45i 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 23, 1876. 



Maynard, good of its age ; second, Nieholls, a bird of Btyle ; 

 third Hedley. A great many highly commendeds in this class. 

 Any other Colour. — Why not call this a class for Blues ? for all 

 were Blues save one, and Blue Carriers deserve that they should 

 be alone and recognised. First, Massey, a thorough good Blue ; 

 second, Fulton, Blue agiin ; third, Beekwith, Blue too. The 

 Blues were fine in frame, but colour somewhat dingy or smoky, 

 and a few beaks too Dragoon-like — not straight enough. The 

 one White was 2815 (Crisp), and very pretty. The Blue hens 

 inferior. 



Nest came the young Carriers of this year, and it may at once 

 be Baid that these were not an advance on list year, though 

 some few were remarkable birds. Among these few I would 

 notice the first-and-cup Black cock (Griffiths), a grand style of 

 bird and by far the best of its age in the Show ; good limb, good 

 length of feather, and if he goes on all right will be a superb 

 bird. Then I may note the first-and-cup Dun hen (Fulton), a 

 bird with a beautifully straight beak; also first-and-cup Blue 

 cock, fine length and fine head, but beak a little too down. 

 Any Colour, Code or Hen. — Mr. Ord's Pied bird, an old friend, 

 a good bird to breed Whites from ; also a Pied pair, very ob- 

 servable and deserving, and I should like to see more Pieds. 



Folio wing the Carriers came their cousins the Dragoons, somo 

 of them scarcely cousins " onoe removed." The entry was a 

 large one — 185 pens in all. No one can complain of the fancy 

 becoming tired of the old varieties. Mr. R. Woods was as usual 

 very successful ; but the second Blue cock (Mr. Tegetmeier) was 

 a bird of most exquisite colour. The Silver cocks with black 

 bars were not numerous, but extremely good, the bar becoming 

 blacker and clearer. The Heel and Yellow cocks. — First-and-cup 

 Yellow ; third a very good-coloured Red, same owner (Woods). 

 The Blur hens were dainty and choice; the Brown-barred 

 Silver hens, that good old sort, were up to the mark, and from 

 his perseverance and success might be called " Bishop's own." 

 The Yellow hens. First prize a beautiful-coloured bird ; third 

 a very rich colour. Nest came the Grizzles, a very ancient 

 variety recently revived. Once at the Crystal Palace Show only 

 one appeared, now a class. With these might be classed the 

 Chequers, instead of putting them with the Whites, which are 

 best seen alone. The result was two Chequers, an altogether 

 inferior colour taking two out of the three prizes among the 

 hens of 1876. The young birds were very good well-grown 

 Dragoons in all their classes. 



Almond Tumblers, Cocks, aDy age. — First-and-cup 3152 (Hal- 

 lam), beautifully spangled on shoulders and breast, and having 

 good carriage ; second same owner, rather dark hackle. A good 

 class. Almond hens. — First 3168 (Fulton), good rich colour, a 

 little wanting in Btyle; second 3171 (Yardley), one flight too 

 light, barring this better than fir6t. Nest I came upon a re- 

 markably good class, the Almonds of 1876. — First-and-cup 3181 

 \Hallam), an excellent ground colour. The Mottled Short/aces 

 were seven in number. Would that these exquisite little birds 

 were ten times as numerous. First, second, and third to one 

 breeder, Mr. Henning, greatly to his credit. Tumblers, Bald or 

 Beard, fourteen birds; more than usual. First 3201 (Woodhouse), 

 a good Blue Bald; near it 3200, a good Red, very good in colour 

 i Murphy), but not noticed; third (FultoD) a Blue Bald. This 

 hard-to-breed class very praiseworthy. In the Any other variety 

 Sliortfaces the Agates proved very numerous, Mr. Beckwith's 

 first-and-cup cock highly to be praised. The first hen a Kite, 

 but as a rule the Agates won; the third hen (Hallam) a very 

 good-marked bird. 



Babes, cocks. — First Mr. Hedley, a marvellous skull and short 

 face. There was a wondrously good Yellow hen first-and-cup 

 (Bryce). The young Barbs may be called double s. Some if 

 t'oeir eyes were beautifully clear, as Nos. 3662 (Hedley), and 3291 

 Firth). 3290 (Eedlej) a capital Red. 



Following the Barbs came the Jacobins, numbering 136 pens, 

 the largest and grandest class ever shown. The Yellows particu- 

 la ly improved in colour, the rich tint almost everywhere, and 

 the former light colour scarcely to be seen. Bed, cocks. — First- 

 and-cup Royds, the deepest red, and very fine Jacobin points ; 

 >econd, flights lower down than I like to see. This class a good 

 one; very highly commendeds, highly commeudeds, and com- 

 mendeds abounding. The same may be siid of the Bed hens. 

 Yellow, cocks.— First, second, and third, Hardy, Fulton, Swallow, 

 happened to stand next each other. How often Bball we Bee 

 hree Buch birds in adjoining pens 1 Yellow, hens. — First a fine 

 ype of bird in eye and down face specially, not the Tumbler 

 beak, as too often, but down beak, which gives the finish to the 

 whole, hood, chain, &c. White. — Here was an advance, fifteen 

 birds where three used to be. Some, I fancy, are crossed with 

 oreign Owls; but none more exquisite than a good White Jack 

 with pearl eye. First, second, and third very good. .4?!.;;/ other 

 ■colour. — Chiefly Blacks, some a little coarse. Two attempts 

 at Blue, one an utter failure, being three- quarters of a German 

 Toy; the other very fair but large. Please, D. Hicks, go on 

 with this colour. 



Fantails not so numerous as of old. Cocks. — These Vrds 

 ought to be put in the judging pan before a decision is arrived 



at; second better than first to my mind, the first being over- 

 heavy and no motion. The first hen thoroughly good. Any 

 other colour brought some interesting birds, perhaps the largest 

 number of whole-coloured birds ever seen. First a Blue, with 

 beautiful head and neck ; third a Saddle-back, a capital colour. 



Nuns. — AlaB ! alas ! so few, so poor. Surely some fancier will 

 earnestly work-up this fine old Toy. Only seven entries and 

 only two good birds. 



No alas! to be added about the Trumpeters, which came 

 next. Eleven birds, and all good, some first-rate, as Mr. 

 Lederer's and Mr. Hutchinson's. 



English Owls fifty-eight, Foreign only ten, and yet there 

 were fanciers who a few years ago wanted to extinguish the 

 English Owl altogether. One thing must be said in fairness, 

 that in quality they were both good. 



The Tureits were escellent and numerous, and 



Magpies seem to continue to be attractive to many, and why 

 not ? Contrast of colour is always pleasing to the eye, particu- 

 larly if the line oi division, as in these birds, is a sharp one. 

 Black, Red, and Yellow won in their order. 



I think if judges had been more fair to Red and Yellow Nuns, 

 not always giving to the Blacks, they, too, would have appeared 

 in the show pens, for there are good birds in lofts in England. 



The Archangels are falling off, and owing to the partiality 

 of judges only one colour is shown; the light oraDge, a very 

 telling colour, now net being Been. This also a pity. 



Runts have revived and increased from three to twenty-three 

 pens. Well done, good quiet old giants ! I am glad you will not 

 be put down by the spirit dwarfs. Ten out of eleven cocks 

 noticed. There's for you ! 



The Flying Tumbler class brought some very good birds 

 before the eye of the public, a fine Black Bald of Mr. Wood's 

 being first; then there were Yellow Mottles, Black Mottles, and 

 Red Mottles. Among the last a fine highly commended (3693) ap- 

 peared, indeed the whole class (fifteen in number) was worthy. 

 There ought to be twice as many ; but mind and do not let them 

 approach in beak too near the Shortface. 



Antwerps. — The useful — i.e., the Homing birds, were very nu- 

 merous, the fancy birds fewer. 



With the Any other Variety class I must own to a feeling of 

 disappointment — only sisteen entries. First Red PrieBts of good 

 colour (Mr. Bryce'!-) ; second Frillbacks, third Suabiane. A poor 

 class, poorly filled. 



The Selling Classes. — Useful but not ornamental, but meet 

 a want — namely, the want of those who wish for birds of small 

 price but not necessarily cheap. This class reminds me of the 

 home for lost dogs ; you give but little for a pet, and it may 

 answer or — otherwise. No warrant given. 



Best Collection of Four Pairs of Pigeons. — These classes 

 have increased greatly, and in former years were highly orna- 

 mental and well seen, being placed under the dome, and their 

 handsome large cages crossing the ends of the other rows seemed 

 to complete the Show, binding all in together. The cages so 

 large and ornamental, and green-baize-floored, were highly 

 attractive to strangers, the birds looking so well in them. Now 

 this year all has changed much for the worst. Room being 

 wanted for the visitors to esamine the Chrysanthemums, these 

 cages were actually put above the poultry pens and their whole 

 beauty lost, and the birdB too high up to be seen. I venture to 

 think that at least one row might have been in the old place 

 and space enough have remained, and I trust that nest year 

 this or some better arrangement will be made. In the first 

 cage were shown not less than two varieties, escluding Pouters, 

 Carriers, and Tumblers. First-and-cup (Fulton), Yellow Jacks, 

 Owls, Turbits, and Barbs. In the third-prize pen were some 

 good Scandaroons. The collections of Carriers, Pouters, and 

 Tumblers were scarcely up to the mark, but Mr. Maynard's 

 were grand. First-and-cup, 3893. The four birds of one, or any 

 varieties, to be shown in a pen, brought nearly thirty entries. 

 Black Magpies first. The four-pair pens are much the most 

 interesting, and when each pen contains a pair of four different 

 varieties the interest is much increased. 



Such was our great national Show. Nest year I hope that no 

 distinguished fanciers will keep their birds at home. All the 

 best Bhould be at the Palace, and bygones had best be bygones. 

 The judging gave satisfaction to most, and the Pouter judging 

 to all (unsuccessful exhibitors of course not reckoned). I would 

 in conclusion make a few remarks — thus on Tuesday the cards 

 were not up till a very late hour, on some cages not at all. This 

 was not the fault of the Judges, but of the clerks whose business 

 it was to write out the awards. This should not be. Visitors 

 who came for only one dsyhad to leave without knowing whether 

 their birds had won. The cards were not up for hours after the 

 judging was over. One great improvement was the publishing 

 a catalogue with the awards on the margin of each page, instead 

 of some wonderfully puzzling separate issue as in former years. 

 Though the new plan necessitated in some cases buying a second 

 catalogue, yet better spend another shilling than have a loose 

 unnumbered list to which reference had to be made. I hope 

 the new plan will be adhered to. 



