Jane 25, 1S74 ] 



JOUKNAL OF HOETICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



517 



" an interesting experiment," he assnmea what is unjustifiable, 

 and wbat aa far as regards my two beautiful heus, tlie champions 

 of Bristol, is totally untrue. "The interestiiin oxperimeLt" 

 alluded to must have taken place in the vivid imaKiuation of the 

 reporter, certainly not in the Ash Grove yard, as during the last 

 fourteen years that 1 have been a breeder of Partridge Cuirhins, 

 a Brahma has never been in the yard. The only introduction 

 of fresh blood has been by Partridge ooclis. Hence how arises 

 the traces of the cross your reporter so plainly sees 'I This critic 

 ought to have known that Partridge hens showed the coveted 

 pencilling for many years before Brahmas were "invented." 

 The Bristol hens are descendants of the celebrated hen " Titauia," 

 bred by me and exhibited at Bristol in 18U7, which Mr. Wright 

 iJlustrates in his " Poultry Book," and of which he says, " She 

 was one of the very best hens ever beheld," &c. The pedigree 

 of this hen, "Titania," can be given for many years previous 

 to her birth. 



At Croydon Show, in 1871, the hen now alleged to have a 

 " pea comb " was exhibited as a pullet, her companion being 

 unfortunately killed there. The same critic, I believe, remarked 

 then of this same hen, that " her markings, size, and shape were 

 such aa have rarely been seen before." 



The amount of scrupulous care that has been taken to keep 

 my breed of Partridge Cochina entire, compels me to deny the 

 inferencea of this reporter, also to resent the animadversions 

 (directly opposed to fact) cast on the awards of our Judge of 

 judges. The enclosed copy of a letter from Mr. Hewitt, please 

 to publish herewith. — Edjid. Tubman, Ash Grove, Whitchurch, 

 Halo})' 



[copy.] 

 Eden Cottage, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, 15th Juue, 1874. 

 To E. Tudman. Esq., Ash Grove. 



Mt Dear Hih. — Allow me to make an inquiry respecting jour champion 

 cup pen uf Purtridgo Cochin hens exhibited at Bristol, it being reported in 

 the Fancitrs' Oa::€ttc of Saturday Ust, that they are the product of an "in- 

 teresting esperiment; one bird bad the exact pencilling of a tine Brahma 

 which uo Partridge Cochin ever had, the other had a pea comb." Now, I 

 williu;;lT admit any reporier has an equal right to his own individual opinion 

 as the arbitrator himself who awarded the prizes, and also the ventilation of 

 that opinion it he thirks proper at his own free will; but statements directly 

 opposed to facts should, I deem, in every case be held ns inadmissible. The 

 statement in italics, *' one of the hens had a pea comb," is the very opposite 

 of venlable ; and as to the lively maikiogs of both liens, such hens were ex- 

 hibited many long years befoie either Brahmas or the reporter himfelf were 

 known among the breedeis of prize poultry. Being myself cognisant of the 

 great care and attention that you have given {and not less so by the party 

 from whom .\ou originally obtained the breed) to Partridge-feathered Cochins 

 for BO many ytars past, I cannot for a moment doubt the nature of your 

 response to a vtry simple and plain question. Do you keep Brahmas, or have 

 you ever kept them ? and is there the barest possibility of any such cross as is 

 thus blankly imputed '.' By the way, sensational reports like the one alluded 

 to may curryfavour for a time, but surely constant adhesion to facts must in 

 the long run prove itself the more estimable system of "reporting," and 

 be far less likely to mislead parties at a distance whose purchases are fre- 

 quently governed almost entirely by the avowed opinion of ' the press." 



EDWD. JlE-rtirT. 



P.S. — This letter is at your own disposal. — E. H. 



THE POULTKY-KEEPER.— No. 8. 



CREVE-CCEURS. 



HEN. 



Body. — Well formed, of rough appearance, baring some re- 

 semblance to the Cochin-China. Of considerable size although 

 set low on its feet. Head strong; crest varying in size, black 

 while a chit-ken, but while behind after the second moulting. 

 Whiskered, cravated ; ears small and hidden; combs and gills 

 short ; feathers on the abdomen long and diffuse. 



Gait. — Quiet and slow. 



WEIGHT, SIZE, AND CH.iRACTERISTICS. 



Weight. — Twelve hens should weigh nearly 79i lbs. — that ia to 

 say, about 6 lbs. 10 ozs., some weighing more and some less 

 Some at two years old weigh as much aa 8J Iba. 



Size — From the upper part of the head to under the feet 

 17i inches. From the back to under the feet 133 inches. 



Sod;/. — Larger 'han that of the Houdan hen. 



Head. — Strong and entirely feathered. 



Crt5(. — The size ia variable, composed sometimes of feathers 

 somewhat short, drooping a little, and leaving the eyea un- 

 covered; siimetimes so well feathered that the head ia entirely 

 unseen, and the eyes can only be seen from the ground. The 

 crest is sometimes formed of feathers more or less pointed, 

 sometimes of feathera long, regular, and rounded at the ends, 

 which make it very large and nearly spherical. 



Tf^/iis/iCTs.— Thick. 



Cravat. — Long, hanging, thick, larger at the end than at the top. 



Gills. — Very small. 



£ars.— Small, whitish, hidden under the crest and whiskers. 



Nostrils. — Like those of the cock. 



Beak — Like that of the cock. 



Iris and Fiijnl of Eye. — Like that of the cock, 



Foo^— Sole of the foot short, strong; colour black and dark 

 silvery blue. 



Laying.— Ptetty good ; eggs very large. 



Incubation. — Nou-sitters. 



Plumage. — Entirely black with the exception of the crest, 

 which is black the first year, whitens a little the first moulting, 

 and more and more in the successive moultings. There are 

 very fine White varieties of the Grey, both cock and hen. The 

 perfectly Grey are very rare, and the White most plentiful. 



GENEE.AL CONSIDERATIONS. 



This admirable variety certainly produces the most excellent 

 fowls that appear in the French markets. Its bonea are even 

 lighter than those of the Houdan. Its flesh is finer, more tender, 

 and whiter, and it fattens more easily. The chickens are un- 

 usually forward, for they are fit to be fatted when they are two 

 and a half or three months old, and ready for table a fortnight 

 alter. At five months a fowl of this kind is nearly fully formed 

 in shape, weight, and quality. The fat chicken at from five to 

 six months attains the weight of G lbs. lU ozs. The chickens of 

 six mouths fattened attain to 7J lbs., and even OJ lbs. The 

 Crtve-Cceurs produce all the fat piillets and fine chickens 

 which are sold in the French markets. Those of the Houdan, 

 though of superior quality, do not come till later. The Creve- 

 Cceur is the finest variety in France for delicacy of flesh, 

 easiueaa to fatten, and, perhaps, the first in the world in 

 these points. Mr. Baker, however, brought from London for a 

 sale he was having in Paris, a dozen Dorkings, killed, trussed, 

 and ready to put on the spit, and it must be acknowledged that 

 they produced the moat wonderful effect on the assembly oJ 

 amateurs. 



The variety of ilerlereau.c has very little or no cravat, and 

 no frill. This variety generally furnishes chickens of very in- 

 ferior size in abundance in the markets of Normandy, but it is 

 iu other respects like the Creve-Cceurs, and produces as-large 

 fowls when well managed. 



Tlie Catij; variety very much resembles these last, if it were 

 not that it is higher, and its characteristics much less de- 

 veloped. 



The varieties of Caumont, Houdan, and Gournay, and the 

 Norman fowls iu general are crosses of the Creve-Cosur. It is, 

 perhaps, the variety most tested by crossing, and all the experi- 

 ments have made it certain that a cross with a liure Cochin- 

 China, or with the produce of pure Creve-Creurs with Gochin- 

 Chinas yield in farmyards birds of good size and of very delicate 

 flavour. 



Always prefer in the crosses an indigenous cock with Cochin- 

 China or Brahma hens. 



Food.— Give the chickens chopped eggs the first eight days, 

 and till they are two months old mashed barleymeal. After- 

 wards give gradually corn to those destined for breeding, but to 

 the others continue to give meal till they are fattened. Thi& 

 is what they do in Normandy. 



THOKNE POUI;TRY SHOW. 



Few, if any, local meetings can boast of a better entry of 

 poultry than Thome ; but the laxity displayed in the carrying- 

 out the rules of the Society is certainly highly calculated to do 

 a permanent injury to the Show. We have always unflinch- 

 ingly maintained that a rule once laid down for the regulation 

 of any society of this description should be rigidly maintained 

 in each and every inatance. This is the only course of safety. 

 But delays at Thorne succeeded each other in quick succession, 

 as it was hoped birds might arrive that were entered, but which 

 iu most cases were still absent during the arbitration. 



Dorkint) cocks and hens were both very good classes; and as to 

 the Sjianish classes, they proved most excellent. Capital Cochins 

 were shown of all known varieties, the Partridge-feathered es- 

 pecially so. Good Dark Brahmas were shown, but the Light 

 ones were not of great merit. The Game classes were remark- 

 ably good throughout for the season, the Brown Reds more 

 especially so. The Hamburgh classes were capital, particularly 

 the Spangled. In French fowls Creve-CoE-urs were the most 

 noteworthy, La Flcche being also better shown than ordinarily. 

 In the Any other variety of cocks. Golden Polands were first. 

 Black Hamburgha second, and Golden Polands third. In the 

 class for hens. Silver Polands stood first. Golden Polan ds second, 

 and a really good Golden-pencilled Hamburgh third. The Game 

 Bantam classes proved to be the cream of the Show, and few 

 could be better shown. Blacks were the best entry of the other 

 Bantams. Fancy Uucis were capital, but the Roueus and Ajles- 

 burys have been shown better at former shows at Thorne. The 

 weather was very favourable, and the meeting a decided success. 



(From a Correspondent.) 

 The pens used were of wood with sliding wire doors, and were 

 very convenient for the examination of tho-birds. The entries 

 were very good in all sections of poultry and Pigeons, the single- 

 bird system having been adopted, which, whatever its draw- 

 backs, has the advantage to the societies of producing excellent 

 entries. One great mistake of this Committee is that the awards 



