170 



JOUENAL OF HOKTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



C March 2, 1871. 



Tthbits.— 1, E. Paterson. 2, A. Crosbie. he, K. Paterson: W. E. Easton. 

 <?.F. L.Eoy. 



Otvxs {English).— I.E. Paterson. 2,W.Goddard. fic.J. Coutts; J. G. Spence. 



TuiiEiXES.— 1. F. Moore. 2, F. il'Crae. he, W, Goddard : A. Jolmston. 



AsT OTHER YAEaxTY.— 1, A. Crosbie (Letz). 2. \V. Goddard (Austrian 

 Ponters). 3. T. Eole (Tmmpeters). 4, "W. Goddard (Wliite Owls), /tc, W. Taylor, 

 Durham; T. Rule (Trmnpeters): "W. Eearpark; "W. Goddard (White Owlsj; A. 

 Johnstone. Bathgate fPorcelains). 



Selling Cl^ss.— 1, W. Goddard rfce Pigeons). 2, J. Campbell (Carriers). 

 he, G. B. Phillips (Magpies), c, A. Hutton, Carolside (Jacobins) ; J. Tnmbull 

 (Fantails). 



CAGE BIPuDS. 



CANAtrES.— YeZ/ow Don.~l, G. Laidlaiv, Galashiels. 2, J. Mnirhead, Gala- 

 shiels. /iC. E. Laurie, MelroEe. BuffZton.—l. G. Lalrllaw. 2, W. Bofrie. Mel- 

 rose. /(C. A. Poison. Galashiels. Yellow FkcJ.-ed.—l, A Poison. Biifr Fl-2Cked. 

 —I.E. Hunter. Tiliieoultry. 2, A. Poison. Common.~l, C. Mann, Nevrstead. 

 2, J. Gibson. Melrose. 



Cage Ejed (Canaries and Goldfinches excepted).—!, J. Tumbnll. 2, Miss E. 

 Wangh. 



GoLDFiKCHES.— 1 and 2, R. Paterson. he, "W. Bogie. 



The Judge was Mr. E. Hutton, Padsey, Leeds. 



FARM BKEEDIXG AND MANAGEMENT OF 

 POULTKY. 



"We have been requested to state that in the report of the discussion 

 ■^hich followed the reading of a paper on this subject by the Eev. G. 

 A. Brooke, at a recent meeting of the Midland Farmers' Club, the 

 remarks of Mr. T. B. "Wright were given iu an abridged form, and 

 consequently in one or two instances did not fully represent the views 

 of the speaker. "We therefore readily comply with a request, and give 

 the remarks of so good an authority from another and more complete 

 report. 



Mr. "Wpjght said that the first point which occurred to his mind was 

 that it was impossible to lav down any strict rule as to the breed which 

 should be recommended to be universally kept. Difference in climate, 

 Boil, and convenience had to be considered. Some poultry required 

 great ranges, while others d d well in confined spaces. Such varieties 

 as Game or Hamburghs would be worthless if kept in a confined space. 

 "With regard to keeping poultry generally, one of the great difficulties 

 was that two runs or yards were requisite — one for the old and the 

 other for young birds. "Without such accommodation it was almost 

 impossible to keep them profitably or satisfactorily. Many of their 

 agiicultural friends had ont-barns, where the chickens could be sent 

 when old enough to leave the hen, where they could be fed at little 

 cost, and thrived admirably. "Where they had not two walks it was 

 well for friends to join — the one to keep the old breeding stock and the 

 other the young birds. With regard to which was the best variety of 

 fowls for farmers' use, in anything like a favourable situation the 

 Dorkings were to he recommended. In the number of eggs they laid 

 they were not equal to either the Hamburghs or the Brahmas; but for 

 the table there was not a breed equal to them. They were very fair 

 foragers, getting their own living as far as possible, and very well repaid 

 the food they ate. They came to market great weights at a tolerably 

 early age — a couple of pullets, for instance, weighing from 10 to 11 lbs. 

 at eight months old. In damp localities Dorkings would not do, as 

 they were in such situations liable to roup ; the latter tendency arising 

 generally not so much from the nature of the fowl, and their liability 

 to that disease, as from want of care on the part of persons who keep 

 them. If Dorkings were not so much crowded together, they would be 

 very much less affected by roup. "With regard to roosts and the care 

 of poultry, he had been very fortunate in hatching a considerable 

 number of chickens every year. He bad only a small roosting place, 

 and till he could kill them off they were very crowded. Notwithstand- 

 ing that, however, he had rarely any disease among them; and when 

 disease did appear it was always introlucedby fresh birds from another 

 district. "What he did was to have tbe roosting places swept out every 

 morning, and the floor sprinkled with sawdust and MacDougall's 

 disinfecting powder ; and he recommended every poultry — and he might 

 say stock — keeper to use the latter, as a preventive of disease. As to 

 feeding, a variety of food was to some extent necessary ; and he thought 

 that some errors were committed iu regard to feeding. For his own 

 part he never used Indian corn, as it made the poultry fat and gross, 

 and the eggs had not the right flavour. The food he had used for a 

 long time had been a small but good sample of English wheat, and 

 barley ; the latter, when steeped, being au excellent thir^g for bringing 

 fowls into high condition. He soate^l tbe grain one day, putting it 

 afterwards into an iron dish in the oven or near the fire until it was 

 sprouted a little. "With regard to large kinds of ponltry, which wanted 

 plenty of bone-forming material, bran, sharps, and meal were very 

 useful ; but the best thing he had found for his young Dorkings, in 

 addition to other food, was a good sample of small white peas, which 

 were not expensive keep. In regard to other varieties of fowls, for an 

 amateur who wanted beautiful objects about his place, there was no- 

 thing superior to the Silver-spangled Hamburghs. They were constant 

 layers and non-sitters ; while, for the table, he was quite certain that 

 no poultry could surpass a couple of young cockerels of this variety, 

 hatched in April, and killed about November or December, weighing 

 ahont 10 lbs. or 11 lbs. The pencilled were very beautiful, but more 

 delicate ; but one of the most useful of all fowls, especially to tbe in- 

 habitants of our towns or villages, was the old-fashioned Copper Moss, 

 Moonies, Golden Pheasants, or " Eed Caps," as they wer« called in 

 some localities, which, he was sorry to say, bad been deteriorating for 

 a number of years. If a large supply of eggs of good size was wanted, 

 no variety was better. If some of their friends could induce the 



Cochins to abandon their propensity to sit, they would be doing good 

 service. He had had them sitting for months on a heap of stones. 

 They were not, as a rule, very good for the table. A young Cochin 

 cockerel, about five or six months old, would have consumed a wonder- 

 ful quantity of food, but after that age they were not good, and the 

 pullets were never so. Brahmas might find favour as an amateur's 

 fowl. They were handsome, and laid well; hut they were not table 

 fowl, he should say. Malays were a valuable variety, and he was sur- 

 prised they had not received more attention. They were not hand- 

 some in appearance, but, as a table fowl, most exceUect. He thought 

 crosses of ail kinds in ponltry were decided mistakes. They had been 

 told that the best of all crosses was that between the Brahma and the 

 Dorking. For two years he took the opportunity of testing this point 

 fully with some of the best strains, and when the birds were lolled they 

 were not so heavy by 3 or 4 lbs. the couple as some pure Dorkings- 

 which were hatched at the same time. The crosses had broad, decep- 

 tive, flat backs, but no breasts. He thought this was the case witk 

 regard to all crosses. "Unless there were plenty of rain in the spring, 

 and the worms appeared, jioultry never throve so well ; and the last 

 three seasons had been against them iu that respect. A great mis- 

 take was made in the manner of killing poultry. Much of the poultry 

 which came to town was killed, plucked, and sent to market at once. 

 They should be fasted nearly a day before killing, and hung a week or 

 a fortnight according to the state of the weather, when the meat would 

 be much better and much more nutritious. 



E.\EBIT SHOWS— THE UNITED KINGDOM 

 KAEBIT CLUB. 



Much has been said, little has been done, respecting Eabbit 

 shows of recent date. Saggestion follows suggestion very 

 rapidly, but no suggestion is adopted as the final basis upon 

 which a modified exhibition is to be founded. The proposed 

 Society is a very good idea, and I hope the project will be 

 responded to by all tbe fanciers of London, who seek their 

 standing in the provincial towns, owing to their not having a 

 suitable exhibition of their own. I do not doubt such a society 

 will be successful in attaining its object, but it is necessary 

 that an enterprising gentleman should take the matter in hand. 

 I beg to propose that a committee be formed; that a selection 

 of one or two gentlemen be made from each town where the 

 idea is entertained, so that all may be fairly represented ; that 

 the preliminary steps be taken by tbe projectors; and that they 

 shall nominate the gentlemen (if willing) who are to officiate as 

 the committee. I believe no place could be more suitable for 

 the show than the Crystal Palace, but of course this is an after 

 consideration. 



Eespectinf? the Colchester Show, I perceive by the list that 

 a sum of £12 is given for prizes, and I am indeed surprised 

 only £3 should go to the Lops, whereas the remaining £9 is ta 

 be equally divided among the three variety classes. 



"Is the Rabbit fancy on the decline?" is a question often 

 put, and readily answered. The statistics of the numbers of 

 entries, not including the varieties and lengths of the respective 

 Eabbits exhibited, would not fail to convince thelmost prejudiced 

 gentleman that the '-fancy is steadily increasing every year.'^ 

 Although I see no decline in the fancy, yet I perceive no desire 

 for improvement, such as is exhibited by poultry and other fan- 

 ciers. I know no reason why the Rabbit fanciers should not 

 count among their numbers gentlemen with enterprise equal to 

 those who wield the affairs of other societies. — A. G. C, London, 



I AM greatly delighted that my suggestion, as to the forma- 

 tion of a United Kingdom Eabbit Club, has met with the ap- 

 proval of all respectable fsnciers ; and in taking the first step, I 

 have invited all the Eabbit fanciers in York to meet me on 

 Tuesday, March 7th, in the saloon of the Lecture Hail, when I 

 shall be prepared to explain my scheme ; also, to receive sugges- 

 tions, consider rules, and to enrol members. I shall be glad if 

 those fanciers in the United Kingdom who cannot attend this 

 preliminary meeting, and who are favourable to the cause, 

 would at once write to me and state their opinions as to how 

 such a club shall be worked, the rules, &c. I hope to receive 

 hundreds of letters from all parts, and be warmly supported by 

 the fanciers. I have a strong conviction that if this Club be 

 founded upon a simple and sound basis, it will addgreatly to the 

 numbers and to the respectability of the fancy. — M. Milli:\gton, 

 York. 



BEES NEAR WOLVERHAMPTON. 



It is an old observation that dry summers are productive of 

 honey and wet ones productive of swarms, and this no doubt 

 as a rule slill holds good. Oar summers of late (probably 

 owiug in part to the extensive draining and felling of timber 



