16 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



[ July 1, 1873. 



can wort, and whoBe Bize does not prevent their entering into 

 a fox's earth. There were also some with great beauty showed 

 also many scars on their faces, thus clearly proving them to be, 

 not mere pretty-shaped pets, but true plucky workers. The 

 eight on the enclosed spaces on the terraces and slopes above 

 "Was very pleasing to any lover of dogs. The rings of dogs below 

 with the Judges in their centre ; then on the slopes the many 

 interested Inokers-on. How nervously an.\ious were the owners. 

 Exhibiting must be a trial to the nerves, for I notice that con- 

 versation with an exhibitor prior to the judging is but on his 

 part broken sentences, the one thought, " Oh ! shall I win?" 



Later in the day I went into the Show itself, and I must say 

 that it far excelled any exhibition of dogs which I had ever 

 seen. Its freedom from offensive smells proved that the care of 

 the managers was great. Evening was now coming on, the 

 inside was getting dim, the poor animals were inclined to quiet- 

 ness and sleep, and no exciting gas as at Birmingham had been 

 lit. Coming to the middle portion of the Show I see a small 

 crowd moving forward, pushing towards the centre ; then there 

 are cries of " Stand back, stand back, room !" Surely, surely, 

 it is not a dog fight at a dog show — not the old cruel sport— 

 these are days of gentle fancies, and wicked sports happily do 

 not go unpunished. The crowd grows larger, there is a wonder- 

 ful attraction in a moving crowd gazing at some central object 

 or objects. I am drawn into the whirlpool, and have made up 

 my mind to call in the police and stop the fight, and write about 

 it to the " Animal "World." I am in the crowd now, like the rest, 

 I am on tiptoes actually, and as the penny-a-liner would say 

 also, " On the tiptoe of expectation." I force my way nearer 

 the centre, I plainly see ladies are near enjoying the scene. 

 *' Oh ! this is worse than Hurlingham ! How bad these women of 

 modern days are ! Ladies enjoying a dog fight, for I am sure 

 there are dogs and ladies too. Oh ! fie for shame ! " Still 

 nearer I get. I can see more now. Why, there are hair brushes 

 in the air. What can it all mean. I press nearer — hair brushes 

 the best that money can buy, new and clean. It is surely an 

 exhibition of ladies' hair as grown on the head to prove that all 

 is not false. This is a good idea, and I will see which girl wins 

 — which has the longest, and thickest, and loveliest home- 

 grown production. I get nearer to gaze on the fair heads to see 

 them pass the smoothing brush over the black, or the golden, or 

 the auburn, or the fair flaxen, as the case may be. I see the 

 brushes and the hands — small and delicate, moving rapidly. 

 I am in the centre now, and oh ! no dog fight, no lady's-hair 

 prize, but lady owners are giving the last brush to their Maltese 

 dogs before they go into the hands of the Judges, who stand 

 close by. The texture, gloss, and exact partiug of the dog's 

 hair down the line of the spine were really wonderful. The best 

 Eeemed like creatures clad in spun glass or floss silk, and no 

 lady's hair was more evenly parted. 



By the way, the Judges of these classes ought to be old, very 

 old, and rather spiteful bachelors, or unfairness might arise. 

 Thus, say a very pretty bright-eyed lady with a coaxing smile 

 held np her dog beside a bony, hard-featured, withered, woman's- 

 rights virgin, would it not be human nature, or rather " man" 

 nature without the " hu," to give the prize if possible to the 

 dog owned by the fair lady, and to receive in return such a 

 smile? So to correct the balance I would say, Let the dogs be 

 held only by the attendants at the show, or let the Judges be the 

 crustiest of old bachelors, and, if possible, let them be suffering 

 from suppressed gout at the time. I have noticed the sufferings 

 of gentlemen exhibitors, but theirs were nought to those of the 

 lady exhibitors. I marked such pale cheeks of anxiety, lips 

 bitten hard (lips meant for a better fate), muscles twitching, 

 and a whole demeanour marking the combat going on between 

 hope and fear. Verily I am glad I am not an exhibitor. 



All is over, the Judges' decision is given, the little crowd 

 breaks up only to gather again around the owners of the Blen- 

 heim Spaniels. Again the same scene, again the ladies and 

 their dogs — their pretty Blenheims, vastly superior to my taste 

 to the Maltese ; but tastes differ, and right they should ; and 

 that tastes differ is never more plainly seen than at this dog 

 Show. Perhaps its ample provision for taste of all kinds is one 

 great element of its success, for successful most certainly it was. 

 — Wiltshire Rector. 



OUR SPRING HATCHING. 



I SEE reiterated this week in the Journal the failure of chickens 

 this season, and was expecting to have seen answers from those 

 well experienced to your invitation regarding the effect of frost 

 or cold upon eggs, but being in this respect disappointed, I 

 venture to give my experience, though a young amateur. 



I only commenced keeping fowls this season, and being a 

 novelty my children were so delighted at obtaining the eggs 

 that they were all gathered immediately, or soon after, being 

 laid and brought into the house, and I found nearly every 

 egg that was set — and 1 set a good many during the cold 

 spring— were with scarcely an exception all prolific, and in the 

 spring was very successful in rearing the chickens. Since then 



I have not been so successful. I must, like other amateurs, 

 learn by experience. My hens became uncomfortable and left 

 their eggs just before hatching, and I have only recently dis- 

 covered the cause — their becoming troubled with insects, which 

 I attribute to having moistened the eggs with water. I do not 

 consider this requisite, and shall discontinue the practice until 

 I have proof of its necessity, for, as someone pointed out io a 

 recent number, hens at large will as often make their nest in a 

 dry loft as by a damp hedgeside. I had taken the precaution 

 of putting cinder ashes under the nests, believing this would 

 deter insects. For the future I shall be able to combat with 

 this difficulty, but should be glad at the same time to receive 

 hints on the subject. — Wavertbee. 



POULTRY SHOW SCHEDULES. 



Great Grimbky has its Show on July 2l8t, 22nd, and 23rd, in 

 connection with the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society. The 

 schedule is almost the same as last year ; though good in some 

 points, it is still open to immense improvement with the same 

 expenditure in money. Dorkings havci one class with four good 

 prizes. Game have two classes and seven prizes. Reds coming 

 off very well indeed. Brahmas and Cochins have only one class 

 each with three prizes. Why will committees he so foolish ? 

 No classes fill like the Brahmas. Hamburghs have two classes 

 only with four prizes. Houdans and Creves have each a class, 

 and there is one for Polands. There are two Selling classes for 

 cocks and pairs of hens with handsome prizes. Turkeys have 

 a class, also Geese, and Ducks three, and we are glad to see a 

 class for Guinea fowls. Entries close July 3rd. The fee is 

 3.3. Gil. a pen. Judges *' competent," but nameless, are to award 

 the prizes. When will committees see the folly of their ways ? 

 We see nothing about baskets in the rules, bo we suppose double 

 and single may be used. 



Newhall (near Burton-npon-Trent) has its Show on July 21st. 

 It is quite a miniature affair. We are sorry for this, because 

 this is the Society we believe which had its Show at Horninglow 

 in 1873, when the schedule was quite imposing. There was a 

 falling-off last year, but this season they have come down to 

 12s. 6f?, and 7s. Gd. prizes. We are very sorry for this, as we 

 have pleasant recollections of the 1873 exhibition. As far as the 

 schedule goes the classes are fairly distributed, and Cochins and 

 Brahmas fare better than they do at Great Grimsby. The entry 

 fee is 2s. Cd. Baskets are again left open as to description. The 

 Judge's name is not announced ! 



Castle Doninoton holds its floral fete and poultry Exhibi- 

 tion also on July 2l8t. The schedule is most peculiar. There 

 are classes for all kinds of breeds, with two prizes in each of 

 10s. and 5s. ; and a special prize, the value of not less than .£1, is 

 given to every two classes. We wonder whether these " specials " 

 will much exceed the i'l, and whether they will be paid in hard 

 cash or in little useUss articles. We almost think we must try 

 and win one of these " not-less-than-i'l " prizes, and see what 

 we shall draw from the lucky bag. Cochins have six classes and 

 three of these specials ; while Brahmas four, and Dorkings two ; 

 Houdans, Spanish, and Bantams each have two classes; Game 

 and Hamburghs four each. There is a class for chickens of this 

 year of any breed with four prizes. Ducks, Geese, and Turkeys 

 all have classes. We rejoice to come at last to a schedule where 

 the "gentlemen of acknowledged ability" have names. Here 

 they are to be Re v. T. O'Grady aud Mr. Hutton. Non-subscribers 

 pay 2s. per pen, but a subscriber of 5s. only Is. per pen, which 

 is most reasonable. Entries close on July 14th. Nothing is 

 stated about baskets. 



The Obmskirk and Southport Society meet this year at the 

 latter town. This is one of the first chicken shows of the year, 

 and we shall watch the results with interest. The prizes are 

 £2 and i£l in each class, and there are classes for old birds and 

 for chickens of the year. We are very glad to see White Dork- 

 ings have their two classes. There is no class for Black Ham- 

 burghs, which surprises us, and White Cochins are pushed off 

 to the Variety class, and we hope the insult will be returned by 

 not one pen of the breed appearing at the Show. Entry fee is 

 2s. to subscribers, and 6s. to non-subscribers. Entries close 

 July 13th. Post entries, with extra fees, will be taken up to 

 July 19th. The names of the Judges are not given, and we see 

 no mention made of baskets. There are two XB cups, one for 

 Game and one for any breed not Game. The Pigeon depart- 

 ment is good. There are three prizes in each class, and five 

 point prizes besides. It is the single-bird system, and the entry 

 fee is 3s. per pen. Carriers have four classes, and one for birds 

 bred in the year, as, too, there are classes for 1875 Dragoons, 

 Barbs, and Autwerps. There are classes for E nglish and foreign 

 Owls, but Tumblers and Turbits have only one each. 



The Royal Manchester Society meet at Preston this 

 year. The schedule is a fac-simile of the one at Stalybridge 

 last season. The prizes are very handsome — i'3, i'2, and £1 in 

 each class. The Show is for 1875 birds only, and the classes 

 are well and fairly distributed ; but we much regret to see the 

 Silver-Grey Dorking class of 1873 again is omitted, and that no 



