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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 2, 1876. 



and how can such afford to sell a bird at a few shillings ? It 

 cannot be done; and until the selling-class system is modified, 

 and imperfect birds more readily slaughtered, we despair of 

 seeing a return of the halcyon days when one's hobby not only 

 was an amusement but allowed both ends to meet. — W. 



OXFOED POULTBY SHOW. 



Without any doubt whatever the Show just over at Oxford 

 has_ been one of the greatest successes ever experienced by any 

 society. With an able Secretary, energetic Committee-men, and 

 a good prize list, the Show has gradually worked its way on, 

 and now in 1876 we consider that it most certainly ranks only 

 Eecond to the Crystal Palaoe Show. Could only space be found 

 to allow of the sexes being divided and classes added for old 

 buds, there is no knowing where this Show might end, for as it 

 is two thousand pens are quite enough for the buildings. The 

 quality was wonderfully good throughout, and in most cases we 

 thought the judging quite up to a fair average. The birds were 

 most carefully seen to ; the soft food, green meat, and sods of 

 turf for the Game cocks being all admirably arranged. No one 

 was admitted till after the awards were made, and consequently 

 ■Jl ^f 6 ln the same boat, whether present in the town or not. 

 Mr. King superintended the birds in the Corn Exchange, and 

 Mr. Salter the Pigeons and Bantams in the Town Hall, which 

 Litter building was tastefully decorated with flags and shields. 

 We now pass to the awards. 



Dorkings.— In Coloured, as a pair, we think our choice was 

 ior the second-prize pen, but the cock had a double toe nail, 

 which may have gone against him, or else he was a grandly- 

 grown cockerel. The cup cockerel was large and good in feet, 

 bat the hen was small. Third were good birds and fully 

 matured ; while the fourth went to a capital pair good all round, 

 and we liked.them much. We were sorrv to hear Mr. Burnell's 

 pullet had died. In Silver-Greys the cockerel was a fine bird, 

 beautiful in shape and colour, with a good pullet. Second also 

 good, and we thought we liked the cockerel as well as the cup 

 bird. Lady Dartmouth and Mr. Cresswell each sent a very 

 good pullet. In Whites the Ipswich cockerel wa3 first with a 

 fresh pullet. He was very showy, and is, perhaps, the whitest 

 Dorking we ever saw. Second and third were much larger, 

 but not so pure in colour. Blue DorkingB appear to improve. 



~? £ up pair matcned well. The breed seems to acquire size 

 and the Dorking squareness of shape. 



Spanish.— This was a small olass and a poor one, though the 

 cup pullet was a good bird. We liked Mr. Beldon's pair, and 

 would have placed them before the third-prize pen. 



Cochins.— These made four grand classes. Buffs especially 

 wero very good. The first and second Buffs were very even in 

 qualify, though some preferred the second-prize pen. Their 

 colour was pure and even, and they had good feathering and 

 abundant fluff. The third were very poor, and we far preferred 

 some other pens. Excepting the first and second cockerels the 

 pullets Btruck us as being better than their companions. In 

 Partridges we liked the first cockerel ; he was smart in shape and 

 good in colour, and much reminds ub of the bird we have seen 

 ,rvi r 1 1Tal sho *'■ The Eecond pullet was a pretty one, but we 

 dislike the legs of the second cockerel. We saw him before in 

 the same position at Ipswich. Blacks made a good display, and 

 we noticed that all either had spindly -shaped hocks and legs, or 

 enormous hocks. They seemed, too, so much wilder than other 

 Cochins, and to dislike being handled. The first pair were very 

 8uSy and good in colour. Second a fair pen, rather larger than 

 the third, otherwise not so good in colour. Whites made a fine 

 lot of a dozen pens. We did not admire either of the first 

 or second cockerels, they were too creamy and tailless. The 

 second pullet was a beauty. As a pair we liked Mrs. Tindal's, 

 only we do not like the cockerel's oomb. He is the cup Ayles- 

 bury and first Ipswich bird. We liked Lady Dartmouth's pen 

 very muob, and had the cockerel only more leg-feathering should 

 have felt inclined to place them near the top of the tree. 



Brahmas.— The first Dark pullet was good in pencilling, and 

 the cockerel was large and massive, but had an imperfect wing. 

 Second pullet also good. Third and fourth good pairs of birds 

 of fair quality, but no bird in the class had tbe stamp which 

 Mr. Lingwood showed in 1874 and 1875. We very much admired 

 the pens of Messrs. Pritchard, Garntr, and Birch. In Lights 

 the first cockerel was a grand bird, but too high in tail, or elBe 

 of wonderful symmetry and carriage. His pullet was of good 

 colour and large, and only wants moro distinct markiogs in her 

 neck hackles. Second pullet good, aud the third cookerel 

 promises to make a grand bird. Mrs. Holmes stnt a pretty but 

 rather small pair, as too did M-. J. Bloodworth. 



Game.— These classes were first-rate. We liked the awards 

 fairly. The condition and bloom of the .£10 10s. champion was 

 good, but we heard many Game fancieis object to the award. 

 Mr. Matthew's and Mr. Dutton's cockerels all were much harder 

 in feather. All highly commended birds were almost worthy of 

 prizes, so good was the quality. The first Brown Red cockerel 

 was very grand in colour and oarriage, and had his oomb on. 



The same owner's undubbed Duckwing was also a splendid bird 

 — grand in colour and fine in shape. The Brown Red pullets 

 were well selected, and were a good lot. The second we especi- 

 ally admired. Undubbed cockerels were superior. A Brown 

 Red won first. He was of lovely colour, and stylish in carriage. 

 A Brown Red also won second, while a Black Red took third 

 honours. We were glad to find the class so well filled, and 

 thank the guarantor for his share in this good work. 



Hamburglis. — We did not think them quite up to the standard 

 of other years. Roup was observable in many pens, and many 

 birds looked pale and jaded ; but there was a wonderful improve- 

 ment in the honesty of the combs. Many objected to the first 

 Golden-pencils, but we did not think them so very bad, though 

 certainly the third pullet was very neat in markings and head. 

 In Silver-pencils we found no improvement, and are sorry to 

 find the breed so little cultivated. The first pullet was pretty, 

 and so was the second cockerel, while third went to a very good 

 pen, which we thought hardly used. In Spangles the firEfe 

 cockerel was good in colour, but not at all neat in head, with a 

 rich-coloured pullet. Second also very brilliant and well 

 marked. Third, again, very handsome and in beautiful bloom; 

 and we thought all the pens well placed. In Silver-spangles the 

 cup pullet was a gem, and her mate worthy of her. Second fair 

 in colour, and the cockerel good in tail. Third had good lustre, 

 and the cock's carriage good. In Blacks the cup pen was 

 gorgeous in colour; second also very smart, and good in ehape. 

 Mr. Sei jeantson's pen waB very good in colour and condition. 



French. — Houdans mustered well, and the birds were mostly 

 well grown and healthy. We liked Mr. Boissier's pen much the 

 beBt. The cockerel had a splendid leaf comb. He is the Bath 

 cup bird, but has now a bad claw; this, we conclude, threw the 

 pair cut, for the pullet was a beauty which accompanied him. 

 The cup cock lacked crest, and was not quite our favourite 

 colour. The fourth cockerel came next to Mr. Boissier's for 

 head properties, but was rather small, while the third too seemed 

 small by some of the others. In the next class good La Fleche 

 came in between two pens of first- rate Creves; the first pullet 

 was very large and in good feather. We noticed a very ancient 

 pair of La Fieche in a highly commended pen, and a pair of 

 Creves claimed fcr £10 10s. 



Poland's. — Of these there were two superb classes. We never 

 saw such a class of Blacks before in a chicken show. The 

 cup cockerel wa3 lovely, and his mate simply gigantic in 

 crest ; but neither were very white, and were they only of pure 

 colour we can well imagine their being the finest pair of the 

 variety in existence. Many thought the pullet was a hen, but 

 we do not think so, and we closely inspected her. Second went 

 to the first Ipswich .pen, now in new hands, they are good 

 in crest and very white ; while third went to a neat pair of 

 younger chickens. Mr. Darby showed a good pullet; Lady 

 Dartmouth sent a grand cockerel, which we personally preferred 

 to the third-prize pen; and Mr. Norwood sent a lovely pair, 

 but we are most sorry to say the cockerel hit his head against 

 the basket and nearly died from the effects ; but the kind wife 

 of the Secretary took it home and gave it hourly attendance 

 throughout the night, and to this lady's exertions alone can the 

 life of the bird be attributed. In tbe next class Mr. Adkins- 

 cleared the board. We, however, liked his second pen best, 

 which have gone to a northern home for £20; and after them 

 we liked Lady Dartmouth's or Mr. Unsworth's Golds ; it was 

 a grand class. 



Leghorns. — Browns camo well to the front, while Whites were 

 iu numbers far behind. The cup Browns were, as a pair of 

 birds in one pen, the best pair we ever saw together. They 

 were fair in ears and very good in all other points. Second and 

 third pecs also good. In Whites another cup went to Aylesbury 

 for a neat and cleanly-shown pair of birds. 



Malays. — -The cup pen were large and fine in shape, and these 

 points must have pulled them through, for other birds posBessecl 

 much more quality in colour and feathering. The cockerels of 

 Miss Brooke and Mr. Hinton seemed to be younger, and we think 

 they will make splendid birds. It was one of the best classes 

 we ever saw, and we were glad to see the faces of many Malay 

 fanciers. Someone from Rugeley found a cheap bargain in Mr. 

 Hinton's 40s. pen. 



Silkies. — These made a very pretty lot, and they found 

 hosts of lady admirers amongthe spectators. The cup pair were 

 snowy white and good in combs. The pullet was the cup Ipswich 

 bird, with a good cockerel. The second were good, but too 

 heavily feathered and rather ugly about the hocks. The third 

 pullet was huge in crest, but her mate was full of pin feathers, 

 and we preferred, as they then were, Mr. Cresswell's pair. We 

 heard a long price refused for the cup pen. 



The Variety clasB comprised an immense medley of nineteen 

 pens. The numbers might all have been put in a bag and the 

 winners so drawn out. Black Minoroas won first, AndalusianB 

 second, and Sultans third, all good specimens ; and many more 

 as good had to put up with commendations. 



Bantams. — The Game were wonderfully good. We liked the. 

 first Brown Reds and the cup Piles very much. We heard 



