May 11, 1876. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOBTIOULTUBE AND COTTAGE QARDENEB. 



377 



The great diiBcaUy, the very great diiEoulty, is, of course, to 

 find persons who arc good all round. There are so few who 

 really have a critical knowledge of all breeds. They may think 

 they have, but when it comes to the point the standard of some 

 breed is found wanting. We know we should feel very loth 

 ourselves to be put down to award the prizes in some of 

 onr most f^f-hionable breeds. There are two great dilSculties 

 which to a very great extent keep many fanciers from ever 

 attempting to judge a show. They are — first, the continual dif- 

 ference of style which some of the great judges and breeders 

 go in for; and secondly, the knowledge that a mistake will 

 never be forgotten when oueo made by a new hand. No allow- 

 ance, they think, will be made, and so gentlemen who would 

 Boon make good judges are quite kept in the background. 

 Beally we do not wonder, for never shall we forget the disgrace- 

 ful proceedinss which followed an award made last autumn at 

 one of our greatest shows, and in this case it was made by an 

 old aud experienced judge ; but the disappointed exhibitors took 

 it into their heads that the award was wrong, and not only every 

 word was said against the judge who made the award which 

 could be said, but also against the owner of the birds which 

 won, who himself was perfectly unknown to the judge. Any- 

 one who heard what was said then would certainly think twice 

 before he undertook to judge a show. 



The first of the difficuliies we mentioned is a serious one, for 

 some years in Brahmas or Cochins markings may carry all 

 before them, the next year perhaps leg-feathering, and the next 

 year size, and so on, which makes the system of awarding prizes 

 appear very inconsistent ; but as for the second difficulty, that 

 is more in the hands of the exhibitors themselves. If they feel 

 they want fresh and new judges, let them not be too ready to 

 frighten a new hand out of the field by unnecessary grumblings, 

 for it often appears to us that a judge's awards, if he is young at 

 the work, are found fault with systematically because they come 

 from a fresh band. We feel that every consideration should be 

 made with an award from a new judge, unless it is very glaring 

 indeed ; and even then moderation in feeling might be shown, 

 for we are sure that in the past season glaring errors in awards 

 were made on many Bides by even the most experienced 

 judges. 



To return, however, to the new judges which are so much 

 required, since their number has hardly increased at all, and 

 the exhibitions are certainly ten times more than they were. 

 We think there are several fanciers who would very soon be 

 found suitable, and we should like to see some society bring them 

 out, for we still have in our ranks exhibitors who have been real 

 fanciers for nearly a score of years, and who have come into con- 

 tact in that time with most breeds and breeders, aud so learnt 

 the points even of breeds which they have not kept. Such 

 gentlemen would, many of them, take their turn at judging we 

 daresay if properly used. We do not mean for them to become 

 regular judges from show to show, but every now and then to 

 take the adjudication of some exhibition. We should anyhow 

 by that means get our company strengthened, for they would be 

 well-known men, who have battled for years against the breezes 

 of shows and the different awards made at them. Now and 

 then one comes across an advertisement stating that the adver- 

 tiser, whose name is quite unknown, will he delighted to judge 

 any show, for he has given much time to the subject, and so on. 

 We do not wonder that their services are so rarely require.!. 

 We can only feel amazed at their own self-confidence. Such 

 men we do not of course mean to be enrolled in the list of judges 

 we should like to see, for though they may be to a certain extent 

 qualified for the work, we can quite understand the public show- 

 ing a want of belief iu them. We repeat, the new judges should 

 be selected from gentlemen who are not poultry novices, but 

 who are known to bo practical and experienced men. 



We confess we should like above everything to see some large 

 and infinenlial show judged entirely by well-known and experi- 

 enced amateurs. We once thought we should have had this 

 pleasure when the "National Association" was formed (or 

 whatever it was called) two or three years ago, but, like the 

 paper which brought it into existence, we conclude it has 

 passed away, and is to be numbered among the failures of the 

 past; still their show, which once was in a promising state, 

 was to have had separate amateur judges we heard for each 

 variety, and we thiok the plan would soon have found favour. 

 Of course such a system could be only carried on at large 

 shows, where each variety had several classes, and the Crystal 

 Palace with its large stHff of judges perhaps comes the nearest 

 to it of any show extant. We wish, however, either it or the 

 Alexandra would yet further augment their number of judges, 

 and put such breeders and exhibitors as Messrs. Cresswell and 

 Burnell among the Dorkings, or Messrs. W. A. Burnell, Wragg, 

 and Beachy among the Cochins, or Messrs. Lingwood, Sager, 

 and Haines among the Brahmas, and so on. Of course it would 

 be impossible for men to be judges and exhibitors at the same 

 time, but if once the adjudrcators would at that show forfeit 

 the honour of prize-winning the show would lose no money 

 in entry fees, for the public would feel that there was more 



chance for the outsiders when the great guns were not exhibit- 

 ing, and they would feel confidence, we feel assured, iu thoae 

 practical judges, and so enter accordingly. We do not for a 

 moment suppose either of these two great shows will start such 

 a method of awardii'g the prizes, but even in a much modified 

 form it would prove useful we verily believe; anyhow, wo 

 should like, and so would very many more, to see the plan fairly 

 tried.— W. 



SPANISH COCK WITH EXCESSIVE FACE. 



Allow me to give you my experience iu this matter. As my 

 poor bird was nearly blinded, I took as a last resort a frieml's 

 advice, and with a sharp pair of scissors cut away the folds of 

 skin which obstructed the eye, and the treatment was effectual. 

 It hardly caused any pain, and immediately the cock was released 

 he began crowing lustily, and called his hens to him, aud has 

 been a gayer bird ever since. I have seen the same operation 

 performed on another Spanish cock with the like favourable 

 result. 



At an exhibition such a proceeding would probably go against 

 a bird, but if properly done it detracts none of his good looks, 

 and is the really humane course to follow; for it was distreai-in^ 

 to see the poor bird before the operation hardly able to find his 

 food, and knocking himself against the perches when attempting 

 to roost. — A. E., Birkenhead. 



POULTRY AND BIRD NEWS AND QUERIES. 



It is an old saying that Swans only hatch in a thunderstorm, 

 but there is no proof that there is any foundation for it. 



Carolina Dacks will not nest on the ground. They, in common 

 with the Muscovy, the Egyptian Geese, and the various Whist- 

 ling Ducks perch. If a pollard stem be put in the middle of the 

 water they will very often find a hollow in which they lay their 

 eggs. If they have nothing of the sort they must be supplied 

 with a hutch like a dog-kennel fastened to a pile driven into the 

 bottom of the pond. It must be above the water, and should 

 have a ladder made of beads nailed at intervals on a narrow 

 plank reaching from the hutch to the water. It should be long 

 enough to be of use in the event of the water getting lower. 



We wish to begin a rookery. We have the trees, but cannot 

 induce the birds to frequent them. Can you help us? — Caw. 



Are small chickens hurtful in a garden ? 



Indignant. — Speaking of the Massachusetts law making it 

 necessary that a " dozen eggs weigh IJ lb.," Max Adeler says, 

 " We approve of this. The hens have too long had their own 

 way in this business of laying eggs, and they have constantly 

 defrauded the public. It is high time this outrage was crushed, 

 and we are glad that the Legislature of Massachusetts is going 

 to do it. If free American citizens are to be imposed upon with 

 impunity bv debauched and corrupt chickens the government 

 for which William Penn fought and John Hancock died is a 

 disgraceful failure. Hereafter Massachusetts hens will either 

 have to lay two-ounce eggs or emigrate. The people will submit 

 to their tyranny no longer. They have borne the yolk until it 

 has become unendurable. They denounce present prices for 

 present eggs as eggstortion ; and, hers, they demand a reform 

 with the determination to draw up this chicken bill and pullet 

 through the Legislature." 



Mr. Prescott of Dalton Grange, near Wigan, tells us that there 

 is now to be seen sitting on five eggs a Robin who has chosen 

 the following rather curious place in which to build her nest. 

 In an angle of a wall in a potting shed constantly freqaented 

 by gardeners there stands a birch broom, and another leaning 

 against the wall, the brush part upwards, aud the hirch broom 

 being the outermost. The Robin has made a solid foundation 

 of leaves in the whalebone broom between the birch broom and 

 the wall, and on that has built her nest. During Mr. Prescott'g 

 absence from home his men have been engaged on a piece of 

 draining, hence the brooms have not been used the last week or 

 two, of which opportunity the Robin has availed herself. 



Mr. W. F. Clark of The Park, Nottingham, has a hive of black 

 bees that has sent out a large swarm on Saturday, the 6th of 

 this mouth. This is very early, as we have had such a very 

 unfavourable spring for bees. The stock has had no artificial 

 feeding. 



PACKING EGGS. 



We have before ua one of Chapman's boxes for transmitting 

 eggs. It is for two sets of eggs ; and when the box is not 

 required for that purpose, the divisions being moveable, it can 

 be used for fish, fruits, &c. Lord Penrhyn has them for forward- 

 ing trout to his town house from Bangor. The eggs should b© 

 pHcked in chaff ; no nails, screws, or tacking-on of direction is 

 required. The single-tray boxes for twelve eggs can be made 

 with lock and all complete, and duplicate keys, for 3s. del. ; for 



