64 



JOURNAL OF HORTICDLTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July 16, 1874 



The variety of La Fleche may be indnded among the three 

 or four of the most beautiful of the French varieties. Though 

 its plumage is uniformly black, it is very rich on account of the 

 beautiful violet and green iridesceLce. Its comb and gilla are 

 of a deep red, which with its large transparent white ear, form 

 with the plumage a contrast as remarkable as that of the Spanish 

 variety. The flueoess, delicacy, and superior flavour of the flesh 

 are very perceptible even when unfatted, and most conspicu- 

 ously developed when fattened, as is demonstrated in the pullets 

 and cockerels submitted t j fattening at seven or eight months old. 

 These last are put aside when required, thst they may have no 

 intercourse with the hens, and that is why they are called 

 virgin cocks. The hens are just as easy to fatten before they 

 begin to lay. Most fowls require from nine to eleven mouths 

 to arrive at a state of perfection. But they derive from this a 

 compensating advantage, for the chickens being very long in 

 becoming adults, and not following the hen till very late, con- 

 tinue to grow in the winter, and come in during the spring at 

 the time when good fowls are very rare. Never cross this variety, 

 for it would deteriorate this property. 



There is a variety exactly similar in form and qualities to the 

 principal race excepting the comb, which is large, of a single 

 lobe, nearly round, flattened at the top, and forming a point 

 behind, granulated in the upper part. It is generally those 

 viih the granulated comb that are known under the name of 

 the Mans i?owls. These two varieties have also certain simi- 

 larities. They possess the same qualities, are equally easy to 

 fatten, and the birds give, in proportiun to the weight they 

 attain, a good profit to ihe fattener, because they are more early 

 than the large varieties. 



The usual food for the La Fleche consists in giving them 

 three times a-day barley still in the husk. The keepers ration 

 them, because they are very voracious, and at certain times 

 fatten too quickly. They give to chickens and to the mother 

 afier the particular food of the first few days, a soft mixture of 

 meal during the six first mouths. The older they are the more 

 you may increase their rations of bran, and diminish that of 

 meal. Grass they should always have abundantly. 



BLACK BANTAMS. 



I AM pleaeed to see in the Journal that Mr. Cambridge has 

 made a ttand aeainst entering bis Black Bantams in any class 

 that comprehends more than Black and White; for I contend 

 in a very mixed class the quality is not the test, but the idio- 

 Byncracies of the judge decide the matter; for if he is a fancier 

 of Sebrights, Japanese, or any otht r particular kind , it is natural 

 to Buppoee he will mare readily see their perfections, and, no 

 doubt, will better understand their points; and having a parti- 

 ality for that sort he would in a nice point be much inclined 

 to let the balance weigh in their favour. 



There is another point that requires a little reotifjing — that 

 is, in many schedules a certain amount is offered in some of the 

 classes, while often less than half the amount is offered for 

 Bantams, although the entrance-fee is the same. Why it is so 

 I cannot comprehend, as on the average more Bantams are ex- 

 hibited than fowls of any other class, and as a rule pay a committee 

 better. I have heaid some people say the reason is that they 

 are not so impoitant or useful a class of fowls ; but if it comes 

 to that, I should like to ask. Which of the show birds are really 

 nseful ? For what person would be so idiotic as to give from ten 

 to twenty guineas for a fowl to put in the pot; or to give from 

 half a guinea to a guinea and a half per dozen for eggs for break- 

 fast, when he could get just as good fowls for about 3s e ch, and as 

 good eggs at Id. each ? Therefore I contend that all show birds 

 are for fancy, and what can it matter whether it is a pigmy or a 

 giant that is the particular fancy ? And although I do not ex- 

 hibit largely, I have made up ray mind not to enter at any show 

 where the prizes are less for Bantams than for other breeds and 

 the entry-fee is the same. — A Bantam Fancieb. 



PRESERVING EGGS. 



V-uiious correspondents have inquired as to the best mode 

 of preserving eggs, and as no one has given the plan which I 

 find very good, I send it. Take a three-quarter-inch board. 

 Bay afoot broad and 3 feet long. With a brace bit of 1^ inch 

 bore fourteen sets of holes ; you will be able to get five in a row. 

 Then nail together four strips of deal of the same thickness as 

 the piece before mentioned, and 2 inches deep, with which form 

 a four-sided open frame of the same dimeut-ions as the first- 

 mentioned board, and 2 inches deep. Nail the perforated board 

 ou the frame, and round the edges add a bead of half an inch 

 deep. Yoii will then have an egg-board which will hold seventy 

 eggi, and with such boards eggs are kept in my house perfectly 

 good from August to the following March. Care must be taken 

 that the CL'gs have always been kept dry. 



The rationale of this is that when an egg is laid on its side, 

 the yolk, being of Blightly greater gravity than the white, gra- 

 dually sinks to the side, and then soou becomes unfit for use ; 



whereas in a frame such as I have described, and the egg being 

 put the small end down, the yolk floats in the centre of the 

 white, and is kept from any contact with the shell. If the eggs 

 are small, say such as are laid by the Hamburghs, bore IJ-inch 

 holes.— T. G. 



MANCHESTER POULTRY AND PIGEON SHOW. 



This Show was the first of the kind that has ever been held 

 in the Royal Pomona Gardens, Manchester; and although ia 

 numbers not large, the quality of the generality of the classes 

 was highly commendable. The arrangements were good, the 

 birds being placed in single tier, and the light was such as 

 no one could find fault with. The heat of the day was exces- 

 sive, and those fowls that stood in the direct rays of the buh 

 showed symptoms of much exhaustion. The feeding and 

 watering were attended to most sedulously^nothing was left 

 undone on that score. One of the most necessary precautions, 

 however, seemed to have been altogether forgotten — viz., that 

 anyone so inclined could not follow closely on the judges during 

 the time they were officially engaged, and crowd around them, 

 '* to see what was going on." True, a few zealous and experi- 

 enced exhibitors did by a little perseverance keep back for a 

 time the most intrusive, but upon the least laxity being shown 

 numbers surrounded both the judges by scores, and proved a 

 considerable hindrance both to expedition and also in making 

 a minute examination of the birds to be judged. An official 

 should always be placed at the end of the avenue to prevent persons 

 from going where the judges are engaged. The amount of space 

 available for a poultry show at the Royal Pomona Gardens is 

 surprising, and with care and attention future shows held there 

 might be of the highest character. 



Very few of the birds shown were otherwise than first-class, 

 the general moult being the only drawback. Dorkings were 

 good as a whole, but mostly out of condition, and the long spell 

 of dry weather only increased the numbers of " bumble-footed '* 

 ones. Some fine chickens not sufficiently matured to compete 

 with old fowls were exhibited in capital feather. In the class 

 for any other variety of Dorkings a pen of truly beautiful Silver- 

 Greys stood first, but the remainder were not by any means 

 faultless. In Buff Cochins Mr. Crabtree's pen (of late so suc- 

 cessful) were again in the front rank. Somewhat strangely, 

 almost every pen contained a good and an inferior specimen, as 

 two really first-class ones shown together could not be found, 

 however caretully sought for. The class of Partridge Cochins 

 was such a one as at this time of year is rarely to be witnessed. 

 Mr. Tudman, the owner of the first and the third-prize pens, 

 being himself present, was congratulated by many fanciers on 

 his successes with hon.e-bred specimens that are a credit to hi& 

 perseverance. Mr. Stretch also showed a marvellously nice 

 pair, wliich were second, and these were also in very superior 

 condition. From such an entry Mr. Crabtree's grand Paitridge 

 cock shown with a very meagre hen was quite out of the hunt, 

 but with a partner of equal merit its success would have been 

 a certainty. Light -B)a/t;n«s might have been a more taking 

 class. The first-prize, Mr. Dean's " Young Hero," will be im- 

 proved when he has obtained his new suit ; and the hen was 

 certainly not equal to some at times sent from the same yard. 

 In Dark Brabmas there was a general display of right good ones. 

 In this class a marvellously nice pen of chickens well grown — 

 the cock one of the truest-feathered ever seen so early in the 

 season, wings, breast, back, and hackles the very perfection of 

 colour, and with a framework that bids fair to become a giant — 

 was the object of continuous scrutiny, the general opinion being 

 "he will stand in the way of a good many in prizelaking," and 

 it was the envy of not a few Brahma fanciers. Mr. Belaon ex- 

 hibited some tij}auish of high quality and in good feather. A. 

 few very good single birds might have been easily selected from 

 the pairs shown, but no other pen than the first was well 

 matched or in show condition. Hamhiirfjhs throughout were 

 really good, and it will be seen that great successes have been 

 achieved in these varieties by a new comer. The Variety class 

 might easily and justly have received double the number of 

 prizes that were appointed by the prize schedule ; and in the 

 Variety Duck class the same applies even more forcibly. The 

 Show was well attended througliout both days. 



DoRKlsGS.-Cotourcd-l.J. Soil. 2. J. Walker. 3. Mrs. T. W. L. H''n(t. hc^ 

 O. t'ox; s. H. stuti; Mrs. ArJiwnuUt; T. U. Burnell. White and Silver.— 1, 

 Mrs. II Bare av. 2, H. bea^t 3. L. VVren. „ „- . , 



CiiuHiN-CHL.NA. -C'iniiamon and fciyf-l, W. II. Crobtree 2. R. P. Percival. 

 S. Mrs. T. VV. L. Huid. lie, J. Huyiu ; G. Fletcher. Partridge.— 1 and 3, E. 

 Tu<lniaD. 2, T. stretch, he. T. Ai.pilen; W. H. c'raMroe; H. Tudman; M. 

 M.CuBhmore. It'dite. -1, R. S. S. WuuUKate. 2, H. Beidou. 3, VV. Wljitworlh, 



'"b'babma Pootra.-Lw)i(— 1. T. A. Dean. 2, P.. P. Percival. S.J. Mitcliell. 

 Z>(U/i-.— 1, R P. eticivai 2. Horace Llucwood. 3, J. Walls. /IC, T. il. AnsdeU^ 

 W. tl. Crabtree c, H P. Percival ; W. VVhlieley. 



i-PANi?!!.— 1. K. Heldou 2. J . Leen.ing. 3, Furnesa & Sudalt. he, J. Thresh. 



(jAME.-iitact Ifc.i-l, J. K. Kietcher. 2, SV. B.rki-r. 3. T. Tomliii-.u. 

 Brown.-l, i;. W. Bri-iiev. 2. J. K. Fletcher. 3, II. RI. Juliaa, Any other 

 varictij—I.J A & H. H ^taveley. 2, J Maaon. s. VV. barlier 



niimvRBH.-Goldcn-penrilUd.-t.J. Long. 2. H. Belaon. 3, W. Soeakman. 

 SUvci-peiicilled.—UJ.i"^!!. 2. H Bel ion. S. H. Feast OnUlcn spanfiltd.— 

 I P Haiibuii. 2 N. Mailor. 3, G & J Duek*orth. c.J. Hall, ouoej 'Spaiinlea, 

 -^1. H. lieldon. 2. Aabluu 4 Koolb. S, J. Luni;. lie, J. ilelumg. i)Uu;lc.—l, i . 

 Long. 2, N. Marlor. S, H-Hujle. Jtc, H. Beldon. 



