March 19, 1874. ) 



JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



247 



noblemen at Dotheboya Hall " oconrred to me more than once, 

 and as I write I see again the " pale and haggard faces, lank and 

 bony figures; cliildren with the counteuauces of old men, some 

 young lives which from the earliest dawn of infancy had been 

 one of horrible endiu-ance of cruelty and neglect. There were 

 faces which should have been handsome darkened with the 

 Bcowl of sullen dogged Buffering." And amid all this a banner 

 with a scriptural text borne by a lew supporting a street 

 preacher, and as the various sounds catch the ear I find mixed 

 with the hymn of praise the bitter curse of the drunkard and 

 the foul oath of the blasphemer. It was a scene I shall not 

 soon forget ; and as the carriage roiled along westward, and the 

 contrast became greater, thoughts arose to me especially of the 

 young childreu, children who from the force of circumstances, 

 and from no cause of their own, have been nursed in the lap of 

 vice and misery, and are left there by those who are fiuarrelling 

 how they should be taught. — W. H. 



CONDITION. 



As I am the correspondent to whom Mr. Wright alludes, I 

 wish to repeat exactly what I wrote on this question, page 427 

 ofyour last volume ; — "Mr. Wright, or the judges, set too high a 

 value on 'condition;* it is the easiest point to attain, and con- 

 sequently of the least value." Observe, I do not say, as Mr. 

 Wright would make appear, that condition is easily attained 

 under adverse circumstances, but simply that there is no point 

 taken into consideration by judges so easy of attainment. For 

 my own part, I know of no point of colour, form, or style so 

 easily attained. If Mr. Wright does, perhaps he would name it. 

 Will not any poor woman, who can give her fowls a sufficiency of 

 food and a proper roosting place, have them in unexceptionable 

 condition if they have but the run of the roadside in the country ? 

 and still "condition," which any bird having food and liberty 

 is sure to possess, is valued by Mr. Wright at twelve, and in 

 some cases fifteen marks, being about an eighth or a sixth of the 

 whole ; in many instances at a higher, and in some at double 

 the value of points of colour and form that are very diificult to 

 attain. Look at the multitude of Game cocks that are annually 

 sent to Birmingham — the elite of thousands, on whose breeding 

 and rearing experience, thought, care, and money have been ex- 

 pended profusely — nineteen-twentieths of them are in blooming 

 condition, but scarcely one-twentieth of them are to he found 

 in the prize list. Under such circumstances should the first and 

 cup cock, the best bird of the year, winner of several first prizes 

 and cups, be passed over three months later, simply because he 

 is out of condition, having gone through an amount of fatigue 

 consequent on travelling, close confinement, constant change of 

 food, bad air day and night, and an incessant worry whilst at 

 shows from 7 a.m. to 10 or 11 p.m., that would kill many birds ; 

 to the advantage of a bird in perfect condition, but in other 

 respects not within several degrees of being equal to him, a bird 

 that probably was fourth or but " highly commended " in the 

 same class with him at Birmingham ? I think otherwise, so I 

 hold to my opinion that the intrinsic value of a bird depends on 

 perfection of colour, form, style, and quality of feather, and that 

 as condition is no part of a bird it is of the least value, and the 

 last point that should be considered.— O. P. H. Z. 



FEEDING FOWLS AT SHOWS. 



On reading your report of the late Show at Northampton, I 

 noticed that you attributed the listless manner of many of the 

 Game Bantam cocks exhibited there to overshowing. This was 

 incorrect. Most of the birds were certainly not well, and did 

 not look at all up to the mark ; but the real cause was the indis- 

 cretion of the Committee or their poultry attendants in feeding 

 the birds, Indian corn and barley being profusely distributed 

 in their pens, and the birds were not able to digest their food, 

 consequently causing many of them to be crop-bound. 



I feel satisfied that committees of shows do not pay sufficient 

 attention to the feeding of all kinds of poultry committed to 

 their care, and if they gave the matter more of their considera- 

 tion, it would inspire exhibitors with increased confidence. — 

 W. FoKEESTEB AnDiE, 45, Fishergate, Preston. 



DOnCHESTEE POULTRY SHOW. 



In a report of this Show in your last week's number a cor- 

 respondent says that my pen of coloured Dorkings there showed 

 signs of over-exhibition. Out of condition they may have been, 

 but overshown they certainly were not, as tliis particular pen 

 has only been once shown since the beginning of last December. 

 As may be supposed, I agree with your correspondent in pre- 

 ferring my pen to the winners, as the cock in this pen had but 

 one eye ! but in size, which always must be the chief point in 

 Dorkings, provided they are fairly perfect, I was well beaten. 

 As to colour, I believe it is fully understood that for exhibition 

 " Coloured " Dorkings should ha dark, in order that both in cocks 



and hens they may be easily distingirished from Silver-Greys. — 

 T. C. BuBNELL, Junior Armtj and Navy Club, Pall Mall. 



SEATON BUBN POULTRY SHOW. 



The following awards were made at this Show, held on the 

 14th inst. : — 



DiiKKiNQS.—l and 2, W. Swana, Hirst Head, BedliDgton. . „ „ , 



C.ici]iN-CmNA.-l and S, J. Wtbbter, West Sleekburn. 2, A. M. Balmcr, 

 Bishui) Auckland, /tc, J. CairnB, Seaton Burn. 



Bkaiim* Pootras.— 1 and 2, W. Swann. 3, OiUia & Anderson, beghiU. lie, Q. 

 Stalker. West Sleekburn ; R. Moore, East Rainton ; B. shield, Swalsv^elL 



Si'AMsn.— ijfncfc.— I and 2. W. Johnson, Burradon Colliery. 8, R. bhield. 

 he, R. Moore. _ , . 



Gi^K.-Btack-lrreasied and other Beds.— 1, Miss M. J. Nelson, Cockshaw, 

 Hexham. 2, T. Middlemiss, SeatouDelaval. S, i:. Smith, Dudley Colhery. lie, 

 J. Morton, Choppington Colliery ; T. Young, Morpeth ; J. Robshaw, Wrixley, 

 York. Duckwingi and other Orcys.—l and 3, G. Taylor, BedlmKton Colliery. 

 2. J. Mortfn. Any other variety— \. J. Brown, SeghiU. 2. J. Wilson, Seaton 

 Burn. 3, T. Golightlv, New Delavah he, T. Gohi,'htly; W. Dryadale, Long- 

 hirst (21; W. Williin, Dudley ColUery. „ ,, 



Hamburohs.— Sili'crnpfiniJiii!.— 1 and 2, G. Stalker. 3 and he, R. Moore. 

 GoldeH-fjjanaled.—l. A. Harburn, Bishop Auckland. 2, G. Stalker. S, T. 

 Marshall, Mitford Vicarage, Morpeth. „ ., „ t. 



Hambueghs.— Sifiier-iirncifierf.— 1, J. Laws, West Slcekhnm. 2 and 3, K. 

 Moore, c, J. Wilson, Shankhouse. Ooldeji-i)encilled.—i, J. Robshaw, Whixley, 

 York. 2, A. Stephenson, Dudley Colliery. 3, E. Walker, Hexham, he, A. G. 

 Mitchell, Bishop Aucklaud ; R. Moore. „ „ a u* « 



Any other Variety.— 1, R. Parsons, Sleekbtim Cottage. 2, K. H. Aanton, 

 Jlottram. 3, A. M. Balmer, Bishop Auckland. „ m t. ,j o , » 



Any VABiETV.-focfc.-l. A. Stephenson. 2, T. Gobghtly. S, T. Dodd, Seat™ 

 Bam. he, W. Stewart, Dudley Colliery; J. Robson. Dudley Colliery; 1. 

 Young, Morpeth. Hen.— 1, G. Taylor. 2, T. Young. S, W. Swann. he, a. 

 White, Cocksbaw, Hexham. „ ., „■ , ., 



Game BA\T.\i!s.—Blaek-lircmted and other Reds.—i, A. Hays, Bedlington. i, 

 H. Sharp, Bebaide. 3, Miss M. J. Nelson, lie, J. Short, Bedlington; J. 

 Douglass, West Sleekburn. Any other variety— 1, Miss M. J. Nelson, i, l. 

 Rennison, beaton Delaval. 3, T. Golightly. lie, T. Renniaon; R. White, CocK- 

 shaw. Hexham ; T. Eeaveley, Bedlington Station. ,,„,,•,, 



Ba.ntamb.-1. Miss M. Parsons. 2. E. H. Ashton. 3, A. G. MitcheU, Bishop 

 Auckland. he,W. Race, East Brunton ; G. Stalker, West Sleekburn; K. u. 

 Ashton. Cocfc.— 1, J. Short. 2. J. Morton. 3, G. Bell, North Seaton. lie, J. 

 Wilkinson, Bedlington Colliery ; W. C. Dawson, Whitljy ; G. Taylor. 



DccKS.-l and 2, Miss M.J.Nelson. 3, W. Swann. /ic, A. M. Banner, Bishop 

 Auckland. . . „ t. ■ , «.^ 



Cottagers' CLAS3.-Baniams.-1, J. Orkney, Dumington. 2, Fairless and 

 Robson, Wideopen. 3. W. Connell, Seaton Bum. Any variety.— 1, tairlesa 

 and Robson. 2 and 3, T. Dodd, Seaton Burn. 

 Judge. — Mr. J. Dixon, Bradford. 



POLYGAMY IN PIGEONS. 



As bearing on the subject named by " Onus Pkoeandi" in the 

 Journal of February 12th, I send you an account of the foUowiug 

 facts. A common Ash cock of mine was mated with a comrnon 

 Blue Chequer hen, and they had a young one in the nest which 

 died at about a fortnight old. I had, among others, an unmated 

 Blue Chequer hen, which if possessed among two or three dozen 

 more of the same kind by a Lancashire dealer would be called 

 " A Bock fra Lincashire (Lincolnshire) fur shootin'," but which, 

 I suppose, is a Chequered Dovecote Pigeon. I had it from a 

 farm in Herefordshire. The Ash cock is a very merry bird, 

 and upon the death of his young one he was soon ready to go 

 to nest again; and finding his own hen (which we will call the 

 Blue Chequer) was not of the same mind, he turned his attentions 

 to what we will call the " Bock." This seemed to rouse the 

 jealousy of the Blue Chequer, and in a short time she laid him 

 two eggs, which he helped to sit regularly, but when he was 

 not sitting he employed his time in nesting or flying with the 

 Rock. In due time the eggs laid by the Blue Chequer were 

 hatched, and the young ones reared, the Ash helping to feed 

 them. Both were Blue Chequers, but with a decided likeness m 

 the head, beak, and general shape to the Ash cock. Before 

 these young ones were able to fly about the Rock laid two eggs 

 in another nest, built for her by the Ash cock, and he helped 

 her regularly to sit, but when he was not sitting he employed 

 his time in nesting and flying with the Blue Chequer (whose 

 young ones could now feed themselves), and as a result she laid 

 him two eggs about six days after the Kock. 



And now his work began; he helped both hens to sit, and I 

 seldom saw him fly about outside. Yesterday, March 8th, both 

 of the Bock's eggs hatched; but until the yonng ones grow 

 larger I shall not be able to prove that the Ash helps to feed 

 them, though I have seen him sit over them. 



I have examined the eggs of the Blue Chequer, and found one 

 " addled"— no formation whatever having taken place, and I am 

 now waiting for the other egg to hatch, when it will be interest- 

 ing to observe whether the Ash cock helps to feed both nests, 

 and also what likeness the progeny bear to him when full-grown. 

 I say it will be interesting to observe what likeness both lots ot 

 young ones bear to him when full-grown, as I lately had a case 

 in which a hen, that had been a long time unmated, laid two 

 eggs (while yet unmated), one on the floor, the other on the shell. 

 I put them under a pair I had sitting, and two young ones were 

 hatched and reared, which when full-grown bore an unmistake- 

 able likeness to a certain cock I had, which had a mate and 

 young ones of his own at the time. I only regret that it has not 

 occurred among fancy breeds where parentage could have been 

 traced without any doubt, inasmuch as the characteristics ot 

 distinct fancy breeds are so much more marked than those ot 



