62 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ July 20, 1876. 



and tedious work getting any compensation, but it hag been 

 done, and we have gained it ourselves. It is not the value of the 

 redress so much, however, as it is that we hear from the highest 

 possible authority that the very fact of claiming compensation 

 is so thoroughly seen into and investigated at the head office 

 that all the officials of the district are put, so to speak, on the 

 qui vive against the same thing happening again ; and although 

 the aggrieved party may apparently recover very little, he in 

 reality benefits the cause greatly by making the disturbance. 

 We would urge on all, therefore, who experience loss by wilful 

 carelessness on the part of any company to write at once to the 

 manager of that company and have the case thoroughly sifted 

 to the bottom, which can and will be done. This mode of pro- 

 cedure will do the poultry fancy 50 per cent, more good than 

 the mere airing of troubles and grievances of the kind in the 

 poultry newspapers. 



We believe many exhibitors leave the dispatch of their 

 baskets to the last train which can possibly bring them to the 

 show ground in time. This is a most foolish plan, for at junc- 

 tions, or at places where the birds have to be changed from one 

 company's line to another, a delay is certain to follow, and the 

 birds consequently often arrive *' too late for competition." We 

 quite believe this need not happen as often as it does, but there 

 is no one present generally to urge the importance of the birds 

 being forwarded by any particular trains. The other day when 

 we were talking of poultry clubs and the good they might do, 

 some one said that they would be the means of getting the 

 companies to reduce their rates and convey the baskets cheaper. 

 We do not believe any amount of clubs would perform this, and 

 we said so. The utmost they could do would be to have the birds 

 returned free on some lines, and this those companies which we 

 named will generally do if the secretary will point out that it 

 will be to their advantage; but there is a point in which we 

 think a poultry club could really be of value, and that is in ap- 

 pointing some responsible person to wait at the chief junctions 

 on the eve of any important poultry show. This person need 

 not be a fancier ; any man of the locality who can be depended 

 npon would be able to do the work, for he would only have to 

 watch the trains coming in and see that all the birds which had 

 to be changed were carefully handled and speedily forwarded. 

 The club funds would " pay the piper," and fanciers would feel 

 greater ease and comfort for the safe and due arrival of their 

 birds. Not only are birds at stations allowed to Btand about 

 on draughty platforms, but they often get terribly knocked 

 about as well. We could quote case after case but have not 

 space, for only the other day at Portsmouth we saw some very 

 rough handling, and such a person as we desire at the stations 

 would greatly prevent this. We speak with certainty of the 

 success of some such plan, for a show in which we are deeply 

 interested, at its own expense sends, or arranges for, men to be 

 at the two principal junctions near at hand, and this exhibition 

 finds it not only of benefit to its patrons but to itself as well, 

 for this proceeding is the means of getting the birds in the show 

 ground earlier, and so the labour is not so heavy in the late hours 

 of night. Even without a poultry club some such arrangement 

 as we advocate could thus be made, and we really think the few 

 shillings expended would be money well laid out by many com- 

 mittees, more especially by those who are connected with shows 

 held on loop lines or in out-of-the-way places. 



While writing on the railway journeys of poultry we wonld 

 ask, Who pockets the shillings and sixpences for conveying 

 birds to and from the place of show ? After heavy carriage is 

 paid and the birds are properly booked we consider it Bimply 

 monstrous to charge at all for moving the birds to the show 

 ground ; but when it comes to paying Is. a basket for having 

 one removed just across the street, as occurred the other day at 

 a Devonshire show, we call it nothing short of robbery. We 

 would ask exhibitors to see into this, for it seems to be becoming 

 a general plan, and we would urge on committees to arrange 

 differently for their own interests. The cases we could quote 

 of baskets being paid at one end and charged for at the other 

 are legion, as, too, are cases of baskets costing one sum to go to 

 an exhibition, and perhaps double the amount when they return; 

 but we would only once more urge npon those who are so 

 wronged to apply at once to the chief office of the company and 

 have the matter looked into, for by this means a stir is made 

 among the aggressors, and they are more on their ^guard in 

 future. 



This is a subject on which a great deal more might be said, 

 but in leaving it for the present we wonld beg exhibitors to see, 

 when possible, that their baskets are not placed in the vans too 

 near to open-mouthed dogs also journeying to the same goal. 

 Over and over again this takes place, and over and over again 

 a valuable bird is killed. Mr. Pares lost his hero this way, and 

 so have many others. In no way advocating the muzzling of 

 dogs when on their journeys, we would only suggest that in 

 trains where many packages of dogs and poultry are expected 

 the secretary should write to the starting place of such trains 

 and state that a heavy load may be expected, so that proper 

 vans may be attached for the dogs and poultry. This may some- 



times remove the difficulty of their having to travel together 

 and run the risk of death or wounds. — W. 



TRURO POULTRY SHOW. 



This Exhibition was held in a large marquee on the town 

 green, and was apparently a success in every way. The officials 

 were courteous, and Mr. Hodson's awards in most cases satis- 

 factory. 



The Coloured Dorkings mustered a dozen pens, and we quite 

 approved of the winners. In the next Dorking class we could 

 not find the first-prize birds in our catalogue, but learned they 

 belonged to Lady Vivian. They were a fair pen of Whites. 

 Spanish were excellent, and here came the cup for the best pen 

 in the Show. We fancy one or two of the cocks here would 

 have been passed over by some of our judges, as we think the 

 scissors had been at work on the back of the comb. In Cochins, 

 Partridge, the first-prize pen were a showy pair and good in 

 colour, while an admirable pen of WhiteB won in the next class. 

 Mr. Whitehead's second were also good, but he wants a better 

 hen. Mr. Woodgate's four Cochin pens were all empty, a mis- 

 take having occurred with his labels. Minorcas were not so 

 good as we expected to find; the first were Blacks, but of 

 fair merit only. In Game we could have found several good 

 single birds, but they were badly mated, and a good hen would 

 have a poor cock, or vice versa, notably so the first Brown 

 Reds, while in Duckwings the cock was superior to the hen. 

 A good pen of Malay chickens, large and bright in feather, 

 won first, and we were glad to see the young Btock to the front. 

 Brahmas only mustered three pens, a good pen of Lights being 

 first. In Hamburghs we liked the first Silver-pencilled, for the 

 hen was clear in markings, and the cock's tail good. Silvers of 

 good quality also won in the Spangled variety. Polands were 

 most noticeable for the great merit of the White-crested Blacks. 

 It was very near between the first two pens, and we are not at 

 all sure that we did not like the second-prize pen best, for the 

 hen in this pen was simply admirable; third went to fair 

 Silvers. Game Bantams were moderate, a good pen of Black 

 Reds securing the first prize, while in the next class good Blacks 

 were first and second. The Variety class was interesting ; but 

 the French, which won most of the prizes, should have had a 

 class to themselves. We thought the very highly commended 

 Silky chickens might have been in the list ; good Black Ham- 

 burghs were first. A fine Black Red won in single cocks; he 

 had much style and form about him. The Ducks were moderate ; 

 a large pair of Rouen ducklings secured first in their class. 



Figeons brought very small classes. The cup went to Carriers 

 with fine head properties, and we thought the awards good. In 

 Pouters Blues were first, with very fair length of feather. Two 

 fair Fans had the class and prizes together, while Jacobins 

 nearly did the same. In this class a moderate pair of Reds 

 secured first place. Blue Dragoons won first, closely pressed 

 by the second-prize pen, which were also Blues : while in the 

 Variety class Owls were first and third, the former White 

 African and the second Silver; second going to Antwerps of 

 good quality ; pen 200 (Tyerman) were fair Trumpeters. 



We furnish the list of prizes below :— 



POULTRY.— Dorkings.— Coloured.— 1 and 2, E. Barton. 3, H. Slade. Any 

 other variety— 1, Lady Vivian. 2, J. H. Nicholls. Spanish— Cap and 2, J. 

 Boulton. Game.- Black Bed.-l, R. Williamson, jnn. 2. J. CardeU. 3. Or. 

 Dash. Brown Bed— I, J. CardeU. 2, H. Browne. 3, C. E. Pope. Any other 

 variety.— 1, T. J. Lobb. 2, H. Feast. 3, H. Browne. Cocuirts.-Partndge and 

 Brown.— I, G. Lias. 2, J. H. Nicholls. S, A. C. Travers. Any other variety.— 

 1. Rev. G. Watson. 2, J. N. Whitehead. 3, H. Feast, vhc, S. R. Hams. 

 MrNOECAS — 1, Rev. G. Watson. 2. J. H. Nicholls. 3, J. Thomas. Malats.— 



1, W. T. Lecher. 2, J. Pomroy. 3, H. Feait. Braimas.— 1, Mrs. J. F Holmes. 



2, J. H. Nicholls. 3, W. Barns. Hahbcbghs.— Bold and Silver-pencilled.— 

 1. N. Barter. 2, J. R. Henwooa. 3, J. Knight. Jan. Gold and Silver-spangled. 

 — 1, H. Feast. 2, Mrs. S. R Harris. 3, N. Barter. Polands.— 1, G. Lias. 2,T. 

 Norwood. 3, Mrs. S. R. Harris. Bintajis.— Game— 1, R. Y. Ardagh. 2 and 3, 

 T. V. Bice. Any other variety.— I, F. Temple. 2. J. Mayo. 3, J. Dnscol. vhc, 

 R. S. S. Woodgate. Ant other Vaeiett.— 1. H. Feast. 2.J.H. Nicholls. 3, W. 

 Hamlyn. Ant Vaeiett.— Cock — 1, E. C. Pope. 2, J. Bond. 3, J. Beard, jnn. 

 vhc, J. Westacott. Selling Class.— 1, J. Honey. 2, E. Macey. 3. W. Hamlyn. 

 Ducks.— Aylesbury— I and 2, S. R. Harris. Bouen.— 1, J. H. Hoit. 2, W. H. 

 Copplestone. „ , , . „ „ 



PIGEONS.-Caebiebs.— 1, Cnc and vhc, E. Barton. Cock— 1 and 2, t. 

 Barton. Poutebs— 1, Mrs. J. F. Holmes. 2. J. Broad vhc, F. Beck. Totiblebs. 

 — 1, H. Yardley. 2, F. Beck. Fantails— 1, J. L. Smith. 2, H. Yardley. Jaco- 

 bins.— 1, J. L. Smith. 2, T. Hendra. Dragoons.— 1, H. Yardley. 2. E. Barton. 

 Torbits.— 1, J. L. Smith. 2, Mrs. Mitchinson. Barbs.— 1, H. lardley. 2 E. 

 Barton. Ast other Vaeiett.— 1, F. Beck. 2, R. T. Harris. 3, J. Lamacraft, 



SNAITH SHOW OF POULTRY, &c. 



The annual Show was held at Snaith on the 13th inst. The 

 grounds in which this Show is held are unsurpassed for such a 

 purpose, the long spreading forest trees proving a most welcome 

 shade from the scorching rays of the sun. For the poultry, &c, 

 a capital marquee was provided, and Turner's pens were used. 

 With a fair kind of schedule the Show improves from year to 

 year in both entries and quality. Game headed the list, but 

 with the exception of the first-prize Brown Red and the second- 

 prize hen they were poor. Spanish very good, the cup going to 

 the first, as the best pen in the Show. In Cochins first were 

 Buff and second White. Hamburghs were very good, the Gold- 



