17G 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ February 27, 1868. 



morning I managed to devour, without preventing the digestion 

 of that meal, Mr. Pares's reply. I have no objection to Mr. 

 Pares's lance, especially with the courteous "button" that 

 sheaths the point, neither with my lance have I any desire to 

 nnhorse the Light Brahmas. Before I can do this, they must 

 get on horseback, or, in other words, win a cup ; and if I am 

 there to see, and they do not deserve it, well, then, lance in 

 rest, " I'm in," as poor Artemus Ward would have said. 



What I said in my former letter referred only to a cup offered 

 to the best of the two breeds. I quite agree with the admirers 

 of the Light birds, that they deserve equal money prizes with 

 their darker brethren. The entries are nearly equal at the 

 general run of shows, Birmingham, however, being markedly 

 an exception ; still the entries deserve equal prizes. Mr. Pares 

 will, I think, bear me out, that I have often in these pages ad- 

 vocated the same prizes to be given to all classes, as secretaries 

 can never tell which breed will pay best. This was not, I 

 think, the point at issue, but the fact that the cups were al- 

 ways awarded to the Dark Geese and Ducks are two different 

 breeds ; Dark and Light Brahmas two varieties of the same 

 breed. It would be just in the former case to award a cup to the 

 best specimens of their breed, whether Geese or Ducks ; but 

 when it is offered to the best pen amongst several varieties of 

 the same breed, then, other points being equal, surely it ought 

 to be awarded to the pen showing the best general character- 

 istics of the breed — for instance, in Brahmas, size, depth of 

 chest, breadth, shortness of leg. heaviness of leg-feathering and 

 fluff, comb, &a. All these points ought to be as good in the 

 Light birds as in the Dark. Mr. Pares, Mr. Worthington, Mr. 

 Crook, and others, must forgive me, but in all these points, the 

 distinctive points, in fact, that mark a good Brahma, whether 

 Light or Dark, the latter appear to me by far the better. Sup- 

 posing these points equal in two pens, then the decision would 

 hinge on the best-coloured birds, and then the characteristics 

 of each variety, as to colour, etc., would turn the scale. 



Mr. Pares seems to consider he has quite unhorsed me by 

 the " blue " and " green " idea ; as it was always allowable 

 for the unhorsed champion, who, possibly like " Y. B. A. Z.," 

 did not know when ho was beaten, to renew the battle on foot, 

 BO I reply " blue " and " green " are but qualities of a certain 

 something. Suppose it cloth, then if the material were equally 

 good, the choice hangs on the colour according to the fancy ; 

 but if the material were faulty in one, as I contend the ma- 

 terial is faulty in the great bulk of Light Brahmas, then it 

 is the Light Brahmas who are "out of court," and not 

 "Y.B. A. Z." 



Light Brahmas were, I believe, the variety that first appeared 

 in this country, but if I have understood Mr. H. Lacy correctly, 

 he had long before kept Dark Brahmas in America, and, there- 

 fore, the Dorking parentage falls to the ground. Shall I say 

 that I am disposed to believe that the Brahma in true character- 

 istics of the breed cannot be improved by the Dorking forDark 

 birds, any more than by the White Cochin for Light? — 

 T. B. A. Z. 



EXCESSIVE RAILWAY CHARGES. 



I THINK I can throw some light on the reason why fowls are 

 charged so much more on the return journey from shows than 

 when going. 



At Bristol Show, in January, 18G7, I was charged Hs. more 

 for my fowls returning than going. I remonstrated, and was 

 told it was the carriage from the Show to the station. Cal- 

 culated on the number of pens shown, this was £10 or £50 

 nett to the Great Western Railway. At Weston I am charged 

 5s. Sd. from the Show to the station, by the Secretary of the 

 Show. This is £30 clear profit to some one out of the pockets 

 of exhibitors. — Bkahma. 



also sent to that Company's offices at Leeds, pnt the same 

 question, and have their reply, stating the charge to be 3s. 9rf., 

 so that according to their own statements I am asked double 

 the proper rate. 



I am told by the Great Northern Company's servants here 

 that my proper course is to pay them and sue the London and 

 North- Western Company for the difference — a course which I 

 feel reluctant to pursue, though I am determined to make a 

 stand in this case, it being the largest amount of four hampers 

 which are similarly charged, and all occurring in the same 

 month, three of them being in the hands of the Midland Com- 

 pany from the Birmingham Show to Leeds. 



I believe from what I have seen, that most of these heavy 

 charges are caused by the gross carelessness of the officials in 

 neglecting to examine their scales of charges when booking 

 parcels ; and unless determination be shown by those receiving 

 poultry by i-ail not to be overcharged, we shall look in vain for 

 any reform in this respect. 



For the benefit of myself and many I know to be often in 

 the same difficulty, I should feel it a favour if you will kindly 

 say whether it be more advisable for me to pay the whole, and 

 sue the London and North-Western Company, or to refuse to 

 pay till the account be corrected? — E. Hutton, Pud.-:ey. 



[Were we similarly treated we should refuse to receive the 

 birds, unless the railway officials agreed that if we did receive 

 the birds it should be without prejudice to our resisting pay- 

 ment of the excessive charges. As your case stands we should 

 refuse payment to the Great Northern, and then, if the Com- 

 pany sued you in the County Court and recovered (which we 

 doubt), you might sue the London and North-Western for the 

 overcharge. Ton had better consult a sohcitor.] 



When' at the Newport Show in December last I claimed a 

 pen of Crcve-Cocur fowls, which were forwarded per London 

 and North-Western Railway in due course. On the arrival of 

 the parcel I found the charges so excessive that I refused to 

 pay them. The weight was 36 lbs., and was charged 7s. G<1. 

 from Newport to Leeds ; and fjom Leeds to Pudsey by Great 

 Northern Railway lOd., the proper charge. The Great Northern 

 Company had "paid on " the 7s. ChL, and demanded the total, 

 8s. id., from me, and the dispute still exists. 



A friend of mine at Newport made the necessary inquiries 

 for me, and sent me the reply of the London and North-Western 

 Company, which stated the charge from Newport to Leeds for 

 a hamper of five fowls weighing 36 lbs. to be 3s. Sd. ; and I 



THE HOUDAN'S FIFTH TOE. 



Ail poultry fanciers should thank you for your answer to a 

 correspondent in your issue of the 13th inst., headed " Points 

 of Houdans." 



The only points in which " improvers " suggest " improve- 

 ments " in Houdans are — 1, By getting rid of the fifth toe, 

 which predisposes to lameness ; 2, To obtain hardier birds. 

 To this I answer — 1, Of the many hundreds of Houdans I have 

 had and bred, I have never had a case of lameness ; 2, Houdans 

 are very hardy and bear confinement wonderfully, and I do not 

 believe there is any cross that could make them hardier. Why, 

 then, ^tiive to obtain "crosses and nondescripts, the drafts 

 and refuse of yards," when the pure stock is so good? — 

 Saxgee Azul. 



ROUP AND CANKER IN PIGEONS. 



I HAVE been much interested in the various correspondence 

 that has lately appeared in your columns relating to Pigeons, 

 and think much credit is due to Mr. J. Huie for his able 

 critique on Mr. Tegetmeier's " Pigeons ;" also for his remarks 

 on the supposed contagious diseases of roup and canker. 



So far as my experience goes I have never found roup to be 

 infectious, but cannot say the same regarding canker. Last 

 season I lost several feeders through this malady ; and as my 

 birds are kept scrupulously clean, I am inclined to attribute its 

 origin to the fighting of some of the cocks, one of which was 

 affected with canker. I may mention that I found a strong 

 solution of alum very efficacious. 



The fancy now stand in need of a practical work on Pigeons, 

 as publications similar to Mr. Tegetmeier's have no weight 

 with fanciers. I would propose that some of our leading 

 fanciers favour us with an occasional article in your columns 

 on the different varieties of fancy Pigeons, and thereby elicit 

 the opinions of others. By so doing I think we are likely to 

 obtain much useful information, and a volume so compiled 

 would, I am sure, be most acceptable to every class of Pigeon- 

 keeper. Perhaps the members of the Columbarian Society will 

 favour your readers with articles on the subject, and by so doing 

 will greatly advance the objects of the Society. — Amaieuk. 



DuELiN PouLTEY Show. — As this is to be an Irish Session 

 in Parliament, may I hope the same attention may be drawn 

 to Irish Poultry Shows in your Journal, to notice the forthcom- 

 ing Dublin Society's Show? The poultry department is divided 

 into classes for Dorkings (Silver- Grey and Coloured), Spanish, 

 Game, Brahma Pootra, Coohin-China, La Fleohe, Hondan^ 



