40 



JOURNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ JacntLTj 14, 1675. 



the " needful" to purchase some of the best Buffs in the world. 

 No more, then, of talking about the poultry fancy dying out. It 

 ia absohitely stuff-and-nonaense. Prize-poultry keepers are now 

 legion — as many in number almost as sparrows — if anything 

 rather too numerous. And this reminds us of the Selling classes, 

 and what they do : we feel we are on delicate ground, yet we do 

 doubt their usefulness. There ia a danger of two things, and 

 there must be, and is, fear whether between two stools some- 

 thing must not fall to the ground. We will speak quite plainly. 

 Selling classes are either filled with such utter rubbish as to 

 bring only dire and woeful disappointment to purchasers, or 

 they have two or three very crack, valuable birds, simply 

 placed there to win a good first prize with, or a cup, or to run 

 up the points for a point cup. Well, these choice specimens 

 entered at t2 or £3 fall into the hands of some lucky fancier, 

 and the result — well, the result is that prices for good birds are 

 spoilt, and the poultry world gets overstocked ; for the amateur 

 will not pay fair prices for honestly worthy birds, thinking he 

 can pick them up at half the price in these Selling classes. 



And now we are ou this, the opening day of a fresh season, we 

 must speak of the Sunday business. We cannot think how com- 

 mittees can include a Sunday. We feel certain it must lessen 

 the entries, and for the exhibitors and their servants it is indeed 

 a hard time ; besides this, the cost of labour, food, gas, Ac., must 

 be a great item in the Show expenses for this, to the committee, 

 completely useless day. Two days are enough for any show. 

 If a show was kept open for ten daya someone would come. 

 People keep putting it off, thinking they will go the next day, 

 when, if it was only open for one or two days, they would go on 

 one of them. We seriously hope this will be taken into consi- 

 deration by the different societies who have hitherto had this 

 Sunday plan. And Bath and West of England above all, do try 

 and manage something better this year. 



But we must turn back to this Show and its inmates. The 

 birds were well fed on Spratt's food mixed with ground oats 

 and barleymeal and whole wheat. The pens were freshly chaffed 

 every morning and kept beautifully clean, and the corridors 

 were sprinkled with sawdust, and looked bright and fresh every 

 morning. Altogether the management was admirable, and we 

 hope next year that we may find more entries, and all the long 

 end of the room, which this year had only one row of Pigeons, 

 required for poultry, and the Pigeons consequently over them. 



The Dorkings were far more numerous than at last year's 

 Show, the best classes most decidedly being the Whites. In 

 Coloured cockerels first was the Manchester first-prize bird, and 

 well placed ; he is not, however, very first-rate in the comb. 

 The second was rather too leggy for a Dorking. Third a very 

 good bird, only that his middle toes are badly curved. No. 11 

 (Denison), a fair bird ; the rest indifferent. Coloured pullets a 

 good class. The first a very good and deep bird, her only fault 

 being white earlobes; the second small and narrow; third good, 

 but hardly equal to the same exhibitor's unnoticed pen ; fourth 

 a mistake, being feathered on the legs. Pens 18 (Hamilton), 

 and 26 (Newick), were also good. In old cocks therere a we 

 number of massive birds, but with one or two exceptions their 

 combs were over, this latter, no doubt, being caused by the late 

 severe weather. First a large bird with good broad back and 

 nice feet, but hardly equal to the second, the Palace first-prize 

 bird. The third has plenty of bone, but his comb was right 

 over. Pens 37 (Darby), and 39 (Whitworth), were very good 

 and massive, but spoilt by the same defect — lopping combs. 

 Pen 40 (Miss Murray), a thorough Dorking. The first-prize 

 Coloured hen was well placed, it not being the first cup she has 

 won by half a dozen. 'The second had a very bad corn on one 

 foot, and was hardly equal to Mr. Lingwood's No. 45. Third 

 good, only for an upright comb. No. 47 (Pilkington), large, but 

 in-kneed. .02 (Darby), a nice rose comb. Silver-Grey cocks of 

 any age were a very poor lot, notwithstanding that there were 

 thirteen entered. The second prize was withheld, but one or 

 two birds might well have been thought worthy of this honour, 

 notably pen 63 (Wren), a nice bird with jet black breast and tail, 

 and white saddle and hackle ; but the first-prize bird was so far 

 ahead as to throw all the others into the shade. It ia evident 

 there is plenty of room for improvement in the cocka of this 

 breed. Silver-G-rey hens were a good class. First a nice young 

 bird with good head and feet. Second one of the largest hens 

 we have ever seen, but unluckily the claws of one foot badly 

 put on. The third was a good bird, but hardly equal to No. 76 

 (Cresswell), the latter being particularly good in colour. White 

 Dorkings, as before mentioned, were unusually good, especially 

 the hens. First was a capital bird, but his comb a little too far 

 over the beak. Second and third also good, but showing a 

 sUght yellow tinge. 88 (Cresswell), a nice cockerel ; 86 (Robin- 

 son), the first-prize Palace bird, but here unnoticed ; he had 

 certainly got into better company. Pen 91 (Hayne), deficient in 

 chest. Whitehens were a grand class. The first-prize hen, being 

 very while and good in feet, comb, and shape, was easily first. 

 The second and third were also very good birds and nicely 

 washed. With one exception the whole of this class were good, 

 and the Judge rightly styled them "a good class." 



Brahmas. — Dark cockerels were an excellent class, though 

 lacking the interest that such a class would have had earlier in 

 the season, from the fact that the winners are all now well 

 known. First was the Birmingham winner, a well-shaped and 

 symmetrical bird, peculiarly broad in saddle, where so many 

 cocks now fail; still his comb is narrow and peculiar, and we 

 should have been inclined to give the first place to Mr. Ling- 

 wood's grand bird, which was placed third. His size was 

 immense, and the dense blackness of his fluff splendid. Second 

 and fourth were Mr. Ansdell's famous cockerels. The second- 

 prize bird looked out of condition and knocked-up with hia 

 succesao'. The foui t' -prize bird is, we think, sligh ly slipped in 

 wing, but very richly black in breast and fluff. Miss Douglas 

 Pennant, Mr. L. Wright, Mr. Ensor, all showed good birds. 

 Pullets. — First was one of Mr. Leno's beauties, whose pencilling 

 has BO often been described ; she is very sparsely feathered ou 

 the leg. Second a pretty pullet, with bright and silvery 

 ground colour and dense black neck-hackle : she is decidedly 

 hooked. Third, of good size, and a nice bird all round ; her 

 back pencilling is somewhat indistinct. Fourth was not a re- 

 markable bird. We hardly thought Mrs. Vigor's pullet worthy 

 of her very highly commended, probably good marking on the 

 back attracted the Judge's attention. Pen 317 (Ensor), was 

 beautifully marked on the breast and dark ; she was evidently a 

 very early bird of last year, and had so lost the freshness of the 

 early pullet colour. Cocks. — Here we could not see the rationale 

 of the awards. The first-prize bird is narrow in back and devoid 

 of pencilling on the saddle ; we much preferred his owner's third- 

 prize bird, a gigantic fellow. Second is a massive bird. If we 

 are not misinformed that he is a bird which we greatly admired 

 as a cockerel two years ago he has hardly fulfilled his then 

 promise ; still he is a noble bird, and conspicuous for grouse- 

 feathering in tail. We thought Mr. Lingwood's very highly 

 commended cock the finest bird in the class. He is a broad and 

 magnificent bird, and the silver and green shades on the wings 

 are very clear. Hens. — First was far ahead ; her size and shape 

 magnificent ; pencilling, too, and leg- feathering good. Second, 

 too, a beautiful bird, pencilled evenly all over, right up to the 

 tail; she was not so large as the first, but quite as beautiful. 

 Third large and good ia all points. Lady Gwydyr's highly com- 

 mended bird was as perfect a specimen as one could wish to aee, 

 her pencilling the clearest possible ; placed next to the cup hen 

 she did not show to disadvantage save in size. She appeared 

 weak on the legs, which must have lost her a place. Pen 372 

 (Peake), though small was remarkable for intensely dark marking ; 

 and Mr. Evans's two very highly commended hens, though a 

 little narrow, must win almost anywhere as a pair. As a rule 

 the larger pencilling is all in request now, hardly any of those 

 very dark birds with minute markings being shown. 



Light cockerels we thought a moderate lot, in no way to be 

 compared with the Dark. First was the best bird, good all 

 round. Second, a showy bird, with nice neck-hackle, but too 

 much hock-feathering, and very yellow. Third, a small heavily- 

 hocked bird, with uo particularly remarkable points. Pnlleta 

 were better. We cannot say that we altogether admired the 

 first. Her neck-hackle was mossy in front. To our idea the 

 second was far the best bird in the class, form good, and such 

 as should grow into a large hen ; hackle excellent, still no mark- 

 ings on the back ; the only fault we could see in her was creami- 

 nesa in ground colour. 'Third was not remarkable, her mark- 

 ings bright and clear; still she was a small bird. Fourth a large- 

 bodied bird. The very highly commended birds of Mr. Crook 

 and Mr. Haines were both good ; the shape of the former beauti- 

 ful, but she will not make a large hen. Cocks. — First was an 

 old friend, and certainly he is a model bird in all but size ; 

 second a grand bird, broad and massive — just the form we like, 

 but his comb is not pretty ; third had the prevailing fault of a 

 very narrow saddle, otherwise a good bird. Hen. — -First a 

 grand bird in shape, size, and leg-feathering ; she appeared to us 

 hardly dry from the wash-tub ou the first day of the Show, and 

 so not to be seen to the fullest advantage ; second a deep and 

 broad bird, but brown in hackle, and not equal to Mr. Crabtree's 

 third hen, which was perfectiou in shape and colour, though 

 not large ; pen 487 (Percival), a fine bird, though a little deficient 

 in hackle. 



Oocliim, — These were certainly a most wonderful collection, 

 the quality was indeed good throughout. We hope nest year 

 Mr. Cambridge will add Black Cochin classes, for this variety 

 had to go to the " refuge" this time. We hear there is a chance, 

 and rejoice accordingly, of that geutlemau, who so lately retired 

 from the White Cochin world crowned with laurels, being added to 

 the — (no, not the black book), but Ust of Black breeders. Cochin?, 

 Buff came first, twenty-two cockerels, with Lady Gwydyr's Bir- 

 mingham champion at the top of the list ; his colour is lovely, but 

 he seemed weak in the legs, or would have perhaps run Mr. 

 Burnell's old cock close for the champion cup. The second was 

 also of good colour and large, but rather hooked. Third, capital 

 colour, and will make up a large bird. 119 (Mapplebeok), a most 

 beautiful bird. Buff pullets were also a splendid lot. Lady 

 Gwydyr first again with a very beautiful coloured bird, though 



