December 19, 1878. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
479 
class. Geese were poor and Turkeys excellent. We always see at 
this Show much variety of colour in Turkeys, fine Blacks, Whites, 
and Buffs being in the prize list. 
There was one class for Pigeons of all sorts with seven prizes. 
We think this a mistake, especially now that the Surrey Colum- 
barian Society hold their Show at this time. Twenty-one pairs 
appeared. The first (Yellow Turbits) and second (White Fans) 
were well-known winners; third were White Fans ; fourth Homing 
Antwerps; fifth Archangels. We subjoin the prize list. 
POULTRY.—DORKINGS.—Coloured and Silver.—Cup, 1, and 8, O. E. Cress- 
. 2,3. Ivery & Son. Chickens.—1, J. Ivery & Son. 2, O. E. Cresswell. 3, 
J. Taylor. Wahile—1 and 2,0. E. Cresswell. Blue.—1, W. Virgo. 2, J. L. Play- 
foot. COCHINS.—Cup, l, 2, and vie, J. Buckmaster. 3, A.C. Ede. BRAHMAS. 
—Dark.—l, H. Glover. 2 and 3, Withheld. Ligh!.—l, W. Mitchell. 2 and 3, 
Rev. G.S. Davies. vc, Countess of Lovelace. SPANISH.—1, Withheld. 2, A. 
Critchett. GAME—1, J. Knight. 2, Withheld. 3, J. W. Taylor. HOUDANS 
OR CREVE-C@URS.—1, Rey. G. Chilton, 2, Rev. W. Pearce. HAMBURG 
land 2, 0. E. Cresswell. ANY OTHER VARIETY.—1, 0. E. Cresswell. 2, 
Titmas. BANTAMS.—Game.—l, R. Osborn. 2, T. Randall, jun. Any other 
variely—1 and 2, O. E. Cresswell. DUCKS.—Aylesbury or Rouen.—l, J. W. 
Taylor. 2,J.H. Webber. 3, J. Ivery & Son. Any other variety—1 A. & J. 
Wells. 2, J. W. Taylor. GEESE.—1 and 3, J. W. Taylor. 2, 1. Baker. Gos- 
lings—1 and 2, J. W. Taylor. 3, Withheld. TURKEYS.—1, Countess oi Love- 
lace. 2, W. Allden. 3, E. Pilcher. Powl/s—1 and 2, F. Botting. 3, J. W. 
Taylor. vhe, Countess of Lovelace. SELLING CLASS.—1, A. & J. Wells. 2, A. 
C. Ede. 
PIGEONS—1, 2, and 5,0. E. Cresswell. Sand 7, Burdett & Walker. 4 and 
6, Rey. W. Pearce. r 
JUDGE.—Mr. W. J. Nichols, The Poplars, Merton Abbey, Surrey 
S.D. 
CANTERBURY POULTRY SHOW. 
THE annual Show of Poultry, Pigeons, and Rabbits was held 
in the Kent County Pavilion on Thursday last and following days 
Small birds were this year omitted from the schedule, and pro- 
vision was thus made for the large increase in the poultry and 
Pigeon entries. 
Dorkings.—Coloured cock and hen—a capital class, nearly all 
the birds noticed. Cockerels also good, the competition between 
first and second being very close. Silver-Greys better in numbers, 
but not equal in quality tothe Darks. Cochins.—Buffs, the winners 
in the cock and hen were a pair of stout birds, well feathered. A 
pen of Whites were first in the Any Variety class. Brahmas.— 
The Dark classes were unusually small, but of more than average 
quality, the cup going to a grand pen of old birds, closely pressed 
by a beautifully marked, large, well-feathered Dark pullet belong- 
ing to the same owner. Lights were larger classes, and contained 
afew goodpens. Spanish, with the exception of the winners, poor. 
Houdans.—First a fine cock a little deficient in crest, matched with 
a grand hen large and even in crest. Game and Hamburghs were 
on the whole good. Sultans obtained only a poor entry. Polands 
were finely supported, and appear to be fast recovering their 
popularity. Bantams. — Game, first in Black Reds cock, very 
stylish, the Palace winner we think ; second contained the best 
hen. In the class for Black and White Miss Ladd won witha 
pretty pen. Ducks.—Rouen, twenty-five entries, a splendid class, 
the Ducks in the winning pen being richly marked. 
The Pigeons were much better supported than on any previous 
occasion, and a very marked improvement was visible in the 
quality. Carriers were a very superior lot; and here we noticed 
two or three of the best birds, that certainly should have found 
their way into the prize list, unnoticed by the Judge. The general 
impression was that he had passed them by accident; and of 
course exhibitors were not very complimentary with their remarks 
upon his awards, but we were afterwards informed that they had 
not escaped his attention, but that he found some so greased and 
others cut in the wattle that he could not give them a prize; and 
if the rule which prohibits tampering with birds means anything, 
for the reputation of the Judge a disqualified card should have 
‘oeen placed on the pens, and then the initiated would have learnt 
the cause of the omission in heu of contending that it was through 
his want of appreciation. Pouters—Cocks a surprising class of 
twenty-three entries, hens eleven. Barbs and Tumblers all good 
elasses. Dragoons, Blue and Silver, poor. Any other colour.— 
Cock, a Chequer first, the Palace winner ; second a moderate 
White ; third a Grizzle of no great pretensions. A rich-coloured 
Red was also shown here, but an attempt to “ Madame Rachel” 
it with the grease pot caused it to share the fate of the Carriers 
we have above described. Some Yellows in this class and in the 
hen class also, that have obtained the highest honours at the 
principal shows, were not here even decorated with a card. 
Jacobins and Owls were large classes. Fantails a charming lot, 
and obtained a special general commendation from the Judge. 
The Antwerps obtained a great entry, and some bargains were to 
be found in the large Pigeon Selling classes. 
Messrs. Teebay and Nichols judged the poultry, Mr. Esquilant 
the Pigeons. A list of awards has not been received. 
CANNED BUTTER. 
SucH has been the progress in the manufacture of American 
butter that that article is now marketed in all sorts of shapes, 
both for home use and foreign export. Fine creamery butter is 
made to retain its sweetness and purity, kept however long, in any 
part of the world, especially in the warmer climates. Ships 
making long yoyages, or parties going on a cruise and people 
living in isolated sections, with no opportunities for making or 
purchasing freshly-made butter, now no longer need eat poor butter, 
when a nice article can be obtained that will retain its flavour for 
an indefinite length of time. Canned butter now figures in the 
exports of the United States quite prominently. The butter is 
packed fresh from the churn, at the packing rooms of the creamery. 
In the method of regulating the temperature lies the great secret 
of the success which our American creameries have obtained. 
Butter sealed in cans is free from foreign substances, such as salt 
and pickle. It has no salt put in. When itis taken out of the 
cans to be used it is salted. A can of butter that had been sealed 
for nearly a year was found by an analyst to be as fresh as when 
made, and not affected in the least by the tin. Salt corrodes the 
tin and spoils the butter, and hence in canning it is not used, but 
only when the butter is eaten. It has also been ascertained by 
experiment that dairy butter is more liable to melt in a warm 
temperature than creamery butter, for the reason that the latter 
consists of only a single churning and is packed closer, while the 
former generally consists of several churnings, which are apt to 
vary in quality in hot weather. 
The introduction of canned butter is destined to become a large 
industry, and the success of the movement is assured. The prin- 
cipal rival to American enterprise in this industry is Denmark, 
which country has for some years exported canned butter to various 
hot climates, but chiefly to South America. The great care taken 
by the Danish dairymen to preserve the grain of their butter has 
given them an advantage in the past, so far as the foreign export 
trade is concerned; but it is now claimed that the American-made 
article is superior to the Danish article in some respects, and that 
it can be and is sold at a less price than the Danish butter, which 
is its only competitor. 
Very little canned butter is seen in our markets, and that little 
is put up by butter-makers for hotels and private parties who 
order it in that shape.—(Western Stock Journal, Iowa, U.S.) 
BRITISH BIRDS IN DECEMBER. 
DtrRiNnG the past fortnight great changes have been going on 
among the wild birds of this country. Towards the middle and 
end of November the birdcatchers always expect what they desig- 
nate the “ November flight of Linnets.” This great flight began 
this year about the 15th of November. On the 24th and 25th very 
large takes of Linnets were made by the London and suburban 
catchers. The men get their nets laid before daybreak. As soon 
as itis light the birds appear. They come in flocks of from two 
to three hundred; the call-birds “charge,” and give the catchers 
notice that the birds are coming before they can be seen by the 
men. Very large takes of these migratory Linnets have been 
made; as many as five dozen have been taken at one pull of the 
clap net this year. Although so many Linnets are captured annu- 
ally, there has been no general diminution noticed in their 
numbers. The principal part of these birds are bred on the wild 
gorse lands, especially in Scotland. They are very prolific, and 
have three or four nests each season, producing from fifteen to 
twenty young. When this Linnet migration from the north takes 
place, the birdcatchers are certain that some wild weather is 
coming behindthem. This has been justified by the recent weather 
of cold and winterly rain. The Linnets when arriving at the south 
of England disperse themselves over the stubbles, “clover lays,” 
and “fed-offs;” they eat large quantities of charlock and other 
wild seeds, which otherwise would be injurious to the farmer. 
The large takes of these birds have glutted the bird market. 
Before the flight cock Linnets were worth from 4s. to 5s. a dozen, 
now they are only fetching Is. 6d. to 2s. A very rare bird has 
been taken among the Linnets at Highgate—namely, a hybrid 
between a common Greenfinch and Brown Linnet. 
Goldfinches are now becoming very scarce, on account of the 
cultivation of land exterminating the thistles. This year, for the 
first time, the birdcatchers haye gone expressly to Ireland, and 
haye sent large takes of Goldfinches thence into the London 
market. During the autumn Goldfinches were abundant; the 
reason of this may be attributed to the provisions of the Bird 
Preservation Act. At this time of year the Goldfinches lie up in 
quiet feeding places, and remain there as long as the food lasts ; 
they will not be seen on flight again until April. The Siskins, 
Chaffinches, Bramble Finches, and Hawfinches that came in the 
last Michaelmas flight, and located themselves where food was 
abundant, are now gone, and the birdcatchers cannot find their 
whereabouts. In all probability they will not show up again on 
flight until the middle or end of February. 
Fieldfares, Redwings, and Missel Thrushes have arrived in large 
numbers, and are to be found about the environs of London so 
long as they can find feod; they are very wary birds, but the 
moment frost and snow set in they are very easily approached. 
The Redwing of all the Thrushes is the most duck-hearted ; he 
will soon succumb to the cold, even when the berry food is abun- 
dant; he cannot exist long without “ground food ”—that is, 
worms and insects. Bullfinches are still plentiful, there being 
