March 2, 1870. ] 



JOOKNAL OF HORTIOOLTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEK. 



181 



Tluis I lost much time with four out of ten hens. Tbis month 

 (February) I am certain of four hundred eggs, and I have two 

 hatches of chickens. 



DUBBING OF ALL GAME COCKS. 



I AM -very glad to find that my few words on this subject have 

 called forth two somewhat long letters. If a pond stagnant and 

 foul remains undisturbed it may be doing abundant miechief to 

 those near. But it is not so very offensive. It is an old pond, it 

 is mantled with green, and has a decent look, and people tolerate, 

 KT forget, or rather like it; but get it well stirred up, let its 

 hidden nastiness come to the surface, let its vileness taint the 

 air, then people say " Clean it out, clean it out," or "Do away 

 with it." Dubbing is the pond, the press stirs it up, attention 

 io directed to it, and truly thankful am I that the subject has 

 been caughtup, and I hope it will be more and more written 

 against and talked against until the dubbing of all Game fowls 

 for ever ceases. I only mentioned Game Bantams, as they are 

 much liked by ladies, and I know that more ladies would keep 

 them was not dubbing required as a condition of showing with a 

 chance of success. I heartily approve all that " Suruey Parson " 

 states. He in attacking the Crystal Palace Show simply goes 

 further on the right road than I ventured to do. He would 

 carry by assault, I only attacked by skirmishing. 



Another and very different lettcrappears printed immediately 

 beneath " Sukbey Pabson's," and has the name of " Fitz " at 

 the end of it. This letter I do not approve. " Fitz " says I in- 

 sinuate that the level of Game Bantams is about equal to Black 

 Bantams. I do not think them on the same level at all. Game 

 Bantams are below Black Bantams, just as White Pouters are 

 below the Pied varieties, for this simple reason— they were only 

 recently made. We all remember the time when no such a bird 

 as a Game Bantam existed, whereas Black Bantams, White, and 

 Nankin were in England in the last century. From the last- 

 named Game Bantams were principally made, and I possessed 

 some Duckwings which threw pure Nankins. Then next as to 

 Black Bantams being often "Black Game Bantams with rose, 

 comb, and ears." I, an old Black Bantam breeder, say that this 

 is incorrect. New breeds are made from what before existed, 

 but the reverse is of course not possible. Next about dubbing. 

 I have been familiar with Game fowls from childhood, being the 

 son of one who always kept them. 



" Fitz " seems to object only to cock-fighting because it leads 

 or necessitates gambling. As to that, men will gamble, and 

 have gambled about the race of two raindrops down a window- 

 pane. Gambling is detestable, but cock-fighting is to be speci- 

 ally stamped-out becauEe of its cruelty. "Fitz" thinks that 

 there is as great cruelty in coursing a hare. The cases are not 

 parallel, and the logic of " Fitz " is at fault. Hares are killed 

 for food, just as oxen and sheep are. Killing them by the aid of 

 dogs is the oldest kind of hunting. They were so killed before 

 guns or even bows and arrows were dreamed of. But whoever 

 fought cocks for to supply man with food? Then "Fitz" makes 

 much of the fighting being in the birds, that they want no urging, 

 itc. But who made the Gamecock? Who? Why man, not God. 

 When I see the prize bulldogs lying on their bench at a show, 

 with lower jaw bo far protruding, so that in the poor dog's case 

 his very tongue cannot be hidden in his mouth, the upper jaw 

 being too short — when I see this villainous aspect of the poor 

 dogs I say to myself, " Man's v.ickednese made you ; not Him 

 who made the shepherd dog for man's use, and the dog in 

 general as man's friend." Man has bred and bred together cer- 

 tain specimens with furious nature and deformed aspect, until 

 by selection he has produced a beast unnaturally savage and 

 unnaturally formed. 



So too exactly of the Game cock. For generations, possibly for 

 hundreds of years, the most savage have been selected and bred 

 from until the bird ceases to do what he would naturally do- 

 fight a bit until beaten, and then run away. Man's wickedness 

 made the bulldog and the Game cock, and the fighting to death 

 is in him because put in him by breeding and kept up by stimu- 

 lating food. 



" Fitz " wonders what I mean by saying, " Once let Game 

 cocks be dubbed and cock-fighting is for ever at an end ;" and 

 imagining, 1 suppose, that I am " a muff " as well as a clergy- 

 man, proceeds to say, " If ' WiLTSHiBE Rector' thinks that by 

 not dubbing Game fowls he will prevent their fighting, he will 

 find he has made a mistake. This is worse than the bread-and- 

 milk theory." It really seems absurd that I should have to 

 explain my words, as everyone save " Fitz " would know what 

 I meant. 



1st. Why have Game cocks been always dubbed ? To enhance 

 their beauty ? By no means. A cocker had no eye for artistic 

 beauty; he was too low class for that. See how be trims the 

 poor bird, and the fright he makes of him — tail cut to a triangle, 

 all the beautiful arch of the feathers gone, hackle cut, saddle 

 ditto. The creature who did and does this (and I have not been 

 in and out of the poultry world for fourteen years without know- 

 ing that certain Game breeders now fight their birds on the sly), 



had and has no eye to beauty. Was it, then, from kindness the 

 poor bird's wattle and comb were cut o£t ? By no means. The 

 cocker knows no such feeling. Why was it done ? Why simply 

 to prolong the battle, for if the cocks were undubbed the most 

 active bird would seize the other by the comb, hold him, and in 

 would go the steel spurs, and the battle be over in a moment. 

 Dubbing was to prolong the sport, and if it be done away no 

 cock-fighting to satisfy the cocker could be had. 



Let it be clearly understood that apologies for dubbing are in 

 reality apologies for cock-fighting. Stamp out the one you 

 stamp out the other. 



I earnestly hope that if " Fitz " ever again ventures into 

 print he will have a worthier subject. In conclusion, I call upon 

 all readers of " our Journal " to aid me in putting down this 

 cruel dubbing, in itself cruel and leading to greater cruelty. 

 The Editors of this Journal aim, I know, to help to do away with 

 every iniquity or cheating connected with poultry, and I object 

 to "carving" and "stitching" as well as dubbing; both are 

 cruel, but, unlike dubbing, they do not lead to fighting. — Wilt- 

 SBIKE Rectob. 



MR. "WILLIAM BRING. 



The readers of the poultry portion of the Journal, and the 

 lovers of poultry in general, will be grieved to bear of the death 

 of one who has for many years occupied a foremost place at all 

 the great exhibitions, and who has done as much as any man 

 to improve the breed, ia which be was especially interested — the 

 Creve-Cffiurs and Houdans — Mr. Wm. Dring of Faversbam. As 

 I have been interested in these same breeds, it was my lot to 

 be brought into frequent contact with him, especially as we 

 were comparatively near neighbours. He was most thoroughly 

 straightforward and upright in all his dealings, ever ready to 

 acknowledge the excellence of the exhibits of his competitors, 

 having no secrets, and always ready to communicate inform- 

 ation to others. He was (as all who ever met him knew), most 

 enthusiastic in his pursuit, and with by no means great appli- 

 ances managed to obtain a prominent place as an exhibitor and 

 breeder. To the poultry shows of his own county be will be a 

 very great loss, and all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance 

 will feel that they will lose one of the pleasantest features in 

 not being able to shake him by the hand and hear his trenchant 

 and sound remarks on the character of the show. He was 

 much respected and valued in the extensive business in which 

 he was employed, for his love for his bobby in no way interfered 

 with the diligent fulfilment of his duties. Would that all who 

 are engaged in the " fancy " had the same upright and honest 

 method of conducting business that our friend had, we should 

 not then hear of so many complaints. — D., Deal. 



[We have another tribute to the memory of Mr. Dring, but 

 it is needless to add more than that he died on the 26th of 

 February.] 



ALEXANDRA PIGEON SHOW. 



This was held at Idle on February 20th and 28th, when the 

 following awards were made by the Judge : — 



PIGEONS.— Ant^-ebps, Lono-faced.—Cock.—l, H. JenniDga, AJIerton. 2 and 

 S. C. Hopwood. vhc, B. Kawnsley, Goitstock, Bingley (2). Long or Medium' 

 faced.— Beyt.—l and 2, C. Hopwood. 3, H. Jennings, vhc, J. Cocbitt, Great 

 Horton. Short-faced.— Cock.— 1, Miss E. H. Entwistle, Wyke. vhc, J. S. 

 Collier, Rochdale; T. Bottomk-y, Great Horton; Miss E. H. Entwistle. hen. 

 —1 and 2, J. S. Collier. 3, B. Rawnsley. Any variety.— Young.— 1, B. Kawnsley. 

 2, H. Jennings. 3, G. Collins, Great Horton. vhc, A. Brook, Horton ; H. M. 

 Pearson, Livernool. Likeliest Bikd kok Flying Pubposeb.— 1, B. Kawnsley. 

 2. H. Jennings*. 3, E. Mars-hall, Yeadon. iW(c, J. Holden. "Wibsey ; J. Lister, 

 Keighley ; T. H. Stretch. Ormskirk. English Owl.— Cock or Hen. — 1,3. 

 Thresh, 'Bradford. 2, W. Ward. Otley. S, F. Eastwood, Littleborongh. vhc, J. 

 Brown, .stoneclough ; G. Bolton. Dragoon.— Cocfc or Hen.— 1. H. Jennings. 

 2, S. Wade. 3, W. Ward, Otley. vhc, B. Kawnsley. Tdebit.— Cocfc or Hen.— 

 1 and 2. B. Kawnsley. 3, J. W. Smith. York. Jacobin.— Cocfc or Hen.—l, 2. and 

 S. T. Holt. Bradford. Long-faced Tdmblees.— 1, J. Brown, Stoneclougb. 2, 

 B. Eawnslev. 3, J. Cargill. York, vhc, J. B. Winspear, Scarborough. Any 

 OTHER Variety.— 1, T. H. Stretch. 2. B. Kawnsley. 3, G. Thickett, Kochdalc. 

 vhc. J. Cockitt; B. Kawnsley. Selling Class.— 1,B. Kawnsley. 2, T. Holt. 

 8, H. Jennings, viic, B. Kawnsley ; A. Smith. 



Judge. — Mr. W. Lund, Shipley. 



A Good E.xample. — We are informed that all prizes awarded 

 at the Kendal Show were paid on the 22nd of February, that is 

 within ten days after it closed. 



APPRECIATION OF LARGE HIVES. 

 " That fellow does not know much about bee-keeping in this 

 cold country, otherwise he would use smaller hives," said some 

 of the Lancashire bee-keepers when they first saw my hives 

 placed amongst theirs on the Cheshire moors. Ten years ago a 

 great writer on bees stated in a respectable gardening periodical 

 that " Mr. Pettigrew's large hives are a delusion and a snare." 

 A great change has taken place in the opinions of enlightened 

 apiarians. The logic of facts has ploughed-up the fallow ground 

 and destroyed the weeds of prejudice. The most enlightened 



