August 24, 1871. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



15X 



eagerly after food they loathed a day or two before. When 

 they have reached it they devonr it, and after that digest it. 

 Keep them for some time on short commons. Half the fat 

 fowls die of petting ; they are unnaturally fat, and become 

 diseased thereby. " Miranda " says she has made up her mind 

 to give up poultry because they cost so much and lay so little. 

 The two complaints are intimately connected. If the fowls 

 had been fed less they would have cost less and would have 

 laid more. To feed moderately is to save food in every sense 

 of the word. You sow leas, and you reap more ; you spend 

 iess money in food, and you get four times as many eggs. 



To feed poultry profitably for their health, beauty, and pro- 

 ductiveness, choose an open spot for the process. Having mixed 

 ground oats and water to such consistence that a piece will 

 break and scatter when it is thrown on the ground, call your 

 birds together and throw the food broadcast ; they will wander 

 in search of it. This should form the meal morning and even- 

 ing. You must jadge the quantity by ceasing to feed as soon 

 as they cease to run after it, and observe this rigorously. One 

 more meal, a mid-day one, will be necessary. This may con- 

 sist of whole corn ; barley is the best. If you have household 

 scraps you may give them, but observe these must be in lien 

 of, not in addition to, the ordinary meal. This will keep your 

 &wls as fowls should be kept. 



POULTEY YAEDS IN SUMMER. 



We have summer at last, and it has made a revolution 

 in the poultry-yard. Two days after the hot weather set in, 

 one of my Brahma hens had lost nearly every feather, and I 

 was reminded of Sydney Smith's wish, that he could take off 

 Ms skin and sit in his bones. The fowls do next door to it, 

 and now look like " porkypines.'' I look at and envy them, 

 and with the thermometer at 80° to 90° in the shade, am 

 tempted to wish almost that the primitive British costume, 

 consisting of a thin wash of indigo in lieu of clothing, might be 

 restored. Thus lightly and elegantly attired the heat might 

 be even enjoyable. Meantime we are all martyrs to our ridi- 

 culous summer costume, and the old fowls have the best of it. 



The chickens are less fortunate, their plumage is getting 

 daily closer and more perfect, and they suffer much, lying 

 about even in the shade with their beaks open as if panting for 

 air. My purpose is to suggest again (tor I have done it before) 

 a few little matters which add much to their comfort and well- 

 being. A poultry-fancier, however hot he may be, has no 

 business to lie down and cool himself till he has done all he 

 can for his fowls. 



Take a pot or garden engine, and give all the pens a good 

 drenching once a-day. If some of the water goes on the chickens 

 all the better ; great drought is never good for them, and leads 

 to bad feathering. See that the fountains, whether empty or 

 not, are refilled with cold water at least once daily. Those big 

 things that hold a week's supply are bad even in winter ; in 

 summer they are almost death to the chickens, and many a 

 case of so-called " cholera," had no other cause. See also 

 that the fountains are either kept, or it that cannot be done, 

 regularly movad, so as to be in the shad a all day. And last, 

 but not least, let the house doors stand wide open all day, and 

 all night too. Fresh air is very life to the fowls in this weather, 

 and the most delicate will not be injured by it. 



In small pens like my own abundance of green food must 

 more than ever be now provided. For a few pence I get chil- 

 dren to bring me fresh grass daily, which is cut into green 

 chaff, and not only thrown down, but mixed plentifully with 

 the soft food in the morning. I know of no better plan where a 

 grass run cannot be had, and it keeps the birds' appetites up 

 wonderfully. A little sulphur in the food now and then is also 

 very beneficial, say once a-week or so. 



Now, too, is the time for the purification, which ought to 

 take place at least once a-year in every poultry-yard. It some 

 sulphate of iron be mixed in the limewash it will be far more 

 Effective in the destruction of vermin. Wash the nests out 

 with the same it of wood, and throw away all the old straw and 

 hay every three or four weeks at least. Carbolate of lime 

 sprinkled twice a-week will keep the smallest houses beautifully 

 sweet and wholesome. 



Now also is a good time to get fresh loads of road dust, sand, 

 or dry ashes to replenish the dusting sheds. At this time of 

 year they will be clean and dry. If possible, before doing this, 

 the old material should be finely screened, which will remove 

 both stones and manure which may by degrees have collected, 

 and will add greatly to the comfort of the fowls. 



All these things may not be much, but they make all the 

 difference between a sickly or healthy summer in the poultry 

 yard. — L. Weight. 



POULTRY EXHIBITIONS FOR THE WORKING 



CLASSES. 

 I OFTEN read in your Journal the notices of flower shows for 

 the working classes, and the thought has struck me that the 

 exhibition of poultry under the same rules would do much to 

 encourage the keeping of poultry by the working class. I think 

 it would surprise some of the prize-breeders to know the diffi- 

 culties which attend the breeding and rearing of chickens in 

 the back yards of London. It is no very easy matter to rear a 

 brood of chickens in February, with no other accommodation 

 than a bouse 5 feet long by 2 feet 6 inches wide, and have a 

 long journey after a root of grass or a handful of leaves. Of 

 course I do not pretend to say that we could show many 

 pure-bred birds, but I think some cross-bred birds which I 

 have seen really do great credit to the breeders when we take 

 into consideration the means they have at hand. I think if 

 some of the gentlemen who arrange the shows will try and 

 make room- for poultry, they will do a great favour to many 

 working men. I think a medal, or some similar prize, would 

 be tried after by very many, and I would especially encourage 

 early breeding by a prize for chickens. — H. I. 0. 



INSURING EXHIBITED BIRDS. 

 It occurs to me that if the safety of birds could be insured 

 at so much per pen, or by a per-centage on the reserved prices 

 put upon them, few if any would lose the opportunity held out 

 to them. Were some such system adopted I am convinced it 

 would induce many to send contributions which are now with- 

 held, simply because they can get no guarantee for their valu- 

 able stock ; and farther, it would be an incentive to committees 

 to see responsible persons appointed to look after contributions, 

 and the result would doubtless be a profit, as with ordinary 

 care few mishaps may be anticipated. I shall be glad to see 

 this matter ventilated by such as are interested, and venture 

 to assert that so long as poultry shows continue without a 

 guarantee of some kind to exhibitors, they will inevitably retro- 

 grade so far as quality is concerned. — A. V. Meeesoh. 



PRIZES FOR BLACK EAST INDIAN DUCKS. 



Last year I solicited subscriptions to provide a cup for Black 

 East Indian Dacka to be competed for ft the Crystal Palace 

 Show. I again ask the same favour, and to l-fl allowed to say 

 that any person disposed to subscribe towards one to be offered 

 at the same Show this year will greatly oblige by communicat- 

 ing at once with the undersigned, or with the Secretaries of 

 the Crystal Palace Show. Remembering the great success this 

 class was last year, I trust that admirers of this breed will sub- 

 scribe even more generally than they did on that occasion. — 

 Geoege Saundebs SAiNSEnKY, Belli Vue House, Devizes. 



KEIGHLEY POULTRY SHOW. 



Unfortunately tlie weather proved as unfavonrable as it conld 

 possibly be ; for the rain fell constantly daring the preceding night, 

 and Tvhile the Show was open heavy thunder showers occurred at 

 intervals. This is to be regretted, as the town on the day of the 

 Show is decorated with evergreens and banners, the morning ushered 

 in by the joyous clanging of the church bells, and from midday most 

 of the places of business are closed for an almost general holiday. The 

 preparations made this year were not less complete than heretofore, 

 and it was appointed that in the evening a brilliant illumination should 

 take place on all the triumphal arches on the way to the Show field, 

 which is three-quarters of a mile from the centre of Keighley. To 

 give any description of the poultry exhibited, even approximately coiTCct 

 in its details, would be atask we could not enter upon, but the opinion 

 expressed by the Judges was, that throughout the Show the classes 

 contained specimens of high merit, and fully equalled those of any 

 show previously held in this district. 



Coohix-Chinas.-Bii#.-1, H. Lacey, Hebden Bridge. 2 and 3, W. A. Taylor, 

 Manoliester. Chickens.— I and S, W. A. Taylor. 2, C. Sidgwiok, Keishley. 

 c, J. Siehel. Timnerley. Ami other Colour— 1, J- Sichel. 2, E. Leecli, Eoch- 

 dale. S, W. A- Taylor. CMc'fcCTW.— 1 and 3, C. Sidswick. 2, W. A. Taylor. 



SPi»JiSH.-JB((icS.-l and 3, C. W. Brierley, Middleton. 2, J. Powell, Bradford. 

 ]ic. H. Beldon, Goitstock, Binglcy. Chickens— 1. J. J. Bootli, Siladen. i, t±. 

 Beldon. S, W. Wilkinson, Earljy. he. Clews & Adkms. „ j n 



HA^BVMBBS.-Silver-pencnied.-l and 3, H. Pickles, jim., Barby. 2 and c H. 

 Beldon. Chickens.— 1, H. Pickles, jun. 2, H. Beldon. 3, H. Smith, Morton 



H^mn-Rass.-Silver-si>anr,led.-l and 3, H. Pickles, jtm. 2, H. Beldon. 

 Chiekens.—l, T. Mitchell, Keigbley. 2, C. Smith, Silsden. 3, H. Beldon. 



