January 6, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



IS 



Sevenons a nos Dorkings. Wo have not to note any remark- 

 able change in weight. They are nearly as large as they can be, 

 they have been shown in better condition and feather than 

 at any previous time, and they have held the position gained 

 years ago by their own merits. 



Coohin-Chinas have decidedly improved 90 far as the Buffs 

 are concerned. The Whites hardly remain where they were; 

 and those rank imposters, the Blacks, have disappeared. 



Spanish have not held their own in 1862. When Mr. Davies 

 gave them up, Mr. Rake took his place. He has not shown 

 this year, and he is missed. Who will come to the rescue ? 



Hamburghs have been most excellent except the Silver-pen- 

 cilled. There is no reason why these latter should fall off 

 because Mr. Archer proved they might be produced perfect in 

 every particular. 



Polands are improving in every way, and we have seen birds 

 this year equal to anything we ever saw. 



It is needless to eulogise the Game — they are always perfect. 

 In this breed Mr. Archer has done as he did in the Pencilled 

 Hamburghs. He is always successful. The same may be said 

 of many other exhibitors in these classes, the "Hon. W. W. 

 Vernon for instance; and it goes far to prove, that spite of all 

 " wise saws " to the contrary, mortals may command success. 



Brahma Pootras are appreciated, and it is only here and there 

 a caviller can be found. We must rank them with those who 

 believe that donkies are immortal, and that post boys never die. 

 Not only are the merits of these birds admitted, but their points 

 and plumage are so equally. The beauty, uniformity, and 

 numbers of their classes will prove it. 



Malays do not grow in numbers ; they are perfect in quality, 

 but there seems a limit to their entries. 



Bantams are what they always were — favourites "with the public. 

 We suppose on the same principle, that if two boys of unequal 

 size are fighting, nine out of ten side with the smaller. The 

 Game Bantams are becoming one of the large classes. The 

 Blacks and Whites have their defined points. The Sebrights do 

 not increase in numbers, but they have been perfect in size, 

 carriage and feather. 



Geese are still onwards — a truly marvellous pen at Bir- 

 mingham, three white birds weighing 76i lbs. Geese of 20 lbs. 

 are common, and Mr. Fowler has a habit of showing three Grey 

 birds that weigh 73 lbs. 



Aylesbury Ducks hold themselves excluded if they do not 

 weigh 7 lbs. each, and the Rouen tread on their heels. This 

 latter class is marvellously increased, and bids fair to be the 

 largest of all Duck classes. The birds shown are also perfect in 

 colour and bill. The experiment of a class for Black Ducks has 

 proved itself a success. 



Turkeys remain excellent in weight, but they do not increase 

 in entries. 



We have to notice the advent of a new breed in numbers that, 

 with a small increase, will demand a separate class. We allude 

 to the Creve Cceure. Mr. Wakefield, of Dorking notoriety, has 

 been very successful in this class. Report speakB highly of them 

 as table fowls. The Black Hamburghs were also strong in 

 numbers and quality at Birmingham. 



Shows have been numerous and well attended. Sales have, in 

 many instances, been very large. Exhibitions are on the in- 

 crease in Scotland, and capital birds are shown. 



As a market commodity, and as an article of food, poultry has 

 been unusually scarce and dear throughout the year. We still 

 lack statistics on the subject. They would startle the most 

 supine. During the war at the beginning of this century, a 

 meeting of coach-proprietors and of those who horsed coaches, 

 was held at Stratford, to consider the price of oats. Among 

 those who were summoned came a Btranger. Who was he? 

 He modestly said he was a goose-feeder. He was pooh-poohed 

 and laughed at, till he proved his consumption, which was 

 twice as great as any of the sufferers present. It would be the 

 same now, if some of those who fancy they represent important 

 interests could see poultry-returns. 



We have gone on glibly. We have had only to speak of 

 generalities and of others. There is no difficulty in that ; but 

 now we must speak somewhat of ourselves. 



Friends, correspondents, contributors, we thank you. It is 

 much to say that all has gone on harmoniously for twelve 

 months. We can say bo, and when such is the case something 

 is due to every one. We gratefully acknowledge it, and to 

 such cheerful co-operation we attribute in a measure the success 

 that attends us. We have no new profession of faith to make. 



We appeal to the past, and assure our readers that as we have 

 been so we will try to be. 



Tied to no party, wedded to no opinion, we endeavour to hold 

 an even balance, and to be the impartial record of all events 

 that pertain to our columns. They are open to all, provided 

 nothing offensive or injurious be found in the contributions. 

 We can honestly say we have not knowingly printed one word 

 with a view to cause pain : if we have done so unwittingly we 

 arc sorry for it. We would stand well with all, and in our 

 mind's eye seeing all our friends, we desire to wish them heartily 

 A Happy New Yeab. 



MANCHESTEE POULTEY EXHIBITION. 



Although the shadows of the last evening of the year 1862 

 are fast brooding around us as we commence our remarks on 

 this interesting Meeting, it really appears but, as it were, yester- 

 day when we stated that the inaugural meeting of this Society 

 had taken place in the Belle Yue Zoological Gardens, among the 

 many festivities provided for the public by the spirited proprietor, 

 Mr. Jennison, last Christmas. Last year the Show was well 

 supported on all hands ; and the congratulations were universal, 

 that although poultry shows in Manchester had unfortunately, 

 from some cause or other, hitherto proved altogether a failure, 

 under an improved management an entirely reversed issue was 

 effected. The prizes of 1861 were in the aggregate £500, and 

 the entries amounted to 565 ; the value of the premiums being 

 somewhat dependant ou the entry money received from the 

 exhibitors. The worth of the prizes compared to the number of 

 competitors being far greater than in any case that had preceded 

 it, combined with the most prompt and scrupulous payment to 

 the winners, augured well for future meetings ; still there are 

 always parties to be found who profess to see a cloud, however 

 clear the horizon. 



Acting on this grumbling anticipation of future ill luck, there 

 were to be found those who, not being themselves successful in 

 their own previous efforts, hesitated not to roundly affirm, that 

 even apparently successful as everything then appeared, another 

 year would prove its want of vitality, and that the " new Show" 

 would soon follow in the footsteps of its predecessors. The 

 dauntless proprietor of Belle Yue Gardens, however, was not to 

 be turned from an object that had previously received his well- 

 matured attention in all points : consequently, a far more com- 

 pendious prize list was issued in connection with the present 

 Meeting ; and the entries it this year called forth were 1288, 

 being very considerably beyond the double of last year, and 

 carrying with them an appropriation of prizes to the tune of 

 £800. The above statistics refer alike to both the poultry and 

 the dogs, the Exhibition being a combination of the two, thus 

 affording attractions to the lovers of either the one or the other. 

 We rejoice that so well merited a result has ensued ; for none 

 could strive more energetically than did the whole of the 

 Messrs. Jennisons to fulfil their duties with credit to the Show, 

 tempered with an amount of civility to every inquirer the 

 most praiseworthy. Each individual had his allotted task to 

 perform, each stood well to his post, and the sequel proved that 

 everything was carried out without mistake or misapprehension 

 of any kind. The unbroken order, promptitude of action, and 

 general management of the Exhibition thus became the subject 

 of universal admiration. 



A few of the most important points of excellence we must 

 briefly allude to. Perhaps there is not to be found a building 

 more excellently fitted for the carrying-out of such a Show than 

 the great Music Hall of the Belle Yue Gardens. Every pen of 

 poultry was placed at a proper height, and in a single tier. The 

 light was universally good, so much bo that the most anxious 

 exhibitor would scarcely have troubled himself to make a selection 

 for his birds, even had the opportunity been granted him. 

 This is a boon to an exhibitor that cannot be Bpoken of too 

 favourably. The scrupulous cleanliness of the pens and kind 

 attention to the birds exhibited could not possibly have been 

 surpassed. 



This brings us more especially to the matter of the pens them- 

 selves. They were the most convenient we have met with, being 

 both airy and sufficiently large for even a group of Cochins, Dork- 

 ings, Brahmas, Spanish, or Game fowls to move about in any 

 direction without discommoding each other, thus also affording 

 every visitor the most easy opportunity of narrowly examining 

 every bird shown without the waste of a single moment. This 



