191. 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ March 10, 1863. 



Names of Plants (P. C.).— Rhododendron dauricum. 

 Staphylea pinnata. 



(S. D. Goff).— 



POULTRY, BEE, and HOUSEHOLD CHROHICLE. 



JUDGING- POULTRY. 



To adopt- the opinions of our last week's correspondent would 

 be simply to make a poultry revolution. Dorkings without five 

 claws, Aylesbury Ducks with yellow bills ! Why, shade of 

 Sydney Smith, " Locking-in on railways would he nothing to it !" 



Imagine a Dorking class, comb, colour, and claw, unim- 

 portant. Fowls to be judged according to their aptitude for 

 fattening, and their market properties. What a scene when the 

 public was admitted, if the judges had not taken the precaution 

 to "skedaddle." Imagine the poor tired creature, "chopped" 

 as he was making for the door, and brought back to be asked 

 why he did not give the prize to 12V, and civilly answering that 

 there was a tinge of yellow on the leg ; an absence of tail and 

 fifth claw; an unquestionable leaning to fluff; all of which led 

 him to think there was Cochin blood in it. To the question 

 why he gave it to 91, he said their shape, symmetry, claws, 

 indeed everything, bespoke their purity. Stuff and nonsense, 

 his fowls had bred all through the year, he had had chickens at 

 market every month. His were the largest, they fattened best, 

 while 91 were purely fancy fowls. The old-fashioned nonsense 

 about white legs, five claws, and all those fancitul distinctions 

 were exploded. 



This is not so much overdrawn as may be thought. If classes 

 are not judged for points, what are they to be judged for, or by ? 

 If the classes are dissected, how many will there be left after 

 those who exhibit for points are deducted from the number? 



Shows are over for the season, there is a lull, and opportunely 

 a Society is just formed which has for its object to compile 

 points by which all classes shall be judged. The extremes meet. 

 On one point alone they seem agreed — the present style of judging 

 is unsatisfactory. It is amusing to hear people complain they 

 do not know what to breed or exhibit, decisions vary so. Mr. 

 Archer knew what to breed in Silver Hamburgh? ; Mr. Rake, in 

 Spanish ; Capt. Hornby, Lady Holmesdale, and Mr. Wakefield, 

 in Dorkings; Mr. Moss, in Game; Mrs. Pettat, and Mr. 

 Adkins, in Polands ; Mr. H. D. Bayly, in Bantams ; Mr. 

 Eowler, in Ducks ; Mr. Manfield, in Geese. All these were, and 

 some are, uniformly successful. We predict failure for both 

 extremes, and o\w belief is that rules are simply impossible. 

 The man who cannot judge without, cannot judge with them ; 

 and no man can ever fill the office properly who has not either 

 had the experience of many years, or the natural love for sym- 

 metry and feather, which amounts to a gift. We do not mean 

 to say there are not mistakes made, and, in some eases, ignorance 

 shown in judging ; but, as a rule, complaints come from 1 the un- 

 successful. Very often the man who has finished the Red or 

 White Lion, which is to be sign of the village public-house, looks 

 at it with admiration, and when he compares himself with 

 Landseer and Ansdell, is more prone to attribute the difference 

 in their position to the blindness and injustice of the public, or 

 the want of opportunity, than his own lack of talent ; and so 

 the exhibitor of three birds, two of which are excellent, and the 

 third very inferior, or the possessor of that mediocrity which 

 with content is the happiest station in life, looks from his com- 

 mendation to the coveted first prize, or it may be " silver cup," 

 and denounces the incapacity of judges, or asks what ant one 



IS TO BBEED. 



Being somewhat looked upon by both sides as the poultry 

 organ, we Bhall be glad to open our columns to them. The 

 moment is well chosen, and good must be the result. 

 _ The supply of table poultry throughout England is noto- 

 riously deficient ; the price is remunerative. Anything, there- 

 fore, that will remedy such a state of things will be a double 

 good. 



A BRAHMA POOTRA'S REMONSTRANCE. 



In common with my feathered friends I am much interested 

 in the forthcoming Worcester Poultry Show, and on looking 

 over the prize list I see that the Committee offer a deliberate 

 insult to the kind to which I belong — viz., Brahma Pootras. 

 Now, sir, Mr. Baily, no mean judge, says we are the hardiest 

 birds in England, and the best winter-layers ; and at Mr. Stevens' 

 sales we fetch higher prices than any other birdB. What do you 



think of the Worcester sages giving Creve Cceurs a class to them- 

 selves, and leaving Brahrnus to compete in considerable numbers 

 — for we are a large family— with a lot of Erench abominations 

 with eraekjaw names and few admirers ? 



Why, sir, both our varieties deserve a class — the dark birds, 

 and the beautiful white ones with pencilled hackles. 



"Wise men came from the east ;" and if Worcester folk are 

 fair samples of west countrymen, we must not expect much 

 wisdom from the west. — Bbahma Pootba. 



P.S.— My friend the White Dorking begs me to say that he k 

 omitted also. 



DURATION OF WORCESTER POULTRY SHOW. 



I HAVE just received the prize list of this Show, a most liberal 

 list, and am only sorry to see the Show is to be open so long. 

 The whole of the poultry have to be in the building by Saturday 

 night, and the Show is to be open to the public from Monday to 

 Eriday night; in which case exhibitors will not get their birds 

 back till the Saturday : thus the birds are penned-up in pen and 

 hamper for eight days — quite enough to seriously injure chickens 

 and much too long to confine the old birds. 



I hope the Committee may be induced to limit the days of 

 exhibition to three, or at the most four, and I feel confident 

 what they lose at the door will be more than equalled by the 

 entry fees. — W. G. C. 



ULVERSTON POULTRY SHOW. 



The seventh annual Exhibition of Poultry was held on Wed- 

 nesday and Thursday last in the Victoria Concert Hall, a room 

 in every respect most admirably adapted for a display of the sort 

 being seen to the best advantage. There is good and equal light, 

 good ventilation, and the attention of the Committee to feeding 

 and cleanliness was everything that could be desired by the 

 owners of the many valuable pens in the Show. In numerical 

 quantity the ,pens considerably exceeded last year, and their 

 excellent quality will bo easily understood from a glance at the 

 prize and commended list. On previous years the Committee 

 of management have been complimented from various quarters 

 on returning the birds Irom the Show in good order. This year 

 we feel confident a like praise will be due. 



Mr. Angus Sutherland, of Burnley, officiated as Judge. We 

 understand it is his first season in that capacity ; and from the 

 generally satisfactory manner in which he discharged his arduous 

 duties, we expect to see his name frequently in next year's 

 poultry returns. 



Amongst the varieties of the Show we noticed two pens in 

 particular. One contained three remarkably fine specimens in 

 good feather, and three-parts grown, of those shy wild Ducks 

 the Shelldrake. Another contained a fine, large, full-grown 

 hybrid between a Black Game hen and the Wild Pheasant. 



In Class 1, Mr. Cannan, of Bradford, defeated the well- 

 known Black Spanish of Mr. Teebay, and five others. 



In Dorkings, Capt. Hornby easily defeated all competitors. 

 Mr. W. Hill was second. In Black-breasted and other Red Game, 

 Mr. Eletcher's birds, under the fostering care of Mr. Gilliver, 

 secured first prize ; Mr. T. Robinson pressing hard with a good 

 pen. In Class 4, Duckwings and other Greys and Blues, Mr. 

 Eletcher was again victorious with a capital Grey cock and two 

 excellent hens ; Mr. Joseph Hindson second. In ClaBS 5, Any 

 other variety of Game, Mr. Eletcher won with a splendid pen of 

 Piles, about the best pen ever exhibited. The cock has won 

 eighteen times without any defeat, and placed to the credit of 

 his owner £6-1 in prizes. Mr. West had a capital pen of Piles 

 for second. Cochin- Chinas, in Class 6, were a first-rate col- 

 lection. After devoting particular attention, the card was up 

 for Mr. Cannan ; Mr. E. M. Hendle second. In Class 7, 

 Golden-pencilled BZamlv.rghs, Mr. Robinson, of Ulverston, was 

 first with a beautiful pen, which had previously gained the cup 

 at Kendal. Mr. Cannan was first in both Golden and Silver- 

 spangled Hamburghs. In Class 11, Poland's, Mr. Beldon was 

 first and second. In Class 12, Any other distinct or cross breed, 

 Mr. Lingard's Black Hamburghs bore away the prize in a good 

 class of eleven competitors, including Mr. Teebay's pen of 

 splendid Brahmas. In Game Bantams, Mr. Munn's beautiful 

 pen defied all opposition, although seventeen others contended. 

 A nice pen of Mr. Bayley's was second. In Bantams, Any other 

 variety, Mr. Cannan waB again in the ascendant, defeating Mr. 

 Dixon and seven others. 



