Apiil 10, 1868. ] 



JOUENAL OF HOBTIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



303 



skinned, willow-legged Brown Keds, as it dees in the trne 

 wbite-skinned, black-logged birds. 



In Duckwings prizes are too often awarded to birds tLat 

 show they are not pure-bred, sucli as hens with brown on the 

 shoulders and wings, eyes not rod, and coarse red breasts, all 

 which defects generally go together, and should disqualify such 

 birds for prizes, which should only be given to the pure-bred 

 and beautiful bluish Hilver-Grey hens, with the delicate pale 

 silver-fawn breasts. Bed-backed Duckwing cocks are also im- 

 pure. 



In the Piles, many judges persist in giving awards to the 

 yellow-skinned, yellow and willow-legged Pile Game, instead 

 of to the old white-skinned, white-legged, true-bred, hard and 

 Game Piles, which are the real old fighting breed of the Piles, 

 and the gamest birds. 



The lilack-breasted Pveds seem to be the best judged birds 

 at our exhibitions, as a general rule. I think far less fault 

 seems to be found with the awards in this class than in any 

 other at exhibitions, though the prize Partridge hens are often 

 too pale in colour or not red enough, and their necks too pale 

 also. Mr. Hindson, of Liverpool, and Mr. J. P. Smith, of 

 Worcester, ought to be, and no doubt are, excellent judges of 

 Game fowls, as are others of the Birmingham Judges, especially 

 the old Game Judge, Mr. Thomas Challoner, who is said to be 

 the best and most practical Judge of Game fowls in England, 

 but many others are no doubt equally good. Game fowls, though 

 numerous, were, perhaps, scarcely so good as usual at the last 

 Birmingham E.xhibition, as, if they had been, stags would 

 not have won the cup, for when adult birds fail in getting cups, 

 it is, I think, usually a sign that the show of birds is scarcely 

 " up to the mark." I must say that I think it is wrong at 

 exhibitions to let willow-legged red-combed Brown Beds super- 

 sede the old gipsy-combed, black-legged, true-bred strain, and 

 also wrong that the old true-bred, white-legged Piles should be 

 superseded by yellow-skinned, yellow and willow-legged POes 

 of inferior courage. I object to both yellow-skinned Brown 

 Beds and Piles, as cross-bred, mongrel, and bastard breeds of 

 their colours, and much prefer the original type of each of 

 these two sorts of Game fowls. I also object to pens of single 

 hens and pairs of hens, as useless, and to large, heavy Game 

 fowls, with the narrow, falling, or drooping tails. — Newsiabkei. 



POULTRY-KEEPING. 



My dehnt on this side of the channel. Hitherto the Journal 

 has had charms for me only so far as the gardening portion of 

 it is concerned, and the leaves of the latter part have remained 

 uncut — not that I was quite an ignoramus on the subject of 

 fowls or bees ; but I never could see what fun it was to those 

 little boys who will flatten their noses against the pastrycook's 

 windows, while the tempting treasures within are as inac- 

 cessible to them as if they were the golden apples of the garden 

 of the Hesperides ; and so, as I could keep neither one nor the 

 other, I have allowed this portion of the Journal to pass un- 

 touched. The ease is now different. The scene of my futiue 

 labours as a pastor will be a quiet country vUlage, where bees 

 and poultry will be amongst the possibihties, and I want to 

 know what would be the most desirable and economical stud to 

 go in for. I used, when I did keep poultry, to have Spanish, but 

 although they were very beautiful, I could never see that they 

 paid. Indeed, my good brother still adheres to them, and 

 people laugh at him, saying the eggs cost him a guinea a-piece. 

 I do not think they quite cost him that, hut still I do not think 

 them profitable ; moreover, I always found that after a while 

 the white face became discoloured, and the beauty of the birds 

 became somewhat disfigured. AVhat, then, is to be the sort? 

 I incline to the Grey Dorking, but here, again, do not they 

 become "gouty?" I never kept them, but fancy so. Cochin- 

 Chinas I think an abomination, although here, doubtless, I am 

 an ignoramus and a heretic, but we cannot help our tastes 

 sometimes, and I do not see beauty in these great long-legged 

 giants of the poultry-yard. I confess to having been struck 

 with the article on barndoor fowls in a recent number of the 

 Journal, as I can readily imagine that such a cross as there re- 

 commended would be a profitable sort, but then it is not ";)«r 

 sang,'' and I rather incline to thoroughbreds whether in fowl 

 or flowers, still, I think I should hke to try them. Are not 

 the Bolton Greys good layers ? and supposing that I kept both 

 sorts — that is, the barndoor fowls and the Bolton Greys, and 

 had two hen houses, should I be likely to keep the breed dis- 

 tinct ? and one other question I would ask. If I decide on com- 



mencing with this stock, where shall I procure them most con- 

 veniently to my new abode, near Ashford, on the South-Eastem 

 Hallway ? — D., Detil. 



BUCirSVHEAT AS POULTRY FOOD. 

 My experience of buckwheat as poultry food is exactly the 

 same as " Nemo's." Since Christmas my fowls have had a 

 mixture of buckwheat, Indian corn, and barley, and they 

 always pick it up in the above order. My supply of eggs has 

 been very good, which I attribute to the buckwheat. It is also 

 by weight about the cheapest grain that can be obtained. — 

 Philip Chowley, Ciilvcrton House, Alton, 



DETERIORATION OF FANCY PIGEONS- 

 ALMOND TUMBLERS. 



PocTEKS, all about Pouters, for many weeks there have been 

 articles in " our Journal," but at last other varieties of Pigeons 

 are mentioned. 



Mr. Volckman says that most of the varieties of the " fancy " 

 Pigeon have deteriorated in many of their qualities. Mr. G. 

 Ure, in not a very courteous manner, bluntly denies this, and 

 quotes the Glasgow and Birmingham Shows in proof. 1 have 

 never seen the Glasgow Show, but I have the Birmingham from 

 the commencement, and also many other large shows, and I 

 must decidedly side with Mr. Volckoan. Though the number 

 of pens of Pigeons exhibited last year was in excess of former 

 years {putting imported birds out of the question), in nearly 

 every class I saw no advance, and in many cases they were not 

 so good as I remember to have seen many years ago. True, 

 some classes were strong in numbers, but in my opinion they 

 were weak in quality. I believe this has arisen in most in- 

 stances from many of the best birds having been bought up 

 for some time past at high prices by persons totally deficient 

 in the skill required in the breeding of Pigeons, and for the 

 sole purpose of taking as many prizes as possible ; and thus 

 the birds have been worn out, and some have died of neglect 

 or improper treatment. By these means several of the best 

 strains of many of the varieties have been entirely lost. I 

 am sorry to say that I know of several instances where such 

 has been the case. 



The Almond Tumbler is one of the breeds mentioned both 

 by Mr. Ure and Mr. Volckman. I remember well the birds of 

 Messrs. Hardy, Lucy, Pyne, and various other gentlemen; 

 Theirs were the true Almond Tumblers, having the true Al- 

 mond ground, with the other colours finely intermixed, beauti- 

 ful as a carnation in the marking. 1 remember the large full- 

 made heads of the birds, with their eyes like pearls, and their 

 gold-lined beaks. I remember at the private shows in London 

 years ago, seeing many of these birds ; they are not only fresh 

 in my mind, but I find them so in the memory of others, and 

 not at any of the great or small shows have I seen such of 

 late. Most of the birds exhibited are wrong in the ground 

 colour, being of a dull reddish tint instead of the rich yellow 

 of former days ; many of these birds also have not colour in 

 their tails. Sec. This is fatal to an Almond. I own there are 

 still a few good ones about, and these few seem to go the round 

 of the shows, and must afford gratifying results in the way of 

 prizes to their owners. To me it seems that exhibitors forget 

 that in the Almond class the birds must be pure Almonds in 

 colour, and if not up to the standard they are only fit for the 

 Tumblers of Any other colour class (if there he such) ; and the 

 qualities of head, beak, eye, d-c, will avail thtm nothing in 

 the Almond class, as they are not Almonds, and it is for Al- 

 monds that the prize is given, and not Splashes, &c. ; and also 

 for a pair, not a dark cock and light hen, but the best matched 

 pair. I mention this, as I seldom see an evenly-matched pair 

 at any of the shows. 



Now, if there are as good birds as ever, where are they ? I 

 do not see them at the large shows ; tut, perhaps, there may 

 still be some in the hands of gentlemen who do not care to 

 send such delicate and valuable birds from home ; but when 

 Mr. Ure says the large shows exhibit a decided advance in the 

 Almonds and also other breeds generally, I beg most respect- 

 fully to differ from him. I say respectfully, because I do not 

 wish to use my opinion in an ofiensive way ; and though I diSei 

 from him, I wish to do so in as courteous a manner as possible, 

 and I sincerely trust that all further controversy in the matter 

 of Pigeons will be so carried on, though I can scarcely say that 

 it is so at present. 



