456 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND OOTTAQB GABDENKR. 



[ Kovember 10, 1874. 



" without flesh." The cheeks only appear a little with the 

 cock. The creat, very largely developed in both sexes, is not 

 always alike. With the cock it is composed o£ lance-shaped 

 feathers like a parasol, and altogether much larger than the 

 hea's, which is perfectly rounded and separates in two parts by 

 a sort of cleft, which goes down the beak and disappears at the 

 back of the head. The crest is very large, grown on a fleshy 

 mass called " the mushroom," which covers the skull and is a 

 little thrown back behind, so as to be oft the eyes. This " mush- 

 room " should be very much developed in well-bred birds. 

 Each feather of the crest is in bands of colour ; in the Silver 



Cicst Feather. 



Tig. 131.— Hackle FeatUcr. 



variety surrounded with white, then marked with black, then 

 white in the middle (fig. 130). After the second and third 

 moulting a part of the crest feathers becomes white, which 

 always increases as they get older. The feathers of the hackle 

 ( fig, i31), are like those of the crest, but less pointed. 



CRYSTAL PALACE POULTRY AND PIGEON 

 SHOW. 



A FEW INTRODUCTORY WORDS. 

 The extraordinary increase of the fancy for poultry and 

 Pigeons may be seen in the fact of the notice and apace now 

 given in the London daily papers to the shows held in various 

 parts of England. Until recently it was not so ; there were the 

 poultry papers, dear to every fancier, read and re-read by them, 

 but they " were caviare to the general." Now, however, the 

 daily paper which caters for the many is obliged, so to speak, to 

 give space to poultry matters, because the many, not the few 

 now, are interested in them. Then, too, this interest and love 

 is no mere mania, for a mania dies away full speedily, it makes 

 a rapid growth, and then its object is even despised ; but this 

 love of poultry has lasted for many years. AU this th? press 

 knows well, and in giving striking details one dUigent writer, 

 who lias a head for weights and measures, tells ns that in regard 

 to the Crystal Palace Show of this year, " If the pens were 

 placed side by side they would reach a distance of three miles, 

 and the weight of the cages alone is upwards of ten tons." 

 This, I dare say, is all true. The Show is of vaster proportions 

 than ever, but neither judges nor critics wish it to be larger; on 

 the other hand, speaking for myself as an ardent fancier, I 

 would say, May the quantity rather diminish than increase, 

 but may the quality improve yearly. Last year the number of 

 pens were 3605, this year they are 4100, in other words 800 

 more, and 800 would themselves form a show. To speak in 

 praise of the Palace as a show-room would, indeed, be foolish — 

 there is no show place equal to it, and there never can be a 

 better. The noise of the crowing under that high roof is re- 

 duced to a minimum; and when the organ is rolHng is, indeed, 

 unheard. Everyone seems, as in former years, to be very 

 courteous and attentive, from Mr. Wilson down to the humblest 

 attendant. I wish the Pigeons could be fed in troughs rather 

 than have the food scattered on the floor, and that the water 

 vessels were outside the cages ; then the birds could not either 

 eat food soiled with manure, or defile the water and spoil their 

 own plumage by attempts to wash, as I saw one of the Black 

 Trumpeters doing in one of the four grand pens. Still this ia but 

 a small thing, and we must, in finding fault, however justly, 

 remember the vast amount of labour entailed by this vast Show, 

 and I can only be surprised at the few blots and the excellency 

 of the general management. The well-arranged chrysanthemums 

 in front of the theatre and under the dome gave brightness 



to the scene. (Ah ! what should we do without flowers ? AU 

 honour to old Adam's trade), while the evergreens soothed the 

 eye, and made glittering shops less glaring. In short, there is 

 but one Crystal Palace, so also there ia but one Show — that held 

 within its glassy walls. So much for introduotion — Wiltshire 

 Rector. 



To-UAY is the last day of the grand poultry tournament of 

 1874. Twenty years ago anyone would have laughed at the bare 

 idea of 4400 pens of prize poultry existing, but close on that 

 number are on exhibition at the Crystal Palace to-day, and 

 have been since Monday last — on exhibition at one Show, in one 

 building, at one time ! The very fact seems incredible, but 

 a fact it remains. The question must arise to all. Is this the 

 end, or is thia the beginning ? Haa the poultry mania really 

 reached its height ? Will it keep as it is, or will it, having climbed 

 the mountain, quietly come down the other side ? We think 

 not; nay, we may almost say we feel sure not. For though 

 annually perhaps two or three of the good old stagers may retire, 

 still the new comers are legion. We only have to glance at the 

 prize list below to see this. New names are thickly strewn 

 among the winners. New names abound in the catalogue. We 

 like to see old friends win, bnt we also like to see the younger 

 exhibitors doing the same ; and to win at a show like this is 

 winning something. Why, many value a high commendation 

 at the Palace more than a first at a local show, though the result 

 may not be so satisfactory in the pecuniary view. We think, 

 conaidering the gigantic proportions of this monster Exhibition, 

 that the judging haa been very fairly satiafactory. Everyone 

 cannot win. When there are a hundred pens in a class, and 

 only six or eight prizes, some must be left out in the cold. We 

 must remember that — 



** Times go by turns, and cliances change by ctiurae 

 From foul to fair, from better hap to worse." 



The Crystal Palace Show is always a great place for sales, and 

 one may come to the Palace and satisfy his requirements, be the 

 breed what it may. And those who simply come (as by-the-bye 

 so many do) on purpose to buy some specime'ns of prize poultry 

 to start for themselves, and hardly know what breed to go in for, 

 why, they can take the showman's advioe : " Pay your penny, 

 ladies and gentlemen, and take your choice." We think we may 

 almost call the Palace Meeting the poultry's " at home ; " for 

 certainly never anywhere else do we meet so many friends and 

 fanciers, and we do not wonder that they come apart from the 

 actual pleasure of meeting friends, and enjoying a good poultry 

 chat, which pleasure we know to be very great. Still we say we 

 do not wonder at their coming themselves, for how lonely they 

 would be at home ! The runs empty ; the exhibition pens 

 empty ; no crowing at early mom ; no favourites to watch ; not 

 even, perhaps, in many cases, a stray empty show basket to 

 cheer up a lonely spirit. No, we do not wonder that all attend 

 this Exhibition. 



The management here is always good, and the Secretaries, 

 whose names we all know so well, are always courteous and 

 ready to do their best. Somehow at the Palace everything 

 seems bathed in coitleur de rose. The pens look all so clean and 

 so well grouped, and the long avenues of birds so pleasing to 

 the eye; but we must not forget that in these avenues there are 

 close on 4400 pens of birds, and that though the poultry 

 world haa met to look at them, we have come to criticise. 



DoRKiNos. — In cocks there were fourteen entriea. First, a 

 very perfect dark-coloured bird with a splendid comb. Second, 

 a huge rose-combed bird of great breadth and bone, his only 

 weak point being his comb. The third-prize bird occupied the 

 same place last year, but his comb has given way in the mean- 

 time. Mr. Parlett's was a large bird, with good feet but indif- 

 ferent comb. No. 8 (Arkwright), light in colour and grizzly on 

 the thighs. 



Coloured Hois.— First was a very large dark bird, good in 

 colour and feet, but with an indifferent comb ; however, she 

 was well first. Second, a thorough Dorking. Third, a very nice 

 rose-combed hen. Pen 17 (Walker), large but crooked in leg. 

 Pen 22 (Sapwell), a good hen if in better condition. Pen 36 (Col. 

 Lane), very good ,but unnoticed. Pen 37 (commended) was in 

 dreadful condition, having lost all the feathers off her back. Pen 

 40 (Lingwood), would be very eood except for corns on her toes. 



The cup Coloured cockerel was very large in body and good 

 in comb, but rather in-kneed and crooked in the big toes. The 

 second-prize cockerel was the cup bird at the Birmingham 

 summer Show ; he is a very smart bird with a beautiful comb, 

 but had caught a bad cold in his eye. The third cockerel was 

 good if we except his comb. Fourth, large, but a little round in 

 the back. Fifth, a nice dark, short-legged bird, but with very 

 white ears. Pen S4 (Burnell) was a very broad bird with good 

 comb and plenty of bone. Pen 72 (Raines) was, like the cup 

 cockerel, rather inclined to be gouty. Pen 76 (Bartrum), very 

 large, but with a very bad comb and pink legs, otherwise he is 

 huge. Pen 79 (Wren), a good-bodied bird. Pen 83 (White), 

 should have been in the prize list. 



The cup pullet was broad and deep, with a good comb. The 



