September i, 1869. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOBTIOULTTJRE AND COTTAGE GABDBNEB. 



195 



ongbt not to be an objeotion, provided economy is not neglected 

 and Bucoees enBured. I need hardly point out more th»a one 

 fact to you to entirely dinpr ive this tbeory of " E. M. B. A." 

 At the present moment there are thousands of Pheasants which 

 have been reared on tho food till fit to go into the covers, and 

 are then turned ont io great part to forage lor themselves. 

 What difference can exist between the Pheasant and the fowl? 

 If any, it is simply ihin, that whilst the Pheasant, used to the 

 soft lap of luxury, and turned out to roam and forage for its 

 existence, is, to a certain extent, exposed to the variations of 

 temperature and season by day and night, the fowl, on the 

 contrary, i< provided with natrilious food at stated limes, warm 

 shelter, and has every cure and attention paid to it on the 

 slightest appearanie of uilmeot. That chickens reared on the 

 food goba"k when it is omitted in their daily diet is unquestion- 

 able, and I think it one of the strongest arguments in its favour. 



"E. M. B A." kindly oiutions his readers against purchas- 

 ing fowls which hive been fed on my food, as in all probability 

 they will lose them when it is discontinued. I am a large 

 breeder of Game fowl exclusively, and send away some hun- 

 dreds during the seasnn to parties who never have, and per- 

 haps never will use the food. Every bird of these has been 

 reared on it from ihe day it was ha.tchc'd till sent away, and 

 yet is there a purchaser of any of my fowls (and amongst your 

 readers there must be maD>) who can come forward and say he 

 has lost a single mature bird when deprived of it? or, to go 

 even further, will any finder who, after a bird has come into 

 his possession as a fre-h purchase, say he has found his ac- 

 qnisition droop and die? 



Here is the clue to the whole. I can gather from the letter 

 of " E. M. B. A." that he deputes the attention of his "yards " 

 to other people, for does he not say, " I found that Dear's food 

 had been omitted for a week ? " — ergo, he was unaware of what 

 was taking place for a week. Mr. Wragg. Mr. Loe and myself, 

 are practical men, who personally superintend our yards, see 

 that every order given is rigidly carried out, and that the most 

 minute details of daily occurrences in connection with them 

 are instantly communioated to us. Here is where nine out of 

 ten fail to rear their chickens, or show a wimjiog pen of birds. 

 — H. C. Dear, North Stoneham Park, Southampton. 



[We have been obliged to omit much from this commnnioa- 

 tion, and mast decline inserting any more on tho subjeot. — 

 Eds.] 



FEEDING POULTRY. 



Of tho oircumstanoes under which I have observed fowls 

 healthy and unhealthy, I shall first describe those in which 

 they were in the former condition. This was where they had 

 a free run, plenty of light food — such as mashed potatoes with 

 a little graia, so that the crop was kept well distended, and 

 the contents easily digested — plenty of water, abundance of 

 battermilk, the latter being beneficial to an irritable consti- 

 tution, and lastly, the house so ventilated that a candle would 

 burn brightly in it without flickering. Under sneh treatment 

 poultry l»y well, are firm in flesh, and I have scarcely ever 

 found them otherwise than healthy. 



I now come to fowls which are shut up part of the day. 

 When partly confined, more green vegetable matter should be 

 given, and less strong food, with an abundance of drink mixed 

 with gelatinous matter. They ought to have their liberty early 

 in the morning, as then is their natural time to seek dainty 

 morsels — in fact, it is the only time they can find them; so 

 that poultry not let out until the after part of the day might 

 as well be not let out at all. Poultry wholly in contioement 

 ought to be fed in the morning with light food partly consisiing 

 of green vegetables, plenty of milk and water, and graia, which 

 ought to be crushed, and given only at night as their last meal. 

 When let ont in the morning, attended to properly, and much 

 irritating food is not given, fowls are generally healihy. With 

 those wholly in confinement I have found more difficulty ; but 

 whenever abundance of milk, vegetables, and clean sand were 

 given, they were healthy. It is vain to expect the same nnrn- 

 ber of eggs from fowls kept iu a? from those at liberty. En- 

 couragement to lay only brings on diBea<^e and ph>rten^ life. 

 Such has been my experience. — A LANABEsaiaB Bjse-keefeb. 



THE HEN FEVER. 



Why fhould not people have the "hen fever?" The hens 

 are happily free from it. From Christmas time to near epiiug, 



fresh-laid eggs are worth from 3 to 6 cents a-| i-ce, 40 m CO cents 

 a-dozen, and rarely less than 3 dollar- a buiidred. From May 

 to September, " broilers,"— that is, (uU-fledged chickens weigh- 

 ing I to 2 lbs. each, and actually 3 lbs. to the pair, will sell at 

 from 1 to 2 dollars a-pair, alive. 



The demand for eggs is inaatiable. The " IrnnsBc'ions" in 

 New Y'lr k alone are estimated to amount to arm- 3,000,000 dollars 

 or 4,000,000 dollars a-monih ; and during ihe cool weatberfrom 

 September to April, the sales in the doad-fo»l market, not ex- 

 clusively cl i-'-ens, however, probably exceed those figares. 

 The value of ;- .ultty-yard products in the wh^de country is said 

 to be not les,< iban 100 000,000 dollars a year. The best breeds 

 for eggs are no', the best as winter l.tyerB. The best for flesh 

 are not the b--t for eggs, nor are those whi^h quickly attain 

 marketable siz * the best for fattening fur the fall and winter 

 market. Tbe most beautiful fowls are found among those 

 famous as layers, yet this class includes also tbe homeliest. 

 Every breed has its uses, each ha.s its fanciers; enrae are in 

 fashion now, others will be two years hence. — (Boston Cultivator.) 



DORKINGS AT THE WHITWORTH AND 

 ROCHD.iLE POULTkY SHOW. 

 An observati'jD io tbe account of tbis Show in list week'* 

 number, to the tSect that " the Dorkiog classes were scantily 

 filled," has led rae to look at the catalogue, from which I find 

 that the ehioken entries were more numerous than in any other 

 class, with tbe exception of the selling class. There were, in 

 fact, twelve pens entered, three of which were highly com- 

 mended, in addition to the two prize-winners. Your corre- 

 spondent's observation must, I thiuk, refer to the adult class, 

 for which there were four entries only. I question, indeed, 

 whether committees are wise in offeriug prizes for Dorkings 

 over one year old during the moulting season. Few breeders, 

 unless their yards are very large, can make up a good pen of 

 adult birds from July to October, and the small entry of this 

 class atKoohdale points to the same conclusion. — An ExHisno*. 



THE UTTOXETER POULTRY SHOW 



This Show was held on Ausnst '27th, ia a very large tent veil adapted 

 for the purpose. Tbe ventilatiou was excellent, and the shide afforded 

 to the really oppressed poultry was most acceptable. The day was 

 excessively hot, and we regret to say several very valuabie fowls died 

 daring transit by rail to Uttoxeter ; coa-»equently, apart from the money 

 value of the fowls, the pens of which they formed part were rendered 

 incapable of prize-taking. As oar p:*ge8 may be read by some of the 

 railway officials, we would draw attention to the want of judgment 

 shown" in stowiug as many baskets as possible of the most valuable of 

 exhibition poultry in a van, without ventilation, anl exposed to the 

 burning rays of the snn. This, beyond question, is the canse of the 

 serious losses we have named. A proper admission of air to highly- 

 fed poultry, more especially when closely packed, is indispensable, other- 

 wise serioas injury, and often death, will be the consequence. Railway 

 managers cannot be too careful on snch occasions. We cannot speak 

 more "highly than they deserve of tbe strennous efforts of MessM. 

 Banting, Dams, and others of the Committee, in doing all they conid, 

 on the arrival of the birds, to counteract tbe iuflnences jnst named. 

 The birds being placed in large open pens without delay, and supplied 

 with abundance of spring water, we believe not a single death took place 

 after arrival ; thouob many when they arrived looked faint and almoet 

 hopeless. Those found dead on opening the baskets were carefully re- 

 turned to the owners for their inspection. 



Tbe Show was admirable, the Dark Bralimas taking a strong lead as 

 pnblic favourites. The Hnmlmri/hs and Grey Dorkings were not less 

 commendable. In a good class for French Fowls, Creve-Co-nrs were 

 first, and Hondans second, no La Flecbe being shown. The GeeM, 

 Turlri/s, and Diicks were first-rate. The general classes were confined 

 to birds of the present year ; but earnestly desirous to meet the wishei 

 of every patron, the Committee wisely added a general class for " Any 

 variety of poultry, irrespective of age." A valuable pen of Spanish 

 received tbe first prize, and nnqncstionably tbe very beat pi n of Golden- 

 spangled Hamburghs shown at Uttoxeter the second. Tbe Exhibition 

 was exceedingly well filled, a Horticultural Show being united to it, 

 and tbe satisfacti-jn of the visitors was freely expressed. 



DoRETNOs (Any varietv).— 1 and 2, Mrs. Arkwrigbt, Etwnll Hall. Derby. 

 he. G. A. Crewe, Etwn'l. Derby; Miss E. WiUiams. HeuU.va Bemew, 

 Montitomeryshire (White Bose-ooinbBitl: E. Leecli, Rochdale, c. KeT.B. 

 Bartrum, Great Berkhampslead (Coloured) ; Lady Bagot, Blithaeld Hall 

 iGrev). 



Cochin-Chini (Arvvariely).-l. T. Rogers, WabiaU. 2, J. RohinBon, 

 GarstaagtBuff . ftc, 'G A. Crewe (Buffi. „ , „ 



Game (Black or Brown-bra strd Ke ls).-1. Rev. T. O'Gradv. Hoimaston 

 Vicarage, Ashlouroe iBLick-breasted Bed). 2. G. Baenall. Draycott, 

 Cheadle. *i;, J. Piatt, Swanlow, Winslord (Eedj ; G. Bentley, btone, 



