January 28, 1875. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENEK. 



83 



me to do them the justice due in other respects. The birds were 

 sent home in really {jood condition. White birds remarkably clean, 

 cousideriuf; they were in pairs. I must also acknowledge the 

 Bpeciil prize cards and honorary mentions posted a few days after 

 the Show to successful exhibitors. This, I think, is most courteous 

 and businesslike on the part of the Committtee. Other societies 

 would do well to make a note of this, for it is seldom one gets the 

 prize cards, and when they do happen to be put in the baskets, they 

 are generally so soiled before they reach their destination that 

 one has no pleasure in showing them to a friend. The prize 

 money was also paid a few days after the Show. So, considering 

 the Canterbury Exhibition of 1871 as a whole, I think exhibitors 

 have much to be thankful for, and I for one offer the Committee 

 and Secretary my most sincere thanks, and in conclusion, say, as 

 a suggestion. Keep the entries still confined to the four counties. 

 One thousand entries is surely large enough, and much too large 

 for the Corn Exchange, and, as a contemporary justly remarks, 

 it would in many cases be better for all parties that more of 

 our exhibitions were local, or confined to a few counties. ^ In our 

 large exhibitions I maintain that some of the classes are simply a 

 monopoly for a few exhibitors. Why not introduce champion 

 classes, as at dog shows ? This would certainly create more 

 fanciers, and offer some hope for many who have a true heart but 

 a slender purse. Encourage all, but give some encouragement, 

 nay, special encouragement, to the artisan and mechanic. Many 

 of us must have some hobby; encourage all. It is better to 

 spend a few spare shillings in this way than in the gin palace or 

 beer shop, and I can conceive nothing more interesting, and 

 may Bay even profitable than chickens. — BBi.HM.i. 



SANDFORD v. HOWARD AND NICHOLS. 



On Tuesday, the 19th, Dr. Sindford sued Messrs. Howard and 

 Nichols, the Secretaries of the Great National Poultry Show, 

 for £2 5«., the amount he had paid as entry fees at the last 

 Crystal Palace Show, and for 10s. expenses of carriage. The 

 case was heard in the Westminster County Court. Dr. Sand- 

 ford stated that he arrived at the Crystal Palace on the Satur- 

 day evening prior to the Show, that in the first instance he was 

 greeted not very civilly by one of the officials, but this was 

 afterwards explained, and having been informed that some ex- 

 hibitors had been allowed to enter the building for the purpose 

 of penning their birds, he inquired for one of the Secretaries for 

 the same purpose. He saw Mr. Howard, who after some hesi- 

 tation refused to allow him to enter, and eventually said he 

 would neither admit him nor his birds. In cross-examiuation 

 Dr. Sandford admitted that he had told Mr. Howard that he 

 had told a falsehood, and that in reply to that, Mr. Howard 

 stated that after such an insult he should hold no further con- 

 versation with him. Dr. Sandford called a witness, who corro- 

 borated some portion of his evidence, but differed with him 

 with regard to Mr. Howard's replies. 



On the other hand Mr. Howard stated that Dr. Sandford had 

 complained to him in the first instance with regard to the in- 

 civility of the servant, and that he had apologised to Dr. Sand- 

 ford and told him he thought it was one of the workmen ; that 

 he then asked him to be allowed to see his birds penned ; that 

 he explained to Dr. Sandford that he could not allow any ex- 

 hibitor to enter for the purpose except under the supervision 

 of one of the officers, and that it was so late, it being nearly 

 ten o'clock, it would be almost impossible ; that Dr. Sandford 

 had accused him of telling a falsehood, and that he then declined 

 to speak to Dr. Sandford again. He denied that he had refused 

 to admit Dr. Sandford's birds, or that in answer to Dr. Sand- 

 ford's threat that he would summon him he replied that " he 

 could stand all that." Mr. Wilson corroborated Mr. Howard's 

 statement. Several other witnesses were in attendance, but the 

 Judge decided that it was unnecessary to go any further, and 

 dismissed the summons with costs against Dr. Sandford. 



UNDIGESTKD FOOD IN FOWL'S CROP. 



It may interest some of your readers who keep poultry to hear 

 how I operated on a couple of birds which were suffering from 

 an accumulation of food in their crops, caused either by general 

 debility or local disorder, but I do not pretend to state the cause. 



The birds were in a most pitiable condition, with crops very 

 large and hard. My man securely held the first bird, which 

 was a young Spanish cockerel ; I made an incision with a sharp 

 penknife through the outer and inner skins of the crop about 

 1 inch long, and with a blunt pointed stick probed out the un- 

 digested corn and maize, which was about a cupful. After 

 sponging the wound with warm water I proceeded to sew up, 

 first the under membranous skin, and lastly the outer. 



"Young Tom " stood the knife very well, and so did the next 

 pa'ient, a middle-age hen, which, by-the-by, was very weak, 

 having had the attack longer than the other. 



A fortnight has now elapsed and they are both doing remark- 

 ably well. We feed them on soft food, a little bread and milk 

 occasionally. Perhaps some of your readers can give me further 



information, and if there is a less radical remedy, which I must 

 say they stand remarkably well, and appear greatly relieved 

 after the operation. — E. G. P., St. Peter's. 



[Hard crop is believed to arise from debility of the organ 

 and we have known it removed by pouring a tablespoonful of 

 gin down the fowl's throat. — Eds.] 



MAIDSTONE POULTRY SHOW. 



This was held on the 13th and Mth inst. We gave the prize 

 list last week. The quality of the birds was certainly very good 

 indeed, quite surpassing all previous shows in this town. The 

 birds were well fed and attended to, and kept very clean ; the 

 Show was well arranged, and the place looked bright and fresb. 

 We saw on many of the pens placards stating the birds were fed 

 and reared on Spratt'a patent food. Well, this ia all very well 

 now and then, but it ia growing quite a nuisance. The fronis 

 of the pens are none too large, and these cards placed in the 

 central part of them hide to a great extent their inmates. We 

 hardly attend a show now but we see these cards placed on 

 nearly every pen. They seem to be put up in the most hap- 

 hazard way. It would seem as if the party who goes about with 

 them had a list of the names of all those who have at any time 

 purchased this food, and then on all the pens exhibited by these 

 purchasers the cards are placed. To our own knowledge these 

 cards were placed both here and at Bristol on pens which had 

 never tasted a crumb of this food in their lives. We only 

 mention this en passant, in no way depreciating the food, for 

 we find it indeed most valuable, but simply because the cards 

 do help to prevent the birds being seen, apart from the un- 

 truth which they sometimes point to. 



Coloured Dorkings came first, and a wonderfully good class 

 they were. The first and second were fine large-bodied birds, 

 and well shown. Third also good. 2 (Stratford) contained a 

 beautiful cockerel, the bird which won fourth at Oxford, but he 

 is rather small. 9 (Greenhill) contained a splendidly-coloured 

 hen. Silver-Greys were a fair lot, and the winners well placed, 

 one exhibitor sweeping off all three prizes. White Dorkings 

 were also admirable. The first were an easy win, the cockerel 

 being especially good. The second hen waa large and neat in 

 comb; third a nice hen with good feet. Buff Cochins brought 

 seventeen pens. The first-prize pen had a charming pullet, 

 large and good in shape ; hut we liked the second-prize cockerel 

 best. They were, however, both good pens. Third were 

 smaller, but good in colour. 37 (Dowker), a fine-coloured puUet. 

 40 (Hawkins), a small good-shaped pullet, but which will never 

 make a large hen. In the next Cochin class, the Whites which 

 won first won the ill) 10s. champion cup for the best pen of any 

 breed in the Show. The cock was very large and good in colour 

 and shape, and the hen well feathered. Mr. Woodgate's other 

 pen in this class (.53) was empty, as the pair entered were 

 claimed at Bristol for £40. The second and third prizes went 

 to good Partridges. 48 (Watchurst), a fine White cock, but 

 horribly yellow. Spanisii were not much save the winners. 

 The first hen waa a beauty, as good as any we have seen out 

 this season. The second cockerel was a fine bird. .58 (Francis), 

 a good pullet. Brahmas had two cups, one for Dark and one 

 for Light. The majority of the pens seemed badly matched, 

 and many looked quite seedy. The cup Darks were good, the 

 cock of good shape and carriage, but the hens a dirty brown, 

 though well pencilled. Second nice chickens. Third cock 

 capital carriage, but a little too straw-coloured on his back. 

 G9 (Lake), a fine pullet. Lights were also good, a good pair of 

 chickens winning first, but a little too small. Third very 

 good old birds. 94 (Boissier), much quality, but wanted wash- 

 ing. 97 (Stevens), a fine pullet, and 103 (Hawkins), a well- 

 shown old cock and a smart pullet. In Game, Black-breasted 

 and other Keds, Brown Reds won first and second, and Black 

 Reds third. The cockerels were all better than their fair com- 

 panions. The first especially was more worthy of a better hen. 

 Ill (Warde), a good cockerel. 122 (Foster), a fine Brown Bed 

 cockerel. In the next class Duckwings won all the three prizes. 

 The first cockerel very amart and stylish, with a beautifully 

 coloured hen ; aecond also very good. 128 (Foster), a fine pair 

 of Piles of beautiful colour, but the cock vary badly dubbed. 

 Single Game cocks were pretty good. Firat a good Black Red 

 cockerel, and cheap at catalogue price of i'4 4s. : aecond a amart 

 Brown Red ; third a middling Black Red. Hamburghs were 

 good claaaes on the whole. Mr. Long walked off with four of 

 the five prizes. The first Golden-spangles were very rich in 

 colour and marking3 ; aecond a nice pen too ; third only fair. In 

 Silver-spanglea the first only were up to the mark, though the 

 third pullet waa well marked. The winning Golden-pencila 

 were good and well placed ; the first cockerel very smart. The 

 Silver-pencils were capital. First won from condition, the 

 second cockerel having caught a alight cold c« route ; third a nice 

 pair, with puUet very evenly marked. Houdans a most splendid 

 class. The firat were very large and heavy and good in colour, 

 a pair which look as good for the breeding as the show pen ; 

 second nice large birda ; and third a fine old cock, but a little 



