Jane 22, 1871. ] 



JOUKNAL OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



447 



My first real poultry experience began when a boy at school, 

 and was in a small paved yard, where the same brother and 

 myself went partners, bnying the corn and selling the eggs to 

 onr mother at the market prices. The place may, perhaps, 

 have been 20 feet square, all paved with large flags, and it may 

 easily be imagined that we did not find it all smooth sailing, 

 especially as the sun only shone there about two hours during 

 each day. One or two of onr first birds, in fact, died ; we 

 •could not at the time tell why, but as we learnt more we did 

 better, and at last actually made it pay. Food must have been 

 cheaper then than it is now, for I can distinctly remember that 

 ■for a long time we used to buy half a peck of good barley (our 

 purchases were limited by our capital) for 4id., but probably 

 .sggs were also cheap in proportion, and I have no hesitation 

 in saying that if we could keep fowls there with profit, they 

 may be kept with profit anywhere. It was there I learnt much 

 of what has been most useful to me since, and most especially 

 of the individual habits and instincts, the understanding of 

 which adds so much to the indescribable fascination of poultry- 

 keeping, and without which no one can ever be a true fancier. 

 On those flags I learnt the absolute necessity of fresh green 

 food ; in that confined space I learnt the evils of overfeeding, 

 and what could be done by cleanliness and care. 



The last two seasons we reared our own chickens. Onr very 

 first brood consisted of nine, and when they were hatched the 

 whole house rejoiced over them, such dear little things as they 

 seemed to onr inexperienced eyes. They were a decidedly 

 " mixed lot," but though the want of sun prevented their grow- 

 ing very large, and we fed too much (as I now know) on slops 

 besides, I think we reared them all in perfect health ; and as I 

 know we sold the first pair for 3s. 6d. to a woman who kept a stall 

 in the market, they must have been pretty fair for those days. 



Then we had soma Cochins, and I got the fancy, which has 

 lasted ever since, for the feathered Asiatic breeds. We did not 

 succeed with them, probably from want of study ; but the large 

 feathered races has ever since been my peculiar favourites. I 

 like their grand appearance, I like their nicety of feather, I 

 like their quiet disposition and " manageableness " generally, 

 I like their constant egg-laying, and I like their noble propor- 

 tions on the table. They are quiet, stay-at-home people like 

 myself, and we get on together. Had we not then kept Cochins 

 I should, perhaps, never have kept Brahmas. 



Bat we had to give up, and for years I hardly ever saw a 

 fowl. My beginning again was the fault of Mrs. "Nemo." 

 She comes from the country, and thought she should like a 

 fresh egg now and then. She got them, but she little knew 

 what she was coming in for. I only started with a few Irish 

 mongrels, but the fancy was " born in me," and it was not in 

 human nature to go on like that. So I got some eggs from 

 Pencilled Hamburghs, and we hatched a good lot ; but. in our 

 limited space they never did well as regards egg-production, 

 besides flying about like sparrows and giving no end of trouble. 

 Meantime I had had my attention drawn particularly to 

 Brahmas, and "took" to them instinctively. When I saw 

 them for the first time I felt at once, " that's my fowl," and 

 began to stady them forthwith. And I may, perhaps, remark 

 that I studied them for more than a year before I bought a 

 bird — a plan I would strongly recommend, in degree at least, to 

 all others who may be beginning. The result of this caution 

 was, that with the first pen I ever bought, and the first time I 

 «ver showed, I won the first prize at the first Bristol exhibition, 

 though I used my own judgment only, and they had been 

 passed by as unworthy at Birmingham ; and these birds gave 

 the real " character " to my present yard, which is more or 

 less descended from them. We had then just moved house, 

 and the four fowls had the sole run of all our garden : hence 

 they appeared in a "condition" I have never been able to 

 acquire since, though I have br«d and sold many birds of ten 

 times their value. This garden I measured to-day, and it is 

 just 67 by 35 feet, including a path 4 feet wide the long way 

 up. In this space every year I now breed from four pens of 

 fowls, and hatch about forty chickens, rearing to maturity 

 rather more than half, and killing or giving away as early as I 

 can those not good enough to be preserved. Bnt I have taken 

 up so much space with this long and personal introduction, 

 that I must leave the consideration of what may be done with 

 this space to another paper. — L. Wkight. 



THE YORKSHIRE GALA BIRD SHOW. 



The able management and tmtu-ing zeal of Mr. John "Wilson, the 

 Secretary, carried to a snccessful issue the annual bu-d Show held in 



Bootham Field, York, in connection with the above gala, on the 14th, 

 15th, and IGth inst. There were upwards of three hundred entries of 

 birds for competition, being one hundred more than at the previous 

 show, besides many other choice specimens for exhibition. Mr. Wilson 

 was assisted in the hhd department by Mr. M. Millington, of York, 

 well known for his exertions on hehali of the Rabbit fancy, to whose 

 hands was entrusted the arrangement. Such an admirable collection 

 of Canaries and British and foreign birds has not before been exhibited 

 in York. The bird tent was a lively feature, and afforded great plea- 

 sure to the many visitors from the city, and likewise to those who 

 poured in by " specials." Mr. Charles "Wand, of York, eshibited in an 

 ingenious cage a wonderfully trained Greenfinch, which, by the regular 

 turning of a wheel at one end of the cage, played a diminutive organ. 

 This performance was the source of much interest, as were also a pair 

 of white Thrushes (to which a special prize was awarded by the Judges), 

 taken from a nest at Clifton, near York, a few days back. An orna- 

 mental wire cage, of very skilful design and large, was exhibited by 

 Mr. Pinder, of York, and received a special prize. Mr. J. Nicholls, of 

 Acomb, near York, also showed a maguiticent birdcage of immense 

 proportions fitted on a stand with food-drawers, &c., the whole being 

 fully 6 feet high. The following are the awards of the Judges ; — 



B-E-LGlAS.— Clear YellotL'.~l, — Gedley, York. S, L. Belk, Dowsliury. 

 3. Stevens & Burton, Middlesbrongh. Clear Buj^\ — 1, — Eaines, York, 2, — 

 Calvert, York. 8, — Belk, 



NoiiWicH. — Clear Telloie.—l, — Eaines. 2, Moore & Wvnn, Northampton. 

 8, K. Triffitt, York. Clear Buff.— 1, — Trimtt. 2, 0. Bni-ton, York. 3, Vf . Har- 

 land, York. Eren-markcd Yellow. — 1, R. Hawman, Midtllesbiougli. 2, C. Bur- 

 ton. 3, Moore & Wjcn. Even-marked Buff. — 1, W. & C. Bumiston, Middles- 

 brough. 2, Moore & Wynn. 3, — Baines. 



YoRKsniR-E.— Marked Yellon: — 1, E. Havrman. 2, P. Rawnsley. Bradford. 

 3, Stevens & Burton. Ularked Buff. — 1, — Rawnsley. 2, E. Hawman. 3, Stevens 

 and Burton. Clear Yellow. — 1, — Hackers, York. 2. J. Clarkson, Y'ork. 8, Quicn 

 and Cowl, Y'ork. Clear Buff. — 1, C. Gray, Bewortli. 2, — Hackers. S, Messrs. 

 Bumiston. • 



CiXiM.— Cfcar Crested.— 1, E. Trifatt. 2. — Belk. 8, Barwell & JoUy, Xorth- 

 amptou. Black-crested or Crev. — 1 and 3, R. Trifiitt. 2, Moore ic VS'ynn. 

 Even-marked Crested.— 1, — Triffitt. 2 and 8, Moore & "Wynn. 



Cinnamon. — Dun. — 1 and 2, — Ti-iifitt. 3, — Bradbury, Dringhouses. Buff.— 

 1, — Triffitt. 2, Moore & Wynn. S, — Baines. 



l>lZk^T>.—Golden-.^pan(jled — 1, R. Hawman. 2, — Harrison, Belper. 3. W. 

 Kirk, jtm , Market W'eigiiton. Silver-spangled — 1, — Harrison. 2, — Baines. 

 8, Stevens & Burton. 



Goldfinch Mvle.— Marked.— 1, R. Hawman. 2, Stevens & Burton. 3, Messrs. 

 Bumiston. Orange. — 1, Stevens & Bm-ton. 2, — Harland. 3, ~ Burton. 



Casary.— Ami oilier Varieti/.-l, Bai-weU & Jolly. 2, R. J. Smith. York. 

 3. — Baines. yesf o/r«iio!c.—l, — Harland. 2,— Triffitt. 3, — Russell, York. 

 Nest of Buff.—l, — Baines. 2. — Triffitt. 3, — Harland. A'esi of Crested.— 

 1, Mrs. Calvert, York. 2, — Baines. 3, E. J. Smith. 



Lizards.— A'es^ of Gold or Silver-spanaled.-l. — Baines. 2, Mrs. Calvert. 

 3, Mrs. Todd, York. Cage of Six Gold or Silver-sx^angled.-l. — Harland. 

 2.— Eaines. 3, — Triffitt. Collection of Twelve Birds.— l. — Calxert. 2, Mrs. 

 Calvert. S, — Nicholls. Acomb. CoUeciion of Twelve British Birds.— 1, T. 

 Bailey, Sowerbv, Thirsk. 2. — Calvert, Yellow Cock.— 1, Quiim & Co^'il. 2, J. 

 Staveley. 3, — Ea'ncs. Bii^F Coc7.-.—), — Triffitt. 2, — Hackers. 8, — Cal- 

 vert. Jllarkcd CaJiarij.— I,— Bm-ion. 2 and 8, J. H. Dossor, York. Crested 

 CnMrv.— 1, Qninn & Cowl. 2, Porritt * Raw. Rnswarp, Whitby. 3, E. Heed. 



Pareot — 1, J. Clarkson. 2, Mrs. Wilkinsori, Whitby. 



Goldfinch. — 1, — Triffitt. 2, — Gray. 



Linnet.— 1, — HaiTison. 2, — Harland. 



Bullfinch. — 1, W. Bumiston, Middlesbrough, 2, Miss Jones, York. 



The Judges were Mr. George J. Barnesby, Derby, and Mr. Cowper, 

 York. 



ROMFORD POULTRY SHOW. 



This Show was held on the 15th and 16th inst. in conjunction with 

 that of the Essex Agricultural Society, but as poultry and Pigeons are 

 not amongst the fancies of the members of that Society, the Show was 

 managed by a local Committee. An extra charge for admission was 

 made, and from the number of people who paid their shillings we 

 should fancy it must have proved a great success. 



The birds were exhibited under a tent, which was not nearly large 

 enough to hold the number sent, consequently they were much dis- 

 tressed from the intense heat and want of air. In many cases it was 

 impossible to see the birds in the pens from the want of light and bad 

 arrangement. We noticed many ladies declined venturing down the 

 dark, niirrow, crowded, and badly ventUated alley where their favourites, 

 the Bantams and Pigeons, were shown. Under these adverse circum- 

 stances the Judge must have had great difficulty in making his awards. 

 Still the judging was very satisfactory, and we were glad to find a 

 proper notice had been taken of the hen, the prizes not merely going 

 to the best cock alone, but to the best pair. Coloured Dorhings were 

 an even lot, in capital condition. The first-prize birds were uncom- 

 monly good, closely pressed by the second ; the cock was harcily in 

 such flue feather as the other. The class for Any other variety was 

 poor. Buff Cochins were few, but good. The third-prize cock had 

 horribly scuiwy legs and feet, as had also some of the Partridge 

 Cochins. Dark Brahmas were good, and mostly well shown, especially 

 Mr. Lingwood's bird. The first-prize Light cock was a grand bird, 

 but he had with him an inferior hen, while in the second-prize pair 

 was a capital hen matched with a fair cock. The Judge had evidently 

 carefully weighed them together, and given the first prize to the best 

 pair. Game were good in quality and feather. The second-prize 

 cock, a Brown Red, was a large rakish-looking fellow, and would no 

 donbt have been first had not one of his sickle feathers been broken. 

 A very fair pair of Piles were third in the Any variety class. The 

 first-prize Spanish were a long way ahead of the others. The 

 second-prize cock had on one side of his face a large dry scab ; the 

 third was a good bird with a bad hen, but wo liked another pen better 

 than either of these. The whole class was above the average for the 



