March 30, 1871. 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENER. 



2^3. 



garden, being a native of Italy and Hungary. {Edward J. Ensor).—Yonv 

 shrub is the Cornelian Cherry, Cornus mascula. iL. B. A, IL). — Libonia 

 floribanda. {J. I^.),— Zygopetalum Mackayi. (C B. G.).— Your plant is 

 the Bog Aphode], Narthecium ossifragum, a plant very closely allied to 

 the Rushes. {J. £.).— The Ribbon Grass is Phalaris arundinacea varie- 

 gata. The flower is that of Scopolia carniolica. {B. JS.W., Bitterne). — 

 Triteleia uniflora. 



POULTEY, BEE, AND PIGEOH CHEOHICLE. 



THE LANCASHIRE MO ONE Y— BREEDING FOR 

 POINTS. 



The Journal of a few weeks ago coutaineci a letter from Dr. 

 James More upon the Laneashire Mooney fowl, wiiioh inci- 

 dentally raises a question of very great interest, complaining as 

 he cloes of the judges giving the preference to Spangled cocks, 

 which are produced by the crossing of two distinct breeds, the 

 true-bred Lancashire bird being inadmissible in the show pen 

 on account of his stained deaf ear and darker tail. 



With regard to the disgust experienced by amateurs who may 

 purchase prize birds and find afterwards that they are useless 

 for pullet-breeding, I have myself had occasion to observe this 

 result ; and it may serve to point a piece of advice I have often 

 given to those newly smitten with our fascinating hobby — viz., 

 to acquire some sound knowledge of the matter before spending 

 very much money upon it. The contrary course is too often 

 followed, and frequently leads speedily to general disgust with 

 the fancy itself. The tyro takes the complaint rather badly, 

 and forthwith rushes in to buy the best pen of whatever bread 

 has tickled his imagination, with the probable result of bitter 

 disappointment when he comes to breed from them; for all 

 breeders know well that far more depends upon the judicious 

 mating of birds than on their intrinsic excellence, and better 

 results will be obtained by very medicare stock mated with 

 jadgment than are likely to be bred by the best birds in the 

 kingdom piired by chance. This is a fruitful cause of suspicion 

 quite undeserved. I have known a man buy a noted breeder's 

 '_' best pen," and feel aggrieved because the vendor beat him 

 in the chicken classes at next year's show, averring that he 

 " could not have sold first-class birds ;" the simple truth being, 

 that the judgment of the skilled breeder had enabled him to 

 produce better stock with what was left than the other could 

 hatch from the very pick of his yard. 



Success in the fancy is not obtained in this way. The breed 

 fancied must be carefully studied, and it will be well to study 

 it as far as can be some time before any purchase is made. 

 Nearly all fanciers are pleased to give valuable information for 

 the asking, and it is of no use being shy in asking it. There 

 is about many a truly fraternal spirit which makes it a pleasure 

 even to ask a favour, and no real amateur need have much fear 

 of a rebuff. Some will devote much time and trouble to help- 

 ing even total strangers, and there is positively no excuse for 

 anyone beginning the pursuit in the total ignorance of all its 

 essentials, which many do. By thus learning something about 

 a breed in the first place, by securing the aid of some friend 

 in the selection, by beginning in a modest way till more expe- 

 rience is gained, and, most of all, by careful reflection, obser- 

 vation, and study of the birds when obtained, more or less 

 success will always be secured, where the rash, or what may be 

 called the "any price" system, will only end in disappoint- 

 ment and failure. 



_ But to return to the Spangled Hamburghs. The facts men- 

 tioned by Dr. More are fully stated in every standard poultry 

 book, and no amateur need therefore be without the necessary 

 information. I think that the system as actually carried out 

 was a most foolish one, but it will be interesting to recall 

 its origin. Years ago the true-bred and hen-tailed Mooney 

 was exhibited, and won the prizes, as the hens frequently do 

 still from the richness of their marking ; and the change evi- 

 dently arose from some genius who had noted its defects in 

 the tail and deaf ear, exhibiting as a " spec " the product of a 

 Pheasant cross. Now it is only needful to put side by side a 

 Mooney cock and one of these show birds to see at once why 

 the cross hit instanter. Not only the tail and the deaf ear, 

 but the breast, and the fine, high-bred-looking head of the new 

 bird, are infinitely superior ; and it was almost a matter of 

 course that the judges should give it the preference, as the two 

 breeds are too alike in general characters to show any glaring 

 sign of a cross, which could alone prevent the handsomest bird 

 from winning. Others soon discovered the secret, and finally 

 the Mooney cocks stood no chance, and were virtually discarded. 



I have stated through other channels that I thought the in- 

 genious expedient a clumsy one after all, and that the proper 

 course would have been to perfect the Mooney by patience and 

 care. By this time it might have been done, but that the 

 effect of the actual system pursued has been all bad I cannot 

 admit. Much uncertainty still remains, but some approach to 

 a composite breed combining the excellencies of both and 

 breeding true has by degrees been made; and I know that Mr. 

 Beldon, for instance, has now a strain which very often pro- 

 duces both cockerels and pullets fit for exhibition. Sooner or 

 later this is always the ease ; and so far as a " neatly chiselled 

 head " is superior to a coarse one, &c., I do think that while 

 time has been wasted over it which might have been saved by 

 better procedure, something has still been gained. 



As regards the judges, they have simply given prizes to birds- 

 whose heads, tails, &e., manifestly presented a higher type or 

 standard of beauty with no glaring evidence of a cross. Can it. 

 be maintained that they should have done otherwise ? I do 

 not think it can. Some disappointment is caused to those who- 

 rush into breeding the birds without first learning how to do it,, 

 but the result is a better type of bird, which in a very few 

 years will breed pure, and I cannot think tkis result an un- 

 desirable one. 



It is in this way many breeds have been perfected and raised. 

 That Dorkings owe very much to Cochins and Brahmas is well 

 known. Both size and stamina were improved by the cross :. 

 and so long as the product showed no evidence of it I think 

 the judges were right in giving prizes to the largest-framed 

 birds, though well knowing at that early time that much of the 

 size was then owing to the large eastern breeds. The gain has 

 now been perpetuated, and all sign of the cross is long lost. 

 An evidently cross-bred bird of course ought not to win, but 

 this does not really touch the matter in hand. 



It always seems to me important to remember that there is 

 no such thing as finality in poultry-breeding. Taste improves, 

 and breeds improve with it ; and it is a most singular fact that 

 judges have only to show their preference for any point, how- 

 ever rare, and the skill of the experienced breeder speedily 

 produces it. He may perhaps use a cross at starting — often 

 he does and often not ; but he obtains the point somehow, and 

 if it is a desirable point the breed is so far raised in value. 

 Cochins lately have been bred with decidedly fuller breasts, and 

 this is unquestionably an advantage. I should certainly regret 

 that any breed should ever become so fixed in character as to 

 leave no room for such modifying process ; and I have there- 

 fore taken occasion by Dr. More's interesting letter for a few 

 remarks on a process which is little understood by many ama- 

 teurs, but which in one breed or another is constantly going, 

 on in the poultry world. — L. Weight. 



HANDLING FOWLS AT POULTRY SHOWS. 



"E. D.," at page 149, raises the pertinent question of hand- 

 ling poultry at shows. 



We hold an annual poultry show at Shepherdswell, and, as 

 one of the committee, I volunteered last year to pen the birds 

 as they arrived at the show ; but one worthy who was entrusted 

 with a valuable pen of Game fowls, particularly wished to pen 

 his employer's birds, remarking, " It was not everyone who- 

 knew how to handle a bird," or something to that effect. Of 

 course I very respectfully consented, thinking that by watch- 

 ing his manipulation of the birds I might possibly " gain a 

 wrinkle," and so the performance commenced by the expert 

 thrusting his hand into the hamper, and drawing out the cock 

 bird by one leg, and the bird , as soon as clear of the hamper, com- 

 menced a series of gyrations, forcibly suggesting to my imagina- 

 tion a fractured limb instead of a first prize. However, after 

 describing sundry eccentric circles, the bird was safely penned ; 

 but I thought if that was the proper way to handle a bird I 

 had much to learn, and thinking that perhaps such manipula- 

 tion, to be successful, required a good deal of practice, I for 

 the time gave up the idea of becoming proficient in it, and fell 

 back upon my old-fashioned method. 



I think in taking birds from a hamper, the better plan is to 

 span the birds well with both hands by the shoulders or centre 

 of the body, keeping the wings closely folded ; this effectually 

 prevents the birds from struggling, and consequently injuring 

 themselves or their plumage. In the case of removing them from 

 pens this plan will be found rather more difficult, as the size of 

 the opening in the pens is generally too small to admit both arms 

 comfortably, but with care I think it might be practised ; the 

 bird should always be held in such a manner that the head may 



