478 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
{ December 19, 1878. 
there is none to appeal to, a trial on a limited scale should be made 
to test its powers.— (Journal of Forestry.) 
THE LATE DISQUALIFICATIONS. 
WE have long been accustomed to hear laments over the fact 
that poultry and Pigeons are often exhibited, not as Nature made 
them, but much improved by art, and that such birds not unfre- 
quently gain prizes. Doubtless there has been some exaggeration 
as to the extent to which such practices have been carried ; but 
leaving a wide margin for this, it is notorious that judges have 
winked at many dishonourable trimmings of feathers and cutting 
combs. The harm that has thereby been done is noi easily cal- 
culable ; we could name many genuine fanciers—i.e., real lovers 
of beautiful and highly-bred birds, who have in consequence, not 
indeed ceased to breed such, but have entirely declined ever to 
exhibit them. We began ourselves with Spanish, and for two or 
three years bought high-class stock and bred carefully, but never 
got even a modest commendation, for the reason that we had no 
conception that anything by way of improvement was ever done 
to their faces. We sold our stock cheap, and in the hands of 
experts they carried all before them at the greatest shows. We 
mention this fact solely as proof how easily young fanciers may in 
disgust be driven out of a charming pursuit. We tried another 
breed ourselves, and were fortunate enough to hit upon one which 
is less capable than any other of any artistic improvements, and 
were successful at once, but for one disappointed exhibitor who is 
thus persevering probably there are three who give up in disgust. 
We have become almost tired of reading and hearing the not 
unnatural complaints of the scrupulous who have suffered from 
the unscrupulous, because so little seemed to result from these 
complaints. So longas judges continued to give prizes to trimmed 
birds, trimmed birds were sure to be shown; and as long as judges 
felt that they were not seriously and systematically supported in 
showing up all cases of trimming, they were not likely to be over- 
curious in trying to find them out. Now, however, things seem 
to have changed, the vague clamour against trimming has de- 
veloped into definite determination to support the judges in putting 
it down. They understand this, and have, we are glad to see, 
begun to act upon it. At the late Crystal Palace Show more than 
one pen was disqualified, and these disqualifications were very 
generally hailed with satisfaction. We do not for amoment mean 
that there was any satisfaction evinced at the particular instances, 
but at the evidence of determination on the judges’ part no longer 
to wink at malpractices. It is quite possible that some of the first 
victims of this improved state of things may, in a way, be hardly 
dealt with. Much tacit encouragement has doubtless been given 
to trimming, and specious reasons have been found for showing 
birds “to the best advantage,’ as we lately heard it termed, but 
the benefit to fanciers in general will, we are certain, be very great. 
The same course has, we hear, been pursued elsewhere by the 
same judges, and very thoroughly by another judge at Norwich. 
So far so good, but we cannot help wishing that some manifesto 
might be drawn up and published, either by a board of the most 
experienced judges, or through the Poultry Club, to which several 
of the most eminent judges belong, stating plainly what is 
and what is not to be considered trimming in each breed. A fair 
warning would thus be given to those who have been led on by 
custom to do what they do not approve of, and young fanciers 
who may buy stock from expert breeders will so gather hints as 
to where to look out for points in which they may be taken in. 
Of course such obviously improper trimmings as the plucking of 
hocks and tails would need no enumeration, but it would be well 
that all doubt should be cleared up as to such points as to the 
skinning of Game cocks’ throats (dubbing we put out of the 
question as defensible on totally different grounds to all other 
trimming), the shaving of Spanish faces, the pulling of feathers 
from the front of Polish crests, and the carving of Hamburgh 
combs. The latter has always seemed to us the most objection- 
able of all these practices, for by it a bird with a gross hereditary 
fault may be made to appear almost perfect ; and this is the very 
case in which, in our opinion, judges have been hitherto too lax. 
The object of those who have most strongly advocated judicial 
severity is not, we are sure, that this or that person may be de- 
tected in malpractices and made an example of (though this may 
incidentally be desirable as a deterrent), but that the fancying 
public may be made to understand that a new start must be made 
on stricter principles,and abuses which have by degrees come in 
must be put down with a strong hand. This will more easily be 
accomplished if it is clearly known and understood what are abuses, 
and for this reason we should much like to see some category of 
them drawn up by those who would speak with authority. 
FOWLS PROBABLY POISONED. 
My fowls have failed quite suddenly. They mope with tails 
drooped, and do not care to eat. On lookingin the hen houses I 
could see they were suffering from diarrhcea ; I could detect blood 
in their evacuations. I found one dead on Saturday, and several 
since. On inspecting the dead birds I found their throats in- 
flamed. I am treating them for inflammation of the mucous mem- 
brane. I gave them all to-day three parts of a teaspoonful of 
castor oil ; to-morrow I shall give them a mixture of three grains 
of hydrargyrum cum creta, three grains of rhubarb, and three 
drops of laudanum in a teaspoonful of gruel. They havea good 
dry run, good holly hedge to scratch under, anda dry shed with 
plenty of grit, a large orchard to run in, and a field adjoining. In 
a dry corner of the orchard I have all the garden refuse put. They 
have plenty of grass, clean water, and everything requisite for 
them to do well ; in fact they have done well till last week, hatched 
out ninety birds of eleven sittings, only had two die, one crop- 
bound and one found dead. As soon as I found them failing I 
mixed some barleymeal and toppings, added some cayenne pepper 
andrue choppedsmall. I have not given them any hard food since. 
My general way of feeding is maize and barley in the morning, a 
few oats and peas in the afternoon, barleymeal and toppings with 
a little cayenne pepper or kitchen stuff. Iam always changing 
food some way or other, and have the best Ican buy. I always 
give soft food once a day at moulting time—JOHN STRONG. 
[We have little doubt from the description you give your fowls 
have had access to or have discovered something of a poisonous 
nature—an irritant poison. We advise you to keep on the castor- 
oil treatment, giving a tablespoonful for a dose. It may be given 
daily till the symptoms become favourable, when the treatment 
may be altered by a diminution of the doses, and a greater interval 
between them. Discontinue all other medicine unless you give 
Baily’s pills which are very useful in these cases. The best change 
you can make in their food is to give ground oats (barleymeal if 
you cannot get oats), and it will be a very good thing if they are 
mixed with milk. Let this be the morning meal; at midday some 
maize or household scraps, and ground oats mixed as before in the 
evening. Give no pepper; you may give rue if you like, but it is 
not necessary. We do not approve of toppings. We have long 
cried out against the notion that the food which cost least was 
the cheapest. Money will only buy money’s worth, and during a 
long life we have never been able to accomplish successfully for 
£1 that which cost other people £2. The least money has the 
least result. We like neither cayenne pepper nor peas as poultry 
food. We have always advised that in feeding poultry the habits 
of a bird in a state of nature should be the system to be followed. 
They seek no trifling changes in their food. They feed regu- 
larly and moderately ; above all, early in the morning. It is not 
improbable the ailment may proceed from the weather. Fowls, 
like human beings, are affected by sudden changes. Simple 
remedies are the best. When fowls are suffering as yours doubt- 
less are, the best remedy to rally them when weakened by the 
medicine is to feed morning and evening, especially the latter, on 
bread steeped in strong ale. We believe 1t to be always good in 
severe weather. ] 
GUILDFORD POULTRY SHOW. 
Tus Show, in connection with the Show of the Agricultural 
Society, was held on the 9th and 10th inst. in the Green Market, 
Guildford—a miserable building for the purpose, open towards the 
street, and piteously cold and draughty. It was reported at the 
Show that for a very small sum the Skating Rink could have been 
secured for the Exhibition, which would haye been a far better 
place. We trust that another year the Committee will be more 
provident, and not risk the exposure of the birds to such fearful 
cold. 
The Dorkings, as usual, were good. The cup went to a grand 
pair of adult Silver-Greys. In the chicken class we much ad- 
mired Mr. Taylor’s Dark pen, third prize. The pullet was, we 
think, one of the Crystal Palace prize birds, and the cockerel 
large and round-breasted. We should have transposed them with 
the first pair, also Darks, the cockerel of which had very poor 
toes. The second chickens were good Silver-Greys. The winning 
pens of Whites were capital cup birds at some of the greatest 
shows. Cuckoos were also good both in size, colour, and combs ; 
far better than any we saw at Birmingham. In Cochins a grand 
pair of Whites took first and cup for the best pen of large fowls 
other than Dorkings. They were birds which might grace any 
show. Second were also good Whites ; third fair Buffs. Dark 
Brahmas were a poor lot. The second and third prizes were 
withheld. We thought the exhibitors hardly dealt with in this 
case, for the first-prize pen contained a regularly deformed and 
crippled cock. Light Brahmas were one of the best classes, the 
first winners being a handsome pen. Spanish and Game were 
decidedly poor. In French a pair of Créves were first and 
Houdans second, quite as good of their kind. In Hamburghs two 
good pens of Golden-pencilled won, and some fair Blacks were 
also shown. In the Variety class pretty Japanese Silkies were 
first, and White Minorcas second. Game Bantams, as usual at 
this Show, were excellent. First were Brown Reds, a trifle large 
but very stylish; second Black Reds, the cockerel splendid in 
colour with a poor hen. In Any other variety Japanese were 
first and Black Rose-combed second. Aylesbury and Rouen 
Ducks were shown together, and were more numerous than re- 
markable. Black East Indians and Carolinas won in the Variety 
