458 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 12, 1878. 
and carried her crest on one side. Any other variety only five 
entries, no novelties ; second and third prizes withheld. Bantams. 
—Moderate classes. Ducks.—Good in quality but few in number. 
Pigeons.—Pouters a poor class of four entries, first prize with- 
held. Carriers, the classes were not so well filled as we expected, 
but a few high-class birds were to be seen, Mr. Hammock being 
first in the Any other variety with his Crystal Palace winner. 
Dragoons five classes: we thought them the best in the Show, 
and with the exception of the Antwerps these were the largest in 
numbers. Blue and Silver cocks, Mr. Lush was the winner witha 
nicely coloured Blue; secondand third Burnell. Blueand Silver hens, 
first a magnificent dark hard-eyed bird, very sound in colour with 
splendid bars, the best we remember to have seen for a consider- 
able period. Any other colour cock, first a Yellow, very even in 
colour but poor in head ; second a Chequer, the Palace winner. 
Hens, first a Yellow, very rich in colour, but so wild she must 
have given the Judge some trouble. Young birds, Any other 
variety, first a beautiful Blue, the Palace winner. In Tumblers, 
Jacobins, and Turbits Mr. Boxall, a local supporter, to the aston- 
ishment of many exhibitors succeeded in winning all the first 
prizes. Mr. Boxall we see also won prizes in Pouters, Carriers, 
and Dragoon classes. Such a success is almost unprecedented. 
Mr. Boxall’s large entries helped to compensate the Committee 
for the loss of Mr. Baker’s patronage, who was the largest exhi- 
bitor on the last occasion, but this year did not show. Antwerps 
were large classes. An improvement in the arrangements was 
made by placing the small birds on the stage, and we would 
Suggest on a future occasion double rows of staging in lieu of 
single, as the birds generally turn their faces in opposition and 
imspection becomes very difficult. 
Mr. Nichols judged the poultry, and Mr. Jones the Pigeons. 
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES IN RABBITS. 
SOME of these diseases are hereditary, and nothing can eradicate 
them except death. There are other diseases which are perhaps 
more frequent that are caused by neglect, and are easily prevented 
by proper precautions. 
_There are many diseases caused by a want of care in the pro- 
vision of moist food. When this is given too freely looseness is 
the result. If left it soon becomes very weakening, and will 
Cause death, especially when the patient is young. The remedy 
is to vary the diet. Plenty of dry corn and bran are the best; 
at the same time green food should not be entirely neglected, 
as constipation is not at all unlikely to follow. If this is dis- 
covered at once, a little extra green food or a handful or two 
of tea leaves will remove the disease; but if it continues very 
long, more effective remedies will have to be tried. It may be 
necessary to entirely stop the supply of corn and substitute roots 
and greens. In this case the Rabbit should be carefully watched, 
and directly the desired effect has been attained the old diet 
should be resumed, but a little more green stuff introduced as a 
preventive. If this complaint is neglected death is sure to 
follow, and pretty rapidly. Frequent attacks of constipation and 
a continual diminution of the supply of green food produce dis- 
eases which are increased by dirty or dark hutches, dampness 
being peculiarly objectionable. 
The most common disease is a form of scurvy very disgusting 
and very contagious. It makes itself known by scales which 
come on the head and neck, and sometimes on the back. As it is 
very catching, any Rabbit afflicted with it should be immediately 
killed unless it is particularly valuable. 
Another disease very similar to that one is the mange. The 
hair on the nose and at the root of the ears comes off, and the 
flesh is covered with a horny scale even more disgusting than 
scurf. This complaint is also catching, and should only be dealt 
with when the Rabbit is of a good strain. The best remedy for 
these complaints is brimstone. This may be mixed with some- 
thing greasy and rubbed on the parts affected as a salve, or it 
may be given internally by mixing a little of the powder among 
the dry food. Of course any animal affected must be removed 
from healthy Rabbits. Great care should be exercised in pur- 
chasing from strangers, as a mangy Rabbit will affect a whole 
rabbitry in a few days. 
Re Pot-belly is the name given to a disease caused chiefly in young 
Rabbits by a constant wet diet. Too much green stuff, especiaily 
if wet, will cause this complaint to come very rapidly indeed, and 
its result is much more serious than is expected. The belly swells 
to a great size, often making the skin tight. Very often an 
internal stoppage is the immediate cause of death. On dissection 
it seems that the whole intestines are affected. The remedy is to 
make the Rabbit have plenty of exercise, and to drive it about a 
little. At the same time all green food given should be carefully 
dried, and the amount should be limited. The dry food must not 
be neglected, and the Rabbit should be tempted to eat. Many 
voung ones die of this complaint. Judicious feeding and plenty 
of daily exercise are sure preventives. Old Rabbits are very 
seldom troubled with this disastrous complaint. 
sAnother effect of injudicious feeding is indigestion, which if 
not checked in time will end in fits and giddiness. The signs of 
the disease are the Rabbit retires to a corner and bends its head 
repeatedly on one side, looking languid and sad, and not noticing 
anything. It still continues to eat with vigour, and very often is 
troubled with costiveness. A good supply of green food with 
plenty of fresh air is the best remedy. If young they frequently 
die from the complaint. When badly affected they lie on their 
sides and backs and kick violently, the fits being of frequent 
occurrence. At other times they run round and round. 
Among the other complaints that are preventible may be men- 
tioned coughs and cold, generally called snuffles. These are indi- 
cated by sneezing and running at the nose. The best cure is to 
keep the Rabbit in a warm hutch, and supply it with warm mash, 
the best being barleymeal. 
Dirty butches cause many more complaints, especially when 
accompanied with much warmth. These will be treated of later 
on, as will also the chronic and hereditary complaints. 
Rabbits are liable to have disagreeable discharges from the 
ears, which often coagulate and assume a waxy appearance. The 
best treatment is, directly any of it makes its appearance, to pick 
it out gently, and apply a little sweet oil. This should be repeated 
daily till the cure is effected —GETA. 
VARIETIES. 
AT the Smithfield Club Cattle Show held in the Agricultural Hall 
Islington, this week, Mr. Stratton was awarded the £100 prize for 
the best beast in the Show with his beautiful Short-horned heifer 
which won the same prize last year, and also the first prize on both 
occasions in the Short-horned heifer class. H.R.H. the Prince of 
Wales, who visited the Show on Monday, warmly congratulated 
Mr. Stratton on his remarkable achievements. The number of 
entries in the Show is 401—namely, 182 in the cattle classes, 
156 in the sheep classes, and 63 in the pig classes. The Exhibition 
throughout is one of great excellence, all the animals appear- 
ingin capital health. As an instance of the remarkable manner in 
which the Show has increased, it has only to be noted that in 1800 
the numbér of classes was six, and the amount of prizes £126 ; 
this year there were seventy-six classes, and £3000 offered in 
prizes. 
—— AT the Birmingham Cattle Show the collections of roots 
exhibited by such firms as those of Messrs. Sutton & Sons, James 
Carter & Co., and E. Webb & Sons, attracted much notice by their 
magnitude and excellence. We recently noticed the fine exhi- 
bitions provided by the above firms, and it is only necessary to 
say now that the roots at Birmingham were selected as the best 
from the previous displays, and the remarkable character of the 
produce will be admitted. The firms also exhibit similarly splendid 
produce at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, this week. 
— In Europe, and Austria especially, cows are said to be fed 
on the leaves of celery cut and mixed in their feed. It is said to 
give the butter an excellent flavour. The Dutch, or turnip-rooted 
celery, is easily raised, and both tops and roots may be fed. The 
experiment may be worthy of trial. 
—— At the Dorset County Poultry, &c., Show to be held at 
Dorchester on January 15th and 16th, 1879, we observe that 
prizes amounting to £250 will be awarded, including three silver 
cups given by W. E. Brymer, Hsq., M.P., for Dorkings, Brahmas, 
and Cochins ; also a silver cup, value five guineas, presented by 
Lord Alington, President of the Society, for the best pen of fowls 
in the Show, being the property of and exhibited by a resident in 
the county of Dorset. 
—— THE annual sale of poultry from Lady Gwydyr's yards is 
advertised to take place at Stoke Park on Tuesday, 17th inst. 
These celebrated strains have so long been carefully bred that 
fanciers who wish to improve their stock of Cochins or Brahmas 
should not lose the opportunity of attending this sale, which it 
js well known is always a bond fide one. 
—— THE number of visitors to the Birmingham Show was this 
year much larger than last year. Possibly this may be owing 
to the attraction of the electric light. The aggregate sales of 
poultry varied little from last year. Among them we observed 
that Mr. Mitchell’s cup Light Brahma cock was sold for £20; 
Mr. Ruttlidge’s first-prize Dark Dorking cock for eight guineas 
and ahalf; Mr. Lee’s first-prize Houdan cockerel fetched £15 at 
the auction, and Mr. Serjeantson’s cup Silver-laced Bantams were 
claimed for £20. We heard also that £25 was offered during the 
Show for Lady Dartmouth’s Silver Polish hen, but refused. 
— THE electric light in Bingley Hall cannot be pronounced a 
success. It had frequently to be supplemented by gas, and the 
atmosphere of the Pigeon gallery was only a few degrees less 
heated and fetid. 
— WRITING on the health and disease of fowls an American 
poultry journal observes—“ The comb of each fowl is a true 
index to their condition. If they be in ill health the comb will 
lose colour and will become far less firm in texture ; as the malady 
increases the colour decreases, till a very sick bird will show a 
comb almost devoid of scarlet colour, being of a livid dull crimson 
orelse pale or ashy in appearance. If any disease shonld come 
ms 
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