Docombor 10, 18(58. ] 



JOUBNAL OF HORTIOOLTDBB AND COTTAGE GABDENBB. 



461 



dosGi-vinp: tho position they held, and, with pood judf^oa, will bo difficult 

 to boat anywhere. Mr. Ludlow was second with birds of n very ^'ood 

 rich colour, nnd they fully merited tho imsition allotted them. There 

 were only two pens of Keds, both ot which were bluish down tho 

 thighs and back. They are verj- ditlicult to procure of a good red 

 colour throughout. It was a good class. 



J)rnri<xms, Any other colour. — In this class of cleveu entries, Mr. 

 rorcivall was justly first, with a V017 beautiful ]mir of Silvers. They 

 were, indeed, handsome, and I believe wero sold easily. They were 

 Tory straight iu bead, compact iu form, beautiful in colour, and in all 

 respects a pair of Dragoons. Mr. ITorner was second witii a pair of 

 Whites, sadly too coarse in head, and heavy in wattle, but in good 

 condition, and looking quite at homo in a pen. Mr. Ludlow and Mr. 

 AUsop showed some very nice specimens — the former a pair of Whites, 

 bat rather soiled, the latter a very good pair of Silvers, the hen a little 

 too dark for the cock. 



Aitticcrps, — This large class, numbering twenty-eight entries, was 

 not ([uito so good as has been brought into competition in this .Show, 

 although some are all that can be desired. It was evident that the 

 best pair had been passed, being out of condition, bnt there were others 

 also, which, according to the general standard, were unnoticed, but 

 merited prizes more tUau the two pons to which those honours wero 

 awarded, and this is partly acknowledged by the exhibitors. The first- 

 prize birds. Blue Chequers, of Mr. Yai'dley's, did not match in colour, 

 and the cock was rather an inferior bird. The second- prize Duns, 

 Mr. Yardley's, deserved their place. The third prize was given to a 

 pair of Duns, which were not nearly so good in any respect but that 

 thoy matched in style better than several other pens — namely, one pair 

 of Duns exhibited by Mr. Taylor, and two ])airs of Dun Chequers ex- 

 hibited by Mr. Taylor and Mr. Nov-'-. This class has successively 

 proved largo enough to bo in future divided into two classes — viz.. 

 Blue, and Blue Chequers ; Dun, and Dun Chequers. Competition 

 would increase, and the extra prizes recompense the care and attention 

 bestowed so widely on such valuable birds. 



Nuns. — The first prize went to Mr. Bulpin, Bridgewater, Somerset ; 

 the second and third to Mr. Banks, Runcorn, Cheshire. The second- 

 prize pen to all appearance should have been placed higher. 



Turhits, Red or Yellow. — First, Mr. Horner ; second and thii'd, Mr. 

 Shaw — most deserving. 



Turbils, An)/ other Colour. — First, Mr. Bulpin, Blue ; second, Mr. 

 Homer, Silver. Mr. J. Thompson, Biugley, Yorkshire, showed a pair 

 of Blacks which were much more attractive than the second-jirize 

 Sr.vers. 



Oml.'i, Foreign. — First and second, Mr. Fielding, jun. ; the first 

 Bines, the second Whites. The second, with the exception of size, 

 are superior to the first in head. 



J'.'nj/lish Ou'ls. — First, Mr. Bulpin ; second, Mr. Watts, ot King's 

 Heatii, Birmingham — well merited. I trust to see the last two classes 

 a little stronger, as they are most worthy of attention. 



Archanrjcls. — First, Mr. Edge ; second, Mr. Bulpin. Pen 2700, 

 belonging to Mr. Yardley, I believe was the best in the class, as the 

 birds in the prize pens were rather bronzed on the wings, unless this 

 is a fashionably introduced point. 



tSmallmos. — First, second, and third, Mr. H. Paget, Birstall, Leices- 

 tershire. The first, a beautiful pair of Reds, found more than one 

 CQstomer, and were easily sold by auction for .£6 15s., though entered 

 for .f.i. 



Jiuiits. — First and second, Mr. Green, Saffron Waldcn, Essex ; 

 third, Mr. Yardley, wortliily awarded by weight. 



Aiu/ oth:r Varietij. — The pet class of visitors. In this Mr. Noye, 

 Birmingham, took the first with Satinettes, pronounced by one of the 

 Judges to be the prettiest pen in the Show. Evidently I was not mis- 

 taken when I wrote in this Journal that they had tired tho old judges 

 in awarding prizes to this variety. Equal first, Mr. Draycott, Humber- 

 stone, near Leicester — Frillbacks, a very good pau*. The three second 

 prizes went to Mr. Draycott, Mr. Yardley, and Mr. Paget, for birds 

 all of the Ice-Toy stamp, or the same character of birds in different 

 colours. The three third prizes were won by Mr. W. Banks, of Run- 

 com, Cheshire ; Mr. Horner, Leeds ; and Mr. Yardley ; the two again 

 of the German " chance variety," and the other a pair of Lahores, by 

 Mr. Banks, which were rather out of place, as there was a pen of 

 Dots shown by Mr. Baily, jun., also a pen of Russian by Mr. Loder, 

 far prettier. 



In concluding my remarks, I must say that the duties of the Judges 

 were rather too heavy, and I wonder how the three managed with 

 120 pens more than last year, especially those of Messrs. Ridpeth and 

 Esquilant, as Mr. Harrison Weir and Dr. Cottle only judged the 

 Almond Tumblers, the Carriers, and the Pouters, and the first two 

 gentlemen all the other classes. I should like to Imow who thus 

 arranged the work, and why Messrs. Weir and Cottle did not under- 

 take also the Dragoons, and the Short-faced classes, including Balds 

 and Beards, However, this greatest of English shows has made 

 an acquisition in the services of the two newly-appointed Judges, 

 Messrs. Ridpeth and Esquilant, and they have been most justly severe in 

 disqualifying, which will do much good to future shows. — A FonEiGNER. 



[We have received letters from Mr. Barnes, and others, all agreeing 

 in praising the judgment displayed in assigning the prizes, and the 

 firmness in disqualifying birds that were either coloured or not paired. 

 There were, of course, some oversights, despite the acknowledged vigi- 

 lance of the Judges. — Eds.] 



ARTIFICES OP THE PIGEON EXHIBITORS AT 

 THE BIRMINGHAM SHOW. 



One would have thought after what has been said and 

 written in this Journal about the artifices that exhibitors of 

 Pigeons use to obtain prizes at tlie various shows, that they 

 would have taken the hint that has been put forth as regards 

 the birds shown not being pairs, and also the handiwork dis- 

 played in trimming and colouring or dyeing tho birds sent. 

 But no ! With an impertinence that is truly astounding they 

 still persist in sending their two hens or two cocks, with 

 the hope that they will delude tlie judges and they gain the 

 award of merit; but the various and numerous cards of dis- 

 qualification nailed above tho pens at Birmingham this time 

 prove that the judges are determined as far as possible to put 

 a stop to such unfair practices, and to hold up the names of 

 such as adopt them to the scorn of worthier exhibitors. 



A man may be deceived with regard to a cock or hen bird, 

 but there can be no excuse for dyeing or colouring a pen of 

 birds. This is wilful, and evidently done with unjust motives, 

 and is paltry and despicable. Yet such was the case with two 

 Black Mottle Pouters exhibited by Mr. Stewart, of Birming- 

 ham, the black apparently coming off freely on to the white 

 feathers of the birds. Happily the Judges instantly detected 

 the artifice, and they were at once disqualified. But I do not 

 think the matter ought to end here. I would have it that such 

 exhibitor should be excluded from ever exhibiting again at 

 Birmingham, and that he should be debarred from taking 

 any prize at the then existing Show ; and I sincerely trust 

 that such a rule will be found amongst the other wise and 

 prudent precautions already laid down by the Council to insure 

 justice and fair play for every one ; and I would further carry 

 such rule, that in tlie event ot birds dyed or otherwise coloured 

 getting past the observation of the judges, that such birds 

 should still be disqualified if bo proved before the termination 

 of the show. 



I think all real fanciers will join heartily in this proposal, as 

 at least one step in the right direction to protect the exhibitor 

 who exhibits fairly. 



I had hoped to have seen some notice taken of these matters 

 iu the last week's impression ; but have no doubt that this 

 week many, like myself, will express their opinions as freely as 

 I have done, and with the same determination to try and put 

 a stop to such unfair practices — I might use a stronger term. 

 — Censok. 



[We need scarcelv sny that we will do all in our power to 

 put an end lo these disreputable proceedings ; and we are rejoiced 

 that so competent and independent a judge as is "Censor" 

 has issued this warning. — Eds.] 



LARGE HIVES. 



When I introduced to the notice of the readers of The 

 Journal of Horticulture the subject and the superiority of 

 large hives, I deemed it wise to allude to the Stewarton hive 

 and Neighbour's cottage hive. I did so with a view to give the 

 reader a correct idea of what I meant by large and small hives, 

 and incidentally to give the manufacturers of these hives a 

 hint as to the desirability of enlarging their sizes. I did so 

 with some hesitation, fearing that my remarks might be 

 taken in a sense not meant by me. 



A gentleman signing himself " A Lanarkshire Bee-keepee," 

 has appeared in your pages, not only in defence of the 

 Stewarton hive in its present size, bnt in bold antagonism to 

 large stock hives ; I am sorry he has not given his name and 

 address, for I have a growing dislike to notice controversial 

 remarks from gentlemen who withhold their names. As his 

 criticisms may possibly influence a few readers not remarkable 

 for close and accurate thinking, I will now try to guard them 

 against being misled, by reviewing my reviewer. 



After wisely passing over my remarks condemnatory of all 

 hives made of wood, the " Lanarkshire Bee-keeper " comes 

 to the question of large and small hives, and ventures to say 

 that the disadvantage is greatly on the side of the large one in 

 spring, owing, he says, " to the bees occupying only a small 

 part of the hive in comparison with its size." It grieves me 

 exceedingly to see a man, especially a Lanarkshire man, make 

 statements he cannot substantiate. How does he know that 

 large hives in the spring months are comparatively small in 

 population, and without sufficient warmth to hatch the brood? 

 I have never found such things happen in large hives under 



