September 23, 1869. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



255 



Norwich (Baff. evenly marked). — 1 and 2, Mooro & Wynn. rhc, T. 

 Irons, he, G. Shiel. 



Norwich (Yellow, tmevenly marked or ticked).— 1 and c, J. Besson. 

 2, Moore & Wynn. vhc, Pennock & Blackstone. he, R. Hawman, Middles- 

 brongb. 



Norwich (Buff, nnevenly marked or ticked).—!, J. Besson. 2, G, 

 Gayton. rftc, T. Irons ; R. Simpson, he, Pennock & Blackstone. c, 

 Moore & Wynne. 



Belgian (Yollow).— 1, J. Bexson. 2, Allan & Baines, York. 



Beloian (Bull).— 1, W. Parritt, Ruswarp. 2, F. Fritacliler. 



YoEKSHiBE (Yellow).— 1, R. Hawman. 2, G. Garbutt. vhc^ W. Handel, 

 Whitby, he, Mrs. J. Wilkinson. 



Yorkshire (Ruff) —1 and he, J. Gray. 2, W. Winter. 



Cinnamon fYellow).— 1, J. Besson. 2, T. Irons, vhc, G. Gayton. 



Cinnamon {Bnffj.— 1, J. Bexson. 2, T, Irons, vkc, Mooro & Wynn. 

 he, R. Hawman. 



Lizard (G:)lden .=paDgled).— 1, Withheld. 3, E. Barker. 



Lizard (^ Iver-ispangled).— 1, R. Hawman. 9, E. Barker, 



Canary (Green).— 1, T. Irons. 2, Allan & Baines. 



Ant other Variety.— 1, J. Calvert, York. 2, G. Gayton. 3, Moore and 

 Wynn. vhc, G. Shiel ; E. Mills, he, J. Young (Crested) ; T. Armstrong. 



Six Young Birds in one Cage. — 1, J. Calvert. 2, R.Simpson. /;c,M. 

 Thompson, Whitby, c, T. Armstrong, 



Goldfinch Mule (Yellow marked). — 1, J. Young. 2. G. Shiel. 



Goldfinch Mule (Buff marked).— 1, J. Yonng. 2 and Eixtra 2, G. Shiel. 

 vhCt R. Hawman. ftc, Allan & Baines. 



Goldfinch Mule (Dark).— 1, Allan & Baines. 2, Moore & Wynn. 



Bullfinch.— 1, M. Millington, York. 2, J. Howe. 



Linnet.— 1, J. Calvert. 2 and vhe, T.Philpot. he, McLachlin & Brown. 



Parrot.- 1, Mrs. J. Wilkinson. 2, J. Calvert. 



Pabakeet.— 1, G. T, Knaggs, Esplanade. 



DISTRICT PRIZES. 



Cawary.— Clfrtr.- 1, Pennock & Blackstone. 2, E. Barker. Marked.— 

 1, W. Raw. 2, E. B.arker. vhe, W. Elders, he, W. Stevens, c. J. Read- 

 man. CreHed. — 1, Pennock A Blackstone. 2, R. Simpson, vhc, W. Elders. 

 he, J. Hart. Half-bred Belgian.— 1, J, Waters, Whitby. 2, T. Mastermtin, 

 Longstepa. Mule. — 1, R. Simpson. 2, R. Comer, Whitby. 



RABBITS AND THEIR JUDGES. 



The letter by " Himalayas," under the above heacling, in 

 your number o£ September 2nd, is admirable in every respect, 

 and I venture to say that hundreds of your readers in the 

 Babbit fancy have thanked him in their hearts for so ably 

 taking up the Eibbit-right question. Indeed, no one, whether 

 personally interested in the fancy or not, will deny that the 

 Kahbit section in a show is more frequently than not judged 

 by men who are conscientious, and thoroughly up in the other 

 departments, but who will frankly admit that they are placed 

 in a false position when called upon to deal with Rabbits. 

 They come to this enforced part of their work tired out with 

 their previous labours ; their heart is not in it ; they have 

 either no confidence in themselves, or sadly too much ; they 

 poke a Lop-eared Rabbit with their stick as they would a pig 

 or a Game bird, to see its properties, and if they have ever 

 heard of such a thing as measuring, they have to ask somebody 

 whether it is the ear or the tail that Rabbit folks think such a 

 deal about. If it is replied that it would not pay to have a 

 special judge for Eibbits, I ask. How often has it been tried ? 

 and I echo the words of " Himalayan," " the expense would 

 soon be more than compensated by the increased number of 

 entries which would be obtained when it was known that a 

 competent judge was to award the prizes." 



To prove the correctness of this view, I would adduce the 

 Hull Show as an illustration. They very wisely, as I thought, 

 printed the Judges' names in conspicuous type on the schedule, 

 and the well-known name of Mr. Millington, of York, being 

 down for the Rabbit section, it brought no less than eighty-five 

 Rabbits from all parts of England, and while there was a loss 

 in nearly every department, this one more than paid. I ven- 

 ture the opinion that there would not have been half so many 

 if there had been the usual uncertainty about the judge. 



Again, I concur with " Himalayan " in thinking " that com- 

 petent men might be found within twenty miles of each large 

 ahow." Here let me give an illustration. Within seven miles 

 of the large town where I live there are two very fashionably 

 attended poultry and flower shows every year, where Rabbits 

 are exhibited, and yet, would it be believed ? the Committees 

 year after year ask some poultry man to go over and judge all 

 the live stock, when there are at least half a dozen good and 

 reliable judges of Ralibita within seven miles, who would go 

 for their mere railway fare, considering the compliment a suffi- 

 cient reward for their work. We could easily send them five- 

 and-twenty entries, and most certainly should do so, from the 

 place being so handy for us, but the judgment is generally so 

 ladicrous, that those who have the very best Rabbits will not 

 hazard the reputation of their pets by showing at all. And 

 then we hear that it is not worth their while being at the ex- 

 pense of an extra man ! This is a type of many larger shows, 

 and I know some gentlemen who have first-class specimens. 



who simply keep them at home for their own amusement, be- 

 cause they will not run the double risk of bad judgment and 

 bad treatment. 



This word " risk " brings me to another point, on which I 

 feel deeply as a lover of Rabbits, and I would ask to be allowed 

 to give another illustration, as showing that they are treated, 

 as " Himalayan " says, " iu a sort of anythiug-will-do-for-them 

 manner." Myself and a few friends ran over by excursion 

 train the other day to the Whitby Show, arriving about eleven. 

 The sun was intensely powerful, but at times during the day 

 it looked likely to rain, and some predicted a thuudershower. 

 We made for a part of the field where wo saw some live stock 

 under a covering of calico, but fin-ling that they were all two- 

 legged, we asked with great interest. Where are the Rabbits ? 

 To our amazement we were directed to a number of perfectly 

 open wire pens, raised upon some planks, without the least 

 pretence of any protection from heat, cold, or rain ; and yet 

 who does not know that Rabbits catch certain diseases from 

 exposure to sun, and that they have to be kept with equal care 

 from cold or wet ? With a humane intent we respectfully 

 asked an official how this was, as the schedule had most dis- 

 tinctly stated, " The Rabbits will be shown under cover." He 

 very respectfully answered that he was guilty in one sense, but 

 not in another, for he could assure us he himself had bought 

 up every yard of calico iu Whitby, but that, unfortunately, it 

 had only been sufficient to cover the poultry, and that he could 

 not obtain more in the town either for love or money ! Of 

 course we took this for a joke, and began to laugh ; but in tho 

 most gentlemanly, and evidently sincere manner, he reiterated 

 the statement, which was confirmed by the Secretary, who was 

 standing by ; both very sorry, of course. I could only exclaim, 

 "Poor Rabbits, always last thought of!" Yet I know for a 

 fact, that one of these exposed Rabbits was claimed at ten 

 guineas after winning the silver cup at a recent show, and that 

 the owner had some difficulty in persuading the buyer not to 

 enforce his claim — but, to be sure, it was only a Rabbit after 

 all ! Had it been a Duck or a Goose with a fine name, there 

 would have been the calico to protect it from sunstroke or the 

 watery element. Well, the Judges came round, and some 

 dozen of us were only 2 yards behind them ; but our suspense 

 was short, for they positively got through (1 don't say judged) 

 twenty-one specimens in a trifle short of two minutes ! The 

 last half minute was taken up in deciding between two Lop- 

 cared Rabbits close together, that were much alike in size, 

 colour, and some other points. Common sense and justice 

 would have cried o-.it, " Measure them if you are puzzled ;" 

 but though all their work was then done it was not worth 

 while, and they walked oS — having decided certainly, but most 

 certainly without knowing, and as clearly not oaring, which of 

 the two best Rabbits in the Show was the better of the two. 

 Now, I venture to affirm, without fear of contradiction from 

 Rabbit-fanciers, that the most practised eye could not deter- 

 mine to half an inch the length of ear, nor the width to an 

 inch, without measurement or opening the ear out, and yet not 

 one Rabbit was touched except by those gentlemen's sticks. 



The delighted "Winner of" {tico) "Silver-Geey Peizes 

 AT Rochdale," wonders in your last issue what we Lop-ear 

 fanciers can find to grumble about. I have given him a nut ; 

 let him crack it. 



I have only one more fault to find at present, and that is, 

 that the pairs were put into one pen without the division that 

 is generally made ; and as we all know what these little 

 creatures are, I call it an outrage on common decency, to say 

 nothing of the injustice to exhibitors, who may have their 

 pair unexpectedly spoiled by a litter before the next show. 

 There was the same mistake at Wakefield a few days before, 

 where two pairs were chasing round and round all the day, and 

 I observed many a gentleman discreetly walk his lady off from 

 an embarrassing position. I must, however, in justice say 

 that everything else at Wakefield was admirably arranged and 

 managed, and as to the judging, it was refreshing to many of 

 us, who could clearly see what was going on, to o'oserve that 

 the Rabbits occupied their full share of attention, every Ljp- 

 eared one being taken out and measured, and evidently re- 

 ceiving a most careful and conscientious consideration of its 

 claims. This is the right way to stop grumbhng.— One of 

 MANY Witnesses. 



SOAP A REMEDY FOR A BEE'S STING. 

 Seeing from the papers recently, a sad and fatal result from 

 an attack of bees, and for the benefit of those who m*" be so 



