January 1, 1874. ] 



JOURNAL OP HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE, 



19 



as his hens' e?p;B. To all persons who have believed the adage 

 ahove referred to, I would say, Put it to the test of its triith at 

 the first opportunity ; for I feel sure that, having once done so, 

 they will not in future abstain from trying to rear ducklings 

 late in the year, but that they will, on the contrary, try to rear 

 as many as they can. To sit them on Ducks' eggs is an excel- 

 lent way of making use of the hens which fall broody in the 

 autumn ; for it not only affords the birds a rest, but it also pre- 

 vents their time from being wasted. I have tried the plan my- 

 self, and I find that it succeeds very well ; indeed I must admit 

 that its success has exceeded my expectations. Hens thus 

 employed, even if not allowed to sit, would not lay during the 

 winter months ; but the rest obtained during the period of in- 

 cubation will bring them to lay again early in the following 

 spring. As regards the ducklings I find but little difiiculty — I 

 may even, perhaps, say no difficulty — in rearing them. I can 

 usually obtain Ducks' eggs enough about the middle of Sep- 

 tember, so that I have my young birds hatched about the middle 

 of October. By the last week of December or the first week in 

 January they are fit to kill, and at such a season they will, if I 

 desire to sell them, realise a good price. 



My plan is this : The hens being broody — I prefer rather 

 lightly-bnilt short-legged Cochins for the purpose — I take the 

 freshest Ducks' eggs that I can possibly obtain, and place nine 

 or ten eggs under each hen. The nests are made of soft straw 

 upon an ample foundation of dry earth or finely-sifted coal 

 ashes. This foundation not only aids cleanliness, but also serves 

 to keep up a uniform warmth. For some few days before the 

 time for hatching expires I sprinkle the eggs once a- day with 

 warm water, and sometimes I do not hesitate, even though it be 

 autumn, to plunge the eggs into a bucket of such water a day 

 or so before hatching, allowing them to remain there some few 

 minutes. From nests of eggs thus treated I have had a duck- 

 ling for every egg, and the broods are usually good in point of 

 numbers. The young bkds, too, are generally strong, and once 

 hatched I seldom lose one by death. At first they are fed upon 

 oatmeal, ground oats, or barleymeal, slaked with water and 

 made rather thin, and as they grow older upon corn, which is 

 placed in shallow pans of water. For some few days they are 

 not allowed to enter any water, except such as they find in these 

 pans, and at no time are they permitted access to a pond or any 

 other large piece of water, Init are confined to a trough or a small 

 pool. Treated in this manner they thrive well and rapidly, 

 making fine birds about the period already named. I may add 

 that tho birds should be housed at night, and it will be all 

 the better for them if they are well littered down with clean 

 straw. — E. W. 



MANCHESTER POULTET AND PIGEON SHOW. 



From its long-continued success this Show now stands in the 

 first rank ; and the thirteenth annual Exhibition, held from the 

 2Jth to the 27th December, was such as to well maintain its 

 high position. The honourable and methodical manner in which 

 everything relating to previous meetings has been carried out, 

 was followed to the letter during last week's Exhibition ; and as 

 the Messrs. Jennison are an enterprising band of young men, by 

 no means willing to be left behind in catering for the wishes 

 of a sight-seeing public, this season for the first time a fat cattle 

 show was added, the management of which deserved equal 

 credit with that of the dog and poultry shows. We cannot but 

 allude briefly to the excellent arrangements for this new feature. 

 In a permanent building, 100 yards long and of proportionate 

 height, with thorough ventilation, and marked by extreme clean- 

 liness, were placed the cattle, sheep, pigs, roots, and vegetables, 

 the animals being all supplied with an abundance of excellent 

 straw, and in stalls of such ample size that most of our show 

 committees would do well to imitate them. As the stock entries, 

 it appears, comprised most of the principal show animals in the 

 kingdom, we feel assured the future patronage of the owners of 

 such stock may be relied on. From this digression we must now 

 return to the poultry. We confess our own opinion is decided, 

 that the division of the poultry into three portions, the inter- 

 mediate spaces being allotted to dogs, proved the very opposite 

 to an improvement. It should be borne in mind that amateurs 

 and breeders of poultry are by no means of necessity passionate 

 admirers of the canine race, and being thus forced to pass back- 

 wards and forwards among the dogs does not add to the satis- 

 faction of those persons whose predilections point exclusively 

 to the feathered tribes. Most probably, after having given it 

 this year's fair trial, the plans of former years will be restored. 



In DorhingSj Coloured, Manchester very far surpassed any 

 show of the present year, all the classes being thoroughly 

 good throughout; although in the class for any other variety 

 of Dorkings except Coloured and Silver-Greys, only a single 

 pen of Whites was entered, and this, though good, was not 

 of unusual excellence. Of Grey Dorking cockerels there were 

 twenty-six pens, all but one present, and with such excellence 

 throughout as to render this one of the most notable classes 

 in the Show. We were glad to notice in these, as in all the 

 other classes for Dorkings, perfect feet were the order of the 



day — scarcely a gouty or bumble foot was to be seen. As to the 

 Dorking pilllets and hens a more worthy or even lot has rarely 

 been brought together, the Dark-feathered, now so esteemed, 

 proving their customary superiority when handled for closer 

 inspection. In Silver-Greys were to be found some of the truest- 

 plumaged specimens seen for many yeart, a few excellent-shaped 

 though otherwise faulty-feathered cocks being among thein. 

 The SpanisJi, classes were abundantly filled with grand speci- 

 mens, the hens and pullets being the most praiseworthy. Oi! 

 Buff Cochins there was a really tirst-class display. As a rule, 

 however, the adult cocks proved in the worst show-trim that 

 could well be imagined, some of the grandest birds of the day 

 being penned in so thoroughly exhausted a condition from over- 

 showing as to imperil their existence. It was a very remarkable" 

 feature of the Show that only two pens of Butf hens were entered 

 — both, however, very good. In the pullet class Lady Gwyder 

 was successful with a pah- of the best shown and matched birds 

 we have seen for some years. Although so many of the finest 

 of the pullets were to be found in this class, it was a fault 

 that many had twisted hackles — a grave objection, and one that 

 developes itself still more as time goes on. As this failing is 

 difficult to breed-out, careful breeders will avoid them when 

 selecting brood-stock. Partridge-feathered Cochins were in 

 force, and the rich brilliancy of condition of the plumage of 

 many of them was most noteworthy. Whites were also by no 

 means the least deserving of praise among the Cochins, many 

 among the hens or pullets being the very types of what is de- 

 sired in this admired variety. Both Dark and Light Brahman 

 were very fine specimens, constituting large classes, and almost 

 without exception of good quality. There certainly has not on 

 any previous occasion been so excellent a display of Polish at 

 Manchester as there was this year. In fact even the prize birds 

 at Birmingham could not hold place here against new comers. 

 All the French breeds were capital, and the entries of these 

 varieties were unusually hea%'y. Of Game fowls the Brown 

 Keds were decidedly the best shown, and the faultless condition 

 of the majority was beyond question. On the other hand, but 

 few of the Game Bantams were in the robust health desirable 

 in show bh-ds. lu the Extra variety class were four pens of 

 Black Cochins well worthy of note, and some especially perfect- 

 feathered ones of the Cuckoo variety. 



The Gn-sc, Dnclcs, and Turkeys were marvels as to size, but 

 in a hasty glance along the Rouen Ducks several very character- 

 istic traits were wanting. As customary at Belle Vue shows, the 

 class for Ornamental Waterfowls was of an extremely interesting 

 character. Among some twenty-one pens, the most notable en- 

 tries were Cereopsis Geese, African Purple Gallinules, Casarksr 

 Ducks, Mandarins, Carolinas, ChiUan Pintails, Garganies, Pin- 

 tails, Pochards, and many others. So covetable were they, as 

 a lady visitor expressed herself, " she could not tell which she 

 liked best, tor she should want them aU." 



A correspondent gives the following as the weights of the 

 prize Turkeys — viz.. First-prize old cocks, 36 lbs. ; second-prize 

 (American), 39 lbs. 11 ozs. First-prize old hens, 37 lbs. 3 ozs. ; 

 Mr. Lythall's unnoticed pen, weight 41 lbs. 



Dorkings (Coloared, except Silver-Grey).— Corfct^rf-i.—l, J. Lonpland. Gren» 

 (Ion. 2, J. Walker, Rochdale. 3, Miaa Daviea, Chester. 4, J. Stott. Healey, 

 Kochdale. he, J. Lonpland : W. Copple, Preecot; Mrs. F. S. Arliwright, Sutton 

 Scaradale; Mrs. T. W. L Hind, Kendal- c, Lieut. -Col. H. B. Lane. Bracknell ; 

 Mrs. F. S. Ark\yright ; T. Stalter, Stand Hall. Punets.~\, Mrs- F. S. Arkwr'ght. 

 2. R. Price. Rhiwlas, Bala. 3, Mrs. T. W. L. Hind. 4, T. N. Leyland, Ruthin. 

 he, J. White, Warlaby (2); Hiss Davies. c, J. Copple, Eccleston, Preaton. 



Dorkings (Coloured, except Silver-Grey).~('ocfc. — 1, Lieut.-Col. H. B. Lane. 



2, W. Copple. 3, J. Lonsland. Hfns.— I.Mrs. F S.Arkwi-ight. 2, J. Longland. 



3. J. White. 4. L. PUkington, WidneB. he, Lieut.-Col. H. B. Lane, c, T. 

 Statter 



DoEKiNGS (Silver-Grey).— CoeJ: —1, W. W. RutUidue, Kendal. 2, T. Raines, 

 Bridgehaugh, Stirling. 8, T. Statter. Bens or Pullets.— 1, Wren & Page, 

 Lowestoft. 2, T. Raines. S, W. W. Rultlidge. 



Dorkings (Rose-combed, or any other variety not before named). — 1, J. 

 Robinson. Garstang. 



!^p»NISH. —Coffc. — 1, W. E. Bull, Newport Pagnell. 2, Burch & Boulter, 

 Sheffield. 3, Furness & Sudall, Kawtenstiill. Hens— 1, J. Leeming, Broughton, 

 Preston- 2. Mrs. Tonkin. Bristol. 3, T. Paters.iu, Langholm, he, J. Sillitoe, 

 Wolverhampton, e, J. Bowncsa. Newchureh. Manchester. 



Spanish.— Cocfce7-ei.—l, J. Leeming. 2, F. Jann-a. Peckham Rye. 3, J. Barry, 

 Westbury-on-Trym. he, J. T. Parker, Northampton; C. R. Kay. Haverbrack, 

 Miinthorpe; W. Jarrctt, Bristol; J. Boulton, Bristol. Piilif («.— 1, J. Gliddon, 

 Bristol. 2, J. T. Parker. 3, W. R. Bull, he, Burch i Boulter; F. James; 

 Pallister & Hawkins. Thirsk (21 ; J. Clews, Walsall. 



CocHiN-CHiNi (Cinnamon and Buff).— Coct. — 1, W. A. Bntnell, Southwell, 

 Notts. 2, W. A. Taylor, Manchester. 3. Lady Gwvdyr. Stoke Park, Ipswich, 

 hi-. W. A. Taylor ; \V. A. Bumell ; H. Lacy, Hobdeu Bridge. Beiu.—i, W. A. 

 Taylor. 2, J. I.ee, Middleton. Pitllets.-l, Lady Gwydyr. 2. W. A. Taylor. S, 

 E. Thomas, Didsbury. he, Lady C. Moreton, lortworth Court ; W. A. Taylor, 

 c, W. Whitworth, Longsight. 



Cochin-china (Brown and Partridge-feathered).— Coct.-.—l and 2, T. Stretch, 

 Ormskirk. 3. J. A. Taylor, /ic, Mrs. Wood. Brincall, chorlcy: .I.A.Taylor; J. 

 K. Fowler, Aylesbury; H. Lacy. Hitis.—l, T. .stretch. 2. M. M. Cashmore, 

 shepabed, Loughborough. 3, .1. A. Taylor, he, T. Aapden. Fultets.—l, J. A, 

 Taylor. 2, T. stretch. 3, J. K. Fowler, ftc, J. .'V. Taylor; D. Monlson, Brad- 

 ford, e, C. W. Bricrley. jun., Middleton. 



Cochin-china (White).— Cocfc.—l andS.W. ^\'hitwo^lh.3^n. S, Lady Gwydyr. 

 he. W. A. Burnell. Hem or Fidlcta.—l and 3, W. Whitworth, jun. 2, Lady 

 Gwydyr. ?ic, W. A. Bnrnell. , _ 



Brahma Pootra (Dark).— Coc*.— 1, W. A. Taylor. 2 and 3. H. Lacy, vhe, F. 

 J. Cotterell, Birmingham; Horace Lingwood, Greeting: Rev. A, Van Strau- 

 benzee, Tettenhall. he, J. H. Jones. Honrtforth; F, Bennett, Shifnal; H. 

 Lacy ; C Layland ; W. U. Crabtree, Levensbulnn^ ; G. Maples, jun , Wavertree. 

 Hcns.-l, Horace Lingwood. 2. J. H.Jones. S. T. F. Ansdell. cftc, T. F. Ansdell, 

 St. Helen's, he, F. J. Cotterell ; Hon. Miss D. Pennant, Pcnrhyn Castle, 

 Bangor ; Mrs. E. Wilkinson, Greenheys ; Mrs. F. S. Arkwright ; H. Lacy. 



