272 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



I March 27, 1873. 



behalf, in copying the awards out of the Judpes' boolis. When I 

 discovered it I immediately wrote to the Chairman of the Com- 

 mittee, who very courteously wrote back saying that it was an 

 error, but that the Committee would forward me an extra prize. 

 As_ they met me in so gentlemanly a manner I gave them a 

 guinea as my subscription to their Show, knowing that there 

 Would be some loss conseqiieut upon their mistake. 



I am very glad to hear that the Show has been a success, and 

 I hope the Hanley poultry fanciers will not allow it to fall off 

 the list of exhibitions. I think, however, as one of your corre- 

 spondents has stated, that it would be a great improvement if in 

 futui'e they would mention the names of their .Judges either in 

 their prize lists or catalogue — not that I find any fault with 

 Messrs. Douglas and Martin, as they are two of the most success- 

 ful breeders and have a practical knowledge of poultry, but it is 

 more satisfactory to exhibitors to know who have awarded the 

 prizes. — James Fletcher. 



BIBMINGHAM PHILOPEKISTERON SOCIETY'S 

 SHOW. 



Tms took place on the 19th and 20th inst. It was certainly a 

 very good Show, and one on which its members may congratu- 

 late themselves, but it should by all means have been a fixture of 

 at least a mouth prior in date. From this cause, the entry 

 <lid not equal, as to numbers, those shows which have taken place 

 during the past ten years in connection with this Society, but 

 ■which were held a month or six weeks earlier in the season. So 

 late iu the spring most of the best specimens of Pigeons have 

 either young ones, or, at least, are about nesting, and hence two 

 members alone abstained from exhibiting, although they woiild 

 otherwise have made an entry of forty pens from their own lofts. 



As will be seen on reference to the list of awards, the Selling 

 classes were wonderfully good, and abounded with some very 

 cheap pens ; the great variety of breeds shown in these classes 

 was also a subject of general remark. The Carrier classes, 

 whether those expressly for cocks or hens (these being shown 

 separately), contained birds of a quality rarely exceeded, and 

 a remarkably well-shown Dun hen took the cup. Some few 

 very promising young Carriers were entered in these classes. 

 Folders were few, the White being unquestionably the most 

 praiseworthy. In Fantails there were some remarkably heavy- 

 tailed birds, but we regretted to see some that carried the tail 

 decidedly inclined to one side, a great objection in a show bird 

 of this variety. In the Barb class there was only a single entiy, 

 still it was a good one ; but, strange to say, there were many nice 

 Barbs shown in the Selling classes. The Almuiids were scarcely 

 BO good as those exhibited at some of this Society's former 

 meetings, and, on the contrary, the Short-faced Beards, Balds, 

 and also the Owl Pigeons were very superior. 



One of the members, Mr. Hoyds, of Rochdale, sent a very 

 grand collection of Jacobins, all three classes of this breed 

 Being of a first-rate character. The Trumpeters were a fine 

 class; whilst in both Dragoons KnA Antwcrps the competition 

 was of tliat lively character for which the Birmingham Pigeon 

 Shows are known. A class expressly for Swallows, although a 

 silver cup was given to them by a fancier of this variety, did 

 Dot bring out a large entry, still the birds were well shown. 

 'The flying Tumblers were comprised in well-filled and interest- 

 ing classes, and embraced a great variety, whether considered 

 as to colour or character ; and as both in the immediate district 

 and the surrounding counties these breeds are especial fa- 

 voui-ites, this division of the Show secured a large share of 

 popularity. 



It must be a matter of careful consideration for the Managers 

 of this Sliow to alter the date to an earlier period in future 

 j^ars, complaints being general that individual Pigeons had 

 been taken from either eggs or young ones for the sole purpose 

 of sending them to the Show. 



CkURmns.—BhtcIc— Cocks. — 1, C. Siddona, Aston, Birminpliam. 2, G. F 

 Whitehijuie, King's Heath, Birmingham. Hens.~l, c, Siddoas. 2, G. h'. 

 iVhitehouae. 



CiHnxKRS. -Dun.— Vockg.—h C. Siddona. 2/cn».— Cui>, 1, uni 2, C. Siddons. 



Carhif.ks.— .4nu other colour.— Cocks.— 1, C. Siddonis. Hens.—l, 0. Siddons. 



PouTEKS.— CocA-^.— 1 and 2, F. Bowker, Birmingham. Hcm—1, F. Bowker. 



Fantails.— 1, G. While, Birmingham. 2, J. W. Edge, Tyburn, ErdiLglsD, 

 Birmingh.aui. 



Barbs. — 1, A. Richardson, Birmingham. 



Almonds.— Cnji, 1, 2, and he. J. F. While. 



Balds.— 1 and 2, W. Woodhonse, King's Lymi. c, J. W. Edge. 



Beards.- 1 and 2. W. Woodhonse. 



Owls.- Forfi.;;i —1 and 2, G. F. Whitehouse. Ei!i7((s/i.— 1, J. W. Edge. 2, 

 "W. Woodbouse. 



TuRniTs.— 1, J. W. Edge. 2, \V. Reddihongh, Kclbrook, Colno. 



(Jacobins.- BiiicJ:.— 1. 2, and ,1, E, E. M. Koyds, Kochdale. Jted.—l and 2, R. 

 G. Sanders, Leven, Beverley. Any other colour.— 1, R. G. Sanderu. 2, E. E. M. 

 Royds. 



TRr.MPETEES.— 1 ami 2, W. Gamon, Chester. 3, J. F. While, c, R. G. 

 Sanders ; J. F. While. 



Draooons.- iSiue.— 1, W. T. Nieholds. Selly Park, Northficld. 2 and 8, W. 

 Gamon. he, W. Keddihongh. YelLou',—\, G. F. Waitehouse. Whiie.—l and 2, 

 G. F. Whitehouse. c, W. Keddihough. Anu other colour.-l, W. Gamon. 



Antwerps.— U/HC- 1 and 2, W. Gamon. Djui.— Cup and 1. W. Gamon. 2, C. 

 Mttgg. Chequered —1. W. Gamon. 2, J. F. While, c, G. While. 



Swallows.— Cup and 1, F. Bowker. '.*. .1, W. Eilge. 



Badges.— 1 and 2, F. Bowker. .1. G. While. 



Saddlbs,- 1, J. W. Edge. 2, G. While. 



Black Mottles, Rosewings, and Redbbeasts.— 1, Cup, 2, and 3, F. Bowker. 

 4, G. While, he. J. W. Edge ; G. While. 



TcMHLERS.— .-iHi/ othcr Variety. — 1, J. W. Edge. 



Selling Class.— Carn'^r, Pouter. Barb, or Short faced Tumhhr.—\, 2, 3. and 

 4. H. Yardley, Birmingham (Black Carrier, Red Pouter. Black Barh. and Silver 

 Dun Carrierl. he. H. Yardley (3). c, C. Siddons; H. Yardley (3). A?iy other 

 voriety. — 1, 3, and 4, H. Yardley (Silver Bun Dragoon, White Owl, and Yellow 

 Dragoon). 2, G. While (White Fantail). )iC, U. Yardley (7). c, H. Yardley (3) : 

 J. W. Edge. 



Messrs. Hewitt and AUsop, both of Birmingham, awarded the 

 prizes to the Selling classes and Antwerps ; and Messrs. Hewitt 

 and Yardley judged .all the otlier classes of fancy Pigeons ; the 

 premiums for flying Pigeons being decided by Mr. Charles 

 Hague and Mr. W. Kendal. 



MOTTLED TUMBLES S. 



I w.\s rather surprised when I read the remarks on the above 

 subject last week from " The One who Wrote the Answer," 

 and who owns to Eaton's being the model bird, and yet refers 

 to a work pubUshed by Kentledge. 



For the last twenty years I have spent a deal of time as well as 

 money on Pigeons, and onTumblers more than any other variety, 

 have been a regular attendant at most of our London societies ' 

 shows, and have always looked upon E.aton's portrait as the 

 correct thing as far as the marking of a Mottle is concerned. I 

 never befofe heard of any fancier preferring Mottles without the 

 white feathers on the back. As to fancy being changeable, it 

 has not been changeable to any whom I know, and I know some 

 who have kept Pigeons for fifty or sixty years. I have also 

 asked the opinion of several of the old Spitalfields fanciers, 

 whom I consider to be as good fanciers as any, aud they are all 

 for Eaton's, and ridicule the idea of a Mottle without the hand- 

 kerchief back. One of them, a Mr. M. Hall, of whom Eaton 

 himself has bought many a Mottle, says where they would sell 

 for pounds with the handkerchief back they will only sell for 

 shillings without it, and to be perfect they must iiave it. I 

 have also a letter from Mr. Dean Wolstenholnie, who was one of 

 Eaton's oldest friends, also the engraver of his plates, who 

 is a well-known fancier, and who is looked on as an authority 

 by many, in which he says, " When I belonged to the Feather 

 Club forty years ago, unless the bird was marked on the back 

 as well as on the wings it was inadmissible to be put in the pen 

 as a Mottle." I think with such authorities as these, however 

 *' Tke One who Wrote the Answer " might prefer the birds, he 

 will acknowledge that, although his own fancy may be change- 

 f.ble, it is not so to the real fancier. — J. Ford. 



LIMITINO THE VALUE OF EXHIBITED 

 PIGEONS AT DUBLIN. 



Did "An Excluded Exhibitor" never hear of any other 

 " gross proceeding " at the Eoyal Dublin Society's Show than 

 that of limiting the prices in the poultry and Pigeon classes ? 

 If he has been an exhibitor at the Royal Dublin Society's Shows 

 he cannot but be aware of the wholesale hiring and borrowing 

 carried on by some fanciers (?) who descend to any unscrupulous 

 meanness to gain a prize. The new rules have put a stop to 

 such dishonest work, and they make the limitation clause the 

 ostensible objection, while the real one is the rule against 

 hiring. As to saying that the organisers of the schedule are 

 *' half dealers, half amateurs," it is what I will mildly term 

 untrue. I can state that the schedule of prizes passed the Com- 

 mittee of the Eoyal Dublin Society after due consideration, and 

 that they highly approved of the rules as securities against all 

 dirty work. 



The reason for inserting the limitation clauses was not " pre- 

 venting the English exhibitors from carrying off the prizes," 

 but to keep certain Irish fanciers from carrying on their " little 

 games " of borrowing and hiring, and also to keep dealers from 

 monopolising the prizes. The reason why no limitation clause 

 is put on " cattle, sheep, pigs, or horses " is that there are no 

 exhibitors in those classes who habitually borrow and hire for 

 the mere purpose of prize-taking, and tliey have an lionest 

 pride in showing stock of their own breeding. Unfortunately, 

 amongst poultry and Pigeon-f.anciers there are always a few 

 addicted to dishonest courses, and it was to keej) them on the 

 square that the classes were limited. Hitherto exhibitors were 

 allowed to do pretty much as they pleased, but they are now 

 kept within sometliing like reasonable bounds, and, therefore, 

 this little ebullition of irritation is nothing to be surprised at. 



When the Show comes off it will, I think, be found to be in- 

 ferior to none ever held by the Royal Dublin Society either in 

 quality or quantity ; it will also be found that very few of the 

 constant exhibitors will be absent, aud that many new ones will 

 be added to the list.— A Despised Skinni.ii, Dublin. 



The letter of "An Excluded Exhibitoh, Cork," might pro- 

 duce an en'oneous and unfavourable impression on the minds of 

 English amateur iioultry and Pigeon-fanciers if passed un- 

 noticed. It was not, as the writer states he has been informed, 

 or the purpose of preventing English exhibitors from carrying 



