Febraary 20, 1866. j 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



155 



to the finest and most admired specimens of this rising 

 breed. 



I have recently visited the yards of some eminent Brahma 

 breeders, where in former days I have seen some of the finest 

 specimens of this class that were ever exhibited. Such size, 

 colour, symmetry, abounding fiuff, and withal logs remarkably 

 short and profusely feathered, that amateurs like myself came 

 from afar to see them, and their fame rang over the country. 

 Great pains were taken, I know, that all the birds reared in 

 these yards should be after this particular type. Had a 

 cockerel then appeared %vith an exposed hock joint, and a 

 scantily feathered leg, I knew his fate ; he would have been 

 summarily delivered over to the hand that holds the knife. 

 Conceive my siu-prise in my late visits, at finding that in conse- 

 quence of the strong prejudice against vulture-hocked Brahmas 

 that has recently sprung up, nearly the whole of the magni- 

 ficent stock in each yard had disappeared. A few poor cockerels 

 remained in one place, like the last remnant of a once noble 

 and illustrious family whom the hard hand of misfortune has 

 struck down in the world, and I observed that they were in close 

 confinement, evidently under capital law. 



In their walks I saw another race moving about, looking 

 very ragged about the legs, which to my eye appeared pro- 

 voMngly long, and as to the hock joint, instead of being grace- 

 fully begirt with feather, lo it was quite bare and rudely exposed, 

 making the birds look exceedingly ugly, wretched, and beggarly. 



I inquired for some of the splendid stock that I had seen 

 before, and found that one was sold for a mere trifle, a second 

 was given to a lady to run with some common hens, and a 

 third, Iwrrihile dictu, was drawing near to his end, his death- 

 warrant was signed. He was vulture-hocked ! This was really 

 a magnificent bird. I felt like tne good, honest fellow who has 

 the charge of the poultry, very sorry for it. Poor old John was 

 almost in tears. " You caimot think Sir," he said, "how 

 much it has put me about." " ily master has a mind, I knows, 

 for them viilter-hocked, and he hates the sight of the new 

 sort, but he says as how it's like this. Xou see it's the law, 

 and he can't help it." "Well, Sir, it's a great pity, and 

 master will be sorry enough for it by-and-by, that he will, and 

 it will just sarve him right." 



Some may be curious to know if the hock feathers of this 

 bird that was doomed to die were long and stiffly set. By no 

 means, they were rather soft, and curving about three parts of 

 an inch. 



With anxious concern I inquire. Must all the pains that have 

 been taken, and the expense that has been incuiTed in bring- 

 ing our birds to such high perfection, be set utterly at nought, 

 simply because a new whim has possessed the brain of some 

 " able judge, or judges?" 



But may not this dire evil be averted ? I feel confident that 

 it may. I do not suspect that more than one or two of our able 

 judges are thus prejudiced, and if a few of our most celebrated 

 breeders would avail themselves of the open columns of this 

 Journal to express their views upon the matter, I doubt not 

 that the silly prejudice which has gone abroad would be aiTested, 

 and shivered and scattered to the winds. If, however, it l^e left 

 to just two or three to wield their pen in defence of tho true 

 and the right, depend upon it nothing will be done. I'o.!; 

 popuU will command the attention of the judge or the judges 

 who have occasioned this grievance, and I have too much 

 respect for their good sense to imagine for one moment that 

 they will persist in setting our wishes at defiance. — Jusiiiia. 



EXPENSES AND RETURN OF POULTRY 

 KEEPING. 

 At page 118 "C. E." solicits suggestions upon this subject. 

 Now, in the first place, the statement shows the total number 

 of birds fed in the year to be .587.5 = per week 113, and surely 

 there must be some error in these figures, for the food ex- 

 penses appear to be very much too little for the large number, 

 and too large for the small number. The error appears to me to 

 have occurred by not having divided the total .587.5 by 12 (as each 

 month's stock for the twelve months is separately stated; ; this 

 would give an average of about 489 birds always on hand, and 

 a number more likely to be maintained at the cost named. 

 Are we to understand the £8 7s. 6<l. is only for stock bought ? 

 — and does it include the value of the stock in hand at the 

 commencement of the year ? — and, as the wickerwork and pans 

 no doubt are stiU in use, they should be brought to the credit 

 of profits for whatever they may be worth. I am siu-e, from 



I my own experience with keeping poultry, that this, if we may 

 j so call it, balance sheet, does not fairly represent what are the 

 real profits upon such a large stock, more especially if we have 

 to add the charge of Is. per day for labour ; for that would then 

 add £15 to the expenses of the year, and show a positive loss 

 of £9, which, I am sm-e, was not " C. E's." intention. I have 

 often proved, by accurate accounts, that with poultry kept 

 either on a large or small scale, and properly managed, a profit 

 of from 40 to 50 per cent, can be shown. I should like "C.E." 

 to give us, what evidently was his intention, a statement that 

 will show that poultry keeping is not only a pleasant pastime, 

 I but also a profit.ible one. — Cadechy. 



CRYSTAL PAIiACE BIRD SHOW. 



As regularly as the eartli revolves on its axis, so do onr national 

 shows come round ; amon? which, and of no small impoiiauce. is that 

 of British and Foreign Birds at the Crystal Palace, which commenced 

 on Saturday last. We have watched with interest the gradual de- 

 velopment of this annual Show, and we have no hesitation in saying 

 that it has reached a degree of perfection unequalled by any of its class. 

 The present display is prouonnced by the Judges to be unsuqiassed 

 by any of its predecessors, and such an one has never before been 

 witnessed. We do not envy the Judges the onerous task which they 

 must have had to award the prizes to such a collection. 



The birds, \vith a few exceptions, are in magnificent plumage and 

 condition, and prove with what care the respective owners must have 

 attended them. Among the Briti.^h birds some vei-y splendid specimens 

 are noticeable of the Bullfinch and Goldfinch. The Kobin, Black- 

 bird, and Thm-sh have praisewoi'thy representatives. In the varieties 

 of Bx-itish birds are a cm-iously pied Lark and a pied Linnet. The 

 Warbler class has representatives in fine specimens of our beautiful 

 little songster — the Nightingale. 



There is a goodly group of Foreign birds, among which are some 

 fine Grey and other Parrots. All the known vaiieties of the Waxbills 

 may be seen at this Show, as also several Java Sparrows, Yirgiman 

 Nightingales, and Cardinals in unrivalled plumage. 



With reference to the Canaiies, the Norwich class is very good, but 

 the Belgians are not so numerous as formerly, nor are they quite np 

 fo the standard with respect to beauty of form and condition. The 

 Lizards are numerous and fijie. The class of Jonque Goldfinch 

 Mules is vei-y superb, and several gi-oups of Canai-ies in cages contain- 

 ing six of each class must be seen in order to have any adequate idea 

 of their beauty. 



The management deserves the gi-eatest praise for the excellent 

 manner in whaeh the exhibition is an-anged and caiTied out. 



CANARIES. 



NoR-mcH (Clear Yellow).— First and Extra Prize, G. Y. ColKnson, Thorp 

 Hamlet, Norwich. Second and Third, J. Pullen, Shoreditch. Very Highly 

 Commended, F. Willis, St. ilartin's-at-Oak, Non\ich ; J. Pullen. Highly. 

 Commended, F. Willis ; W. Walter, Winchester; Cj. Y. C'oIUnson ; J. Pullen? 

 J. Judd, Newington Butts. Commended, F.E.Colman. Clapham Common' 

 T. Newmarch. Old Street P^ad, St. Luke's ; J. Judd ; R.Mackley, St. Mary's, 

 Norwich ; O. Lipscombe, Westboume Grove, Bayswater. (A very superior 

 class 1 



Norwich (Clear Buff).— First, G.Y. Collinson. Second ,F. Willis. Third, 

 J. Pullen. Very Highly Commended, F. Willis : G. Y. Colhnson ; J. Pullen. 

 Highly Commended, W. Walter ; J. Judd. Commended, C. J. Ayre ; W. 

 Walter ; O. Lipscome. (A first-rate class.) 



Norwich (Varie'iated or Marked Yellow). — First and Second, G. Y. Col- 

 linson. Extra Prize, G. J. Barae.=iby, Derby. Very Highly Commended, 

 F. WilUs ; G. Y. Collinson. Highly Commended, G. Y. CoUinson; W. 

 Walters. Commended, S. Tomes, Southampton ; G. E. W. Rawlinson, 

 Gloucester ; W. Walter ; J. Judd ; R. Mackley ; O. Lipscombe. 



Norwich (A' ariegated or Marked Buff). — First, T. Banfather, Noi-wich. 

 Second, F. Willis. Very Highlv Commended, G- Y. Collinson : W. Walter ; 

 J. Judd. Highly Commended, 'G. Y. Collinson ; W.Walter ; T. Newmarch. 



NoR^VICH (Crested, or any other variety). — First and Second, G. Y. Col- 

 linson. Very Highly Commended, W. Walter. Highly Commended, T. 

 Banfather. "Commended, S. Tomes ; J. Judd. 



Belgian: (Clear Yellow).— First. W. Phillips, Old Easford, Notts. Se- 

 cond, T. Roper. Lambeth. Third. T. Smith. Very Highly Commended, 

 J. Rutter, Sunderland ; T. Roper ; O. Nicholson ; J. Judd. Highly Com- 

 mended, H. Marshall, Durham ; J. Rutter. Commended, H. Marshall ; 

 J. Rutter ; J. Grimani. {.A. good class.) 



Belgian (Clear Buff).— First, W. Phillips. Second, J, Doel, Plymouth. 

 Extra Prize. W. Vie, Derbv. Very Highly Commended, J. Rutter; L. 

 Corti, Bath Street, City Road; J. Judd ; W. Phillips. Hiyhly Conunended, 

 L. Corti ; J. Doel ; A. Dalton ; T. Roper. Commended, L. Corti. 



Belgian (Variegated, or Marked Yellow).— Fii'st, O. Nicholson. Se- 

 cond, J. Rutter. Commended, T. Roper. 



Belgian (Variegated, or Marked Buff).— First. A. Roper. Second, T. 

 Roper. Ver\- Highlv Commended, H. Marshall ; W. Phill-ps. 



Belgian (Crested', or any other Variety).— Fii-st. H. Ashton, Prestwich. 

 Second, W. AValter. Very Highlv Commended, G. J. Bamesby. Highly 

 Commended. T. Newmarch ; W. Williaais ; W. Walter. Commended, T. 

 Newmarch ; J. Baum, Crvstal Palace. 



LoxDON Fancy (Jonque*).— First, J. Waller, Tabernacle Walk, Finsbury. 

 Second, J. Judd. Highlv Commended, J. Waller. Commended, J. Judd. 



London Fancy (Mealy).— First, J. Waller. Second. J. Judd. Highly 

 Commended, J. Waller ; J. Judd. Commended, J. Wiillcr. 



German, or anv other Varietv except Norwich on Eelgiak.— 

 First, W. Walter (German). Second, W. Barnes, Caunon Street, E.C. 

 Extra Prize, S. Tomes (Jonqno, Variegated Cinnamon). Highly Com- 

 mended, W. Barnes; W. Walter. Commended, T. Neifs-march; J. Pollen. 



