Docombor 13, 180^. ] 



JOUKXAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAIIDENER. 



491 



of oompliiint. uQr whtit it is you \vlsh to know,'] if at tho piiKos uamod you 

 do not tiiul HuCQclont iiifonniitlou. 



Waix Vi:*i:ky {SpringJirld.)—'Wo think your plan will answer well. A 

 sketch mid sumo roiiinieiits Hhall ho puhlishod next TncHdiiy. 



Names or Fiutt (.7. /f., .l/nlrffn).— 1, Kiister Bcuirc ; 2, IJouiTt; Diel; 



3, Dutch Mi^'iKuinc: 4, Cobbnm. (.7. ZJ.).-— The Ponr, E.istor Boumt. 

 Apples: I, Pigc'unnet; 3. Nonpareil; 3, U-Mnotto Vnn Mons ; 1, Goldou 

 Ri^incttc. (D. .1/.).— 1, Golden Winter Poarmain; 'J, Christio'8 Pippin; 



4. Golden Nohlo ; 5. Tokcr's Iiicomparablo ; (J, WormMloy Pippin. (//. B.). 

 —1, Flower of Kent; 2, Horofordshiro Pearmnin; 3, L.itly'd Finger; 



4, Hunry Morning ; 5, Dutch MIgnonno ; 6, Golden Reinetto ; 7, Cr.isanne ; 

 8, HtMinV- do R;mco. fW. 3/.).— Poars : 1, Winter Nclifl ; 2, Ileurrc DioL 

 Applts: 1. Nonpareil; 3, Scurlot Nonpareil, (it. //. ,4.).— I, Glou Mor- 

 reau ; 2, Catillac ; 3, TroHor ; 4, Vicar of Wiukflchl. Apple not recognised. 

 (.i. /f.).— 1, Chaumontel ; 2, Bcuitc Diel ; 3, Golden Hoinotto. Tho plants 

 were destroyed by niiritako. (A. P.). — 4, Borgamotte do PrintoinpM ; 6, Ur- 

 hatii»tu ; 10, Bourre Derouineau. 



Nauua of Plants (A Suhseriher). — Correspondents should ^.cnd Orchid 

 QoworH iu boxes — 1 and 2, Calauthey crushed; 3, Eranthcuium leuoo- 

 nourum. {J. B.), — 1, Abutilon ; 2, Coronilla omorus. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS in the Suburbs of London for the Week ending December 9th. 



POULTRY. BEE, and HOUSEHOLD CHRONICLE. 



THE POULTllY CLUB. 

 The annniil Meeting was held at Birmingbam. Some fresh 

 members were elected. A Show, to be named " The National," 

 is fixed for January 29th at Rochdale, under the auspices of 

 the Club. A vote of censure on the Birminshara Committee 

 relative to the Judges was proposed, but withdrawn. A Com- 

 mittee was appointed to inquire if it would be desirable for the 

 Club to publish a fortnightly Journal. 



THE BIRMINGHAM POULTRY SHOW. 



While most of the Shows that gave fair promise, some years since, 

 of being annual, and of lasting out many of those who assisted at 

 their start have ceased to be ; the first of them all, tlie Birmingham 

 and Midland Counties, has not only last wccl: attained its soventecntli 

 anniversary, but seems to get strength with iige. In uU particulars it 

 improves. The zen!, kuowled,ie, experience, and nnfiinchin;^ integrity 

 with which all mattej-s concerning this great Show are handled by the 

 gentlemen who compose the Council, and v.-ho, without personal in- 

 terest of any kind, devoto much time to it, deserve no less result. 

 Many persons had doubted this year whether there would bo any 

 exhibition. It wa-i feared that owing to the disease among cattle they 

 could not be admitted, and then it was thought they v/onld put off the 

 poultry also. We can state authontatively it was never intcitded to 

 put off the ponltiy, even had the cattle bejn given up lor one year. 

 It required courage to hold an exhibition of cattle, while even small 

 local markets were being closed, because of the nanger of allowing 

 animals to be brought in contact with each other ; but fortune, as 

 usual, favoured the bold, and although there was a falling off in the 

 numbers of the beasts, there was none in their quality. The numbers 

 that were there not only afforded ji treat, and au assuring fact in these 

 days of pestilence, hut they showed that the owners api)rec:ated, and 

 were disposed to support those who trusted iu them. 



In that part of the Show with which we have more particularly to 

 do there was no falling off. Nothing could be more grati^ing than 

 the numbers and mex-it of this gi-eat e:;hibition as they ajipoared last 

 week before the public. A few facts will cany more conviction than 

 any mere explanation or assertion. When this Show began it was 

 considered a good I)nch that weighed .5 lbs., B lbs. was a large one. This 

 year the first inize Aylesburies weighed 10 lbs. each; these were the 

 exceptions, hut there were many that weighed over S lbs. Ronen 

 Duchs wore formerly neither numerous nor v.ell undprstood ; half of 

 those shown were disqualified for glaring faults of plumage, and 

 weight was never thought of ; now, not only are they more numerous 

 than the Aj-lcsburies, but thirty or foi-ty pens are shown without a 

 disqualification, and, when the scales are brought into action, it is 

 found that these have attained nearly to 9 lbs. each, while between 

 7 and S may be almost called an average. Improvement is not, how- 

 ever, confined to these bii-ds, nor to weight. The beautifnl Buenos 

 Ayrean Duck was required to be smaller, and more strilcing in gixcn 

 metallic lustre, and again wc have to note in a numerous class there 

 was a close approach to perfection. Ducks will not, however, have all 

 the honours. The Goose so intimately associated in anecdote with 

 our Virgil! (Jueen and the Armada, which, according to report, was 

 said by that glorious lady to be a stupid bird, "' too much for one, not 



enough for two," now reaches tho comfortable weight of 2D lbs. ; 

 9 used to be about the fair average. Now, no record is ever pat 

 against tho name of those that weigh only IB lbs. each ; the very 

 assistants tni-u up their noses, and condemn them as weighing 

 nothing at all. What can be said of a dish for two, consisting of 

 20 lbs. 01 good GooLic ? In these classes wc liave to uotice an event 

 that has only occurred twice in our recollection— the White were 

 heavier than the Grey. Turkeys are still in progress ; a few years 

 since it was necessary to show a cock and two hens. It was thought 

 an exploit when the three reached 50 lbs. wtught — such easily gained 

 first prize. This year, however, when two bii-ds only wore shown, 

 they weighed 47 lbs. It may not be amiss to call attention to this 

 fact, that, thanlis to the institution of poultry shows, by societies like 

 the Bii'mingham and Midland Counties, opportunities for choosing 

 stock, for gaining information, and the desire for success in competi- 

 tion, have resulted in the production of birds, accomplishing no less a 

 desideratum than the same amount of food on two birds that was 

 originally produced by three. This is no small exploit. Poulti-y is at 

 last becoming a food question, not only as regards the carcasses, but 

 as providing delicious and nourishing diet in the shape of eggs. A 

 million of eggs per day importdd throughout the year, amount to a 

 large sum of money, and there is no doubt that vdth proper pains- 

 ! taking much of it might re::iaJn in the United Kingdom. As a list 

 of the prizetakers appeared in uui- columns last week, we shall now 

 content ourselves with reviewing the different classes, making such 

 comments as may seem to be called for. 



There were llV2 pens of iJorlhifis^ forming a ven- meritorious class. 

 Many of the cocks weighed upwards of 10 lbs. each, and we were glad to 

 find "there were few crooked bre-tsts. There was but slight difi"erence in 

 tho prize pens. Admiral Hornby's two ; Capt. Lane's, and Yiscountess 

 Holmesdale's, all were veiy large, all in perfect condition. Six prizes 

 did not satisfy the requirements cf the chickens ; hut there were no 

 more to give. Admiral Hornby again stood fii'st. taking precedence (for 

 this occasion only) of Viscountess Holmesdale, Lady Bagnt. and Mrs. 

 Ai-lnn-ight. Twenty pens figured in the prize sheet. Lady Holmes- 

 dale showed the best hens, and iirs F. Blair was prizetoker in this, 

 as in several other classes. No mean exploit. The pullets were not 

 as good as the hens. Wc can K.penlc most highly of the white birds of 

 this hrced, they had size and quality. 



The adult /ipcmuh were detiuient in numbers, but good in quality. 

 We miss, nevertheless, the liigh type of those shown formerly by 

 Messrs. Rake and Davies. Mr. Lane's birds were t^ood, and Messrs. 

 Hone and Bull sent very favourable specimens. The classes for hens 

 and pullets, especially the latter, were scantily filled. If they are not 

 better represented it will he a question whether they should not be 

 diminished. 



The adult Cochin- China class was one of the best we evc-r recollect. 

 Many of the birds had all the merits of old and young. The hens in 

 Mr. CatteU's pen were really perfect specimens. The pen sold for .£25. 

 Mr. Stretch's birds, Mr. Tomlinson's, and Mr. Bates's, were all most 

 excellent. The chickens were not as got)d as the adults, nor as good 

 as they have been some previous years. Messrs. Nelson, Stretch, 

 Heaton, and White, deserved tho success they met with ; while many 

 were in trouble owing to their vnltura hocks. The hens and pullets 

 of thi.s breed mustered well, srvpnty-fcur pens ; but vulture hocks 

 were agaiii numerous, and di;;qualilied some otherT^ise good pens. Mr. 

 Stevens and Mr. Jennison showed tho best birds. 



The Grov!it> and PartrUh/e classes filled well with good birds ; but 

 the old difficulty of finding cocks with thoroughly black breasts still 

 exists. Mr. Stretch was very successful in these classes, as was Mr. 

 Tudmnn. Indeed, if we add the name of Capt. Heaton, we shall 

 describe all tho winners of the ten prizes offered. 



