374 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



r October 31, 1865. 



justice ; but if these are still refused them by the Managers of 

 the Bingley-Hall Show, it is an absolute waste of time to 

 persist in the entleavour to turn them from their error. 



In case of another refusal this year, a remedy is now close 

 at hand, that once appUed will tend much to the popularity of 

 the Show, and also its extension more than heretofore, and put 

 an end to all such unseemly agitations. My suggestion is this. 

 Let an entirely new Committee be chosen from parties only, 

 whose desire is rather to see a good show of poultry and 

 Pigeons for Birmingham, than a mere exhibition of agricultural 

 implements, to which purpose of late years the shows at Bingley 

 Hall have been so sadly perverted. A far more eligible build- 

 ing is now fast drawing to completion, Curzon Hall, situated 

 Etill nearer to the railways, iniiujtely better lighted and warmed, 

 and containing a pallerv all roiind sufficiently large to hold con- 

 siderably more entries than have been as yet ever made for a 

 Birmingham Show. 



Every one who has seen the Birmingham poultry pens at 

 Bingley Hall, well knows how very short of present require- 

 ments such pens are. In fact, they appear modelled from 

 bygone plans, iand totally defeat the principal object — that of 

 allowing a correct sight of the specimens ; for most of the 

 bottom rows are so dark as to render inspection a downright 

 impossibility. If the poultry and the Pigeons were conjoined 

 to the Dog Show — that is, so far as being held at the same time 

 and place, on the ground floor and gallery respectively, the at- 

 tendance of visitors to amply repay all expenses, independently 

 of a substantial balance accruing from year to year, might be 

 with certainty realised ; and then, if Bingley Hall can support 

 itself under the restrictions of a show of fat cattle, sheep, pigs, 

 and implements only so much the better ; if not, the conser- 

 vatism of present abuses has alone the merit of its downfall, for 

 the new poultry exhibition will still have annual increase and 

 prosperity. 



It is not my intention to touch exclusively on the appoint- 

 ment of particular gentlemen as Judges, or the individual 

 classes which their knowledge as breeders makes each of them 

 most competent to arbitrate, though I am sorry to find a gieat 

 portion of 3'our communications tend in that direction. It is 

 surely rather the principle of selection than the personahty of 

 the Judges that is the matter in question, and most good would 

 ensue by confining it to this subject altogether. " Justitia," 

 however, no doubt unconsciously, makes one remark that needs 

 correction, or it may obtain credence from those readers who 

 happen to be as little conversant with facts as this statement 

 of " Justitia " evinces. He says, " It is quite true an attempt 

 was made to throw discredit on some of the decisions, but it 

 is well known that the alleged dissatisfaction merely existed 

 with one or two disappointed exhibitors, and, perhaps, the best 

 answer to such insinuations is the re-appointment by the Bir- 

 mingham Committee of the Game arbitrators." This is, on 

 the contrary, a mistake in toto, and cannot be reconciled with 

 the circumstance, that at a meeting held at the Bingley Hall 

 Tavern during the continuance of the Show named, and close 

 to its very doors, nearly a hundred exhibitors of all breeds of 

 poultry passed an unanimous vote of their high disapproval of 

 the mode of electing the Birmingham Judges, and ventUated 

 their grievances publicly in language perhaps far more pungent 

 than courteous. Surely, then, such a meeting could scarcely 

 be said to be the impersonation of the " one or two " malcon- 

 tent exhibitors that " Justitia " describes. — Old Cochin. 



ATTEMPTED SWINDLING. 



I ADVERTISED a Week or two ago for some Goldfinch mules 

 for exhibition, which I am always ready to buy if they are first- 

 rate, and my letter was answered by a man calling himself a 

 surgeon, whose name began with a C and ended with an s, say- 

 ing he bad some to dispose of, and giving me an address in 

 Caledonian Road, Islington. Of course I sent to see about 

 him, and found the address was a post office. He would not 

 send the birds without the money, which he did not get, 

 although I gave him several references in Loudon. Now, I 

 have no doubt that this is the same man who tried to do your 

 correspondent " Caxtcs " with the poiiltry, and if so, and your 

 correspondent can punish him, I will subscribe £1 Is. towards 

 the expenses. — H. A. 



Chelmsfobd and Essex Poultev Show. — It is proposed to 

 hold a poultry show in the Com Exchange, Chelmsford, at 

 the same time as that of the Chelmsford and Essex Chrysanthe- 



mum Society, on Wednesday 15th November next. (See adver- 

 tisement). Proper exhibition pens, with food, water, and 

 attendants, will be provided in the large and well ventilated 

 Hall of the Com Exchange. The entrance fee wiU be Is. per 

 pen for subscribers, and 2s. to non-subscribers ; and prizes will 

 be given ranging from 10s. to 5s. It is proposed to exhibit also 

 photographs of all the celebrated exhibitors, and copies of all 

 the modern works on poultry and Pigeons. It is hoped that 

 exhibitors and others will help the attempt, as the facilities of 

 communication by railway are great. The promoters of this 

 Show trust eventually to establish an annual show in Chelms- 

 ford, with a more hberal prize list and a more comprehensive 

 schedule. 



SHABBY. 



Other correspondents have told you how they have been 

 "fairly diddled," as Lord Byron sings in Don Juan, by some 

 unfair Mrs. Firebrace or some angel at Islington ; but I have 

 a tale to tell of a transaction for which, in spite of Dr. John- 

 son's condemnation, there is no word but " shabby." 



Nearly a year ago I was written to by an individual holding 

 a most respectable position in society. He wanted some birds 

 which I had, and he proposed an exchange for others which 

 I did not want. I declined the proposal, but I offered to sell 

 what he wished to have. All sorts of offers and proposals 

 came in letter after letter, which I answered courteously, until, 

 wearied of the correspondence, I sharply closed it after an 

 expenditure of much patience and postage. 



In the beginning of August last my voluminous correspon- 

 dent wrote again, asking me this time to sell him a pen of 

 birds that would be sure to take a first prize at Chippenham. 

 I offered him at £-4 a pen of chickens which had been highly 

 commended at Pl.^Tuouth, the only time when they had been 

 exhibited, and when I was afraid they would be too young to 

 gain a notice. I offered him also at £3 an adult pen which 

 had taken two first prizes, besides gaining a highly commended 

 notice at Plymouth this year during the moult. He accepted 

 the latter offer, and the birds were sent to his uncle's. Then 

 began again the arrival of two or three letters a-week with 

 inquiries and objections, aU of which for a time I answered 

 patiently. Three objections only did he profess to raise — not 

 many for a pen at £3 which had taken two first prizes. It 

 was evident he wanted such a pen as I should not object to 

 give £7 or £8 for, with a warranty of taking a first prize, which 

 no honest man would give, and that he wished to obtain this 

 either by an exchange or at some paltry price. I saw I was in 

 for another bout of letter-writing, so I offered the alternative 

 of returning the birds or sending the money. The money was 

 sent. More letters foOowed, which I answered briefly by 

 saying that I would give £3 for the pen after the Show if they 

 did not take a prize at Chippenham. 



I hoped for a Uttle repose, at all events until after the Show. 

 My voluminous objector, however, suddenly broke out again 

 about the time of the Calne Show. He was going to carry off 

 the first prize there, but one of the hens had died ; and he 

 wrote in post haste, asking me to send a bird that would match 

 and renew the pen. This I could not do ; but I sent instantly 

 a matched pair of pullets, saying that I would take the odd 

 hen again in part payment if he would send it carriage paid, 

 and that he must forward to me £1 in money. He expressed 

 himself pleased, and, what was better, ceased writing, although 

 he owed me 20s., and returned the pen without paying the 

 carriage. 



I heard no more until after the Show, where he had entered 

 a pen of adult birds and a pen of chickens. He did not get a 

 notice. He then wrote for a pair of pullets of a different kind, 

 which I could ''warrant as first-prizetakers," and claimed by 

 virtue of a promise — which, be it remembered, was made with 

 reference to Chippenham and not to Calne, and concerning a 

 tried pen of adult birds, and not an adult cock with two 

 untried chickens— that I should take the birds back again at 

 their fuU price, or rather at a price which he put upon them, 

 and which was a shilling more than what I had charged for 

 them. 



Disgusted beyond measure, I replied that his conduct was 

 shabbily evasive, and that to get rid of such a nuisance, 

 although my prize pen was destroyed and he had had the use 

 of my birds for three months, I would send him a cheque for 

 the amount he claimed, deducting only the 20s. which he still 

 owed me for the pullets. The birds were returned to me, the 

 cheque has been paid, and I have a receipt contained in a 



