378 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



THE NEW ENGLAND FOWL SHOW. 



The first show of the New England Fowl Associa- 

 tion came off November 12, 13, and 14. The weather 

 preceding the show, and during the exhibition, as 

 well as the succeeding day, on which there was a 

 sale by auction, was most delightful, being clear and 

 remarkably mild for the season. The show was held 

 under Wright's mammoth tent, that is two hundred 

 and fifty by one hundred and fifty feet. This large 

 area was generally well filled with coops and cages, 

 and in most cases there were two tiers, and some- 

 times more. The whole arrangements seemed well 

 made, and creditable to the officers of the society, 

 who had the management of the exhibition. 



This show was a grand one in very deed, probably 

 never half equalled in extent by any similar exhibi- 

 tion of any country, in any age ; and in variety, we 

 believe that it was never rivalled by any excepting 

 that of Noah in the ark. There was almost every 

 breed that we have ever seen, heard of, or read of, 

 and numerous new varieties which some, before they 

 saw this show, never dreamed of; fur nowhere on 

 the face of the earth are people so prone to mix up 

 various breeds of animals as they are in New Eng- 

 land : hence a great many new crosses are formed. 



The whole number of fowls and birds, including 

 rabbits and guinea pigs, was probably not far from six 

 thousand. We counted them carefully on the third 

 day, in the forenoon ; and allowing that eight or nine 

 hundred had been taken out, (which is rather a lib- 

 eral allowance,) the whole number Ava.s about six 

 thousand. This is surely a large number, a grand 

 collection of the feathered race, and ought to satisfy 

 those who feel a deep interest in the success of the 

 affair; and we do know that the frequent statement 

 of the number at fifteen thousand is a great exagger- 

 ation, and not to be relied on, though it receive offi- 

 cial sanction. This seems like some publishers of 

 newspapers, representing their lists of subscribers to 

 be several thousands higher than reality. 



But to return to the fowls, and leave people to 

 crow as they please : it was a most delightful show, 

 s>s vast in extent that one got tired of seeing ; and so 

 various that he soon got lost in comparing, and en- 

 deavoring to estimate properly, each lot in so great 

 and various a collection. There were fowls of every 

 size, from the beautiful little Bantam that weighs 

 only a few ounces, to the majestic Shanghae, and 

 other large breeds, that weigh from ten to fifteen 

 pounds. In this collection the large breeds prepon- 

 derated, not only in weight, but in numbers. Some 

 of these large races that have been kept several years 

 in this country, and skilfully managed, are receiving 

 improved forms. 



So far as uniformity of appearance, in many re- 

 spects, and beauty, is concerned, also in large size, 

 many of the foreign breeds are superior for the ama- 

 teur and fancier ; but for profit in laying a good lot of 

 good-sized eggs, and furnishing a large number of 

 chickens of excellent flesh, many of our common 

 native breeds or varictiefl still rank among the best ; 

 •od we regret, as may be wpH «i:ippcsc3 from our 



previous remarks on this subject, that our own native 

 fowls were not more fully represented at a show so 

 extensive and so various as to include almost every 

 variety of foreign fowl. 



Yet the show was a magnificent one, and great 

 good will grow out of it, and out of the excitement 

 that has prevailed to so great a degree, and so con- 

 stantly for a long period. People will learn, from the 

 deep attention to the subject, what fowls are the 

 most valuable and the most beautiful; common 

 sense will finally prevail, and each breed will be es- 

 timated according to its true merits. The subject is 

 worthy the attention of every citizen, whether he be 

 a producer for profit, or a fancier who gratifies a 

 commendable taste for the beautiful and useful, or 

 a consumer, who is particularly interested in the 

 good quality of the flesh and eggs of fowls. There- 

 fore we all have cause to rejoice at the success of 

 this great and useful enterprise, and that a fever so 

 conducive to healthy action on this subject has uni- 

 versally prevailed. 



NEW BEDFORD HORTICULTURAL SOCI- 

 ETY. 



Henry H. Crapo, Esq., chairman of the fruit com- 

 mittee, has politely furnished us with the reports of 

 the annual exhibition of this association. They 

 show that it was large and varied, and indicate that 

 this society, though in its infancy, is in a very flour- 

 ishing condition. From the long list of contributors, 

 and the variety of fruits generally shown by each, it 

 appears that in extent and variety this exhibition 

 must have compared well with the best shows in the 

 country. We copy the following from the report of 

 the committee on fruits : — 



The committee, in presenting their annual report, 

 are much gratified in being able to say that the show 

 of fruits on the occasion exceeded that of any former 

 exhibition, and bore ample testimony to the favor- 

 able results which have thus far attended the labors 

 of the society. 



The display of fruits, and more particularly of 

 pears, was very fine, notwithstanding the present 

 season has been an unfavorable one for the growth 

 of most kinds of fruits ; and especially when the 

 limited means of the society is taken into the ac- 

 count. 



Of pears, there were nearly one hundred different 

 varieties upon the tables, embracing most of the 

 really desirable kinds now cultivated. Many of 

 them were truly magnificent in appearance, being 

 very large and fair, and bore e-\adent marks of good 

 culture in a congenial soil. Of other fruits, the show, 

 as formerly, was limited, very little attention having 

 heretofore been given to their culture, although in 

 this respect there was evidently an improvement 

 upon former exhibitions. From the exhibition as a 

 whole, the committee are encouraged to hope that 

 the efforts of the society to advance the cause of 

 pomology by increasing a love, and diffusing a taste, 

 for the culture of choice fruits, will be attended with 

 abundant success. 



Happiness depends on the mind, not on any exter- 

 na! '•ircumstances. 



