JOUKNAL OF HOKTICTJLTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. [ January lo, im 



than 1S9 birds of this variety competing in the vai'ious 

 classes, and they were ccnsidered, in point of excellence, to 

 be greatly in advance of any previous Meeting, scarcely an 

 inferior bird appeoi-ing. With the exception of three classes 

 for birds bred in 1SG4, which were shown in pairs, the 

 Powters were shown singly. 



In the first class for the best paii- of Pied Powters, 

 Yellows excepted, bred in 186i, a silver medal was pre- 

 sented by ilr. John Geddes, jun. The medal was awarded 

 to Mr. Stuart for a very fine pair of Blues, the cock being 

 especially good, though rather too heavily-feathered in limb ; 

 the second and third prizes both going to capital Blacks. 

 The class contained many good birds, but most of the pairs 

 were unevenly-matched in some respect. For YeUow-pied 

 Powters, bred in 1864, Mr. Montgomery of Belfast offered a 

 medal, which Mi\ George TJre won very easily with a fine 

 pair ; one of the pens noticed receiving commendation more 

 from a desire to encourage an increase in birds of this colour 

 than for their own merits. Mi-. Miller's medal for the best 

 pair of AVhites, bred in 1864, only bi-ought half a dozen 

 pens, but some very promising bii-ds competed, the thi'ee 

 pens noticed being particularly good, and shown in iine 

 condition. In the class for Black Powter cocks Mr. Ure 

 had first with a remarkably lengthy, well-shaped, well- 

 coloured bird. Ml'. Montgomery's highly commended young 

 cock wUl, we fancy, be heard of again to his owner's credit. 

 White Powter cocks formed one of the finest classes in the 

 Show, Mr. Maclean being fii-st with a very graceful well- 

 proportioned bird shown in fine condition, just over 19 inches 

 in feather, and vei-y nearly 7 inches in limb, to which was 

 also awarded the special prize of a portrait in oil of the best 

 Powter in the exhibition. Adjoining were three brothers of 

 the above, one taking second, and the others each receiving 

 high commendations. The class also contained other good 

 representatives. Blue Powter cocks numbered 23, and were 

 an unusually good class. The first-prize bird was particu- 

 larly finely-shaped, but rather out of condition, measuring 

 19i inches in feather, with a capital limb over 7 inches in 

 length, the peculiarity of the wing-bai' — a sort of mixture of 

 Kite and Black — being objectionable. The second special 

 prize for the best Powter in the Show was also awarded to this 

 bird. Several very fine Blue cocks received notice. In Red 

 Powter cocks Mr. Wallace had first with a fine lengthy bird 

 rather faulty in colom-, the second being a better Eed, but 

 shorter and rather gay. For the best YeUow Powter cook 

 the entry was only small; the prize birds were, however, 

 very fine. In Powter cocks. Any other colour, a good- 

 shaped Mealy was first, and a Checker second, several pens 

 receiving high commendation. A particularly good cock was 

 shown in this class ; the bu'd was a bad coloured Eed, capital 

 in points, and should have been in the class for Reds. An 

 ertxaordinarily fine splashed cock, said to be 20 inches in 

 length, with proportionate limb, had also to be passed over, 

 having become crop-gorged, and it was suspended in a stock- 

 ing in an adjacent room during the first day. In the class 

 for Black Powter hens the iirst and second-prize birds were 

 very even, both being excellent, the difference of a quai-ter 

 of an inch in feather at length deciding the first position 

 in fkvour of Mr. Stuart. "White Powter hens only numbered 

 seven, but were exceedingly fine, almost every bird being 

 worthy of a first prize. Blue Powter hens were more 

 numerous, but were not of equal merit; the prize birds, 

 however, were good, and well worthy of then- honours. In 

 Eed Powter hens Mr. Ure had both prizes with pai-ticularly 

 good representatives. For Yellow Powter hens Mr. Ure 

 completely outdistanced competition, the first-prize bird 

 being one of the very best in the Show, and quite un- 

 approachable in the colour. In the class for Powter hens, 

 AJiy other colour, a good Mealy had first, and a Checker 

 second. 



It is not perhaps out of place to mention that the Sunder- 

 land birds arrived a day too late, and there is no doubt the 

 prize-list would have been considerably altered had Mr. 

 Potts's birds competed, the most noticeable being his extra- 

 ordinary Eed cock and hen, and a remarkably good Blue hen. 



The silver medal for the best pair of young Carriers, pre- 

 sented by Mr. James Wallace, was awarded to first-class 

 Dnna belonging to Mr. Else. The Carrier classes wore well 

 filled. Mr. Colley took the Bpecial prize for the best Carrier 

 in the Show with a capital Dun hen. 



Almond and Short-faced Tumblers were fail' classes. 



The silver medal for the best pair of young Bai'bs only 

 brought foiu' pens, Mr. Frame being successful with Blacks, 

 both being promising birds, but difficult to distinguish as to 

 sex, and the coloiu- an unusual Black. In the class for 

 Barbs the first-prize Yellows were good, but not looking in 

 such condition as on the last occasion in which they came 

 under our notice. The second-prize Black cock was very 

 good, but orange-eyed, and only indifferently accompanied. 



In the class for Fantails a silver medal, presented by Mr. 

 Stuai't, brought a large entry. Mr. Else took the medal 

 with a plain-headed pah', and, although slightly sullied in 

 feather, they were small, short-backed, fine, and with capital 

 taUs. The second prize went to a, very small paii', good in 

 carriage, but narrow and contracted in tail. 



Jacobins and Turbits were average classes. 



In Trumpeters Mottles were first, and Whites second. A 

 first-class pair (Mottles) belonging to Mr. Eobinson arrived 

 too late for competition. 



Good White Owls were fii'st, and Blues (Foreign) second, 

 in the class for the variety, the competition being very poor. 



Any other breed did not contain anything requu-ing paj.'- 

 ticular notice. 



The Powters occupied nearly the whole of the large room 

 of the hall, all being shown in large circular pens. The 

 other birds were placed in an adjacent room badly lighted. 

 The Judges were not permitted to commence their ai'duous 

 duties untU 1 o'clock, owing to the nou-aii'ival of several of 

 the bh'ds, this delay being the only drawback on the whole 

 management of the Show, which was otherwise most ably 

 cai'ried out by the Committee, and more particularly by Mr. 

 Euthvcn, the indefatigable, genial, and courteous Hon. Secre- 

 tary of the Society. Many bu-ds were sold at lai'ge prices. 



The awai'ds gave general satisfaction, and we believe we 

 are justified in stating that at no previous exhibition of the 

 Society have the decisions met with such universal approba- 

 tion. 



POXTLTEY-EEEPES^G FEOM A COMMEECIAL 

 POINT OF VIEW. 



(^Continued fro-M page 17.) 

 NATUKAL HATCHING. 



The hens of all kind of gallinaceous fowls sit for twenty- 

 one days; Ducks of the usual kind — such as Aylesbiu'y, 

 Eouen, and others, twenty-eight days ; Muscovy Ducks, &om 

 thirty to thu'ty-five days ; Geese, thirty to thirty-five days ; 

 Guinea fowls, from twenty-eight to thirty days ; Turkeys, 

 twenty-eight days; Pea hens, from twenty-eight to thirty 

 days. 



With the view of obtaining more eggs in a given time 

 from a fowl, many wi'iters suggest preventing a hen from 

 sitting by cooping her up in a dark place on a low diet. 

 Nothing can be more cruel than to force Nature without 

 giving that necessai'y rest which overwork requu'es. Already 

 domesticated fowls lay many more eggs than wild ones be- 

 tween their hatchings, and by a judicious houseing and 

 feeding they can be made to lay still more, but then it is abso- 

 lutely necessai'y to allow the hen to recruit her strength by 

 a rest of twenty-one days on her nest and a liberal and suit- 

 able diet, as laying, and more particularly that of large eggs, 

 is attended with considerable pain, as is evidenced by the 

 difference in the sound hens make before and after laying, 

 and also by their uneasiness whilst on the nest. Besides, do- 

 mesticated fowls are naturally of a sociable disposition, and 

 to separate a hen from her companions and to keep her on 

 a low diet when she requhes rest and nom'ishing food to 

 recruit her strength, after she has become exhausted from 

 the pain of laying and the di'oin on her constitution by the 

 rapid formation of her eggs, is the height of cruelty, and 

 would surely not bo practised were breeders awai'o of the 

 injury they do to the health of their hens. 



I do not say that hens should be permitted to I'ear their 

 brood, as that would bo waste of time and very hard work 

 to a kind mother who will but ill-feed herself to provide as 

 much as possible for her young (she has rest neither day nor 

 night, as she is compelled to remain in an unnatural position to 

 ocver her young ones, and this can bo performed with greater 

 Bucccae by artihcial mothers, as will be explained hereafter) ; 



