Febraary 3, 1876. ] 



JODfiNAIi OF HOBTICULTDBB AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



101 



Mr. Cucksey, a yonng member of the Society, has already made 

 hia mark. A matured Black cock was a magnificent bird. Mr. 

 Squaw sent four birds sustaining the reputation of the Ply- 

 mouth strain. This gentleman's birds are never absent from 

 these annual grand shows, and always delight fanciers. Col. 

 Hassard's birds were, as usual, gcod ; we especially looked on 

 some young Blues and Silvers, and they may not be so highly 

 correct in all points as Blacks and Duns, but they at once 

 arrested attention to their slender and graceful properties. 



Of Pouters we counted twenty-one birds all of great merit, 

 the property of Mr. Gill. Especially we noted a superb Yellow 

 cock. In contrast to it stood a black hen of highest worth to 

 a fancier, together with Blues, winners of many prizes, and Reds 

 of the highest merit. Mr. Gill would alone have contributed an 

 excellent show Mr. HoUoway sent four good Whites, including 

 a cock of remarkably narrow girth, of fine shape and propor- 

 tions throughout. Next are Mr. Combe's Pouters, fourteen in 

 number, also good, yet amongst them a conspicuously fine Red 

 cock. Capt. Norman Hill's birds show the quality that holds 

 its own in competition and wins high positions at the greatest 

 of all Pouter exhibitions — Edinburgh. We were at a loss which 

 to admire most, the champion Blue or Black cock. It is a treat 

 to look upon either. 



The Homing birds or Antwerps mustered well. Mr. Gamon 

 sent eight Long-faced show Antwerps of various colours, in form 

 symmetrical and powerful, and eight Short- faced birds perfect in 

 head and beak. Mr. Tegetmeier showed a pen of fourteen Blue 

 Chequers that looked every inch flyers. Mr. Theobald who ex- 

 hibited for the first time sent two pens of Antwerps, beautiful 

 in colour, in markin.i^s, and in shape. 



Mr. Pratt exhibited fifteen Carriers, some excellent birds. A 

 most interesting pen was contributed by Mr. Hives, Red Mottled 

 Scanderoons, characteristic in shape of bead and beak, and of 

 a deep rich red. He also sent Jacobins— White, Blue, and 

 Self-coloured Blacks. Near them were Mr. Pratt's Barbs and 

 a second contingent from the loft of Mr. Combe, Black and 

 Yellow Jacobins, Y'ellow Baldheads, Black Turbits, and Blue 

 Owls. 



We next proceed to a circle formed by the handsome and uni- 

 form mahogany pens of the Society, arranged around the 

 fountain in the tropical department of the Palace. First was a 

 pen tenanted by a very excellent and rare collection of Tumblers 

 shown by Mr. Taylor of Rochdale, including Beards, some of 

 the best ever seen. Black Mottles, well marked, dolphin-eyed, 

 with good carriage, head and beak. Mr. H. Johnson's eight 

 Almond hens were all of a good rich ground colour. Mr. Jayne's 

 contribution — eighty birds — was a sight to be remembered. 

 Agates, Kites, Yellows, Almonds, in all degrees of brilliancy and 

 richness of colour here greeted the eye. Mr. Merck (President) 

 exhibited Almonds (ten) all of good colour. More especially did 

 we notice four Almond hens, the elite amongst the Almonds of 

 our day. Mr. Heritage's pen contained Agates, Almouds, and 

 Splashes of high merit. 



This show afforded the unwonted sight of a second pen of 

 Bleck Mottles, the property of Mr. Henning, a comparatively 

 young fancier who has stepped into the foremost rank. His 

 Black Mottles were charming birds. We much doubt if any 

 better have been viewed since those bo wonderfully good of Mr. 

 Bellamy nearly bewildered the oUer fanciers. We hope such 

 a pen of birds will be an annual treat to fanciers. The same 

 gentleman's Almonds (twelve) were exceptionally good. 



Next was a pen of very good Black Beards, some of them really 

 excellent in all points. Such specimens of tbia now very rare 

 variety were shown by Mr. South (Vice-President), who also 

 owns a pen of clean cut, good conditioned Baldheads. Bald- 

 heads— Blue, Black, Bed, and Yellow— were a pretty group 

 contributed by Mr. Sprunt, who showed also Yellow, Silver, 

 and Blue Owls of excellent colour. We now arrived at the pen 

 of Powdered Silvers shown by Mr. Esquilant. Beautiful birds, 

 such as we should expect from the loft of so renowned a fancier. 

 English Owls were also shown by Mr. .Tones and Mr. Schweitzer, 

 amongst them some first-rate birds. A pen of Blondinettes — a 

 most pretty variety — was exhibited by Mr. Schweitzer. His 

 twelve African Owls — White, Black, and Mauve-tailed — were 

 gems. Mr. Stevenson also had a nice pen of this charming 

 though delicate variety. Next were ten of Mr. Hedley's noted 

 Barbs of the most highly-bred type, then the like number of 

 Mr. Heritage's stock, and twelve of Mr. Jones's. Worthy 

 neighbours. 



We were next among the Turbits viewing a fine pen of twelve 

 Y'ellowe, the property of Mr. Stevenson, very good in colour; 

 and in contrast to them Mr. Taylor showed alongside eight Black 

 Turbits of a quality seldom seen. Next were the Blue and Silver 

 Turbits of Mr. Stevenson. To represent the Red Turbits Mr. 

 South filled a pen with twelve birda of very grand colour, good in 

 markings, and of fine shape. Blue and Silver Homings, excel- 

 lent birds, were shown. That popular and showy bird the Fan- 

 tail was well represented, Messrs. Maynard and V.D. M. having 

 two pens of birds with good tails and carriage. A gathering of 

 many kinds of Toy Pigeons as usual came from the loft of Mr. 



Vander Meersch — viz , Trumpeters, Pigmy Pouters, Swallows, 

 Spots, Magpies, together with a pen of twelve White Jacobins — 

 an unusual sight. 



We at length arrived at the Dragoons. Not so numerous 

 as in some former years, yet a collection noticeable from the 

 names of rising fanciers coming into notice by a display of pro- 

 mising birds. Mr. Sargent showed only for a second time. He 

 has not been idle during the past year, and had some good Reds 

 and Yellows. Mr. Thomis also could boast of his pen, for in 

 it were specimens of exceedingly good birds. The older Dra- 

 goon fanciers were not absent. Of Silvers and Blues there were 

 eighteen of Mr. Whitehead's (Secretary) birds that hold their 

 ground well in competition. Mr. Batty also showed Yellows 

 and Reds ; Mr. Thomas, Blues. A pair of pretty Cumulets were 

 penned by Capt. Hill. Pigmy Pouters by Mr. Hives. Magpies 

 very good by Mr. Herbert. 



It remains but to comment on the show of Jacobins, at 

 present so fashionable a variety and in which the Society 

 showed great strength. Mr. Hardy's contribution of Yellows, 

 R«ds, Turbits, and Mottles was excellent ; good in style, close- 

 ness of, frill and mane. Of Mr. Royd's twenty four magnificent 

 specimens we cannot write as they deserve. They should have 

 been gazed upon by the Jacobin fancier if he travelled far to 

 do so. In his pens were grouped the most noted birds in Eng- 

 land, and a stud we venture to say not approached in quality by 

 any of the more modern fanciers, for Mr. Royd's love of Jaco- 

 bins date from years ago. The prize Yellow cocks were there; 

 that gem of neatness the noted little Red hen, type of perfec- 

 tion ; Red cock with exuberance of frill feathers, among which 

 are interspersed long silken threads of the softest texture. Half- 

 a-dozen Red Jacobins were sent by Mr. Easten; very pretty, neat, 

 close-hooded birds. Mr. Easten'a Jacobins are well known by 

 visitors to the grand shows, and on this occasion they well 

 sustained his high repute. Of Jacobins, a stud of ten Yellows 

 in Mr. Bull's pen, we observed many an old Pigeon-lover exa- 

 mining with approving glances. They were large frilled, round- 

 headed, down-beaked. They well merited all the attention they 

 attracted. Our description of this formidable array of Pigeons 

 closes with the notice of a pen of fourteen Red Jacobins, the 

 property of Mr. Batty, who now appears to have divided his 

 care between his old strain of Yellow Dragoons and this variety. 

 We wish him as much success in the latter aa he has achieved 

 in the former. 



AMERICAN HONEY BOXES. 



" What ! are you, too, going across the Atlantic to find evi- 

 dence in support of your system of bee-keeping ? " No, if bee- 

 keeping in Great Britain cannot stand on its own legs, I shall 

 never attempt to hold it up by American props. If we have 

 much to learn I am sure we shall not learn it from our cousins 

 on the other side of the water. There they have their own 

 warmer climate, and will manage bees as best they can. From 

 reading American books I have come to the conclusion that the 

 practical bee-keepers of this country will never fill their honey 

 pots by copying the American practice. 



We have heard a great deal about the small boxes or supers 

 of honeycomb which are so easily sold in American cities. These 

 boxes are said to hold from 2 lbs. to 4 lbs. of honeycomb. A 

 gentleman in this locality brought one of these American boxes 

 for me to look at lately. It had come from America with honey 

 in it, but was empty when it came here. It is very simply and 

 cheaply made. The top, ends, and bottom are of wood, not 

 quite half an inch thick, and the sides are of thin glass. It 

 measures 6 inches long, 5 inches deep, and 2 inches wide— just 

 wide enough for one comb. On the top of the box was a large black 

 paper label with the following inscription in golden letters : — 



Well, here is evidence of Americans going ahead. Here is a 

 box filled by American bees, sold in Boston, shipped to England, 

 and emptied at Manchester. I was pleased to see the box, and 

 as it was smeared with honey which had run from the combs, 

 I scraped the glass and wood with a view to taste American 

 honey. I gathered about two tea-spoonfuls of it, which did not 

 appear or taste like English clover honey. If it was not sugar 

 syrup I never saw or tasted anything so like it. I could not 

 obtain a smack of honey from it. And the combs that adhered 

 to the wood and glass were very much whiter than the combs 

 made in this country from clover honey. 



