260 



JOUBNAL OF HORTIOULTUBB AND COTTAGE QABDJENEK. 



[ September 17, 1874. 



aa at certain times agricultural papers advise as to ploughing, 

 manuring, &c. When the nights get longer, and when the white 

 frosts succeed each other, it is always time to get the chickens 

 under coTer to roost. Warnings are not wanting in the way of 

 incipient colds, of ominous snicks and short coughs at night 

 when they roost out of doors. Our chickens are reared some 

 distance from the roosting house they occupy in the winter. 

 Many of them still pass the night in the rips in which they 

 lived while chickens. We shift these every night some three 

 or four yards nearer to the house they are to inhabit. Those 

 that roost on rails and in trees we catch after dark and put them 

 to roost in the house. This is not necessary where they are in 

 good farmyards and safe sheltered places, but in the long dark 

 nights it is not well to allow them to occupy exposed and danger- 

 ous places. It is often putting temptation in the way of those 

 who are not scrupulous. Arrived at the equinox, and having 

 to do with many that are not adults, it is most essential to feed 

 at the last daylight and the first dawn. The food may be also 

 rather more generous. The sun is hot, but the mornings and 

 evenings are cold, and they feel the change more than they do 

 the cold weather when they are seasonedto it. 



THE BIRMINGH.OI SUMMER SHOW. 

 BiEMiNGHAM people have a spirit about them, an enterprise, a 

 go-a-head determination, which is, perhaps, unequalled by the 

 people of any town or city in the kingdom. My readers will at 

 once think of several distinct fields in which this spirit has 

 been manifested. Let me point here to one — viz., poultry. At 

 Birmingham the first poultry show was held, and at Birming- 

 ham for many many years the best poultry show was held. But 

 we connect that Show with winter. Oh, the friends one has 

 met for years at Bingley Hall at Christmastide or thereabouts ! 

 Now most people would be satisfied with a winter success, but 

 Birmingham pluck says we must have a summer show as well. 

 The second summer Show is to be held on the 24th and three 

 following days of this month. The amended schedule of that 

 Show is before me. Truly it is a liberal one. Black Cochins 

 are to have a class in addition to other Cochins. White Cochins 

 are to have a class, and a gold medal for the best Frillback. 

 Looking down the list of prizes one is struck with the liberality 

 of the Committee — i'S and £3 cups, ±'2 prizes for fowls, ±'3 cups 

 for Pigeons, and ±'1 prizes. To show how comprehensive is this 

 schedule I wiU quote the part headed " Tumblers." There are 

 prizes for Almonds, Balds or Beards, other Short- faces. Long- 

 faced Flying Eose-wing, Eed-breast, Mottled, Muil-legged; 

 Long- faced Flying Saddle or Badge, or any other variety Muff- 

 legged; Long-fdced Flying, Clear-legged any colour. With 

 such a prize list and such spirit the Committee, if they do not 

 achieve success, at any rate they will deserve it; and I sincerely 

 trust they will so have the support of fanciers and exhibitors 

 that they will achieve success. No schedule ever issued by a 

 summer-show committee can at all compare with this from 

 Birmingham. The views of the breeders of almost every known 

 variety of both poultry and Pigeons have been met. Thirty- 

 four cups and special prizes for Pigeons, and the same number 

 for poultry, besides liberal money prizes, must surely cause a 

 show to succeed. — Wiltshire Eectob. 



BATH POULTRY, PIGEON, AND CAGED BIRD 

 SHOW. 



For some time past huge and many-coloured placards had 

 announced "The First Grand Bath Poultry, Pigeon, and Caged 

 Bird Show," in conjunction with the regular autumn Flower 

 Show in the Sydney Gardens. I paid very little attention 

 to the placard ; and knowing Bath would not even have the 

 West of England Show held near it, and that in spite of her 

 population the "fair city " had never done anything in the way 

 of poultry to distinguish herself, I made up my mind to a dead 

 failure — one small tent nearly empty, committee-men angry 

 with each other, " and all throwing blame upon some harmless 

 neighbouring fancier or two, who would make them get up that 

 absurd thing, a poultry show." I pictured the tent empty of 

 visitors, and the depressed attendants having sold exactly one 

 dozen catalogues, bearing in mind how empty always is Bristol 

 Show. Still, though I knew it would be a failure, I felt I must 

 go; so I would go in, peep a minute or two at the birds, and 

 take oft expected depression at the Flower Show, which is 

 always good. Mark, I had heard nothing about the entries, I 

 tnew none of the managers. 



Well, I went to Bath on Wednesday (2nd inat.), the first day of 

 the Show, and found just the opposite to my gloomy expectations. 

 I found a wonderfully good show, numbering about a thousand 

 entries ; instead of one tent nearly empty, two crowded with 

 birds, a half-open side tent or stand for other classes of poultry, 

 and a number of picturesque, bazaar-like, half-open alcoves or 

 bowers fall of cage birds. But more than all, and beyond all, 

 the Show was thronged with visitors — so much so that it was 



difficult to see the birds. Only at Birmingham have I ever seen 

 a show so crowded. Certainly Bath Show was a great success, 

 and the difference between the attendance at Bristol was most 

 striking. I will speak first of the poultry, then of the Pigeons ; 

 and lastly make a few suggestions as to avoiding some faults, 

 pardonable in a first show, but easily to be noticed by one who 

 sees a great number of shows, and as easily to be avoided by the 

 Committee in future. 



Poultry. — The adult Dorkings were much out of condition 

 and only moderate in quality. The coloured cock and hen class 

 but three pens. The cockerels were not so good as the pullets, 

 which may be pronounced a very good class. In the other 

 Dorking classes the pullets were again the beat. First and 

 second to Silver-Greys, third to Whites. 



Our old friends the Cochins ra&ie a wonderfully good stand, 

 and proved that what people in common so often say is not true 

 — viz., that they are almost extinct, for upwards of fifty pens 

 appeared. First-prize Buffs were fair only. The White Cochins 

 were the best of all. Cochin pullets were better than cockerels. 



However, the Brahmas carried all before them as a class; 

 while the first-prize Dark cockerel. No. 96, belonging to Mr. 

 Lingwood, was the most wonderful chicken that I or perhaps 

 any other fancier ever saw. If such the cockerel, what will the 

 cock be ? I heard one of the oldest fanciers present only " wish- 

 ing that his ship had come in," and that he could buy him. 

 Old Brahmas were not so good aa the young. The Light Brahmas 

 were even more numerous than the Dark, but the old birda in 

 bad feather. The pullets, as in Dorkings and Cochins, were the 

 best : indeed, the young ladies at Bath were superior to their 

 elders of both sexea. 



The Game were but few, and hardly up to the mark save in 

 respect of the winning pens, and Mr. Matthewa's pullet the 

 best of all. 



The HamburgJts, on the contrary, were both numerous and 

 good, showing that south and west-country exhibitions no longer 

 lack these beautiful classes to gladden the eyes of visitors. 

 There were even classes for Black Hamburghs, both old and 

 young birds. 



The Sjianisk, although Bath is near Bristol, mustered but 

 fifteen pens. Mr. Edward Jones of Bristol, as usual, was a chief 

 winner. It was the belief of some that in regard to the pullets 

 the first and second prizes ought to have been reversed. 



To show how eccentrics take the fancy of Englishmen I will 

 notice that Silkies, fowls not only without beauty, but which 

 are positively ugly — ugly through sooty skin to black bone, 

 actually numbered twenty pens. Of course this is a mere passing 

 fancy. Mere curiosities should never become numerous. 



The Houdans were by no means bad — yea, very good; and 

 the Polish, what there were, were good, particularly the Silvers; 

 Golds not their equals. Among the Any vaiiety class were 

 some very good Malay chickens (pullets). 



The Game Bantams were not so good as we have frequently 

 seen them ; but there was a good pair of Silver Sebrights of the 

 revived silver, not the pale cream colour, and there was also a 

 good pen of White Bantama. 



The Selling class, seldom much to look at, was numerous and 

 various in merit. Spanish hens with painted combs must be 

 mentioned, though I would much rather not have seen them, 

 and dislike having to publish their exhibition. 



Pigeons were very numerous — over two hundred pens, and 

 among them some beautiful birds. The first-prize Carrier was 

 a good long-feathered bird with a good head both in eye and 

 wattle. Second a Dun, but moulting; indeed, the Carriers and 

 many other varieties were in bad feather. The hens were 

 superior to the cocks, and one took the cup. The Pouters, real\y 

 a good many ; the first-prize cock not a good colour, but honestly 

 shown; second much in moult. Hens, the first Black, second 

 Blue, and a long bird. The Barbs were admirable, and the beat 

 two pens were — an unusual thing — declared to be of equal merit. 

 In Tumblers all the prizea went, and deservedly, to Almonds. 

 Dragoons are certaiuly improving, and I greatly hope this fine 

 old variety will have entries as large as that new and much 

 inferior bird the Show Antwerp. The Dragoon is a gentleman 

 of long lineage — the Show Antwerp mere " shoddy." The useful 

 Antwerp stands on the excellent basis of utility, and is a deserv- 

 ing bird. In the Antwerp class the prizes went to the shorter- 

 faced variety. The Owls were very excellent, and the first-and- 

 cup Africans perfect gems. Nuns. — Eed-headed birds first. 

 Turbits numerous, so also Fantails, and the hen of the first- 

 prize pen graceful in the extreme, the quality imparted to her 

 by her Scotch blood. I must notice the excellent first-prize 

 Jacobitis, whose closely-fittiog hood marked them as superior. 

 Trumpeters only two pens ! The Any variety class showed 

 some fipecimens of quaint varieties not often seen. 



I must just go back to the poultry to notice the Local classes, 

 not numerous, but containing some excellent birds. The first- 

 prize Light Brahma chickens were very good indeed, and be- 

 longed to Messrs. Smith of Bath. A good pair of White Cochin 

 chickens took second, belonging to Erv. T. L. Sprye of Newton 

 St. Loe, near Bath, while a widely-known and veteran fancier 



