on- 

 Tyne. Second, R. Smalley, Lancaster. Third, Miss Hales, Canterbury. 

 Hevs.— First, J. Longlaud, Greudon. Second, Rev. J. F. Newton, lui-by- 

 in-CIeveland. Third, D. Hardte. 



Cochins (Cinnamon and Buff).— Co cA-^r^Z.— First, Cup, and Second, W, 

 A. Taylor, Manchebtcr. Third, H. Lingwood. Very Highly Commended, 



