Julj 9, 1S6S. I 



JODRNAIi OP HOBnOUIiT0EE AND COTTAGE GARDKNKB. 



3S 



for Hiem to mn over, it would insnre them a little fortune. 

 The truth lies, I thick, between these two opinions. Fuwla 

 ougli^ to pay well for what they eat, but not much for manage- 

 ment. Of course, I do not allude to show fowls at £50 a-pen, 

 but fowls and their epgs sold at the ordinary market prices. 



Having cottages in my orchards which are laid down in 

 grass, I can keep almost any number of fowls, so have five lots, 

 of from one dozen to thirty in each place. The labourers' 

 wives receive lid. a-score for lookingup the eggs, which is all 

 the money paid for labour. The fowls have as much good 

 barley as they can eat without waste, once a day in summer 

 and twice a-day in winter. Chickens aio all reared at homo. 

 The result is, that the eggs and fowls sold pay for the corn 

 consumed, and leave a balance of from £5 to £10 ayear, 

 whilst a large household is well supplied with poultry and eggs 

 coating nothing. This has always appeared to me quite satis- 

 factory. Some of your readers might, perhaps, like to know 

 how this is managed, whilst others will think the result poor 

 in the extreme. 



Having made poultry a hobby for more than thirty years, I 

 should be happy to know how to manage better, and will gladly 

 take a lesson from those who obtain a better result. Having 

 touched uponagoodmaay subjects in "our Journal," I thought 

 — Suppose I give my ideas on poultry management ! 



First, eggs pay well ; chickens at a common market price do 

 not pay at all. If you intend to sell eggs. Silver-pencilled 

 Hamburghs will lay more eggs, particularly in winter, than 

 any other fowls, and Gold-pencilled the next. No others are 

 30 profitable, and none prettier, but they will not bear con- 

 finement. As I do not believe fowls are profitable or long 

 healthy in confinement, this is to me no objection ; but though 

 none pay like Silver-pencilled, I neither like to eat them nor 

 their eggs, they are small and inferior in flavour. The Gold- 

 pencilled laying nearly as well in winter, and their eggs being a 

 little larger, will be preferred by many. Those who have 

 several good grass rues will do well to keep both. As they 

 seldom eit, being what are called everlasting layers, some other 

 fowls mast be employed to rear chickens. I have a cross be- 

 tween the Cochin and Dorking for this purpose. But suppose 

 joa have one farmyard or grass field only ; in this case, I say. 

 Do not on any account keep any pure breed it the supply of 

 your own household and profit be your object. Are your fowls 

 too much inclined to sit? Procure for next year's breeding a 

 couple of well-bred Hamburgh cocks of any colour you prefer. 

 Are they too small? Get two Dorkings, change your cocks 

 every year, and let them be well-bred birds, not mongrels. 

 Yon can in this way have any kind of fowl as to size, &c., 

 because the chickens will resemble their well-bred sire almost 

 always. You will find the chickens much more easy to rear 

 than (hose of a pure breed, and the fowls are generally more 

 vigorous and healthy. 



Having made up your mind as to what fowls to keep, re- 

 member that young fowls lay more than old ones, so never kill 

 a pullet or keep a fowl two years old, unless an especial favourite. 

 Kill off all the young cocks as soon as they are fit to roast; 

 they are generally kept too long. In corn harvest commence 

 to kill oft the hens if in good condition, and they ought never 

 to be poor. 



At this time of the year eggs are cheap ; it you keep the 

 hens till they have given over laying, they will be moulting, 

 and are then unfit to kill, and will for many weeks yield no 

 return for their food. The chickens will do much better w'jeu 

 part of the hens are killed, as the yards will not be so crowded, 

 and the young pullets will have a quieter time of it when most 

 or all of the young cocks have followed the hens. Some will 

 say, " What are we to do with the hens? We cannot eat them, 

 and they will sell for a mere nothing." If your cook cannot 

 make an old hen in good condition better as boiled fowl than 

 any young chicken, she has not learnt her business. To my 

 taste nothing is so utterly flavourless as a young chicken 

 boiled. I never tasted a white kid glove boiled in milk, but if 

 boiled tender I think it would be nearly as good. A fat fowl 

 boiled gently for two hours and a hall is better thnn any 

 ehicken that was ever cookfcd. Now, do not go and kill some 

 poor skinny creature of a Cochin or Brahma that has never 

 had a full meal for a month, and whose breastbone i^ as pro- 

 minent as the back fin of a perch, and then sny, " It is just as 

 I thought, catch me eating old hens again." But if the hen is 

 of a respectable breed and fat, and does not come to table as 

 tender as a chicken and a great deal better, be sure it has not 

 boiled two hours and a half or more ; if boiled to rags, that it 

 has not boiled gently. 



I have been thus explicit, because to bo able to kill old fowte 

 without loss is the only way to make fowls profitable ; in other 

 words, keep nothing but pullets, rear early chickens, always 

 feed well, kill oft every year, and you will find poultry pro- 

 fitable. — J. R. Pearson, Chilwell. 



NEWMARKET POULTRY SHOW. 



Thk classes most conppiruona for excellence were tlioac for Qnj 

 Diirkings, which wore throughout woU Bhown, tho chickens being 

 a first-rate feature of tho meeting. The (Jame classea were not lass 

 excellent, and to a pen of Duckwings the Bilvor cup for tho beet MB 

 of poultry shown was awarded. They wlto the property of Mr. 

 Mathews, of Stowmarket ; hut by some mistake being, with several 

 pens sent by the same exhibitor, entered in the wrong class, a protest 

 aRainst their competing was given in to the Comaiitteo, bnt aftorwarfu 

 abandoned, as tho Honorary Secretary hail, by letter to tho exhibitor, 

 tngnged to correct tho error ; consequently this somewhat nnnsn*! 

 cnsagomcnt could not, under such circnmstanccs, bo otherwise than 

 fulfilled. We cannot refrain from again advising exhibitors to be 

 more careful in stating correctly at tho time of making their entrie* 

 the number of the class thiy purpose showing in ; as very little care 

 at that moment not only prevents trouble to tho managers of shows, 

 but the certainty, where rules are rigidly adhered to, of disqualification. 

 Cochin- Chinas, with the exception of the first and second-prize pen*, 

 were so indifferent that the third premium was withheld. Some very 

 superior Game Bantams were shown, among them being a pen rf 

 nnusually good coloured Duckwings. There was not a single entry ol 

 Sebrights, although prizci of the value of £2 5s. were offered. Ja- 

 panese, White-booted, and Silky Bantams were better than nsnal. 

 The Black Spanish class was the worst in tho Show, and conseqnent^ 

 no first prize was awarded. Bralima- Pootras were good, but tho dark- 

 feathered were most perfect ; each variety of feather, however, enjoyed 

 a separate competition. Some very good well-grown Uoudan chicken* 

 were shown in the Extra class, also Brahmas ; but the Sale olaaa 

 nnerpeetedly proved an entire failure, and no second prize was there- 

 fore giren. Turkeys had two classes, tho first being exclusively for the 

 Cambridge variety, and these were unquestionably good ; but in the 

 other class for any other variety of Turkey there was not a,8i^o 

 entry. Aylesbury Dncks were very good ; and in the "Variety ' Dock 

 class some Bnenos Ayrean of high quality were entered. Tho QoM 



were as good as conld be desired. 

 A very excellent collection of rlfiCQ 



u. very excellent collection oi / 'ir/euns was entered, Mr. Fulton taking 

 a large portion of tho prizes, likewise tho silver cup for tho best P™ of 

 Pigeons exhibited. A very large amount of money was taken at tn» 

 gate, and the weather left the visitors to tho full enjoyment of a pro- 

 tracted inspection. 



DoESlNos (Coloured).— First, Rev. C. H. Crosse, Cambridge. SocoBd, 

 H. Savile, Bafford Abbey, near Ollorlon. Highly Commpnaed, H. 

 LiuK^vood, Needham Market; Dr. Campbell, Brentwood; F. Parlett, 

 Great Baddow. Commended, W. Tippler, Roxwcll, near Chelmsford. 



Dorkings lAny variety except Coloured).— First, H. LingwooJ. Second, 

 Dr. lampbell. Chickem.—Fiisi, Rev. E. S. Tiddemnn, Childerdltdi 

 Vicar.lge, Brentwood. Second, H. Savile. Highly Commended, H. 

 Pickles. Commended, Lady L. Charteris, Atlleborongb. 



Game (Black-breisted or other Redl.— First, Cup, and Second, for bert 

 pen of Poultry in Show, S. Matthew, Chilton Farm, Stowmarket. HigMy 

 Commended, H. I.oe, Godshill, Isle of Wisht. Commended, W. B. 

 Jeffries, Ipswich: F R.Hall, Cnmbridgo (Black Rod). . 



Game (Any olher variety).— First and Second, S. Matthew (Duckwing 

 and Piles). , ,^ ^l -_*• 



CocHlN-CHrXA (Buff).— First, H. Lingwond. Second, Mrs; Chnabe, 

 Glyndebonrne, near Lewes. Third, Withheld. 



CaivE-CcEDRS.- First. Col. Stuart Wortley. Grove End Road, London. 

 Second, Lady L. Charteris. Commended, Mrs. M. Seamons, AyleBbajJ. 



HoDDANs —First, H. M. Mavnard, Hnlmewond, Ryde, Isle of Wight. 

 Second, W. Tippler. Commended, Col. Stuart Wortley. , „ _j 



Game Bantams (Any variety).— First, W. B. .Teffries, Ipswich. SeconJ, 

 F. Piltis. jun., Newport, Isle'of Wight. Highly Commended, Rev. O. H. 

 Crosse, OambridKe. Commended, J. Parlett, Huntingdon (Piles). 



Bantams (White).- First. Rev. F. Tearlc, Gazeley Vicarage. Second, 

 J. R. Jossoi), Hull. Highly Commended, Eev. F. Tearle. „ ,. „ 



Bantams (Blacls).- First, H. M. Maynard. Second, Messrs. S. « B. 

 Asbton. , . „ ,, 



Bantams (Any other variety) —First, C. Bamford, Impington Hall^Mr 

 Cambridge (Japanese-. Second, J. S. Tharp, Chippenham Park (White 

 Japanese). Highly Commended, J. E. Jessop, Beverley Road (Booted 

 Bantams). . -, ^ 



Hambi RGH3 (Golden-spangled). — First, H. Pickles, jnn. Beeond, 

 Messrs. S. & R. Anhton. Highly Commended, H. Pickloa, jun.; H. Loo. 



Hambobghs (Mlvei-spangled).- First and Commended, H. Picklee, Jos. 

 Second, J. Robinson, Tailsworth. near Manchoster. 



Hamborohs (Golden-pencilled).— First, F. Pittis, inn. Sx^"?. £• 

 Pickles, jun. Highly Commended, C. Havers. Commended, W. ■. 

 Mann. «■ ^ , o j 



HAMBUEOHa (Silver-pencUled).- First, W. M. Mann, Kendal. Seooad, 

 C. Havers. , . , „ tt 



Spanish.— First, Witl'hel.l. Second, C. Bamford, Impington Hall, near 

 Cambridge. Third, G. 9. Hall, Ely. „ „ » ,. -or > -^ 



Brahma-Pootka (Dark).— First and Second, H. P. Leech, Woolpit, 



" "brahma-Pootea (Light).— virst, F. Dowsett, PIoshey,near Chelm?Jori. 

 Second and Commended, H. M. Mnmnrd. „. . . „ t> __ 



Air? OTHER Variety not bepoek Mentioiti'd— First, A. S. Kne.ji^ 

 (Bilver-snanglpd Polish). Second, Lady L. Cbarteria (Buff Poland^. 

 Higlily Commended, T. Jolly. Newmarket (Grey Malays). Commonded, 

 W. Turner, Jan., Ipswich (Partridge GochinB). 



