March 10, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



195 



In Ducks, Mr. Fowler was winner in the Aylesbury class, 

 and Mr. I. Robinson in Rouens. A pen of Grey Call Ducks 

 belonging to Mr. J. Dixon, was first in Ducks of Any other 

 variety, and Mr. Earle's East Indian second. 



In the Game Cock class, Mr. Fletcher was first with a noble- 

 looking Black Red, winner of many prizes, and Mr. Boulton 

 3econd with a Brown Red, which was third at Birmingham, first 

 at Manchester, and third at Whitehaven. Mr. Fletcher was 

 third, and Mr. Redhead fourth with a beautiful blood-like 

 Black Rod. In Game Chickens and two pullets, Mr. Grimshaw 

 was first with a pen of capital birds ; Mr. Fletcher second, and 

 Mr. E. Aykroyd third. 



In Game Bantam Cocks Mr. Bay ley exhibited one of the most 

 beautiful birds ever seen. Mr. C. B. Kennedy, of Ulveraton, 

 was second, and Mr. Fletcher third. 



WHITEHAVEN CANAEY, POULTEY, AND 

 PIGEON SHOW. 



Foe fire years past a Poultry Exhibition has annually taken 

 place at Whitehaven, under the management of a small but 

 enthusiastic committee of local poultry-fanciers. At the outset 

 the Exhibition was indeed a small one ; but the originators, in 

 no way foiled by the paucity of the entries, perseveringly pur- 

 sued the same honourable and straightforward conduct that still 

 marks all their proceedings, until their Meeting well deserves 

 mention as one of the best to be visited in any of the northern 

 counties. ^ Even a cursory inspection of the printed catalogue 

 will convince auy one that the competition now embraces a very 

 considerable proportion of our most noted breeders ; and we 

 may, for the information of our readers, preface our few obser- 

 vations on this year's Show by stating the entries were more 

 than a hundred pens in advance of those of the year 1862. 



We offer the Committee our hearty congratulations on their 

 success, and hope that each succeeding year may still add 

 notoriety to their well-merited position among our local exhi- 

 bitions._ The Refuge School, in which the Exhibition takes 

 place, is exceedingly well situated for the accommodation of 

 visitors, being actually in the public market-place, so that the 

 Show necessarily becomes an annual treat not only to the actual 

 residents of Whitehaven, but is generally so to the numbers 

 who visit the town from many miles round for business purposes. 

 The only drawback is, that some portions of the room are com- 

 paratively dark from w-ant of a direct light into the pens ; but 

 this objection has been materially lessened by the application of 

 temporary gaslights, while a little alteration in the disposition 

 of the pens in future years will leave very little to be com- 

 plained of on this score. 



The first class was for Bleck-breasted and other Reds, Game 

 fowls, and a capital competition ensued. Most unusually, the 

 Black-breasted birds took all the premiums, and were shown in 

 a tip-top condition most creditable to their respective owners. 

 The Duckwings, though few in numbers, were very good; in 

 fact, birds of this colour were more than generally good through- 

 out the Whitehaven Show. In the Game class for Any other 

 variety were shown a very good pen of the now-almost-extinct 

 breed so well known in times past as Worcestershire Piles. In 

 the days of the cock-pit they were notoriously the most in- 

 domitable of fighters, and the most lasting birds that could be 

 placed on the turf, but perhaps not so quick fighters as some 

 others, whilst their curiously-marked plumage gave but little 

 hope to the inexperienced of their unvarying pluck ; so much 

 so that old cockfighters assert that not a single instance of 

 cowardice could ever be pointed out in this almost-forgotten 

 variety. A pen of uncommonly good White Game stood first, 

 however, in this class, and Red Piles took second honours, the 

 Worcestershire Piles having to remain content with a high com- 

 mendation. The only class in which a falling-off appeared was 

 the Black Spanish, and therefore we omit any further reference 

 to them. 



The whole class of Dorkings consisted of large and superior 

 specimens, and it augurs well for the great improvement of late 

 in White Dorkings to report that in such a competition a pen 

 of this variety took second position against all comers. 



In Cochin fowls, all colours competing, the Partridge birds 

 were far in advance of the remainder, and were numerously 

 exhibited ; they thus, of course, cleared the prize list. 



As a satire', on the breed, we rather presume, a local com- 

 petitor entered a very good pen of Brahmas. In this class they 



remained unnoticed, though in the class for Any other variety 

 of poultry they must have maintained an excellent position. 



The Eambiu-ffhs wore quite a befitting collection for the 

 northern counties, where first-rate excellence is always antici- 

 pated. The hen in the first-prize pen of Golden-pencilled birds 

 was undoubtedly one of the best ever yet exhibited. The 

 Golden and Silver-spangled Hamburghs were far beyond me- 

 diocrity, but the Silver-pencilled were comparatively a failure. 



The only Polands worthy of special note were the AVhite- 

 crested and the Golden-spangled. 



The Game Bantams were, perhaps, one of the very best classes 

 in the room, Duckwings, Black Keds, Brown Reds, Piles, and 

 Birchen Greys being well shown ; but it really was a misfortune 

 for this truly pretty class — always, by-the-by, quite favourites 

 with the public — to have to while away their confinement in 

 one of the darkest positions in the show-room. A provision 

 against this another year would certainly be an improvement. 

 The Gold and Silver laced Bantams were also good. A decidedly 

 good competition ensued in the Any other variety class for 

 Bantams ; so much so that thrice the number of prizes to be 

 allotted could have been easily and deservedly distributed. 



The Aylesbury Ducks fell short of the generally-accepted 

 standard ; but the Rouens made great amends for their short- 

 comings. Wild Ducks and Buenos Ayrean Ducks were shown 

 in perfection. 



We next come to the Pigeon classes, and never, perhaps, has 

 a more meritorious collection, if limited to the same number of 

 pens, been exhibited. The Carriers proved one of the strongest 

 classes, the Dun birds taking the highest position, Blacks the 

 second, whilst high commendation seemed on every hand called 

 for. The Almonds were very good, and among the Baldheada 

 were a pair of as perfect Reds as need be desired. The Trum- 

 peters, particularly the White ones, and the Jacobins (in many 

 varieties of colour) were so good that it was by no means a 

 covetable task for any arbitrator to assign superiority. The 

 Barbs, Turbits, and Owls were also of the highest character. 

 In the class open to all other varieties of Pigeons were some 

 extraordinary high-class Runts (Silver Duns), and some specially 

 good Frillbacks. Altogether, the Pigeon classes were superior 

 to any we have had the pleasure of inspecting for many months 

 past. 



As a fitting tailpiece to the Whitehaven Poultry Show came 

 two Single Game Cock classes — the one for adults, the other for 

 cockerels. To the latter, money prizes were the order of the 

 day ; to the old birds, a silver cup in addition. The compe- 

 tition in both classes was extreme, and representatives of every 

 colour of Game fowls were competing. The winner ot the silver 

 cup was a magnificent Black- breasted Red belonging to Mr. 

 C. W. Brierley, ot Oakenrod Terrace, Rochdale, and which 

 Droved one of the most specially attractive objects on view. 

 The covetous desires of on-lookers, however, were soon dissi- 

 pated, on a reference to the catalogue, where his value was 

 estimated by its fortunate owner at a cool £100, most probably 

 to insure its safe return. Under this proviso, it was really 

 amusing to witness how soon the ardour of anxious " claimants " 

 evaporated. Many of the remaining birds were most excellent. 

 In the Cockerel class, Mr. T. Robinson, of Poplar Grove, Uiver- 

 ston, exhibited a Brown Red that will take a very great deal of 

 beating before he can be surpassed if kept up to his present con- 

 dition ; for not only is he of faultless colour, but as perfect in 

 the hand as could be wished for, and one of the hardiest-feathered 

 Game cockerels ever shown. 



Before concluding we must make one observation as to the 

 silver cup given to the best adult Game cock at the Whitehaven 

 Show. It was really a good one and such as any winner might be 

 proud of— a feature, we regret to say, by no means universal in 

 the silver cups given to poultry of the present day. It was 

 a honest representative of value ; and if some few of our poultry 

 committees will take down this gentle hint as a guide in their 

 future distributions, we can confidently assure them it will add 

 most materially to the popularity of their coming shows, for the 

 present case stands out in pleasing contrast to the many instances 

 that might be adduced of cups proving (when obtained), not 

 worth one-fourth or even a sixth of their reputed value. The 

 remedy is easy, and the line of conduct for the guidance of com- 

 mittees quite without dispute — viz., if silver cups are to be 

 allotted, by all means let them be nearly approaching in value to 

 the worth represented, or at least leave the winner the oppor- 

 tunity of receiving the money instead, under which arrangement 

 no objection can reasonably ensue. It is not, in our opinion, a 



