[ December 3, IcCS. 



JODBNAL OF HOBTICULTOBK AND OOTTAGB QABDENEB. 



4^3 



or no coutiaat, and silver looks like a blue washed out — like a 

 washed giQI^l^am gown. Ked, if good, which it rarely is, is 

 another distinct and excellent colour. 



But next in regard to Baldheads when flying. The black 

 and white with clean thighs look better when on the wing than 

 any other Tumblers whatsoever; and during many years I have 

 never had a Black Bald that did not tumble, the hens as a rule 

 tumbliug less than the cocks. At the same time I never had 

 a Buff or a Bed that did more than back, but not go over. I 

 have seen some Blues tumble, but found it was the exception 

 and not the rule. None of the latter-named colours look bo 

 well in the air as the Blacks ; and considering the tumbling 

 power of the latter it is no wonder that my preference has been 

 for them, especially as they do not over-tumble like the liollers. 

 I imagine the Black is the genuine colour, and that the other 

 colours were imported from some other Pigeon — a Turbit or 

 Jacobin, perhaps. 



If any one is in search of pretty ornamental pets — pets of 

 very striking appearance, perfectly healthy, and giving no 

 manner of trouble, I recommend him to breed Baldheads. A 

 flight i^f all Black is very pleasing to the eye when on the wing, 

 but if of all the colours procurable there would be variety ; and 

 the Beds, Yellows, and Blues look charmingly when parading 

 the ground or basking on the roof. 



I remember an amusing scene when I kept Baldheads with 

 Antwerps. The little fat plucky Tumblers would try to keep 

 up with those winged racehorses. Of coiuse, it is best never 

 to keep any other Pigeons with Tumblers, except a few Pouters, 

 which show off the little fellows so well, and, not caring to fly 

 much, do not bring down the Tumblers. 



As to Beards, I think they must be regarded as less valuable, 

 less striking, and less ornamental than Baldheads. Just a 

 little dash of white running from the lower part of the beak, is 

 not to be compared, I think, with the clear bald head. But 

 the Beards are fine Pigeons, though rather cut- throats in look, 

 and deserve to be cultivated ; they are of the same colours as the 

 Balds. Just as one fancier might take up with Baldheads, so 

 another might take up with Beards. Tastes happily differ, and 

 a loft of all the different colours offers a pretty sight. This, I 

 think, unless you are a Crojsus, and have immense lofts, is the 

 best way to enjoy fancy Pigeons, take up a certain variety, and 

 work it out and up thoroughly. 



Both Balds and Beards make excellent nurses for the Short- 

 faced Tumblers. I would recommend fanciers to breed flying 

 Beards less coarse. 



Among " Tumblers in general," I ought just to have named 

 the kji'lashed. Mottled, &o. ; in fact, there are Flying Tumblers 

 of all colours. I must differ from some writers in regard to 

 Tumblers having homing properties. My opinion is, that tin- 

 cross^'.d by the Skinnatn, they have no homing properties at 

 all. I have moved Tamblexs two miles, not one returned; I 

 have bought Tumblers one mile Qiatant, they never went back 

 to their former owner; I have bought Tumblers in the same 

 town, and flown them, they never forsaking my loft. I believe 

 you might buy them at one end of a street, and keep them at 

 the other end, and in a month's time they would, if weU fed, 

 not return to their former home. Such is my opinion. — 

 Wiltshire Eectob. 



P-S.— In regard to "E.W.'s" remarks, entitled "Tumbler 

 Pigeons," I am sure he enjoys his pets, and deserves to do so, 

 and he rightly describes the act of tumbling ; but I am afraid 

 he will never get the fancy to view the beautiful Short-faced 

 birds as other than the highest class of their variety. Witness 

 the prizes given to them, and the prices given for them, and 

 the esteem in which they have been held for above a century ; 

 but of them more fully next time. Mr. Brent says, "Pearl 

 eyes are essential for all Tumblers." I should never dream of 

 keeping a Tumbler an hour that failed in this particular. 



often seen to be greedily devoured by the Dnoks. — Alfred 

 CuowLEY, Crotjdon. 



DISCOLOURED DUCKS' EGGS. 



I CAN quite confirm the opinion expressed in page 412 as to 

 the cause of the dark colour in Ducks' eggs at this time of 

 year. 1 have a good many oaks about my place here, and my 

 Docks often have access to the falling acorns, and such eggs as 

 were recently laid when the acorns were lyicg about were in- 

 variably IbiiB discoloured — perfectly good and fresh for cook- 

 ing puiposes, bnt auything but sightly objects for the break- 

 fast table. I have lizard from other quarters that acorns were 

 the cau?e, and my own experience quite confirms it. One oak 

 tree over'Langs the dnckpond, ana the ncorn?, as they fell, were 



JERSEY— ITS LIVE STOCK. 



The climate of Jersey, from its warmtli and geniality, yet 

 non-enervating character, is quite first-class for roaring live 

 stock. Yet all kinds of Uve stock, except the celebrated island 

 cattle, are still very far from first-rato. Those, however, who 

 feel an interest in their prosperity must look at the improve- 

 ment in them during the last few years, rather than at their 

 present shortcomings. 



The beautiful Jersey cows have always been bred with oar?, 

 and protected in their purity by stringent enactments of the 

 States, for no cow or bull of any other breed is allowed to land 

 under any pretence. And wonderfully has this care and pro- 

 tection lold upon the race. Twenty or twenty-five years ago 

 really handsome cattle in a field formed a sight sufliciently 

 rare to attract attention ; but now any which are very faulty 

 are quite the exception, and the beautifully ornamental littlo 

 kiue with the delicate head, the mild eye, the straight back 

 and fine, sleek coat embellish almost every tract of pasture in 

 the country. The old Jersey breed of cows was always famous 

 for productiveness in milk and cream; they were fine in the 

 head and limbs, with a soft eye and a crumpled horn, but 

 faulty in many points. They were the origin of the Alderney 

 race, having been sent there in 170S, and were used as a cross 

 in the formation of that northern favourite, the Ayrshire 

 breed. But it has been since the inauguration of Hie Boyal 

 Jersey Agricultural Society that the points have been settled, 

 the breed brought nearly to perfection, and its price ■•icreaaed 

 from £10 to £12 per head to sums ranging from £21 to £50 

 for cows, and from £15 to £70 for bulls. Heifers use.l to sell 

 for £4 or £G, now they are from £12 to £25. 



The points of the Jersey cow are, I believe, SG in -..umber. 

 Genealogy, 2; those belonging to head, throat, hoi; =, ears, 

 and eye, i) ; neck, chest, and form, 4 ; back, 2 ; tail, 2 ; skia 

 and coat, 3 ; limbs and hoofs, 7 ; udder, teats, and milk vein, 

 4 ; growth, general appearance, and condition, 3 : in all 3G. 

 According to Col. Le Couteur (a first-rate authority) the Com- 

 mittee of the Agricultural Society chose for forming a type 

 the two best cows which could be found, and, from the fore 

 quarters of one and the hind quarters of the other, drew a 

 model of perfection which has never been bred up to in every 

 point, but I believe within one of the goal has been attained. 

 I can speak from experience of the produce of this beautiful 

 breed. The beef is excellent, small, compact, and fine in 

 flavour, and the milk is unsurpassed and unsurpassable, rich 

 and sweet, but, of course, here, as in other places, sometimes 

 tampered with. The butter is better than any I have known 

 elsewhere, but it is not cheap, unless goodness be set down at 

 money value. The price is generally Is. Id. at the cheapest 

 period of the year, and it graduates from that to Is. f'd. and 

 even sometimes 2s. at the dearest. The butter is made up into 

 round pats, tapering to the base, weighing 1 lb. eaou, and the 

 Jersey pound consists of 17} ozs. Stringent market laws 

 enforce good weight. Any market woman offering underweight 

 pats is not only compelled to forfeit her butter and her basket, 

 but all such delinquents are marched in procession to convey 

 the forfeited wares to the Hospital (where it is given for the 

 use of the inmates), a distance of a mile or more through the 

 town. 



These pretty cattle are of the gentlest possible disposition, 

 and although they are hearty they aie not allowed to be wasteful 

 ftoders, for they are tethered in the paslure. The tethers are 

 removed about three times a-day, and of course the feeding is 

 clean and economical. The Jersey cow ha; bfen accused of 

 being a great eater ; but is it reasonable to expect a creature so 

 productive as regards both the quantity and the quality of the 

 milk to be other than hearty in appetite ? Traffic in cows and 

 bulls is quite a pteple trade with England, America, and other 

 countries. The last secretary of the Fioyal Jersey Agricultural 

 Society was at great pains to establish a herd bi.ok, which will 

 of course tend in a valuable degree to the fuiiher perfecting of 

 this beautiful stock. 



The ragged, rough old Jersey horse had a valuable cross at 

 the beginning of the present century with an accidental impor- 

 tation of Tartarian stallions, belonging to some Kussian troops, 

 which could not be landed in Ent.;land in 1801, and Col. Le 

 Couteur described the result of this cress in 1830 as '^ a hardy, 

 active, fine-lirsbcd animal, with a small head and bright eye ;" 



