July 17, I860. J 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



53 



which ho invites the Editors to dinner. I should he moat 

 hanpy, if you will pay a visit to Bedford, to show you my 

 Cochins, and also to have some for dinner— hut no " Wiltshire 

 Bhctoii."— E. Clarke, Ivy Uuiue, Bedford. 



[We beg " WiLTsmiiE Rector" to remember that this is 

 warm weather— extremely hot, in fact— we further beg him to 

 remember that no lady will endure detraction of her pets ; and, 

 lastly, we bog him to remember the proverb of this lady's 

 county, " Men's minds, crooked as Crawley Brook," bo his 

 judgment may bo atwist. Thus remembering, ho will reply 

 mildly— and ask permission to accompany us to the dinner at 

 Ivy House— and when asked to return thanks after tho repast, 

 he "will not uso tho formula — ■ 



" For Cochins loppy, dry. and tough, 

 I'm thankful — but I 'vo bad enough."] 



FOWLS YOU SHOULD KEEP. 



Mahcti 3rd. — Sat thirteen eggs, hatched twelve, reared nine ; 

 cat killed three. 



June Oth. — Sat fifteen eggs, hatched thirteen ; twelve living. 

 Both these sittings were from the same Dorking hen, the old 

 rooster's particular favourite. 



I never yet to my knowledge had a hen eat her eggs. I am 

 very careful in supplying my fowls with plenty of green meat, 

 builder's rubbish, and clean pump water daily. I do not now 

 give meat or bone3 to pick. I make my hens' nests in a 

 secluded corner of an outhouse as follows : — I make a slight 

 hollow in the ground, take some rather stiff earth, and beat it 

 into the hollow with the fist until firm and smooth. I then 

 placo clean straw, regulating the quantity according to the time 

 of year, very little being used with the June sitting. I lift my 

 sitting hen off at tho same time every morning, provide her 

 with a dust bath, clean water, and food (whole barley or fig 

 dust), and before she is allowed to return to her nest I place 

 her on the wet grass, so that her feet and under feathers may 

 he slightly damped : this plan I prefer to sprinkling the eggs. 



The best layers which I have ever had came from some 

 eggs purchased at a farmhouse, where they told me Cochins, 

 Spanish, and Dorkings had been allowed to run together. 



I submit that as distinct breeds Dorkings and Brahmas are 

 very profitable, but a cross between these two would give a 

 still better return. My egg return for the last six months gives 

 the following : — January, 65 ; February, 68 ; March, 77 ; April, 

 (!2 ; May, 73 ; June, 58. Stock, 4 Dorkings and 2 Brahmas. 

 Dorking cock. — J. M. S. 



WOODHORN AND NEWBIGGIN POULTRY 

 SHOW. 



The first Exhibition of the Woodhorn and Newbiggin Poultry and 

 Pigeon Show was held in a large marquee erected on a choice site at 

 Newbiggm-by-the-Sea, on Saturday, the 7th inst. Although it is only 

 about six or seven weeks since the idea of holding a poultry show 

 at the above place was first mooted, yet all parties interested in its suc- 

 cess bestirred themselves most energetically, and we are glad to say 

 their efforts were well rewarded. The gentry and inhabitants of tho 

 district supported it in a most substantial manner. The Committee 

 have no doubt that they will be enabled to double the money valuo of 

 the prizes at the next show, as well as to offer silver cups for certain 

 classes. Many of the birds shown had taken prizes at tho Bath and 

 West of England Show recently held at Salisbury, and at others of 

 the principal shows in the kingdom. A magnificent pair of Buff 

 Cocliin-Chinas and a pen of Game Bantams from Mr. Edward Fearon, 

 of Whitehaven, arrived, we are sorry to say, too late for competition. 

 The total number of entries was 117, one only of which was for 

 Pigeons. The following is a list of the prizetakers : — • 



Game (Duckwing).— First, H. Rogers, Bedlington Colliery. Second, 

 P. Wilkinson, Bedlington. 



Game 'Black-breasted and other Reds). — First, G. Joisce, Bedlington. 

 Second, H. Rogers. 



Game (Any other variety). — First. J. Achincloss, Barrington Colliery. 

 Second, J. Muter, Newbiggm-by-the-Sea. Hen. — First, H. Rogers. Se- 

 cond, R. Wailes, Netherton Colli, ry. 



Hambuiiohs (Golden-pencilled). — First, A. K. Wood, Bomeside, Kendal. 

 Second, J. Smith, Netherton. 



Hamf.uughs (Silver-pencilled). — First, A. K. Wood. Second, J. Sim, 

 Cramlington. 



Hamburohs (Golden-spangled). — First, J. Achincloss. Second, J. Sim. 



Haaibuhghs (Silver-spangled).— First, A. Ii. Wood. Second, J. Martin, 

 Cowpcn Colliery. 



Dorkinos (Coloured). — First, Miss Wilson, Woodhorn. Second, J. 

 Graham, Durham. Chickens. — First and Second, J. Graham. 



Dorki.no Hen (Any variety).— First, Miss Wilson. Second, J.Graham. 



Dorkinos (Whito).— First, F. E. Sebofiold, Morpeth. Second, G. 

 Joisce. _ 



Si ani.-ui (Black).— First, J. Taylor, Ncwliiggin-by-tho-Soa. Second, J. 

 Stalker, Sleekburn Colliery- Chickem.— First, M. Gibson, Woodhorn. 



Brahma Pootras.— First, Mrs. Ulirisp, Hawkhill. Second, J. O'Leary, 

 High Trewitt, Rothbury. 



Babn-door Fowl. — First, R. Burn, Nowbiggin-by-tho-Sea. Second, 

 Mrs. Shanks, Nowbiggin-by-the-Sea. 



Any other variety not mentioned EXCErT Bantams. — Prize, T. 

 Finlay, Newhiggin-by-the-Sea. > 



Game Bantams i Blaik-lnvasU'd and other lied).— First, T. C. nam- 

 son, Hull. Second, W. Davison, Bebside Colliery. Highly Commended, 

 Miss S. F. Wilson, Woodhorn; G. Dowie, Netherton. 



Game (Any other variety).— First, Miss Wilson. Second, J. Sim. 



Bantams (Any other variety).— First, T. C. Harrison. Second, Miss 

 S. F. Wilson. ' _ , , 



Guinea Fowl.— First, T. C. Harrison. Seeond, G. Johnson, Barnngtoa 

 Colliery. _ _,. _ . 



Peacocks.— First, Mrs. Parker, Newcastle Second, O. Richardson, 

 Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. 



Turkeys.— First, Miss Wilson. Second, Miss S. F. Wilson. 



Geese.— First, J. Angus, jun., Morpeth. Second, Miss Wilson. 



Docks (Aylesbury).— First, J. Maughan, Newbiggin-by-tho-Sea. Se- 

 cond, J. Taylor. „ _ , „,_ 



Ducks (Rouen).— First, Mrs. Wilson, Woodhorn. Second, J. O Leary. 



Ducks (Any other variety).— First, R. S. Bainbridge, Woodhorn Grange. 

 Second, T. C. Harrison. 



Jacobins.— Prize, J. Willis, Woodhorn. 



Mr. W. Trotter, of South Acornb, Bywolls, Stocksfiold, officiated as 

 Judge. 



A MASCULINE HEN. 



The following is my brother's account of a mule bird which 

 is stuffed, and stands in his hall at Hyde, Bere Regis, Bland- 

 ford, Dorset. — W. F. Radclyffe. 



" All I can remember about the mule bird is, that she is half 

 Bantam, and was kept for twelve years to breed Pheasants up. 

 About the ninth year we observed a couple of tail feathers 

 curled like a cock's long tail feathers, and some appearance of 

 the cock's hackle about the neck, and on the rump. Next year 

 her plumage became more decidedly like a cock's. She put on 

 two more curled feathers in the tail, and the hackle on the neck 

 and rump were more decided. She did not lay after the first 

 appearance of the male plumage. She crowed something like a 

 cock ; and the labourers, to whom she was well known, say they 

 saw her exhibit other masculine propensities. Spurs appeared 

 about the commencement of the change. On opening her 

 body the whole of the ovaries were found to he completely ossi- 

 fied. The man who stuffed her showed her to a member of the 

 British Museum, who heard my statement, which he said was 

 quite correet. Up to that time no one believed the stuffer, but 

 thought that it was a cock bird. However, this person said, 

 ' Look at her comb, and there can be no doubt.' I would give 

 her to any public institution. If living she would be thirty 

 years old. The bird died in moulting at twelve years old."— 

 C. J. Radclyffe. 



P.S.— I beg ju my brother's name to put tho destination of 

 the bird for a i>ublic institution— South Kensington Museum 

 for choice— into the hands of the Editors of The Journal of 

 Horticulture. — W. F. Radclyffe. 



SUCCESSFUL FOWL CULTURE. 



Seeing the long catalogue of "Failures in Hatching" in 

 your Number for July 3rd, I thought an experience of some- 

 what different character might serve to encourage my more un- 

 fortunate brother amateurs still to persevere. 



My adult stock consisted at the beginning of the season of 

 three Brahma, two Cochin, and two Game hens about nine 

 months old, two Game and two cross-bred hens two years old, 

 one Brahma cock one year old, one ditto nine months old. 



From February 10th to June 23rd I set 153 eggs under 

 eleven hens, hatched ninety chickens, and lost sixty-three eggs 

 as follows :— Six stolen, five chicks dead in shell, fifty-two bad. 

 Of these last, forty-four were purchased eggs obtained from noted 

 breeders who regularly advertise in the Journal ; eighty-nine 

 eggs were from my own fowls, of which only fourteen were bad; 

 the loss has been in the purchased eggs. How is it that they 

 so often turn out bad ? Is it owing to the birds moving fre- 

 quently from show to show ? If so, is there no remedy for this 

 disappointment and loss ? 



My chickens are all well. I always attend to them myself 

 the first thing in the morning, and give them generally baiiey- 

 meal made stiff, in which I always put a little of Day's Game 

 paste, taking care to wash out the pans and give them fresh 



