JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ April 2, 1868. 



very much taste and judgment. But there is another view of 

 the pursuit which raises it greatly in value, and which was 

 brought under my notice by reading the reports of the meeting 

 of the British Association held last year at Dundee. One of 

 those philosophers who are wise — no, no, who wish to be wise 

 above what is written — was contending for half a dozen Adams 

 and Eves to account for the different varieties of men — the 

 black, the red, the white, &c., and was answered by a philosopher 

 properly so called, who was a believer in his Bible, in this way 

 . — that the origin of the different races of men from one human 

 pair was capable of proof by analogy as long as there were 

 fancy Pigeons in the world, which we know all came from the 

 Rock Dove. This good man and good philosopher was doubt- 

 less a Pigeon-fancier ; all honour to him. Now there are no 

 divergences, or differences, or diversities in the human family 

 so great as those between the Shortfaced Kite Tumbler, black 

 in colour and dumpy in shape, and the Pouter, white in colour, 

 and 18 inches or more in height ; and yet the two will pair and 

 be prolific. So in the case of the Tumbler's atom of a beak 

 and the Carrier's dagger-like bill ; or, again, the smooth legs 

 and feet of most Pigeons and the almost-winged leg of the 

 Trumpeter, or the smooth crown and the turn crown, &c. 

 Indeed, taking this view of Pigeon-fancying, it is not only a 

 most interesting pastime, but the beautiful birds are themselves 

 proofs of the truth of Holy Writ, and I delight to regard them 

 as living rebukes of the unbeliever. 



I must also beg to add one brief word concerning the tmion 

 of the two London Pigeon Societies — a word of strong com- 

 mendation c if the step taken. It is just what is wanted. The 

 paper issued by the Reorganisation Committee is admirable, 

 and a plain proof that the old jeer about Pigeon-fanciers being 

 uneducated is now wholly out of place. That paper might 

 have been read before a learned society. I would venture to 

 suggest that there should be a low rate of subscription for 

 country members, who are not likely to be often in London, 

 and yet would like much to be members. This plan would 

 add considerably to the number of the subscribers, and greatly 

 strengthen the Society. A county paper I know well did not 

 pay when sold at a high price, but that now being greatly 

 lowered, it pays well. Should this phin be adopted I shall be 

 happy to belong to the Sooiety, and ask my friends clerical and 

 lay to do the same. — W. R. 



BREEDING POUTER PIGEONS. 



I HAVE just been reading Mr. Volckman'a article in your 

 paper last week, iu answer to the remarks formerly made 

 by Mr. Ure, Mr. Huie, and Mr. Stuart. As a Pigeon-fancier 

 I am glad to see your columns open to discussion on this 

 branch of the fancy. I only trust your kindness will not be 

 abused. I thoroughly understand Mr. Tolckman's views iu 

 respect to the breeding of the Pouter Pigeon. I am afraid, 

 however, his enthusiasm for that class has carried him beyond 

 his depth. Mr. Yolckman, being an experienced breeder 

 of long standing, must surely be aware of the insurmountable 

 difficulties that debar the breeder of Pouter Pigeons from 

 obtaining perfection, and less than that is eridently found 

 fault with by our friend Mr. Yolckman. 



I am inclined to believe all has been and is now done to 

 improve the Pouter in all its properties, that careful study, 

 select matching, and access to an overflowing cash account 

 in the bank could possibly do. It is a very easy matter to say 

 that breeders should do this and that to obtain certain results in 

 colour and marking along with the other indispensable proper- 

 ties ; but surely Mr. Yolckman is not so thoroughly ignorant, 

 after his long experience in breeding his favourite Pouters, as not 

 to know that that class cannot be put on a par with most other 

 Pigeon classes ; that anything like perfection can only be 

 obtained very rarely, and that never with certainty, although 

 hundreds are produoetl so near it that no one but a fancier, 

 and he sometimes a whimsical one, could possibly discover a 

 difference, and still this difference from the standard of per- 

 fection Mr. Yolckman evidently thinks can be got over. 

 Surely, if he will allow it, he is more intent in drawing 

 out a few of the Scotch fanciers into a discussion, [and lead- 

 ing them to give out unwittingly in the heat of argument 

 a few valuable hints for the benefit of their English brethren, 

 as to how they produce such magnificent specimens — for it is 

 a very evident fact that the Scotch excel in this breed to a 

 wonderful degree, and one would think that it was a decided 

 misnomer to call this Pigeon the "English Pouter," seeing 

 that it has emanated principally from Scotland during the 



last century. However, I would not quarrel with a name, 

 as that is of little importance so long as the Scotch breeders 

 hold the laurels for producing the finest specimens ever yet 

 exhibited, and therefore I think it can only be fairly inferred 

 that they do not require any lesson how to breed. 



As those of successful Pouter breeders of long standing, Mr. 

 Ure's and Mr. Huie's views may be considered very valuable; 

 also the remarks and information given us by the no less 

 successful, though younger fancier, Mr. Stuart. I regret very 

 much, however, to see an evident " worry" taking place by Mr. 

 Yolokman's erroneous and very inconsistent statement, when 

 he unwarrantably tramps on their toes by ineinnating that 

 they had been breeding only for size, and "neglected" the 

 property of colour and marking — teUing them they should 

 discard for a time the evident bad system they had adopted 

 hitherto, which only produced size and symmetry, and little 

 else to be commended. Now these assertions, without being 

 facts, are apt to raise the Scotch blood a bit ; and although Mr. 

 Yolckman is quite correct in advocating the exertions of all 

 true fanciers to do all in their power to obtain as far as possible 

 something like a standard, he should have stopped there, as 

 a little reasoning would have proved to him that a Pouter 

 Pigeon is such a combination of parts, so readily and easily 

 effected, that no certainty could ever be relied on in production. 



Would it not be much better if breeders and fanciers gave 

 us a few practical hints as to their experience in the selection 

 and matching of their birds, with the result ? Some kind of 

 information like this has never yet appeared in any publioa- 

 tion as far as I have seen. Sterling facts would be eagerly 

 read, as they might save the young fancier losing years in 

 experimenting. Mr. Stuart very openly and candidly states 

 one fact worthy of notice, and that is, his experience teaches 

 him to select a moderate-sized hon to breed from. Now, here 

 is a lesson that I dare say the inexperienced would have doubt- 

 less avoided if they had their choice. 



Mr. Simpson, of Newark, gave us in a few lines downright 

 straight-to-the-point information how he produced the best 

 coloured Yellows and Reds. If Mr. Yolckman would favour us 

 with the description of the many birds he has bred, how he 

 matched, and the results, as we are led to believe he has been 

 very successful in obtaining all the properties, it will not only 

 be more instructive, but may be more creditable to him as a 

 breeder than all he could suggest should be done as " a fancier." 



Your space is too valuable to be taken up with anything but 

 useful information, and I trust the members of the fancy will 

 not lose your favour by tiring you with irrelevant matter. — 

 Deeds Snow. 



A GUIDE TO CANARY-BREEDING.— No. .3. 

 The birds on being introduced to each other will at first, 

 most likely, evince anything but an amiable disposition, but 

 this wOl in a day or two give way to a much happier state of 

 things. The cock will be observed to feed his mate frequently, 

 and she will begin to " nest," and will search eagerly for 

 material with which to construct a habitation for her future 

 progeny. The felt will supply this necessity, but a few feathers, 

 or a piece of moss or soft doe hair — not cotton or wool, which 

 is apt to become entangled in the feet — will afford her ample 

 amusement. If this be not supplied, and no foreign materia! 

 find its way within her reach, she will at once proceed to ap- 

 propriate a portion of her lord and master's tail, or failing that, 

 may watch her opportunity and sieze him by the back of the 

 neck in a most unfeminine way, swinging him backwards and 

 forwards under the perch, till he falls and leaves her in posses- 

 sion of a mouthful of feathers, a proceeding which he, like 

 many other hen-pecked husbands, does not appear to dare to 

 resent. If supplied with material and a suitable niche for her 

 nest she will build one, and this is, as I have stated iu a pre- 

 vious article, the common mode in the south. Different 

 breeders adopt either plan. The felt nest has this advantage, 

 that when the vermin begin to show themselves, and they most 

 assuredly will, it can be changed at once, and an entirely clean 

 nest substituted, which cannot be done so well with a nest of 

 the bird's own construction, and those who know what pests 

 these parasites are, are only too ready to adopt any plan of 

 eradicating them. 



In the course of a week or ten days after the publication of 

 the banns, the time varying according to the state of the 

 weather, and the general health and condition of the birds, the 

 hen wOl lay her first egg. The breeder need not be alarmed if 

 the day before this most auspicious event he should find the 



