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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 12, 1874. 



face ; they were pricecT at 1'3 12s., and were a bargain for some- 

 body. The third-prize pen contained a splendid cocl^erel, with 

 a wretched pullet. Pen Hi (Parker) looked vary young, and 

 merited a notice ; pen 61 (Rodbard) a sprightly cockerel, most 

 lustrous in colour. 



Cochins. — The show of Cochins was excellent, many of the 

 birds being marvels in size and development. Cinnamons and 

 Buffs numbered nineteen pens. The first place was closely 

 contested by Mr. Percival and Lady Gwydyr. The cup birds 

 were of enormous size, the pullet deep buff and sound in colour. 

 Lady Gwydyr's pullet was of an exquisite canary colour, the pe- 

 culiar shade we remember having seen in some of the early- 

 imported Cochins ; imfortunately, from the illness of the cock, 

 this pen was removed before we had a full view of them. I'd and 

 74 (Barnell) were good pens, the pullet in the latter very young. 

 Partridge (twenty-three entries) — There could be no doubt about 

 the award in this class, Mr. Tudman's pair were grand all round, 

 the only fault which the most critical eye could discover would 

 be in the leg-featheriug of the cockerel. The cockerel in the 

 second-prize pen was of enormons size and rich in colour, but 

 underfeathered on the leg ; the pullet's breast-pencilling very 

 distinct. Mr. Tudman also carried off the third prize with a 

 greuse-feathered puUet, and a cockerel perfect all round, though 

 small. 



Black Cochin fanciers have made most meritorious efforts to 

 improve their breed and to bring it into notice, but we must 

 confess that their efforts have up to the present time met with 

 but partial success. Blacks mustered sixteen pens. The cup 

 birds looked young, and should develope into something good; 

 second apparently' very youncr. They are excellent in colour, 

 the cockerel especially so. Taken all round, we preferred Lady 

 Gwydyr's pullet to the cup-winner. Ill (Goring) were about 

 the largest pair, but the cockerel had the fatal colour in his 

 neck-hackle. 



Any other variety (or rather Whites, for no Cuckoo or bird of 

 unwonted colour put in an appearance), were an admirable class 

 of fourteen pens, on eight of which were cards. First, of course, 

 was Mr. Woodgate with a pair before which critics must be 

 silent, the pullet still young, and of marvellous frame ; the 

 second had but one fault — a little white in the cockerel's lobe ; 

 the third-prize cockerel was by no means equal in comb to his 

 two superiors in the list. The local-prize pen contained a gigantic 

 cockerel, though with a tendency to sickles, and not good in 

 colour, and a fine and pure white pullet. Pen 130 (Burnell), a 

 good pullet, but rather yellow. 



Brahmas followed ; and what work for judges and reporters 1 

 Thirty-four pens of Darks of the highest merit, and thirty-eight 

 of Light. First came the Dark. We were very glad to see the 

 cup won by Mrs. Baillie Hamilton, who has long so carefully 

 ■and perseveringly bred Dark Brahmas. The cockerel is an im- 

 mense bird, though browner on the wing than we like ; the 

 pullet also very large, but not very distinct in breast-pencilling. 

 Mr. Ansdell's second and fourth-prize cockerels were both 

 grand birds, the pullet with the former most beautifully pen- 

 cilled on the breast. Mr. Lingwood was only third, which 

 speaks much for the excellence of the class. His pullet was 

 hardly equal to his usual type, and we suppose pulled down her 

 magnificent broad partner. The fourth-prize cockerel had white 

 in the tail, and the pullet was by no means equal to the second. 

 We admired two of Miss Douglas Pennant's pullets ; but the 

 gem of the class, in our opinion, was the pullet in pen 159 (Leno). 

 She is of the Silver-Grey strain, perfectly pencilled all over, and 

 has the most beautiful head. It was a pity that she was badly 

 matched with a narrow cockerel. 



In the class for Light Brahmas the best pen came first, Mr. 

 Wakefield winning both first and second. His first-prize cockerel 

 was a perfect bird in form and feather, with glossy black taU, 

 the pullet being only excellent in neck-hackle. We should 

 have mated the second pullet with the first cockerel. The third- 

 prize cockerel was remarkable for extraordinary foot-feathering. 

 The cockerel in the fourth pen was large, grand in shape, and well 

 feathered, but very deficient in marking of neck-hackle. Pen 

 187 (Dean) very neat, but not up to such competition in size. 

 We noticed many otherwise nice puUets spoilt by dark speckling 

 on the back. 



Game would have been a show by themselves — nearly two 

 hundred pens in six classes. First on the list as winner of the 

 cup for a Black Red cockerel comes Mr. Matthew ; other ex- 

 hibitors seem to have their day or year of success, but Mr. 

 Matthew's triumphs are perennial. His cup bird was superb all 

 round, distancing his thirty rivals, especially in the snake-like 

 head. The second was an admirable bird, long and strong in 

 limb. A local exhibitor. Miss Osborn, was deservedly third. 

 Black Red pullets were thirty-one in number, as well as the 

 cockerels. Major Newdegate was first with a most elegant bird, 

 which we observed was claimed at iJS 8s. Brown Reds mus- 

 tered twenty- four cockerels and thirty-seven pullets. We thought 

 these the best of the Game classes. Here again Mr. Matthew 

 was first in pullets, his winner matchless in form and condition. 

 In the classes for Any other variety were shown nineteen 



cockerels and twenty-four pullets. The quality in these classes 

 did not strike us as being so good as in the others, especially so 

 in that for cockerels ; of these the cup and second-prize birds 

 were Duokwinga, the third a rich Pile. In the pullets, the cup 

 and third prize went to Duckwings, the second to a rich stylish 

 Pile. 



Bamhurghs. — The five varieties each had their three-guinea 

 cup, and a goodly collection they were. We much regret the 

 artificial embellishments to which this breed is subject, and 

 which in the case of the combs of the Pencilled cocks seem 

 almost necessary to success. Many careful breeders and true 

 fanciers do not show for this reason, but while judges connive 

 at it and give prizes to cocks with combs carved after a uniform 

 model, what can be expected ? We purposely abstain from 

 mentioning particular instances of this trimming, as the offenders 

 are many and have much encouragement. 



In Golden-pencilled (twenty-nine entries), the cup went to a 

 pair, the cock of which was very rich in colour but deficient in 

 growth of sickles. The second and third-prize pens also con- 

 tained beautifully-shaped cockerels. Pen 401 (Long), perfect in 

 points must have been thrown-out for want of condition. The 

 local prize went to a poor pair, the ground colour of the pullet 

 being of two shades. The cup for Silver-pencilled (fourteen 

 entries), went to a faultless pair ; the cockerel's comb might, 

 perhaps, have been prettier, but it was refreshing to see one in 

 the form in which Nature constructed it. The second-prize 

 pair lacked the style of the first, though the cockerel's sickles 

 were handsomer ; third would have been higher had the pullet's 

 neck-haokle only been clearer. Pen 419 (Long), had a very neat 

 cockerel. 



Golden-spangled (twelve entries). — We regret to record that 

 the cup for this variety after having been (to first sight de- 

 servedly), given to a perfect pen, was subsequently, in conse- 

 quence of a protest, withheld by the Judge from it on account 

 of the cockerel's breast having had the trimmer's scissors care- 

 fully and artistically applied round each feather. In justice to 

 the owner it must be said that he asserted that he had but 

 lately claimed the bird and that from the very person who pro- 

 tested against the award, and that it had not been tampered 

 with in his possession. 'The cockerel in the second-prize pen 

 was coarse in comb. 



In Silver-spangled (fifteen entries), the cup pen contained a 

 pullet which was perfection in spangling, the cockerel devoid of 

 spangle at the end of one sickle — a decided blemish. The 

 cockerel in the second-prize pen was not entirely free from red 

 in earlobes. The third cockerel was too wide in comb, and had 

 a faint suspicion of colour on the wing, but his sickles were ex- 

 quisite. The cup for the local exhibitor of the best pen of Ham- 

 burghs went to a pair in this class. 



Black Hamburghs (sixteen entries), were pretty as usual. We 

 were rather surprised to see cards on nine out of the sixteen 

 pens. Mr. Serjeantson's cup birds were very neat in comb and 

 good in colour. The very highly commended pen struck us as 

 equal to the second and third birds. Pen 465 (Leake) were 

 fortunate to obtain high commendation, being somewhat red in 

 earlebes. 



PolaniU were divided into two classes — viz.. Black with 

 White Crests, and Any other variety. Five pens alone ap- 

 peared in each clsss, and in the Black class two of these were 

 too late for competition. Mr. Darby was first, his pullet an 

 exquisite bird ; and we do not think this award would have been 

 altered it Mr. Unsworth's birds had been in time, for though one 

 of his cockerels was in tuft the best bird in the class, he was 

 wry-tailed. The second-prize pair would undoubtedly have 

 succumbed to the late arrivals, for the pullet had a poor tuft, 

 flat behind. In the class for Any other variety Mr. Adkina 

 carried off all the prizes with Silvers. A rich-coloured pair of 

 Goldens (Fearnley), were unnoticed, and must, we think, have 

 arrived too late. 



Houdans seem in popularity to distance too far their French 

 cousins. They filled forty-two pens, and the Judges showed their 

 approval of the class by noticingtwenty-two of them and by giving 

 an extra prize. In the earlier numbers of the class light colour 

 prevailed, such as one saw on the birds first imported. The 

 first-prize cockerel was a noble bird, a thorough French Houdan 

 with good crest; the pullet by herself must have given way to 

 others. We preferred Mr. Wood's third-prize pen to his second. 

 They were good all round, while the second-prize pullet had a 

 Polish look, her crest being very light and her general colour 

 dark. Miss Nevile's pen, to which an extra third was awarded, 

 contained a grand pullet, the cockerel, however, rather narrow. 

 Mr. Dring's highly commended pair were fine hirds, almost too 

 dark in colour. 491 and 493 (Quibell) were perfection of colour ; 

 497 (Fowler) contained a very big cockerel but bow-legged. 



Any other variety French (fourteen entries) resolved itself into 

 a class for Crcves, for not a single pen of La Flcche or any other 

 kind appeared. First and second were marvellous pairs, pro- 

 bably the finest Crcve chickens ever seen. If we must criticise, 

 the first cockerel had a few white feathers in his crest, but no 

 good judge could pass over such birds for such a trifling defect. 



