140 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDNER. 
[ August 15, 1878. 
eyen supposing the question to be decided in the affirmative, a 
further doubt arises as to whether particular classes should be 
given to the foreign judges, or whether they should be on a mixed 
board with those of the country. Much may be said on both 
sides; but whichever course, however, be adopted, we should 
strongly advise that the names of those to adjudicate upon each 
class, or the exact composition of any board of judges, should in 
fairness be announced before the entries close. 
Next to the question of the schedule and of the judges comes 
that of the conveyance of the birds to and from the show and of 
their treatment during it. Whenever any general invitation is 
given to foreigners, as a matter of national courtesy every effort 
should be made to render their journey or the transit of their 
property as easy as possible. The Paris Exhibition being a State 
affair, such matters were probably more easy to arrange than they 
would be when any private society, however eminent, invited 
competition. Still, if the cost of foreign exhibits cannot be en- 
tirely defrayed, at least it might be so arranged as to occasion no 
unreasonable cost and as little trouble as possible to the exhibitors. 
English exhibitors were struck by the liberality of the provision 
in the French schedule that all specimens should be conveyed 
free of cost both ways between the frontier and the Exhibition ; 
but in practice this regulation proved most delusive, for firstly 
the railway officials were so ignorant of it that some exhibitors 
had notwithstanding to pay high rates, and also the free pass was 
alone for such trains that the unfortunate birds and their attend- 
ants had to start from London one whole week before the Show 
began, and the return journey was performed in an equally 
leisurely fashion, so that to our own knowledge dozens of beau- 
tiful birds succumbed on it to hunger and fatigue, or directly 
after it to exhaustion. It would be easy for whatever society 
wishes to have a really international meeting to arrange special 
times at which all birds should be sent to two or three named 
foreign ports, and to send men to such ports to receive them and 
bring them over with all expedition. 
Then as to their treatment while at the show. Notonly should 
this be scrupulously careful, but it should be made perfectiy clear 
to exhibitors beforehand what food and accommodation will be 
provided. If the French, or Italian, or Belgian mode of feeding 
is different to our own let this be discovered, and let foreign 
exhibitors be invited to send proper food with their birds. On the 
arrival of the English birds in Paris not only was no food at all 
procurable, but no drinking vessels were provided, and some of 
the English attendants had to go out to buy the latter. 
These are broadly some of the most obyious and important con- 
siderations for the promoters of any international show. We do 
not here advocate the holding of such a show, but if one be un- 
dertaken, as seems possible, for our national credit’s sake let it be 
well carried out. We have for weeks, amid many reports which 
annoyed and astonished us, refrained from criticising in a captious 
manner the late Paris arrangements; but at least their utter 
breakdown in a country generally celebrated for its organisation 
may serve as a grave warning tous as a nation to attempt nothing 
of the kind without previously counting the cost, and if we do 
attempt it to leave no matters of detail, however seemingly un- 
important, to the chance of the hour.—C. 
VARIETIES. 
SomME substantial donations recently made to the fund for 
holding a great agricultural Exhibition in London next year bring 
the total amount up to £7000. The Show is to be under the 
auspices of the Royal Agricultural Society, and under the presi- 
dency of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. 
—— For the Winchester Poultry, Dog, and Flower Show, on 
the 14th and 15th inst., there are entries of Pigeons and poultry 
350, and of dogs 180. 
—— WE have for some time been surprised to see no advertise- 
ment of an Oxford Poultry and Pigeon Show this year. We 
regret to learn that there is much chance of this popular meeting 
falling through from the unwillingness of the members of the 
Town Council to allow it to be held, as previously, in the muni- 
cipal buildings. i 
— AvGustT 12th is, says the Agricultural Gazette, about the 
last day of the year upon which turnips may be sown with a fair 
prospect of succeeding. To persist in sowing later entails a con- 
siderable expense per acre in seed, labour, and manure, and the 
result is often most miserable. We can scarcely hope to see the 
young turnips aboye the surface before the 20th of the month, and 
before they are six weeks old cold and even frosty nights may 
sadly interfere with theirdevelopment. Another objection to late 
sowing is often to be found in the condition of the land, for in 
most cases it is advisable to clean stubbles from couch rather 
than to hastily plant them with a catch crop, such as late turnips. 
Certainly in seasons such as 1868, 1870, and 1874, when roots have 
failed, no time should be lost in occupying corn stubbles with late 
turnips, and we would be loth to fix a date at which to discon- 
tinue sowing. But the present season has been peculiarly kind to 
roots. There is a good prospect of winter keep, not only in the 
form of Swedes and turnips, but also in hay, and the better policy 
will be that of cleansing land from weeds rather than attempting 
to raise a still greater quantity of fodder, 
THE storms of the last few days, says the Farmers’ Gazette, 
although beneficial to the pastures and root crops, which very 
much required rain, have kept the harvest work back, and we fear 
in many districts have injured the crops. Should the heavy rains 
continue the consequences will be serious, but should fine weather 
now make its appearance, perhaps nearly as much good as harm 
will have been caused. There is every prospect of a good root 
crop, and, combinea with the abundant and well-got hay crop, the 
prospect for winter keep is exceedingly favourable. We only 
now require a month’s fine weather for harvest work, and the 
agricultural year, we believe, will be completed in a satisfactory 
manner. Although at one time the prospect was gloomy and the 
situation, in the opinion of some, almost desperate, it has so much 
improved that, with the return of fine weather, it will probably 
prove the best season we have experienced for several years past. 
EXTRAORDINARY PIGEON FLIGHT FROM READING TO 
BRussELS.—Mr. J. W. Barker, of 18, Rupert Street, New Town, 
sends us, says the Reading Mercury, particulars of an extraordinary 
Pigeon fly from Reading to Brussels. He writes :—In Belgium 
Pigeon flying is, as is well known, a national pastime, and one of 
the most successful at this amusement is Mr. Barker, an English- 
man. Last week he sent me some of his young Pigeons, and with 
them sent five adults to be liberated to fly backto Brussels. They 
reached me at Reading quite safely about mid-day on Thursday, 
the 25th ult., and in the eyening were minutely inspected by 
several members of the Reading Ornithological Society, and each 
bird marked with the Society’s official stamp. On Friday morning 
at ten o’clock at the rear of the biscuit factory I gave the five 
birds their liberty in the presence of several friends. On leaving 
the basket they immediately dashed away without any hesitation, 
and at a great speed, in a straight line towards home. In the 
evening I received a telegram stating that all the birds were home - 
before four o’clock, and giving the stamp on their wings. What 
makes this flight the more extraordinary is the fact that the birds 
had been tossed only twice in this direction before coming to 
Reading, and this was at Poperinghe, about forty miles this side 
at Brussels ; they have, however, had considerable experience in 
other directions. The birds that accomplished this surprising 
performance have been returned to me from Brussels. 
HARVEST FROM FIRST-CROSS ITALIANS IN 
STEWARTON HIVES. 
A PaRIsH MINISTER, a careful apiarian of our neighbourhood, 
writes as follows on 7th nst.:—‘I write to say that I haye now 
taken off 309 Ibs. of first-class super honey in all, and that I have 
still ten boxes to remove. I estimate the contents of these boxes 
as at least 120 Ibs., so that my super harvest will amount to 430 Ibs_ 
in all from eight hives. I shall besides have a great deal of run 
honey in September. You have a night to know this, for it is 
certainly to your very kind instructions Iam indebted for my 
success. Two of my large swarms (first-cross) flew away during 
the summer. Mrs. F. has got the one, and it is her best stock 
for next year, and I saw the other in a large old tree yesterday 
at S——, near K The first-crosses are undoubtedly the bees 
to breed ; but I see, now that the season is dull, that the black 
bees are doing nothing, but that wherever there is Lignrian blood 
at all the hive is active and adding to its stores.” 
After sucha deplorable season as last good returns are cheering. 
Although the present hot summer will place the honey yield 
above an average, still I am afraid ultimate returns will not rival 
the great honey season of 1868, nor yet that late but wonderful 
bee year 1876.—A RENFREWSHIRE BEE-KEEPER, 
THE EXHIBITION OF BEES. 
SoutH KENSINGTON, AUGUST 6TH. 
Att honour is due to those who are so strenuously endeayour- 
ing to introduce the modern and humane system of treating the 
industrious bee, and who in spite of prejudice, obstinacy, and 
ignorance are year by year bringing forward the results of their 
labours. The British Bee-keepers’ Association has already held 
its exhibitions at the Crystal Palace and Alexandra Park, and this 
year it has brought together the bees, bee fumiture, and all the 
yarious items connected with them at Sonth Kensington under 
the distinguished patronage of a lady who is ever ready to help 
forward in every good work, whether it be for the benefit of her 
fellow creatures or for the good of the animal creation—the 
Baroness Burdett Coutts. The day was somewhat an unfortunate 
fixture, for as the railway companies delivered no goods on the 
Monday, being bank holiday, many of the exhibits were yery late, 
and consequently the work of judging, &c., could not be proceeded 
with as early as had been intended ; but there was a great muster 
of apiarians from all parts, much enthusiasm was displayed, and 
much useful information given. Instead, however, of going into 
