January 14, 1869. ] 



JOURNAL OP 'HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



37 



am told, there was a deficit of ilflO, determined to exceed their former 

 efforts, and were rewarded, I am glad to say, with triumidiiiut success. 

 No less than tweutv-two silver cups, ranging in value from ten to three 

 pniineas, were offered for comiictitinn, aud the prize list in other respects 

 was equally liberal. 10:10 entries of poultry, and 1 S7 of Pigeons, proved 

 that exhibitors were prepared to respond to such an invitation, the 

 result being a show such as the west of England has never seen before, 

 and probably equal to any that has ever been held out of Birmingham. 

 The Kitle Hall is admirably adapted for a show, while the arrangements 

 generally seemed good. I heard, indeed, of an unfortnnato exhibitor, 

 who missed a bird from one of his pens, and on inqniring. ascertained 

 that it was still in the basket ; such accidents, however, will happen in 

 the best regnlated assemblies, and I can only wish him better luck next 

 time. On another occasion, the Committee may think it advisable to 

 increase the number of the judges. Two seemed scarcely suHicient for 

 more than a thousand pens of poultry, particularly when the best birds 

 in the kingdom were brought into competition for prizes of no oi-dinary 

 value. 



Entering the Show with a Hamburgh breeder, I proceeded at once 

 to his favourite classes. " Just look at the trimming ! " he exclaimed; 

 "there is scarcely a bird in these classes whose comb is not trimmed." 

 Inspecting the birds rather more closely than usnal, I could not but 

 agree with him that something had been done to make rough combs 

 smooth. A razor, apparently, had in some instances been dra^vn across, 

 to cut off uneven points and to remove irregularities. So universal 

 did this appear, that I could not but admire the chivalry of *' Ne:\io " 

 and his faithful few, who hope to check, if not suppress, the practice. 

 In the course of conversation I found that my friend who hates the 

 habit had adopted it himself, but would gladly relinquish it. Would 

 it not be better, I suggested, to acknowledge it as allowable than enter 

 upon what I fear will be an unavailing crusade ? For my own part, 

 after seeing and hearing all I did at Bristol, I am inclined to doubt 

 the wisdom of this new movement. You will never persuade the great 

 majority of exhibitors to send their hii'ds wholly untrimmed to shows, 

 when a little trimming will greatly improve them. If trimming is 

 allowed in all cases, as, remember, it is already in some, it will then 

 be neither morally wrong nor in any way dishonest. The best birds, 

 plus trimming, will then win just as they do now ; the only difference 

 being that all will be put ux^on the same footing, and one man wUl not 

 bo regarded as a rogue whilst another can claim to be still a gentleman. 

 Some such rule as this seems necessary for the protection of those 

 who love the fancy yet bate dishonesty. 



These remarks will, I fear, ronse the ire of some of your readers ; if 

 30, let them remember that I am not advocating or defending such 

 practices as inserting false tails, colouring Canaries, or removing spurs 

 which are outside the leg. With others I rejoiced to find that the Judge 

 had passed over a magnificent Dorking cock (which, if I mistake not, 

 has won high honours this season), because his spurs had been removed. 

 " But is not this great inconsistency ?" exclaims an opponent of trim- 

 ming ; " you allow exhibitors to trim combs, yet object to the removal 

 of spurs." The difference, I must admit, is not one of kind, but only 

 of degree ; yet after all, the difference is important, one of the points 

 in a Dorking cock is that his spurs shall not gi-ow outside his leg, so 

 that a good judge carefully examines this feature, and should at once 

 disqualify any bird from which the spurs have been taken away. You 

 may as well cut oft" a Hamburgh's comb as remove a Dorking's spurs. 

 It seems to me, then, simply impossible to prevent trimming altogether. 

 If you wholly forbid it, honest men will have no chance, for judges can- 

 not always discover when trimming has taken place ; but allow it in a 

 moderate degree, you take away the moral turpitude otherwise attach- 

 ing to it, while, on the other hand, if the practice is carried to an 

 excess, it can readily he discovered, and so be checked by the judges. 



It was a pleasure to find that my Hamburgh friend, although an 

 unsuccessful exhibitor, was quite satisfied with the awards, although 

 he did not think the Golden-spangled liamlnirah^ first-rate in point 

 of quality. To my mind many of the birds seemed too small. I am 

 aware that in birds of feather, weight and size are supposed to be of 

 no importance, but as a utilitarian, I cannot but think they would be 

 more serviceable if larger in size. Their ultimate destination, after 

 all, must be the boiling pot ; if so, surely size should be considered. 

 A yard of fine Golden-spangled Hamburghs is to my taste a grand 

 sight, and quite as interesting as one made up of smaller birds. 



Passing to the Fraich fowls, we thought that one of the first-prize 

 pullets was ruptured, but this may have been a mistake. The SiHtnish 

 were, as a matter of course at Bristol, of the primest quality. Miss 

 Hyde's first-prize and cup cockerel was at once claimed at £1.5 lo5. 



Proceeding to the Dorkinijs^ I could not but be struck with the 

 Coloured class, which comprised birds from almost all the best 

 breeders in the kingdom. Mr. Fox's first and cup birds were quite 

 deserving the position assigned them, being unexceptionahle in every 

 point. I cannot say that I much admii-ed the first-prize pullets, they 

 seemed to me knock-L-need and narrow-breasted ; one of the pullets, 

 too, had almost a cnp comb, but their colour — for Dorkings are in some 

 degree, as I think, birds of colour and condition — was perfect. Mr. 

 Patten's entries were all excellent in colour and size, but the toes 

 of his hens, which were not so successful as his other birds, were set 

 too high up the legs. The glorious uncertainty of poulti-y-showing 

 was never better illustrated than in the Coloured cockerel class, where 

 a fourth-pi-ize Birmingham bird was not even noticed. Mr. Ling- 

 wood's fii-st-prize and cup cockerel was a grand bii'd, although his feet 



wera not quite perfect. Mr. Cresswell was fortunate in obtaining a 

 high commendation for a bird, with a wattle swollen to more than 

 treble the usual size. In the Silver-Groj-s the competition was far 

 less close. The first-prize hens were, if I mistake not, the same as 

 have won wherever exhibited this year ; their size is wonderful, but 

 they looked overshown. Mr. Shorthose'e first-prize cock is one of the 

 finest birds I ever saw, notwithstanding a few white spots on his breast, 

 and slightly gouty feet. 



The Rouen Ducks on this occasion succumbej to the Aylesbury, the 

 first-prize cup pen of the latter weighing 17^ lbs., whilst the former, 

 first and second prize, weighed Iti! lbs. and i:i\ lbs. respectively. In 

 the class for Gnsc, the three pens which were noticed weighed 53, 

 ■18!, and 41} lbs. The closest run, however, was with the Turkeys, 

 the three prize pens of which weighed, 45, 4-13 and 44 lbs. each. 



Before the Exhibition closed the sales amounted to more than £200, 

 the Light Brahmas, especially, going off quickly. A local paper states 

 that Mr. Hyde's first- prize pullets were sold at £15, and that Mr. Cross- 

 ley's two pens of Carrier Pigeons were claimed at £20 a-pen. — 

 E. M. B. A. 



ABERDEEN POULTEY SHOW. 



The Northern Poultry Club's third annual Exhibition was held ia 

 the Artillery Gymnasium, Aberdeen, on the 7th and 8th inst. It was 

 a splendid show of poultry, and a fine one of Pir/ran.^^ not a bad bird 

 heing exhibited among the latter. We hope to give a fuller report 

 next week. 



GkilE.— Cock.— YiTst and Second, J. Anderson, Meigle. Third, W. 

 Bowe, Carlisle. Highly Commended, J. H. Wilson, St. Bees. Ben!.— 

 First and Second. J. Anderson. Third, R. MacGregor, Perth. Highly 

 Commended, F. M'Crae, Aberdeen ; W. Bowe. Ch ickens.— First, Cup, and 

 Second, C. Jamieson. Third, J. Erough, Carlisle. Highly Commended, 

 J. Anderson ; W. Bowe. Commended, J. Scott, Broughty Ferry. 



Spakish.— CocJ,-.— First, Master A. Redpatb, Edinburgh. Second, 

 W. Meff, Ruthrieston, Aberdeen. Third, Bowman & Foaron, Whitehaven. 

 Highly Commended, S. Mitchell, Aberdeen. iTcnj.— First, Master A. 

 Redpath. Second, W. Meff. Third, A. Gibb, Panmure Feus, Broughty 

 Ferry. Highly Commended, S. Mitchell ; J . Hav, Aberdeen. Chickens, 

 —First and Cup, Master A. Redpath. Second and Third, W. Meff. Highly 

 Commended, A. Copland, Kintore ; Mrs. F. M'Crae. Aberdeen. 



Dorkings (Silver-Grey!.—CocJ:.— First, W. Meff. Second, A. Bowie, 

 jun., Carnoustie. Third, .1. Catto, Aberdeen. Highly Commended, J. 

 Robertson, Dyee : W. Meff. Commended, J. Simpson, Brigton, Dnrris. 

 Hens.— First, Cup, and Second, W. Meff. Third, A. Bowie, jun. Highly 

 Commended, A. F. WilUamson, Caskiebon Mains, Blackbm-n. Chickens. 

 —First and Thu-d, A. F. Williamson. Second, W. Meff. 



DoRKiNOS (Anv other colour).— Coct.— First, J. Gordon, Manar, In- 

 verurie. Second, J. Anderson. Third, Mrs. F. M'Crae, Aberdeen. Highly 

 Commended, H. Pickles, jun., Earby, Skipton ; Gunson & Jefferson, 

 Whitehaven. Commended, W. Mefi'. Hens.— First, J. Anderson. Second, 

 Miss H. R. Lind, Ladiesford, Fraserburgh. Third, J. Clark, Fochabers 

 Station. Highly Commended, J. Anderson ; H. Pickles, jun. ; J. Gordon; 

 A. Bowie, jun. Commended, D. Gellatly, Meigle. Chickens.— Vast, J. 

 Anderson. Second, J. Clark. Third, J. Shorthose, Newcastle-on-Tyne. 



CocHrx-CHiNA (Anv colour).— Coci. — First, J. Stuart, Helensburgh- 

 Second, G. Mun-av, Aberdeen. Third, J. H. Dawes, Birmingham. Highly 

 Commended, G. Murray Aberdeen ; B. C. Urquhart, Meldrum andBythe, 

 Oldmeldrum ; W. Meff. Hois.— First, Second, and Highly Commended, 

 G. Murray. Third, Mrs. Osw.ald, Kirkcaldy. Commended, Gunson and 

 Jefferson, Whitehaven. CMckcm.—Yiiat aiid Cup, G. Murray. Second, 

 J. Stuart. Thistlebank, Helensburgh. Third, J. M. Dawes, Birmingham. 

 Highlv Commended, Mrs. Stronacb, Aberdeen. 



Brahma Pootra. — Cocts.— I'irst, B. C. Urquhart, Oldmeldrum. Se- 

 cond, J. A. Dempster, Stirling. Third, K. .Jopp, Aberdeen. Highly 

 Commended, J. Anderson ; K. Jopp. Commended, G. Dixon, jun.,West- 

 shand, Whitehaven. Hens. — First and Cup, J. Anderson. Second, J. A, 

 Dempster. Third. K. Jopp. Highly Commended, W. Meff; K. Jopp. 

 Commended, F. W. Gray, Aberdeen. Cfticfceas.— First, Second, and 

 Third, K. Jopp. , _. , - 



French (Houdans, Creve-Cceurs, and La Flechel. — Cock. — First, J. 

 Allen. Kilbimie. Second, W. R. Park, Melrose. Third, R. O. Farqnharson, 

 Haughton. Highlv Commended, B. C. Urquhart; R. O. Farquharson. 

 Hens.- First, W. 'R. Park. Second. Mrs. A. G. Pirie, Aberdeen. Third 

 and Highly Commended, B. C. Urquhart. , 



Hambdrghs (Golden or Silver-pencilled).— Cocfc. — First, G. Lamg, 

 Perslev, Aberdeen. Second, J. D. Skene, Aberdeen. Third, G. Campbell. 

 TiUinamolt, New Pitsligo. Highly Commended, A. Pratt. Kirkcaldy. 

 Commended, R. M'Gregor, Kinnoul. Hens.— First, J. Baird, Cambroe. 

 Second, J. Hay, jun. Third, A. Pratt. 



HA3IBUEGHS (Gold-spanglcd).—Cof-'.-.— First, D. P. Eeoch, Stewarton. 

 Second, Mrs. Brown, .\bercairnev. Third, J. CampbeU, Bonnykelly, New 

 Byth. £re7M— First, P. Campbell, Oldwhat. Second, J. F. Loversidge, 

 Newark. Third, Mrs. Brown. 



Hahecrghs I Silver-spangled).— Cocl-.-First and Cup, J. M'.Vndrew, 

 sen., Carnoustie. Second, H. Pickles. Third, J. Sharp, Johnstone. 

 He«8.— First, J. M. CampbeU. Second, J. Wilson, jun. Third, ,W. K, 

 Park. 



Any other 'VARrETY.- First, J. Gordon. Second, G. W. Bootnby, 

 Louth. Third, D. Gellatly. 



Game Bantams.— Cocfc.— First, G. Dowie, Nethcrton, Morpeth, se- 

 cond, R. Brownlie, Kirkcaldy. Third. J. Scott, Jedburgh. Hcjis.— First, 

 Cup, and Second, A. Dewar, Skene. Third, Bowman & Fearon. Highly 

 Commended. Mrs. F. M'Crae. 



Bantams (.4ny other varietv).— First and Third. Mrs. K. Frew, Sm- 

 clairton, Kirkcaldy. Second, T. Watson, Bridae ot Earn. 



DCCKS (Aylesbury).- First. A. Haggart. Leslie. Second. J. Anderson. 

 Third, A. Cowio, Ellon. Highly Commended, J. Thom, Culsh, New Deer. 



DrcKs (Anv other variety).— First and Secnnd, J. Anderson. Third, 

 Gunson & Jefferson. Highly Commended. A. Farqnhar. Elrick. 



ToRKEvs.-First, Miss Booth. Second, Mrs. Garland, Caimton. Third, 

 Mrs. Stronacb. Commended, B. C. Urquhart. 



