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JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



( February 17, 1876. 



papers ou ponltry ; for even could the various organs give space 

 for such oorrespondoaco, which if at all taken up in the way it 

 should be would be immense, the local committees of agri- 

 cultural shows, which are after all the greatest deliuquents in 

 being behind the times, would many of them not see siich 

 hints, and if they did be probably unwilling to act by them. 



Not only in the matter of classification should the fanciers 

 of the district where the various shows are held work for this 

 ciuse, but to obtain the latest and best new rules and regula- 

 tions. Some societies put out their old rules year after year, 

 and wonder why their entries dwindle, and that " there ain't so 

 many cocks and hens as last time;" utterly ignorant that now 

 fanciers want double baskets, lower entry fees, the names of the 

 judges, early despatch of catalogues, Ac. These matters, then, 

 we leave more to the various agricultural meetings' poultry 

 friends ; but there is a point which requires a more general re- 

 form, for more than half the existing shows fail in this respect, 

 and so we venture ourselves to call the notice of managers of 

 exhibitions to it. We allude to the present sale system of birds 

 at the catalogue prices. 



We should think almost the youngest fancier must have expe- 

 rienced some trouble in this line. We know we have ourselves 

 over and over again, and so have dozens of our frienda. Those 

 shows which have auctions we say nothing of ; theirs is as satis- 

 factory an arrangement as can be made, and we only en 2'tissant 

 recommend some of them for their fuud's sake to put up as well 

 all the highly commended pens which are not entered above £'2 

 cr ±'3. If once they have the expense of an auction they may as 

 well do this, and it would not take much more time and might 

 bring in more grist to the mill. Few exhibitions, however, are 

 large enough to afford or make it worth their while to sell, or 

 rather put up their birds to auction, and it is of them we write. 



There are two or three plans at present in practice — namely, 

 for the first comer at the appointed time of sales to have the pen 

 he wants ; or by tender; or again, by the highest bid made at 

 one and the same time having the birds. Against the first 

 system we cannot say too much. We have seen a dozen people 

 all clamouring for a bird, and all declaring they were theflrst- 

 comers ; or we have seen people stand for hours at the door, and 

 then be told, after all the waiting, that the bird is sold. Who 

 the purchaser is, history telleth not ; but those naughty little 

 birds will whisper, " Committeemen." The second plan, that 

 of tender, is in many ways satisfactory and good. They tried 

 it at Oxford last season, as have other shows, and we hear 

 they found it to work successfully and satisfactorily ; but it has 

 one great drawback — namely, the ofEce has to bo open three 

 or four hours to receive the tenders ; and by the time the 

 highest are declared many of the exhibitors from a distance 

 have had to leave, and do so ignorant as to whether they have 

 secured the bird or birds ; and very possibly, had they known 

 one way or the other b.ifore leaving, they would have bought 

 other specimens in the event of not having obtained what they 

 wanted by their tender. Over and over again it happens that 

 there are some two or three pens in a show at a ridiculously low 

 price. Everyone wants them, and a rush is made for the bar- 

 gains ; and it is very tiresome and awkward for the committee, 

 where this old system of first-comers being first served, to know 

 who is really entitled to the pen. We shall never forget the 

 excitement and eagerness of a dozen exhibitors to get some 

 Spanish at Oxford in 1874 ; and whether the iirst-comer had the 

 r«a or not we do not know, but all we do know is that every 

 Spinieh breeder for the rest of the day declared that they ought 

 to have had the bargain. 



Well, now, we should (ry and put a stop to this; and we 

 believe, for the average run of shows, the third of the three 

 plans we named would best answer all ends — that of letting the 

 highest bidder have the bird. We do not mean the highest bid 

 in the day, but the highest made at the one and the same time. 

 Suppose, for instance, a pen was in at .00s., and A, B, C, and D 

 wanted it. If, when the oiBce opened at the appointed hour, 

 the highest bidder of A, B, C, or D, had the pen no one could 

 grumble. This must, however, be stated as to take place in the 

 printed rules, or the results would be worse than ever. We be- 

 lieve this plan would find favour with most people, and it would 

 at any rate prevent the needless waste of two or three hours 

 at the secretary's door for the office to open, as so often takes 

 place, and sometimes too without any good. It would also lessen 

 the troubles of the secretary ; and above all, everyone would 

 surely feel satisfied when they knew tliat at least tbc highest 

 sum obtained the bargain. We venture to suggest this to com- 

 mittees as a new rule to those who are in want of some such 

 one, and who are now framing their schedules anew, believing 

 that while exhibitors and fanciers will welcome it, managers 

 will find that by it much annoyance and trouble is taken off 

 their shoulders. — W. 



THE JACOBIN. 

 It had not been my intention to write another word on this 

 subject. The vast majority of fanciers are agreed in accepting 



Mr. Fulton's description of the bird in his new work, and Mr. 

 Ludlow's admirable portraits in the same work, as their stan- 

 dards; the minority have used their proper privilege of stating 

 their views : here matters naturally end. A minority has iu 

 England on all subjects a certain degree of influence, but no 

 power unless they are able in time to become the majority. 



But as Mr. Harrison Weir has challenged my statement in 

 regard to another bird — the Turbit, I feel I must " bring him to 

 book." All the works ou fancier Pigeons are before me as I 

 write. Moore, a.d. 17j5, states that the Turbit "has a round 

 button head," but no word about a crest shell or pointed. The 

 " Treatise," a.d. 1765, states the Turbit " should have a round 

 button head ;" and in the portrait of that Pigeon, the first ever 

 known to have been made, shews the bird with round head 

 indeed, but not an atom of crest. The work by Girton a.d. (ac- 

 cording to the British Museum authorities) 1800, gives the same 

 account and a picture equally minus a crest. Eaton's work, 

 A.D. 1858, with notes by Brent, states " They are usually smooth- 

 croT\'ned, though some are point-headed, and others have tole- 

 rable hoods." That the first was the rule is shown by the portrait 

 in the same work by Mr. Wolstenholme, who certainly knew 

 the Pigeon of his day better than any man, which is without 

 any crest whatever. Then comes Mr. Brent's own work, pub- 

 lished in 1860 I think, with second and third editions reaching 

 to this time, and the portrait in this book also is minus any 

 crest. In the letterpress Mr. Brent states, " Some Turbits are 

 point-headed, others are turned-crowned, but one is considered 

 as good as the other, though 1 regard the smooth head as the 

 original." Next we come to Mr. 'Tegetmeier's "Pigeons," pub- 

 lished in 1868, where for the first time the Turbit is pictured 

 with a point head, and a great improvement I think it is. Then 

 follows the Birmingham Colnmbarian portrait in this Journal of 

 April Gtb, 1871, with point crest, and then Mr. Fulton's with 

 same and shell. 



I distinctly remember in about 1810 seeing Turbits plain- 

 headed, then afterwards shell, then point. Thus improvements 

 were progressive in this bird as in the Jacobin, in which, thanks 

 greatly to Mr. Esquilant, the rose and mane have become 

 established, other fanciers assisting. Progressive, gradual, well- 

 considered improvements there should be. 



I am very sorry that Mr. Weir should have thought any word 

 of mine uncourteous, and certainly any reference to old men 

 could not apply to him. There are writers whom I should never 

 think of answering, but Mr. Vv'eir is one of a different stamp, 

 and deserves what I am happy to give in his case — a reply. I 

 have just been looking at Mr. Weir's beautiful " head of Jaco- 

 bins," the uncoloured one in "Pigeons," and admire it much, 

 and he gives almost as good a mane as could be desired. — Wilt- 

 SHiEE Kectob. 



PULLET EGG-BODND-SPANISH COCK'S FACE 

 SPOTTED— POULTRY DIET. 



I HAVE a fine Buff Cochin pullet that tumbles about in a 

 remarkable manner which I took to be leg-weakness, but in the 

 Journal of the 27th I found an answer which just suited my 

 case. I immediately inserted a feather dipped in castor oil, also 

 gave the pullet a good dose, but with no good result. Next day 

 I drenched her with oil in the egg-passage, besides giving her a 

 large tablespoonful to drink. I inserted my finger, and certainly 

 felt the egg apparently covered with a sort of envelope. I can 

 also feel it outside. I feed her on bread and milk. She is in per- 

 fect health, eats, drinks, and looks well. I should like to save 

 her, what must I now do ? She has been a fortnight in the state 

 described. 



What is the cure for canker? I have a Spanish cock having 

 a rusty spot eating its way into the white earlobe. 



Will you also give me your opinion on this ? I have Cochins, 

 Dorkings, and other fowls in enclosed good runs, well housed at 

 night, fed each morning with hot food consisting of refuse from 

 a gentleman's kitchen boiled up and thickened with bran; in 

 the afternoon with the best oats whole ; on each occasion as 

 much as the fowls can eat. They are from eight months to three 

 year sold, and in number about thirty, but produce no eggs. 

 — W. Blackstock. 



[You must continue the application of the oiled feather. It 

 must succeed ; we have never known it fail. We do not advise 

 you to touch the egg. The shell before it is laid and comes in 

 contact with the atmosphere is very delicate, and if broken in 

 the passage generally makes a fatal case. It is then rai'ely laid ; 

 and if it is, the broken shell lacerates the delicate membrane 

 through which it passes. You need give no oil internally. 



If the Spanish cock is with hens remove him till the spots 

 have disappeared, or the hens will eat his face. Wipe the spots 

 very dry and then dust them with powdered alum. If the face 

 bleeds you must treat it with citrine ointment. 



We do not like your dietary. Feed in the morning on slaked 

 barleymeal or ground oats. At midday give the household 

 scraps ; if they run short, eke out with barley or maize. No 

 oats whole; fowls do not like them, and bran ia the worst food 



