890 



JOURNAL OF HOBTICTTLTUKE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEK. 



[ April 25, 186S. 



■where I was, as a new road cut tlirough a hill had been 

 made to reach the town from tlie station ; indeed, poor 

 "Wiltshire Kector " might have lost himself (would there 

 not have been lamentation at Hilltop Kectory if he had?); 

 bnt no foar, as my host kindly met me. A corner is turned 

 and I am once more in the fine old market-place, and I 

 exclaim on vie%ving that noble space and its surroundings, 

 "What a picture of an old county town is Devizes!" There, 

 before me, stands the monument to Ruth Pearce of lying 

 memory ; around are the picturesque houses, here one with 

 a fair Grecian fi-ont, there steep gables, some red-tiled and 

 honeycombed gables, such as Gilbert White noticed in Sus- 

 Bei; I remember several at Easobourne, that pretty village, 

 dear to me, adjoining Cowdray Park, and lying near the 

 town of Midhurst. 



But I am at my new friend's house, and soon wo visit the 

 loft, the best place in which I ever saw Pigeons confined. 

 It was the top storey of a very long factory-like building, 

 100 feet long by 20 wide, with large windows all round, with 

 the sun streaming in — a capital thing for Pigeons, for they 

 delight in sunshine. My ej'e at once fell upon a red-pied 

 Powter cock of singularly good shape and fine carriage ; and 

 Boon after upon an old birti, with his crop nice and globular 

 as seen from the back. Wliat a fine loft for Powters, for 

 they can almost unimpeded take their long sweeping flight, 

 Some of them were white, and so owl-like wi re they that they 

 looked as if they by right were the lawful tenants of the old 

 building. Now for the Fantails : they were, I am happy to 

 say, all white, and vei-y good birds they were. Of the pair 

 of turncrowns imported from India, the hen was particularly 

 charming. As she fronted me with her slender head and neck 

 surrounded by the tail feathers, wLich formed a raj'ed crown 

 to her head, I own my preference was to tlie English birds 

 without the turn-crown, as the shape of the Fantail's head 

 does notseem to requiie it ; butthereis room for all opinious 

 in the world provided they are harmless. On the floor I 

 was glad not only to see a good water supply and plenty 

 of gravel, but pans for growing green food in. Then 

 I examined the nest arrangements, which, to avoid the 

 possibility of rats, were near the ceiling, thus also 

 causing the birds to take more exercise ; also the loft was 

 not marred by the presence of any inferior birds, which is 

 ■well, for the best eat only as much as the worst. I trebly 

 enjoyed this loft from the evident happiness and health of 

 the birds. Round and round we sauntered, I picking out 

 my favourites, and admiring, and criticising. 



We descended at last (N.B. — A very long ladder, no gouty 

 foot must venture up). Well, just at the bottom were 

 strutting a.bout some Black -breasted Eed Game fowls, very 

 good, and of Fletcher's strain. I am reminded, howeeer, 

 that " dinner waits," Vjut unlike Mrs. Gilpin I cannot add, 

 "and I am tired." Now, after dinner it had been arranged 

 that I should visit two other lolts and poultry-yards ; so we 

 cross the market-place and ai'rive at another fancier's, where 

 I am also very kindly welcomed. The Pigeons had been 

 kept in so that I might inspect them the better. Ah ! I 

 know wliat variety — they are far above me — I hear the merry 

 rattling coo of the Tumbler. Surely a chapter might be 

 written upon the different cooing of Pigeons, as Mr. Dixon 

 wrote a chapter upon the different crowing of cocks. For 

 instance : there is the deep coo of the Powter, who plays 

 the big drum in the columbarian band, then the Trumjieter, 

 then the lively shrill fife of the Harb ; liut of all cooing com- 

 mend me to that of the chetrful Tumbler. My friend's, a 

 friend in every sense, were in breed the right medium be- 

 tween the coarse-Bbaped Roller and tho (for tiiglit) too 

 delictito Almond, just, in fact, what high-flying Tumblers 

 ahonid be — pleasing near at hand from their trim form, and 

 charming in the air. I at once marked out what I cunsidered 

 the beat pair. •' All ! I had those from Mr. Brent :" so " Our 

 Jonmiil" met me at Devizes. By my widh they are let 

 Ont, and up they go, all save one wise hen, who perhaps will 

 lay tomorrow, and whom no pocket-handkerchief waving 

 can frighten into tho air. Up they go — higher — higiier — 

 higher. Now Ihey are close together; then one tiimbles 

 OTcr clean and clever j then they are all fulling in the clear 

 atmoiiphere, tying knots charmingly; then all u|i together. 

 While I look, lo! they are all at it again. Certainly high- 

 flying Tiirablers tiro great Boureos of pleasure. J never 

 could do long without a flight; even among the Grampit^ns 



I had my Tumblers. I suppose I must have some again 

 some day. 



Next the fowls. Some are in wooden houses fronted •with 

 net — White Bantams and Malays. I hear a voice near me 

 saying quietly, " A certain ' Wiltshire Rector ' oalls 

 Malays ugly bii'ds." Oh ! what a dig in my poor ribs. 



" Needles ami pins, needles and pins. 

 When II man writes liis trouble beKins.'* 



But the stab was given so gently that I winced, but did not 

 either scream or faint; the kind look took away tho pain, if 

 pain there were. In a back garden I found a troop of some 

 twenty Malays, and as they charged past me at a quick 

 canter they reminded me of either camels with their necks 

 stretched out and long legs, or some irregular cavalry, 

 say Bashi-bazouks. "I have been a fancier many years, 

 ' Wiltshire Rector.' " " May you be many more," said I ; 

 " Nature never tires ;" and I pointed to the garden and 

 greenhouse, and poultry and Pigeons. But I must hurry 

 on to see another fancier, for the railway is an awful despot ; 

 time, tide, and trains wait for no man. "Get behind me or 

 walk," growls the engine. Further on into the town, and 1 

 found a dull yard enlivened by Pigeons. Then a look at 

 St. John's Church, with its noble tower, and that roof from 

 off which the lead was stripped to mould into bullets when 

 the brave little town was besieged by the parliamentarians. 

 Being on the direct way between London and the west, 

 Wiltshire suffered much in the civil war, and more par- 

 ticularly Devizes. I have a peep into the Town Hall, evi- 

 dently of the Georgian era; iudijed, a full-length picture of 

 George III., and one of his Queen, hang on the walls. In 

 the council chamber I noticed a likeness of a former and 

 favourite M.P. lor the borough, also a picture of the former 

 Town Hall, showing, also, the market-place. On the land- 

 ing near I noticed on a panel the borough arms, bearing the 

 date 16UG. But I must hasten. Next, a walk through 

 "The Brittox," an odd name for a street, meaning, perhaps, 

 "I arracks;" then to another church, St. Mary's, and a dis- 

 tant peep at the castle, now restored; then home again, 

 driven in by the cold, and snow is again falling. The dessert 

 is renewed to the amount of one glass of wine to warm us 

 after the cold walk. " By the way," said I, "is there time 

 for me to take a second look at your Pigeons 'i" I like a 

 second look to correct opinions if necessary." " Oh, there 

 is time, and I shall be delighted to go uj) again — only too 

 happy." So wo again sought the long loft, and looked at 

 and handled several birds ; they seemed obi friends, and 1 

 never saw better birds, especially the Fantails. A cup of 

 tea followed and a poultry chat, in which I had tho pleasure 

 to agree with my host on most points, and then back to^ 

 the station. 



Oh ! Devizes, I liked you well ; I liked your most un- 

 manufactuving-district look, I liked your old-world historic 

 appearance, I liked the Iriends I met there, and some day 1 

 hoj->o to go there again. Such, good reader, was my " day 

 at Devizes." — Wiltshire Rector. 



THE APPOINTMENT OF POULTRY .JUDGES. 



After tho expression of Mr. Beldon's opinions in your 

 Jourual of last week, I think it unnecessary to bring forth 

 further arguments to induce him to resign. To find that 

 he not only disagrees with, but is absolutely ignorant of, a 

 rule setting forth one of the principal objects ol tho Club, 

 will, 1 have no doubt, not a little astonish his brother mem- 

 bers, especially Mr. Zurhor.st, who gave his opinion on tho 

 subject in so decided a manner a few weeks back. If tho 

 rule is rescinded, as ho appears to think, 1 am very glad, but 

 I am afraid HUch is not t..e case. 



Whilst. acUnowleilging that ho sells "a largo quantity of 

 ]i<iultry," Mr. Beldon ohjei'ts to the name of dealer, but as 

 lie buys birds wholesale and sells them retail, 1 do not know 

 what else to call him. 1 know several instances in which 

 he has bought u]) tho stocks of retiring exhibitors in a 

 single lot., and sold thorn again in pons or single birds to 

 H\iil purchasei'M. I have known him for several years, and 

 have always looked upon hiui in that light; and it is worthy 

 I'l remark thai, he did not oliject to the; naaie until ho was 

 called upon to resign, although it had been published a full 

 month iu your Journal. 



