254 



JODBNAL OP HOBTICULTCRE AKD COTTAGE GARDENER, I B«pteicb«t 23, 19C9. 



MIckleovor. Tumllfn.—\ anJ 2, F. Sale. FatilaiU.—\, F. Sale. 2. W, R- 

 Dick, TicknnlL he, A. O. Worthington ; F. S»lo. Any other Uittinel 

 Variety. — 1, 2, and c, K. Sale '/rrumpotera, Magpies, and EagUsh OwU). 

 he, J. Uarpnr, Derby (Draguoae) ; O, Hoywood, Derby (harbs). 



Mr. Drewrj-, of Uarton; Mr. Hewitt, of Birmingham; anil Mr. 

 Loire, of Combcrford, were the Jadgcs. 



WHITBY CANARY SHOW. 



This Exhibition of British and foreign cage and song birds 

 was held in connection with tlie thirtieth annual E.'chibition of 

 the Floral and Hortioultuial Society in the Congress Hall, on 

 Taesday, the 14th inst. 



I am pleased to bo able to give a detailed report of it, for, 

 like those goutlemcn who have for the past week or two been 

 upholding the dignity of their hobby— the fancy Rabbit, I, too, 

 am jealous, very jealous, of my pet fancy— the Canary, and I 

 don't like to see him consigned to the fag end of a report. I 

 sympathise very sincerely with the writers to whom I refer, 

 but I would just aak them whether the neglect they complain 

 of is not to some extent their own fault ? Do they do all in 

 their power to raise their fancy to its proper level ? and are the 

 beauties of the fancy Kabbit, as developed by them, brought 

 Bufficiently before the million through the powerful agency of 

 the press? I am sure the pages of " our Journal " are open 

 to the lovers of all domestic pets. We have even had an en- 

 thusiastic writer on Ferrets ! Why not, then, write up your 

 favourites ? I, for one, would much like to see a series of prac- 

 tical papers on the modern fancy Kabbit, its varieties, &c., 

 with details as to points and management. I have always had 

 a sneaking kindness for Rabbits, and who has not ? Mv boys 

 do a large stroke of business in the line, the balance always 

 being on the wrong side. Rest assured of this, that if you 

 love your pets and work for them, you will give untold pleasure 

 to many a reader, and the work will be a labour of love, re- 

 paying itself a thousandfold. Make up your minds that Rab- 

 bits shall not be consigned to the last half dozen lines of a 

 report, and you will soon liud them at the other end. 



But, " rei-eitoiis u iws inoutom." I was obliged to make an 

 early start to reach 'SVhitby in good time, and 5.10 a.m. saw mo 

 en route. Nearly all my fellow-travellers in the early stage of 

 the journey were butchers or drovers, redolent of suet, bound 

 for Newcastle cattle market. The conversation, however, took 

 quite a literary turn, having reference chiefly to Pretender and 

 Harriet Beecber Stowe. While changing at Ferry Hill for 

 Stockton, I witnessed a very touching incident, now frequently 

 to be seen in this district. A small group of men and women, 

 waiting the arrival of the up train, were hanging on one 

 another's necks, giving utterance to such expressions of grief 

 as one could hardly listen to without emotion. The good-bye 

 scene was most affecting ; I cannot describe it. A bystander 

 gave me the clue to the whole in one word — America. It was 

 a small family leaving, most probably, their native village to 

 seek a home across the Atlantic. God speed them in their 

 joui-ney to the Far West ! 



Stockton was hardly astir when we ran into the station, at 

 least the refreshment-room was scarcely awake, the young lady 

 in charge telling mo I CDuld have no coffee, as " t' kettle wasn't 

 boiling," and as "f kettle " refused to boil in anything like a 

 reasonable time, I went my way minus my coffee. From 

 Stockton to WhitLy the scenery is very romantic, the Line fol- 

 lowing the windings of the Esk through the tortuous passes of 

 the Cleveland Hills, crossing and recrossing the river a score 

 of times, bounded on either side now by overhanging woods, 

 and now by wide moors, covered as far as the eye could reach 

 with blooming heather. Far up on a hillside a column of 

 smoke indicated the spot where, I was told, a jet mine had 

 taken fire. The stations are some of them beautifully situated, 

 but some in apparently the most out-of-the-way plnces, within 

 sight of no human habitation. I was informed at all of them 

 that " Bryant & May's matches would light only on the box ;" 

 and at one, wheie there seemed to be only a solitary station- 

 master and porter rolled into one, some' enterprising tailor 

 announced that he was prepared to make trousers at ICs. Cd. 

 a-pair. The match business seemed to thrive all through the 

 district, but the tailor gave up in despair further on, where 

 there seemed no legs to clothe, even at the ruinous figure of 

 8s. 3J. per leg, the only inhabitants being a few black-faced 

 sheep, who popped their heads above the heather to stare at 

 ns as we rushed past. 



Arrived at Whitby, I was soon among the birds with my co- 

 adjutor, Mr. Allenby, of Durham. They were arranged on 

 either side of the Hall, the horticultural department occupying 



the centre, producing a very charming effect. The Derby and 

 Northampton schools, as will be seen by the prize list, were 

 strongly represented by Mr. J. Bcxson and Messrs. Moore and 

 Wynn, who exhibited some very fine specimens. In condition, 

 the primary point, they coiJd not be excelled, taking into con- 

 sideration the early stage of the season. Both are evidently 

 in " form " this season, and " will be heard of to advantage " 

 at future shows. The prize birds in Clear Yellows and Clear 

 Buffs stood far out above their fellows, though the specimens 

 "mentioned " were all creditable birds. In Class 4, Bull Nor- 

 wich, Moore & Wynn were first and second with two lovely 

 birds, which will take some beating wherever they go. Class 5, 

 Yellow Norwich, a very interesting class, since it comprises the 

 " ciLine ih' la crime " of quality, and one which should be in 

 every schedule offering prizes for Norwich birds, contained 

 some glorious specimens. No. 52, first prize, J. Bexson, was 

 a beauty, while 57, second prize, Moore & Wynn, a bird of a 

 directly opposite character, was gorgeous in its colour. The 

 former was almost absolutely clean, the latter very hea\-ily 

 marked — fitting representatives of a class hitherto excluded 

 from our shows. Class (i was also well represented. The 

 Belgians were inferior, and Classes '.» and 10, with the exception 

 of the winning birds, were of no character whatever. Mr. 

 Bexson was first in Cinnamons, Yellow and Buff, beating the 

 veterans Moore & Wynn, though the second prize went to 

 Northampton through Mr. Irons. Lizards were inferior, and 

 in Class 14, Silver-spangled, a Mr. J. Stevens, of Middlesbrough, 

 exhibited a most palpably stained specimen. I wish all 

 societies would banish such offenders, and so stamp out the 

 disease. Refuse their entries, disown them, turn them out of 

 the society of gentlemen to matu with their own kind, and do 

 not even grant a ticket of leave for many a year. In Class 

 l(i, " Any other variety," the first prize went to Mr. Calvert, 

 of York, for the best Crested Norwich bird I ever saw, excepting 

 that shown by Mr. Youug at the Crystal Palace last February, 

 and in some respects he was superior even to that wonder. 

 No. 157, second prize, Mr. G. Gayton, Northampton, was a 

 splendid Crested bird, and 153, third prize, fell to Moore and 

 Wynn for a very neatly marked Cinnamon. No. 151, Mr. B. 

 Mills, Sunderland, was very neat, handsomely crested, of good 

 quality, but rather small. Among the Mules there were some 

 grand specimens exhibited by Mr. J. Young and Mr. George 

 Sbiol, of Sunderland, who divided the honours between them; 

 Mr. Hawman, of Middlesbrough, being very highly commended 

 in the Buff-variegated class for a bird of extraordinai^ merit. 



In the Yariegated Yellow class the contest was very close, 

 though lying between two birds of widely different character, 

 the one a finely six-marked bird, but backward in condition, 

 tho other heavily marked with marvellous exactness, and in 

 the bloom of perfect condition, and it was not till a jary was 

 empanelled that the first prize was awarded to the lighter- 

 marked bird — a judgment from which I dissent, since I hold 

 peifection of condition to be a primary point, not to the ex- 

 clusion of all others certainly ; but I maintain that a half or 

 three-parts moulted bird, and not very clean either, must, in- 

 deed, be a veritable wonder to displace a high-class bird in 

 faultless trim. It is not for a judge to determine what any 

 bird might he made in a month, but to say what he !« on the 

 day of show when measured by the standard of the schedule, 

 according to the conditions of which the bird is shown — viz,, 

 " fur beauty of plumage and high condition." I am happy to 

 say that the respective owners of the birds endorsed my judg- 

 ment. 



Excepting a very fine dark Mule, first prize, in Class 20, 

 with a wonderful " flourish," there was not much else worth 

 notice, except tho Parrots, the first prize for which was won by 

 Mrs. Wilkinson, the amiable lady of the indefatigable Honorary 

 Secretary. Of the flower show I can say but little, it is not so 

 much in my line ; but I was assured by competent judges that 

 it was the best ever held in Whitby. Of the arrangements it 

 is impossible to speak too highly. Everything was conducted 

 as it should be ; in fact, it is a model Show in this respect. 

 The Secretary is the right man in the right place, and with a 

 somewhat amended schedule he will make the Whitby Show 

 one of the best in Eugland.^Y. A, Bj^ksion. 



The following is the prize list : — ffo -. 



NonivicH (Yellow).—! ond 2, Moore & Wynn, Northampton, vhe, R. 

 Simiison, Whitbv. he, K Mills, Snnderland. e, J. Bexson, Derby. 



NoEwiCH iBufTi.— 1 and 2, J. Beison. vhc and he, Mooro & Wynn. 

 I^KoRwiou (Yellow, evenly mark«d). — 1, J. Bexaon. 2, G. Gayton. 

 vhe, Moore & Wyno. he, T. Irons. 



