414 



JOURNAL OP HOPvTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



r November 14, 1865. 



and the dictation on the subject, an explanation from the latter 

 would be peculiarly interesting just now. 



It is generally understood that two organs of the press indicate 

 and reflect public opinion on poultry matters, and for confirma- 

 tion or otherwise of the alleged mistake, a reference to the reports 

 at the time will perhaps assist in elucidating the point better 

 than all that may be written j)ro and co». ; and for that purpose, 

 if your readers will refer to your columns, New Series No. 193, 

 page 459, they will fail to discover any mention of such dis- 

 satisfaction, or indeed any fault at all. For the report of your 

 contemporary on the Game classes, it is well known the services 

 of one of the Game Judges of 1862 were engaged, and what was 

 the result ? Had the Game Judges been at fault, would a 

 solitary complaint have been made ? Perhaps either " Old 

 Cochin " or " An ExHinixoa " can explain this, and, failing 

 that, the alleged dissatisfaction may be consigned to the limits 

 previously stated. — Justitia. 



MANCHESTER POULTRY SHOW. 



Several exhibitors, without taldng the trouble of looking 

 minutely into things, or even of comparing them, having 

 spoken disapprovingly of this Show, I will, through the me- 

 dium of your columns, endeavour to prove the fallacy of their 

 arguments not only to them, but also to those who may have 

 been biased by their unthinking talk. 



I have lately heard one or two remonstrate against the 

 arrangements which Messrs. Jennison, of Belle Vue, have 

 made with regard to their Poultry Show at Manchester, and, 

 at the same time, regret their not having taken the Birming- 

 tam principle of entries as a criterion for their own. The 

 Manchester system this year is just the same as the Birming- 

 ham, only not so expensive to large and, more especially, to 

 small exhibitors of one or two pens. 



At Birmingham a subscription of £1 must be paid for every 

 Jour pens, and 2». firf. for each of the pens exhibited, thus 

 making £1 10s. for the four entries, or 7s. del. per pen. Let us 

 now investigate the Manchester system : — An exhibitor can 

 enter in one form (which really constitutes the subscription 

 tnentioned for the Birmingham Show) five pens, for which he 

 las to disburse £1 1,5s., thus each pen costs him to enter 7s. 

 or Gd. less than at Birmingham ; and an exhibitor of one pen 

 at Birmingham has to pay £1 2s. Grf. for'the privilege of show- 

 ing, whereas at Manchester the eame person can show the 

 same pen for 15s. 



Manchester is straining every nerve to make its Show the 

 Show of Poultry and Pigeons, and there is very little doubt 

 that it wOl be so, considering that the promoters are men of 

 integrity, the Judges persons of undeniable character and 

 honour, and that the Music Hall, where it is held, can be 

 thoroughly warmed by steam-pipes which are laid down through- 

 out the bmlding. — Justitia. 



SHEFFIELD COLUMBARIAN SOCIETY'S SHOW. 



{Prom a Corre^pondfud.) 



This was held on Novembcir 6th. The pens for old nud yonng birds 

 numbered about 140, young birds only competing for prizes. The 

 tirds, competitive and exhibited, comprised everj- variety, and some 

 Were tmequalled ; among these, a Blue cock Powter. owned and shown 

 by Mr. Edward Brown, and a pair of Black and Dun Carriers, bred 

 and exhibited by Mr. Thomas CoUey. were declared premiers of the 

 county, having won three silver cups this year. 



The following is a list of the Judge's awards : — 



Cabriers.— First and Second, — Cottey. Third, J. Deacon. 



POWTERS.— First and Second, W. Ashtorth. Third, H. Brown. 



Fantails.— First and Second, — Hawkins. Third, — Smith. 



TtJRBlTS. — First and Second, — Wilkinson. Third. — Benison. 



Owls, — First and Second, — Ashford. Third, — Benison. 



Tumblers (Short-faced). — First and Second, — Smith. Third, H. 

 Brown. 



Any other Variety. — First and Second. E. Brown (Barbs). 



foECLU. PaizE (Powter Hen).— W. Ashforth. 



Nastwich Silver Game Cnp. — It will be seen, on reference 

 to our advertising columns, that the Committee of the Nantwich 

 Poultry Show purpose next year giving a silver cup for the 

 best pen of Game fowl of any variety, the competition in this 

 case being open to the whole kingdom. Nantwich being so 

 proverbial for the excellence of its Game fowls, no doubt the 

 local exhibitors will strive to the utmost to prevent this coveted 



laurel being wrested from their grasp, and from this cause, 

 most probably, the competition will be a very severe one, and 

 embrace entries from most breeders of Game fowls. 



MIDDLETON POULTRY SHOW. 

 In the Journal of October 31st 1 find an effusion from the 

 prolific pen of a Mr. Massey, of Fulford, York, in which he 

 has taken the trouble to occupy himself, from about the 21st of 

 September, with sundry small grievances, arising out of the 

 business of our show at that date. 



First of all he complains about a want of attention to his 

 Pigeons (quite a new disease), and that he had occasion to 

 bribe some unknown individual before their wants could be 

 attended to, ignoring the fact, known to all exhibitors, that his 

 appeal ought to have been made to the Steward of the depart- 

 ment. From inquiries which 1 have made, I feel most posi- 

 tively certain that not only all the Pigeons, but the large num- 

 ber of poultry as well, were during the Show as well cared for, 

 or perhaps better, than they could have been at home. 



It is not worth while to notice the complaint of his call at 

 my office, as he must be well aware that in the midst of multi- 

 farious business, circumstances occasionally called me to. the 

 various departments ; I can avow, however, that I was not ab- 

 sent for any length of time all put together. In the payment 

 of the prizes, I find that in copying out, the second prize, by 

 mistake, was taken for Carrier Pigeons instead of first, so that 

 at the date of his note he was entitled to 7s. 6d., but he only 

 needed to have pointed this out and it would have received my 

 best attention. The Is. 6d., I beheve, is fully stated on the 

 note sent with his prize money to be for the carriage of his 

 birds, and as the enclosed note will show, was quite in accord- 

 ance with his own instructions. Of course he was also charged 

 commission on the sale of his poultry, and the expense of re- 

 mitting, which together amounted to is. id. 



Lastly, about the mastiff. I can safely say that as soon as 

 his telegram arrived it was dispatched to the Steward of the 

 department and the dog forwarded immediately, after being 

 well fed and cared for in every possible manner. But, may 

 I ask, why should the trouble and expense of Mr. Massey'a 

 dog be thrown upon our Committee, when that gentleman was 

 present at the Show, and ought certainly to have taken charge 

 of and removed him at the close ? Mr. Massey is not quite 

 moteless, it appears, and perhaps would not be able to lead 

 the way to the summit of perfection better or sooner than — 

 Thos. Mills, Seerctary, Middleton Agricultural Society. 



P.S. — I have omitted to state the reason why the dog was 

 not forwarded earlier, he had lost his number, and no one could 

 tell to whom he belonged until the telegram arrived. 



In your Journal of the 31st ult. there is a complaint of the 

 want of management at the Middleton Poultry Show. I was 

 very much vexed at the time with the state in which my birds 

 were returned, as they exhibited great want of care, as well as 

 want of food ; I therefore feel called upon to confirm Mr. Mas- 

 sey's statements in those respects, and hope that there will 

 not be ground for complaint next year. — Chakles Sidgwick, 

 Jiiddlesden Hall^ Keighley. 



WARNING. 



A FEW weeks ago I sent to the Worcester Show some Ducks, 

 which were commended, and a week had not elapsed before I 

 received a letter, edged with black, from a gentleman (as I 

 thought), and dated from Stanton Court, Herefordshire, in- 

 quiring what I would take for a drake of the kind he had seen 

 at the Show. Upon this 1 sent him my terms, to which he 

 agreed ; but being a party of some standing, as 1 then supposed, 

 I did not think it requisite to request the money before send- 

 ing off the bird, but from that time to this I have heard 

 nothing more from the person, although I have written to him 

 several times requesting payment. A warning in your valuable 

 paper to all amateurs will greatly oblige — A ScBscniiiEB. 



Aberdeen Poultry, Pigeon, and Canary Show. — This will 

 inaugurate the new year. The prizes are very liberal ; and 

 there are sweepstakes, as well as extra cups and medals. One 



