January 7, 1669. 1 



JOtmkAIi OF HORTICULTORE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



21 



all parts of the kin Rdom— Manchester, Yorkeliire, Plymoutli, 

 Lincolnshire, Kent, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, London, &c. 



MANCHESTER POULTRY SnOW. 



It is now ciRht ycnrs since tlicsc annnal cxLibitions at Belle Vno 

 Gardens were iirst 'inslitnted )jy the spirited jirorrietors, the Messrs. 

 Jennison. and althoiiRh at tirst many persons foretold that non-suo 

 cess wonUl as certainly be their fate as it had been in the jase of all 

 similar attempts at Manchestir, the result has been quite the reverse 

 of these anticipations. It would be difficult to point out any of our 

 poultry meetings more popular than thoso annually hold at the Man- 

 chester Zoolof^ical Gardens. No doubt one of the principal causes of 

 success has been the uUTaryinR determination of the Messrs. .lenuisnu 

 to keep good faith with the public at all hazards, and without allowing 

 the slijihtost breach of rules. All payments are made with a punctu- 

 ality the more to be appreciated when contrasted with the arrange- 

 ments of many other committees. Again, the proprietors of Belle 

 Vue never hand over to subordinate.s any supervision of their Show, 

 but keep it all in their own hands, whilst each person employed dili- 

 gently fulfils the duties specially allotted him. From this wise division 

 of labour everything is not only done well but with promptitude, and 

 the greatest advantages result, for the enl of many shows is entirely 

 avoided — viz., the shifting of particular duties from one member of a 

 committee to another, till not nnfreijoeatly the arrangements are not 

 carried out at all, or at best but very inefficiently. Difficulties are 

 inevitable where poultry committees neglect to adopt a well-matured 

 plan of operations, and those gentlemen who have so frequently ex- 

 perienced the troubles that are constantly occurring at poultry shows, 

 would act wisely to imitate closely the plans adopted by Messrs. 

 Jennison, and like them enforce to the very letter the rules laid down, 

 without the slightest distinction to purse or person. 



This year's Show was singularly well filled, more than one thousand 

 pens of poultry competing, and we can with confidence say, the almost 

 nniform quality of the birds exhibited was infinitely superior to that 

 found at the generality of shows. The Dorlcinij classes were such as 

 are very rarely equalled, and many of the birds were in the highest 

 possible condition, never having been previously exhibited. Spanish 

 fowls were good, but the cock classes were not, perhaps, quite so 

 perfect as have been seen at former shows, many noted exhibitors re- 

 taining their best specimens for the Bristol Show. The pullets and 

 hens, however, were remarkably good. All the Coehijis were of 

 superior quality, and the first-jTrize Buff pullets were gems. The 

 Brahma.'i were large and wonderfully improved, and no doubt the 

 Light-feathered are fast pushing into public favour, most strenuous 

 efforts being now made by breeders of this variety of fowls to insure 

 their popularity. All varieties of PnJi^h fowls were shown in great 

 perfection, and we feel perfectly assured that these useful and orna- 

 mental breeds will again become, on their own merits, as popular as 

 they were twelve or fifteen years back, when, from the paucity of 

 entries, many committees positively expunged them from their prize 

 schedules rather than give them the continued support they so well 

 deserved. The Game classes abounded in the best of birds, and we 

 heard a noted breeder of these fowls state, after the opening of the 

 Show, " There were six or seven Brown Reds in one class that no man 

 living could tell which was best, except as to condition." After the 

 most careful inspection this proved to be the case to a far greater 

 extent than we anticipated. Messrs. Challoner and Wood exhilated 

 Game fowls in the most unexceptionable condition. The Oti/nr 

 Jltintinrts were excellent, Mr. Crosland showing a splendid specimen. 

 Of iVater Fmrffi^ whether the useful or the strictly ornamental, the 

 show was excellent. Messrs. Jennison exhibited among Ornamental 

 Water Fowl some of the most beautiful breeds of the rarest descrip- 

 tion, which caused this portion of the Show to be singularly attractive. 

 French fowls were numerous, and in quality were great improvements 

 on those formerly exhibited. 



Pitjeonfi were a most important and succeEsfnl portion of the Exhi- 

 bition, and a class expressly for Doves was worthy of the general ad- 

 miration it received. At the conclusion of the Show the birds were 

 speedily forwarded homewards in excellent health and condition. The 

 Show was throughout remarkably well attended. 



We published a Ust of the awards last week. 



second for birds above one year old. In Class 1, Carriers, Mr. Hallam 

 carried off all three prizes. In Class 'J, Pouters, Mr. Stewart gained 

 the first and sec(md jjrizcs. In Class :i, Almonds, Mr. Hallam took 

 all three prizes. Class 4, Mottles and Rosewings. — In this Mr. Careless 

 took the first and second prizes. Class .'; was for Trumpeters : here 

 Mr. Taylor obtained all three prizes. Classti, Jacobiues. — Mr. AUsop 

 was iirst and second. Class 7, Fantails.— Mr. Stewart was awarded 

 the first and second prizes. In Class s, Barbs, Mr. Hallam was first 

 and third, Mr. Allsop second. Class 'J, Dragoons. — In this Mr. AUsop 

 was first, and Mr. Ludlow second. Class 10, Antwerps. — In the 

 opinion of nearly all the exhibitors, including the prizetakers, this 

 was not correctly judged. Mr. T. Marlow was first, Mr. Lndlow 

 second, Mr. J. Bradley third. This was a splendid class of birds, with 

 remarkable colour and carriage. In Class 11, "Any other variety,'' 

 Mr. Noye was first with a beautiful specimen of the Satinette breed, 

 which was also honoured with the extra prize offered by the President 

 of the Society for the best young bird in the show. The same exhi- 

 bitor took the second prize ivith a Brunette of the most deUcate plumage. 



In the second division there were nineteen entries. In Class 1, 

 Carrier cocks, Mr. Taylor was first, Mr. Hallam second. Class 2, 

 Carrier hens. — Mr. Hallam was first, Mr. Ludlow second, and Mr. 

 Allsop third. In Class 3, Pouter cocks, Mr. Stewart gained the first 

 prize with a very superior bird, which I believe to be the same speci- 

 men styled the '" King of the Blues." To this bird was also awarded 

 an extra prize offered by Mr. Noye for the lest specimen among the 

 single birds. Mr. Stewart also carried off the second and third prizes. 

 Class 1 was for Pouter hens, and in this Mr. Stewart again took all 

 three prizes. Class 5, Almond and Short-faced Tumblers. — In this 

 Mr. Hallam was first. In Class C, Fantails, Mr. Stewart was first. 

 Class 7, Mottles and Rosewings. — Mr. Careless took all three prizes. 

 Class 8, Saddles. — In this Mr. Careless again carried off all three 

 prizes. Class 9, Badges. — Mr. Gordon took the three prizes. Class 10, 

 Jacobines.— Mr. Stewart was first, Mr. Allsop second. In Class 11, 

 Barbs, Mr. Allsop obtained all three prizes. In Class 12, Dragoons, 

 Blue, Mr. Ludlow was first and second. Class 13 was for Dragoons, 

 any other colour, Mr. Allsop being first, Mr. Ludlow second. Class 14, 

 Antwerps, Blue and Dun. — In this Mr. Marlow was first and second ; 

 he also obtuiued the extra prize offered by Mr. Lndlow for the best 

 pair of Antwerps. Mr. Bradley was third, and Mr. Noye extra third. 

 In Class 15, Antwerps, Blue Chequered and Dun Chequered, Mr. 

 Bradley was first, Mr. Noye second. Class lis " Any other variety in 

 pairs."— In this Mr. Noye was first with a beautifully pencilled pair 

 of Satinettes perfect in every point ; Mr. Stewart being second with 

 Satin Fairies, Mr. Taylor third. Class 17, Antwerp cocks.— Mr. 

 Bradley was first and third, Mr. Allsop second. This was an excellent 

 and strong class, bnt, as I have remarked, badly judged, the best birds 

 being overlooked ; they were exhibited Ijy Mr. Mailow and Mr. Ludlow. 

 Class 18, " Any other variety. " single birds. — Mr. Noye again, with 

 an irresistible Satinette, tooli the first prize and the second with a Bru- 

 nette ; Mr. Allsop was third with a Biirb. In Class 19, Long-mnffed 

 Tumblers, Mr. Careless was first and second. 



On the whole the Show, numbering about 165 pens, was a great 

 credit to the members of this Society, and afforded much enjoyment 

 to the large number of visitors, who were admitted free by presenting 

 a special card, or their own cards. 



BIRMINGHiVM COLUMBARIAN SOCIETY S 

 FOURTH SHOW. 



{From a Currespondent.) 



This Show was held on the 31st of December at the Odd Fellows 

 Hall, Birmingham. Three of the classes in the catalogue — namely. 

 Pouters, Antwerps, and " Any other variety," were represented by 

 specimens of very great merit. In the last two I may suy, without 

 exception, that no public show has yet proved such a treat. The mem- 

 bers, being thorough fanciers and not gain-seekers, do not desire to 

 send their specimens to public shows of a duration which imperils the 

 safety of the bu'ds in many ways. 



The catalogue comprised two divisions, the first being set apart for 

 yoimg single birds bred by the exhibitor during the year, and the 



THE LIMIT OF BEE PASTURAGE. 



I DISSENT entirely from the views of Jasper Hazen, as pre- 

 sented in an article copied from the " Bee Journal." My 

 views are founded not on theory alone, hut on actual experi- 

 ment, years in succession. Mr. Hazen will do well to try his 

 new hives more than two years before he asserts that all that 

 is required " to secure 150ij lbs. of surplus, is to put bees into 

 twelve of his hives." To any experienced beekeeper this 

 assertion has "axe-grinding" printed too legibly upon it! 

 "SVe all know that bees enough may be put into any large hive 

 or bee palace to secure a great amount of honey for one season, 

 but after that, when the offspring of only one queen is to be 

 depended on, the extra size of the hive is an injury rather than 

 a benefit. I knew an instance where four swarms of bees were 

 put into a small room fitted up in an attic, and the first season 

 550 lbs. were taken from the room and abundance left for 

 wiuter use. The next season CO lbs. were taken. Two seasons 

 followed when the bees merely lived, no new comb being bnilt, 

 and the winter following the bees died. If at the end of the 

 first season the conclusion had been drawn that this was the 

 way to secure great yields of surplus, how great would have 

 been the mistake ! 



I have made many experiments with various forms and sizes 

 of hives, and am fully persuaded that the right size and shape 

 are from 2200 square inches in a form not far from square. If 

 hives are made larger than this, not 1 inch more room is 

 occupied for brood, and yet they will swarm just as soon if 

 allowed to do it. I have placed under twenty Lingstroth 

 hives other hives well filled with comb in May, thus giving 

 them 4400 inches, and though the colonies thus treated were 



