110 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ January 29, 1874. 



of January, they must not expect fanciers who care for breeding 

 as well as winning to send their birds. The Show is altogether 

 too late — much later than it used to be, or, indeed, need be. It 

 is true the number of shows in December — the month in which 

 the Show was formerly held — is very great ; but there are not 

 ■many shows at the end of December, and this is the time I 

 would suggest for the Dorking Show. The prizes at Dorking in 

 the open classes are as good — I believe, indeed, that they are 

 better, than those at Manchester. Let the latter attract the 

 northern fanciers, while Dorking could bring together the best 

 birds in the south. Manchester, too, lasts nearly a week, Dork- 

 ing two days only. I need not dwell on the difference this would 

 make in the choice between the two. The entries amounted to 

 nearly three hundred, divided among thirty-two classes ; of 

 these five were " open to all England," as the bills on the walls 

 were careful to inform us. Four classes contained thirty-one 

 entries, the Selling class thirteen more. 



In class 1 {Dorking cock and two hens) Mr. GreenhUl won the 

 cup with a pen rightly described as " aged." A grizzled breast 

 and a tail " turning grey " rather marred the appearance of the 

 cock, while the hens have evidently seen their best days. Mr. 

 ElUs, a local exhibitor, won the cup in class 2 (cockerel and two 

 pullets.) The pullets were fair, but the critical declared the 

 cockerel had a wry tail. I did not think so. The cockerels 

 (class 3) were poor, the first-prize bird being good in colour, but 

 of no size. The pullets were also moderate in quality. Col. 

 Lane's prize pen being but small, though good in colour. The 

 open Selling class contained a good pair of hens, which won 

 the first prize, and were successfully carried off at once by an 

 «nergetic fancier, who soon saw their worth. 



I must not occupy your space by going through all the classes, 

 some of which were good, some decidedly poor. The Local classes 

 for cock and two hens as well as for cockerel and two pullets 

 were not worth much. Mr. Clift, however, showed a pair of 

 .excellent hens, and Mr. Ellis a very fair Dark cockerel. The 

 "White Dorkings were very poor, some of them not much bigger 

 than Hambnrghs. Mr. Cubitt showed one good pen, and Lady 

 Mary Legge would have won a prize had her man not left a ring 

 or mark roand the leg of one of her birds. There were large 

 entries of Blue-speckled Dorkings, many of which, however, 

 were bad in colour and in feet. There are few more handsome 

 or prettier birds, to my mind, than the Blue-speckled Dorkings ; 

 and I must own to some disappointment in not seeing more true 

 and good-coloured birds. Mr. Griffin's pallets (class 19) were 

 the best coloured birds, as far as I could judge, and very hand- 

 some they were. 



The last of the twenty Dorking classes had twenty-one entries 

 (sixty-three birds) to compete for four prizes, given by Mr. Clift 

 to local exhibitors who had never won a prize. They contained 

 some very fair birds. The remaining classes were made-up of 

 other varieties, most of them quite moderate in quality. In 

 Brahmas I expected to find Mr. Pares first, but his cockerel had 

 a tail which was almost large enough for a Dorking. In 

 Bantams a pretty pair of Japanese was first. The largest Ayles- 

 bury Ducks had bad-coloured bills, and so were distanced. In 

 Geese the prize birds were not true-bred, so that the competi- 

 tion could not have been very severe. 



I looked in vain for a class of those lovely birds — the Silver- 

 Greys. Is there a more handsome fowl to be found than a good 

 Silver-Grey cock with his black breast, black tail, and silver- 

 white hackle ? I think not, and so was sorry to miss the class. I 

 ■am told, however, that the difficulty of breeding these birds is 

 greater than ever; that the hens must now be so light in colour 

 that you cannot breed good cocks in the same yard. I know not 

 whether this be true or not; it is, however, to be hoped that the 

 judges will not improve this variety out of our shows, as they 

 seem to have done the Spanish. I have an idea in my head (it 

 may be a delusion), that the Spanish fowl has been almost 

 ruined for practical purposes by the standard set-up at our 

 exhibitions. It is to be hoped that the Silver-Greys may escape 

 a similar fate. 



One of our new judges, Mr. M. Leno, awarded the prizes, and 

 seemed to give general satisfaction. An exhibitor of Dorkings, 

 who has won as many cups and prizes as anyone in his time, 

 assured me that he had been carefully through the classes, and 

 could not put his hand ou a single mistake. — A Dorkinq 

 Pancieb. 



DoBKlNOB.— Colourfrf.— CuPt G. W. Greenbill. 2, Lieut -Col. Lane. 3, Ivery 

 and Son. he, F. May; E. & A. Stanfori Chickena.—CaB, G. Ellis. 2, K. 

 Choeuman. 3, G. W. Greenhill. 



DoRKiNos.— Co/ourrd.— Cocfccrel.— 1, W. J. RuSBell. 2, G. Ellis. Pullets.— 1, 

 Lieut -Col. Lane. 2, J. H. Putney. 



lyo&Eisiis.— Culourfd.—ScUinif Class.~-1, G. Ellis. 2 and e, H. Humphrey. 

 lie, a. W. Greenhill. 



DoEKiNos.— Coloured.— 1, J. R. Corhett. 2, F. May. 3. E. May. Chickens.— 

 1, G. Elbe. 2, G. Hine. 3, J. H. Putney, he, H. Mills. 



DoEKiNGS.— Cotourcii.— Cocl.-.— 1, H. H. Young. 2, E. T. Bennett. Coekerel. 

 —1. O. EUis. 2. F. Mar. he, H. Mills ; J. H. Putney, c. G. Hine : H. Mills. 



Dorkings.— Co(our<ii.—a'-iw.-l. J. Clift. 2. T. H. Perks. )ic. U. Mills, c, E. 

 Bowshell: Ivery 4 Son; J. H. Putney. PuUeU.—l, J . Clift. 2, J. H. Putney. 

 he, H. Mills, c, T. Hoad. 



DoEKiNOS.— White.— 1, G. Cubitt. 2, C. Maw. 3, Withheld. Chickens.— 1, 

 W. F. Watson. 2. Lady M. Leggc. 3, G. Cubitt. 



Do&Einaa.- White.— Coek.-eiize, G. Cubitt. Hcni or Pullets. — Frize, C. 

 Maw. 



DouKiSGB.— Blue-speckled.— 1, Virgo & Son. 2, J. L. Playfoot. 3, H. H. 

 Young. Chickeiui.—l, J. Wood. 2, K. Pittard. 3, H. H. Youni,'. /w. J. L. 

 Playfoot. 



VoRKisGS. — Bhie-ifpeekled. — Cock. — Vrize, Mrs. E. M. Lamb. Hem or 

 Pullets.— Prize, W. Gnffin. he, Virgo & Son. 



Dorkings.— Oii'c" by Mr. Clift to all persons who have neeer won aprize.—l, 

 J. Morley. 2, J. Hammond. 3. G. Pescud. i, Mrs. E. Chandler, he, G. Yorke, 

 c, J. Atkinson ; C. Dobson ; J. Warren. 



Brahmas.— Prize, J. Mew. he, J. Pares. 



Spanish.— Prize, P. RofTey. 



Game. — Prize, J. Mew. 



Bantams.— Prize. J. E. Bovill. he, J. Mew. 



Ui^ucRGUs.- Golden. -Prize, J. W. Trowbridge. Silver, — Prize, Mrs 

 Trowbridge. 



DrcKS.— ir/iite Aylcsbunj.—\, W. F. Wataon. 2, A. Fuller. Any other breed. 

 — 1, J. R. Corbett. 2, Virgo & Son. 



Geese.— 1, A. Batchelar. 2, W. F. Watson. Goslings.— \, W. F. Watson. 2, 

 J. D. Taylor. 



Turkeys.- 1, A. Fuller. 2, C. Dobson; 



LOWESTOFT POULTRY AxMD PIGEON SHOW. 



With a knot of true fanciers as the Committee of Manage- 

 ment the regulations are sure to give satisfaction, and the Show 

 held at Lowestoft on the 2l8t and 22nd iust. proved this. The 

 poultry while in the hands of the Society received the greatest 

 care and attention, while the catalogue and awards were printed 

 and dispatched by the same evening's post — a regulation which, 

 more than any other, gives satisfaction to the anxious exhibitors. 

 The Show was held in the Drill Hall, the pens being the pro- 

 perty of the Committee, and of a most substantial kind; those 

 for poultry were placed in double tiers, with the Pigeons in the 

 centre of the room on the top of the poultry. 



Of Dorkings the winners were Dark Grey. The first were in 

 splendid bloom, the second being very large and dark, but 

 broken-feathered, and somewhat out of condition; the third 

 were good, but young. In Cochins Lady Gwydyr had an easy 

 victory for the cup with a capital pair of Buffs, the remainder 

 being also of good quality. In the next class 'Whites stood first, 

 and Partridge second. Brahmas were not numerous, but some 

 good bii'ds competed in both classes, a grand pair of Darks 

 winning the cup; the hen in this pen was the best pencilled 

 bird we have ever seen. Game (Ked) was a good class, Brown 

 Beds taking the cup and prizes ; the Duckwings in the Variety 

 class proved especially good in colour. Spanish were very good, 

 the cup pair being a well-shown pair of chickens. Hambure/hs. 

 — Gold-pencils won the cup against the Silvers ; the winners iu 

 both classes being very good ; the first-named pen were birds 

 of 1872. Some very good Gold-spanglea were shown, the hena 

 being especially clear in colour and marking; bnt the cup was 

 carried off in the next class with a capital pair of Silvers. 

 French varieties showed-up pretty well, Creve-Coeurs winning 

 all the prizes. In the Variety class a good pair of Black Ham- 

 burghs won the cup against the French fowls; the second in 

 this class being Golden Polands, and third Sultans. Next came 

 two very large Selling classes, in which were some cheap birds 

 very readily sold. Bantams, Red Game, were a fair lot; the 

 winners very good, and the cup for the section awarded there. 

 In the next class Piles stood first and third, with Duckwings 

 second. Bantams, Black, were a grand lot ; the first a most 

 perfect pair, winning also the cup against the Sebrights, which 

 were, however, very good; the pullets in the Golden variety 

 were most exquisitely marked, the second-prize pen being a 

 grand pair of pure Silvers. Some good Booted Bantams were 

 shown, but few were matched in leg. Ducks, Aylesbury, good, 

 but Rouens better; those in the Variety class being Kasarka, 

 Mandarin, and Carolina. Next came the Hon. Secretary's birds, 

 which were not shown for competition, and comprised some ex- 

 cellent Dark Brahmas and Carrier Pigeons. 



Pigeons came next, and the entries in most of the classes very 

 good; the Carriers in all cases being a grand display; the cup 

 for the first seven classes was awarded to a grand Black cock. 

 Pouters not numerous, but good, and all Whites. Barbs in both 

 classes only of moderate quality; but the Bald and Beard 

 Tumblers a good class, the first being Blue Beards, second Ked 

 Balds of the Short-faced kind, and third Long-faced Blue Balds. 

 Almonds only four entries, the winners, especially the first, 

 very good in head properties ; and Fantails one of the best 

 classes seen of late, the prizes as usual going to Newark. 

 Dragoons were all named with one exception, some most perfect 

 birds coming to the front, and the cup for the second half 

 awarded to a grand pair of Blues; second very sound-coloured 

 Yellows, and third Reds. Antwerps were, first and third, lled- 

 chequers, and second Silver Duns, the first and second beiug 

 Short, and the third Long-faced birds. In the Variety class 

 there were many nice pens of the fancy kinds, but the first was 

 awarded to a grand pair of Silver English Owls, the second to 

 Pigmy Pouters. The local element, for which provision of two 

 prizes in each class is made, was very strong, showing the 

 greatest improvement upon previous years, and some birds held 

 their own against all comers, and carried off several of the prin- 

 cipal prizes. We are glad to be able to state that the number of 

 empty pens was far smaller than heretofore. 



Dorkings.— 1 and Cup, F. Parlett, Great Baddow, Chelmsford. 1 Local. A. S. 

 Clarke, Lowestoft. 2. Henry Liugwood, Barking, Needham Market. 3, E. W. 

 Southwood, Fakenham. he, T. ^ H. Heath ; A. S. Clarke ; Henry Lingwood. 



