June 11, 1874. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEE. 



479 



Brown Reds, and altogether have won a number of prizes. The 

 third-prize Blacli Red coclt carried his wins^a a little too low — in 

 fact the Judge considered this the great fault all through the 

 Game Bantams. In Any other v.^riety of Bantams a perfect pair 

 of Silver Sebrights won first, Black Rose-combs second; and a 

 well-marked pair of Gold Sebrights third. The first-prize pair 

 of Black Rose-combs at the last Plymouth Show had to con- 

 tent themselves with highly commended; and we think that 

 the pair of White-booted that were commended should have had 

 an extra third at least. The single cook class contained some 

 good birds. The first-prize bird was a good Dark Houdan, 

 second a grand Dark Brahma, and third a very good-coloured 

 Partridge Cochin. A gamey-looking Brovm Red was highly 

 commended, but seemed to be out of condition, and no doubt 

 would have won had it uot been for thi.i reason. A Duckwiug 

 cock, first at the Bath and West of England Show and first at 

 Bristol, was passed unnoticed. In the Selling class, pair of 

 hens, a very neat pair of Black Reds were first, and a capital 

 pair of Golden-pencils second ; a pair of small but almost perfect 

 White Cochins third. A pair of Black Spanish hens highly 

 commended we consider should have been placed. A grand 

 White Cochin cock won first in the Selling class, and was soon 

 claimed. The first-prize pair of Rouen Ducks were perfection. 

 In the Aylesbury class faultless birds were first, and a very nice 

 pair second. The first in the Ornamental Fowl, any variety, 

 were a most perfect pair of Golden Pheasants, and second a pair 

 of Silvers equally good. 



Pigeons on the whole were good, but the entries in most of 

 the classes were small. In Carriers a pair of grand-styled 

 heavily-wattled Reds won first, second being a nice pair of Blacks 

 scarcely so good in beak-wattle and eye as the first-prize birds. 

 Whites won first in the Pouters, and good Blue pieds second. 

 The first-prize pair of Barbs (Blacks) were really capital birds, 

 a fair pair of Reds winning second. Fan tails were only moderate, 

 Whites being first and Blues second. In Tumblers a pair of 

 Black Mottles won first, and very good Almonds second. Ant- 

 werps were a fairish class, the first prize going to a magnifi- 

 cent pair of Mealies ; good Silver Duns second. Pens 2C1 and 

 262 deserved being noticed, we thiuk. The Any other distinct 

 variety class contained the largest entry in the Pigeon classes, 

 numbering eighteen pens. First were a lovely pair of White 

 Owls fit to win in any competition ; Black Trumpeters second ; 

 and a very good pair of Blue Foreign Owls were highly com- 

 mended. The Selling class was about the average quality, and 

 contained one or two pairs of cheap birds. A pair of Almond 

 Tumblers took first, closely followed by a moderately good pair 

 of Black Trumpeters. A pair of pretty fair Blue Turbits were 

 highly commended, but were not a good colour. 



DoRKit^aa —Coloured ~\, H. Feast, Swansea. 2, C. firay, Bisc^vey. 3, O. 

 Vincent. Trnro. Silver-Grnj, or ami othi^r varicty.~l, P. Rundle, Loatwithiel. 

 2,. I. H. Nicholla. Lfmtwithiel. S. Withheld. 



Cochins.— Biiir, White, and Cinnamon— \. .T. H. Nicholla. 2, Mrs. Allsop. 

 Worc^ater. 3, S. R. Harris, CuaRarue. Partridge and Brown.— I, G. Lias, Par. 

 a, H. Yardley, BirrainRhara 3, J. H. Nicholla. 



Brahmas.— Iiarfc.— 1. Vi«conntesa Chetwvnd, Exmonth. 2, T. H. Waterman, 

 Anderlon. 3, H. Feast Lio/i(.— 2, S. R. Harris. 3. S. Prohert, Lostwithiel. 



Game.— BtacJ: Eeds.—l, W. T. Lovering. St. Anstell. 2, C. E. Pope, Falmouth. 

 3. B. Coon. St. Anstell. he, J. Baker, St. Austell. Broiiiii Beds. -1 and 2, H. 

 Browne, St. Austell. 3, W. K. Bullmoro. Falmouth, c, W. T. Lovering. 

 Amj olhrr variety —1. E. Winwood. Worcester, 2, C. E. Pope. 3, H. Browne. 

 he. G. Julian. Wadehridge. c. E. Martin. St. Anstell. 



Spanish.— 1. Mrs. T,.nkin, BristoL 2, H. Feast. 3, J. Bassett, LostwlthieL 

 <-, J. Bassett; J. H. Nichols. 



PoLANns.— 1, S. R, Harris. 2, H. Feast. 3, G. Lias, he, Miss F. Solomon, 

 St. BUzey. e, S. Prohert. 



Hambukohs.— Go(rf-?;)(iHf7/^fi— 7, W. Webster, Bodmin. 2. N. Barter, Ply. 

 mouth. 3. H. Feast. SiU'cr-sjiansled.-!, S. R. Harris. 2, H. Feast. S.W.Philips, 

 St. Anstell. lie, N. Barter. 



Hambvrou^.— Gold peneilled. — l, H. Moore. Weston-super-Mare. 2, T. 

 Edmonds, Totnes. S.J.H.Appa. ftc.G.Lias; J. H. Nicholla. Silver-ueneilled. 

 —1. H. Feast. 2 nn.l 3. N. Barter. 



Fkench. -/!«!/ variety.— \ and c. W. H. Coppleston, Lostwithiel. 2, H. Feast. 

 3, G. W. Hibbert, Manchester, tic, Mrs. Borrow. I.anivet. 



Any other Dibtinct Variety.— 1. A. H. Tyack, Camborne. 2, J. Croate. inn., 

 WelliDKton. 5. Miss S. E.Avery, Liskeard. /ic, W.Hohba.St. Ewe; W. Saundry, 

 Pool: .T..I. Blamey, Penryn. 



Bantams.— Game.-l. T'. H. Mudge. Bodmin. 2. W. Currah, Tywardreath. 

 3, T. S. Hockaday, St. Anstell. Any otiier varielii.-\, C. H. Poole. Bridgwater. 



2. J. H. Nicholls. 3, E. G. Stocker, St. AusteU. tie. Miss B. Stocker, St. Anstell ; 

 F. Braiind, Bideford ; ,T. Pearson, Llskeard. c, J. Honey. St. Anstell. 



Ant Variety.— Cocfc.—l, J. Godtrey. Liskeard. 2. W. Denner. Tavistock. 



3, G. Lias, lie, W. T. Lovering ; J. H. Nicholls. c, T. J. Lobb. Wadebridge. 

 Selling Class.— Cocfe.—l, I. H. Nicholls. 2, W. Humohrevs. Liskeard. 



3, W. T. Lovering. he, H. Frast : W. H.Coppleton. c, .7 Croote.jun. Bens — 

 1, J. T. Browne. 2, H. Hodge, Porthpeau. 3, J. H. Nicholls. he. W. Honey. 

 St. Austell ; F. E. Stocker ; J. H. Nicholla. c, T. H. Waterman, Anderton : S. 

 Prohert. 



Decks.- iloii^n— I and 3. .T. H- Browne. 2. .L H. H^it. St. Austell, he, E 

 Martin. Aylesbnry.—l and 3. S R. Harris. 2. W. S Crarl. Torpoint. 



Ornamental Fowl.— .4;i!/ variety —I and 2, R. G. Lakes, St. AnsteU (Gold and 

 Sliver Pheasants). 



PIGEONS. 



Carriers.- 1, E. Burton, Truro. 2. F. Hayman, Exeter. 



PoHTERS.- 1 and 2. H. Yardley. Birmingham. 



Barbs.— 1, J. D. Mule. Exeter. 2. H. Yardley, Birmingham, c, J. J. Hill. 

 Penzance ; E. Burton ; J. T. Browne. 



Fastails.— 1, Q. Packham, Exeter. 2, H. W. Webb, Sydenham, tic, H. 

 Yardley. 



Tr mdlers.— I, H. Yardley. 2, E. Burton, he. G. Paciham. 



Antwehps.- 1, J. Baen, Lostwithiel. 2, H. Yardlev. 



Any .itber Distinct Vabiett.-I, F. Braund, Bideford. 2, J. Broad, Plymouth. 

 he, J. J. Hill : H. Yardley ; H. W. Webb ; J. P. James. Hereford, c, 0. Hawke. 

 St. ColniTib : J. J. Hill 1-2). 



Selliso Class.- 1, E. Burton. 2, H. W. Webb. 



WOOD PIGEON AND DOVECOTE PIGEON 

 PAIRED. 



Is it not possible that " T. G., Clitheroe," makes some little 

 mistake, wholly unintentional of cour.se, in what he narrates to 

 us last week under the above heading ? The whole turns upon 

 the meaning of the north-country word " scar." I cannot find 

 it in any English dictionary which I possess, and only remember 

 its being used by Word-sworth in " Peter Bell " in these lines — 

 " And he had trudged through Yorkshire dales, 



Among the rocks and winding *tcars. 



Where deep and low the hamlets lie 



Beneath their little patch of aky, 



And littlo lot of atars." 



The word " scar" seems here to mean what we in the west of 

 England call a " combe," a hollow somewhat narrow between 

 steep hills. Thus there is Castlecombe in Wilts, and English- 

 combe near Bath. If the word " scar" in the account refers to 

 the side of the hill, or rather rock, surely the bird that paired 

 with a dovecote Pigeon was a Rock Dove, Columba livia, which 

 is natural enough ; but the Cushat, Quest, Ring Dove, or Wood 

 Pigeon is wholly arboreal, nesting iu trees, and does not pair 

 with the common Pigeon (ukZu Brent, page 7). The Stock Dove, 

 Columba aenas, has been known to breed with the domestic 

 Pigeon, but it usually is arboreal in its habits, though it lays 

 sometimes iu a deserted Rabbit-burrow, and even in cliffs. ~^ 



The account that '' T. G., ClUheroe," gives is very interesting ; 

 but unless he is a skilled naturalist I incline to thank that the 

 wild Pigeon he mentions was most probably a Rock Dove, or 

 less probably a Stock Dove. If a Ring Dove or Wood Pigeon 

 (the large bird) the case is very singular. Perhaps " T. G." will 

 favour us with another word on the subject, and the meaning in 

 Lancashire of the word '* scar." I write simply from interest 

 and desire of acquiring knowledge. — Wiltshire Rectoe. 



BUILDING A PIGEON LOFT. 



A Pigeon loft ought to be built to the south or soxith-west, 

 the sun lying warmest on them from those quarters ; but if you 

 have not that convenience you may make a hole in the roof o£ 

 your house, and there lay your platform, smaller or larger as 

 you thiuk proper. A carpenter that is used to such work will 

 put you iu a method, always remembering to erect proper works 

 to keep off those tormentors of the gentlemen of the fancy — the 

 cats, for in one night's time they will make a very great havoc, 

 and are generally observed to destroy those Pigeons which you 

 most value ; so that it is better to be at some charge first, to 

 prevent the incursions of such dangerous and fatal invaders, 

 who seldom or never give any quarters. 



Let your loft be large enough to contain the number of Pigeons 

 you intend to keep, always allowing at least two holes or breed- 

 ing places for every pair ; for the more room they have the more 

 quiet they will sit, and breed the bettsr. I once knew a gentle- 

 man who could not raise three young ones out of nine pair of 

 breeding Pigeons all the spring, aud for above three months 

 after, only by keeping them straitened in too narrow a compass ; 

 whereas, about the latter end of August, or beginning of Sep- 

 tember, he moved them into a larger loft, and the same Pigeons 

 bred well, even then, and through the most part of the winter. 

 The reason of this inconvenience is this : Salacious cocks wiU 

 often be playing to and disturbing the others as they sit ; and 

 others who want room to sit will fight for nests, and by this 

 means destroy both eggs and young ones. 



To make your breeding places, you may erect shelves of about 

 14 inches broad, allowing 13 inches betwixt shelf and shelf, for 

 otherwise your tall Pouters, by being forced to crouch for want 

 of height, will get a habit of playing low, and spoil their carriage. 

 In these shelves erect partitions at about the distance of 3 feet, 

 fixing a blind by a board nailed against the front, on each side 

 of every partition ; by this means you will have two nests in the 

 length of every 3 feet, and your Pigeons will sit dark and private. 

 You may, if you please, fix a partition between each nest, to 

 prevent the young ones from running to the hen when sitting at 

 the other end, and cooling her eggs ; for in breeding time, when 

 the youug ones are about three weeks old, the hen, if a good 

 breeder, will lay again, and leave the cock to take care of and 

 bring up the young ones. — [American Fanciers^ Journal,} 



FACT VEKSDS SPECULATION. 

 All praise to Mr. Pettigrew for his able leadership "on the 

 paddle-bos," when ho keeps us straight in known ways, and 

 does not run the vessel with its apiarian freight among rocks 

 and sandbanks. All praise, too, to Mr. Lowe for the brave and 

 able manner in which he seeks to save the good steamer from 

 shipwreck when he sees the impulsive skipper in danger of 

 the said rocks and sandbanks. I will confine myself to one 

 matter, where Mr. Pettigrew reiterates as fact what certainly 

 he has not demonstrated : I allude to his pertinacious assertion 

 i-hat bees do not gather honey in the flower, but a " crude " 



