156 



JOUKNAIi OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ Febrnaiy 12, 1874 



Of Dorking cocks of the coloured variety, a grand broad and 

 deep cockerel was awarded the first prize and county cup for 

 the section of the large varieties. The second and third prizes 

 went to large adnlt birds. In hens, which as a class were 

 superior to the cocks, a grand hen stood first, the rest also being 

 very good. In other colours of cocks the birds were only of 

 ordinary merit, but the hens were such as are rarely seen, the 

 cup for the Dorking section falling to the first-prize Silver. 

 Cochin cocks made a capital class, the winners being Buffs, a 

 veteran bird carrying-off the cup, closely pressed, however, by a 

 most exquisite White hen belonging to the same exhibitor ; in 

 the latter class a capital Buff somewhat out of condition was 

 second. Class 6, for other coloured Cochin cocks, contained 

 good White and Partridge birds. Brahma cocks (Dark), were a 

 large but not good class, although some of the birds were good 

 in shape and sound in colour. Hens were also numerous, and 

 the winners very fine, the cup being awarded to Mr. Lingwood's 

 fine hen. Light Brahma cocks exhibited a great improve- 

 ment in colour and marking; the hens also being a fair lot. 

 Oame were one of the finest sections, and the local celebrities 

 had a number of well-shown birds; one Brown Red cockerel 

 won both the open and county cup. The rest in this class were 

 of fair quality. Black Red cocks were good in style and colour, 

 but the first-prize cockerel was minus one toe nail, and the second 

 was a cock without a spur. This variety is sadly neglected, 

 although among the most beautiful of Game. Red hens were 

 very good ; the winners were all Brown Reds, not one good Black 

 Red being shown. Cocks, any other variety, comprised some 

 good coloured Duckwings, notably that which was first, the 

 second being of high quality and colour, but they were not in the 

 best feather. In hens an almost perfect Pile pullet was first, and 

 a Duckwing hen second. Saniburghn were not numerous; in 

 fact, there was not one entry of Silver-pencilled. The Gold- 

 spangled were very good, especially the cup pen. Gold-pencilled 

 were poor, while the Silver-spangled and Blacks were good. Of 

 Malays there was a grand display, old and young being shown 

 in one class. They were all Reds, except one pair of Whites 

 to which the first prize and cup were awarded. Second came a 

 stylish pair of Dark Red chickens. Most of the lighter colour 

 were white in tail and red on the margin of the breasts. The 

 Spanish winners were good, but the rest poor, and French 

 Fowls were only of moderate quality. There were two Selling 

 classes containing eighty-four birds, many of which were of the 

 highest quality considering the restricted prices. 



Red Game Bantams were poor, except about half a dozen 

 birds, comprising the winners and one Brown Red cockerel 

 shown by Mr. Pearson, of Wymondham. Other kinds of Game 

 Bantams were Piles first and Bantam cup, and the second-prize 

 Dackwings. In the Variety class of Bantams were many good 

 pens, and the prizes were awarded in duplicate. 



Ducks, Aylesbury or Rouen, were only of moderate quality, 

 but the other varieties were good. 



Turkeys and Geese were large and well shown, and mostly 

 county birds. 



Babbits were next on the list, the Lop-ears showing high 

 quality. The cup went to a grand Tortoiseshell doe ; second 

 came a Blue-and- white, and an excellent Sooty Fawn was very 

 highly commended. Rabbits of any other variety were — first 

 Silver-Grey, second Dutch, and third Himalayan. 



The list tor Pigeons was somewhat limited, but there were 

 some good birds. Carriers were only moderately good, but there 

 were some very good Pouters, both winners being White, and 

 the cup for the first three classes was awarded to the former. 

 Barbs were only young, and not well developed. In Tumblers, 

 Bald, the first were very pretty Blue Short-faces, and the second 

 a very clean-cut high-coloured pair of Black Long- faces. Some 

 capital pens received high commendations. In Beards the 

 winners were small and neat, and the first-prize birds took the 

 aup for this section. Tumblers, any other kind, were Almonds 

 of high quality in both head and feather points. Fantails were 

 good, but mostly quite crushed in feather, a fault not easily sur- 

 mounted with birds often in the basket and show pen. Dragoons 

 were a good class ; a Blue cock was first, and a Red second. 

 Antwerps were not numerous ; the first was a SUver Dun Short- 

 face, second a Long-faced Blue Chequer. The Any other variety 

 class contained nothing striking, but in the Selling class were 

 some good birds. 



Canaries were not numerous, but there were birds fit for any 

 competition, the prizes going generally to the new Derby tone 

 of colour. 



The only drawback to the progress of the shows in the counties 

 of Norfolk and Suffolk is the excessive railway charges, but with 

 a proper representation made by the combined societies this 

 difficulty would no doubt be easily got over. The awards were 

 published last week. 



PEKIN DUCKS. 

 These Ducks elicited so many inquiries at the late exhibition 

 of the Connecticut State Poultry Society, thataU poultry fanciers 

 and farmers who have good facilities for raising waterfowl will 



be interested to know something more about their good qualities 

 and history. They were brought to this country from Pekin by 

 Mr. James E. Palmer, of Storrington, and landed in New York 

 on the 11th day of March, 1873. Quite a large number were put 

 on board the ship, but most of them died during the passage. 

 Mr. Palmer succeeded in getting one drake and three Ducks to 

 his farm alive, but, of course, dwarfed by the long voyage. His 

 attention was first called to them in China by their large size. 

 He at first supposed they were a small breed of Geese. They 

 recovered their flesh sooner than he expected, and before he 

 had suspected them of laying he found a lot of their eggs in a 

 small brook running through the pasture where they were con- 

 fined. The Ducks laid constantly untU the last of July, some- 

 thing over one hundred eggs each. Some of the eggs were sold, 

 given away to friends, and set under hens. About fifty birds 

 were raised. The eggs hatch in twenty-five days, and the young 

 birds are about one-third larger than the Rouens when they first 

 come out of the shell, and they grow more rapidly through the 

 season. Mr. Palmer's largest pair at the Exhibition, only five 

 months old weighed 15 lbs. without any fattening or special 

 preparation. 



They are clear white, with a yellowish tinge to the under part 

 of the feathers, which are very thick and downy. The wing 

 primaries, and all of the flight feathers are remarkably short, 

 showing that they have long been domesticated, and are not dis- 

 posed to fly much. They are very hardy, not minding snow or 

 rain, are easily kept in small enclosures, and only require a little 

 clean water and regular feeding to raise them successfullj'. 

 Where they have a good run they are excellent foragers, an d 

 will take care of themselves as readily as any other breed of 

 Ducks. They have large yellow bills and reddish legs. Their 

 long graceful necks, their white plumage and remarkable size, 

 make them pleasing objects upon the water or about the farm- 

 yard and lawn. 



They have excited a great deal of interest among all poultry 

 fanciers who have seen them at Mr. Palmer's farm, and were 

 the leading feature of the State Exhibition. 



The Hartford Courant, in its notice of the Show, says : 

 " The most interesting event of the Show, and of the year iu 

 poultry matters, is the importation, by Mr. J. E. Palmer, of a 

 new variety of Ducks, previously unknown in England or 

 America. They are as much larger than the common kind of 

 Ducks as the Cochins or Brahmas are larger than ordinary 

 fowls." 



A pair of the old birds, and four pairs of their offspring, were 

 on exhibition. The importance of this new acquisition to our 

 list of waterfowl will be felt by all farmers as well as fanciers. 

 If they do for our Ducks what the Asiatics have done for our 

 hens, it will indeed be a great acquisition for the whole country. 

 — W. Clift, Mystic Bridge, Connecticut. — {Canada Farmer.) 



POLYGAMY IN PIGEONS. 



I REMEMBER reading in your pages some few months since a 

 correspondence on the above subject between " R. W." and 

 " WiLTsHntE Rector," and as additional information, beg to 

 send the following. 



I have at the present time one Blue Fantail cock paired to 

 two hens — viz., a Blue Fan and a Turbit hen ; both hens have 

 eggs, two each, laid in the same nest, or perhaps it would be 

 more exact to say in one nest compartment, the nest-pans having 

 been removed. This is the second time the same three birds 

 have been in the same circumstances. The previous time they 

 did not hatch, though, 1 believe, entirely owing to one of the 

 birds being away several times at exhibitions, otherwise, I have 

 not the slightest doubt, they would, as I have never seen the 

 nest without two birds sitting, though 1 have also noticed that 

 the cock bird will sit at different times on each or either pair of 

 eggs, whichever may be vacated. 



The Blue Fan cock was first paired to the Blue Fan hen, but 

 requiring her to show, her faithless mate during her absence 

 " took a fly with another," and the poor Blue hen came back to 

 find her nest occupied by another. As you may imagine matters 

 were lively for a short time, but now the hens sit side by side 

 quite peacefully. Should the reverend gentleman doubt the 

 accuracy of my observations, 1 can only add — Owns Pbobandi. 



RABBIT FEEDING. 



First, as to times of feeding. Some English fanciers 

 advocate feeding three times a-day ; but I find twice sufficient. 

 The first feed is given about six o'clock a.m. in summer, aud 

 about half-past seven in winter. This usually consists of wheat, 

 buckwheat, or barley, with the addition of a small piece of turnip 

 or carrot about the size of a small hen's egg. In summer, when 

 clover or other green food is obtainable, a small handful of that 

 is given instead of the roots. In feeding with the above grains, 

 I alternate them; this gives the Rabbits a better relish for their 

 food. 



The night feed, which ia given about six o'clock, is always 



