136 



JOUKNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 18, 1870. 



the system, the report takes for basis the cost per day of fatten- 

 ing six hundred pullets, aged from three to four months ; 

 those to which it has been principally applied. The duration 

 of the fattening is eighteen days, and one man and woman do 

 the whole work, so that the great economy of the plan is easily 

 demonstrated. In feeding by hand, one person cannot cram 

 more than twenty birds an hour, or thirty at most with the use 

 of a funnel, while under the new system two hundred are fed 

 in an hour. The bill of costs for one day is thus set forth : — 



Purchase of 33 lean pullets, at an verage cost of 2f. each . . 66f. Oc. 



(60 kilogrammes of meal, at 25c 15 



SO litres of milk, at 15c 4 50 



2 kilogrammes of lard, If. 60c 3 20 



Wages of a man and woman 3 50 



Lobs at the rate of 3 pullets per 100 2 



Interest on cost of material valued at 2000f 40 



Kent of building at 360f. per annum „ 1 



Paid for plucking, &c, 5c. per head 1 65 



Sundry expenses 3 



Total say £4 100 25 



This brings the cost of a fattened pullet to a trifle over 

 2s. 5d., or 50 per cent, more than the price paid for it originally. 

 But there are certain deductions to be made from the expenses 

 incurred — sale of feathers, manure, blood, and offal, which 

 diminish the cost of a fat pullet to little more than 2s. 3d. To 

 form, however, an exact estimate of the cost, it is necessary to 

 take weight into account. The ordinary pullet of Allier at the 

 age stated weighs 950 grammes (nearly £jjg lb. avoirdupois), and, 

 when fattened, plucked, and ready for market, 1,123 grammes. 

 ThiB brings the cost to 2f. 53c. per kilogramme, or lid. per lb. 



M. Martin sells his fat pullets at 3f. 50c. Better results still | Hawkins, Seaham jaiaiaysj, 

 are said to be obtained with the breeds peculiarly adapted to 

 fattening, such as that of La Bresse ; pullets of this race 

 weighing 2J lbs., and doubling in their weight during the fatten- 

 ing. The plan is applicable to other poultry besides pullets. 

 Last winter Capons, Ducks, and Turkeys were fattened by the 

 same means with success. 



The Commission expresses its surprise at the results achieved, 

 especially considering that M. Martin has inaugurated bis 

 system in a part of the country where no progress has been 

 made in the rearing of poultry, and where the breed of fowls 

 is not the best adapted for fattening, and it believes that the 

 plan may be made the starting point of a radical improvement 

 in the rearing of poultry, which hitherto has been little appre- 

 ciated, except in certain districts. France exports annually 

 eggs to the amount of 18,000,000f. (£720,000), and only im- 

 ports one-sixth of that amount, which proves that the climate 

 is well adapted for poultry. If establishments like M. Martin's 

 were set up in every department of France, and every district 

 of England, they would become perfect manufactories of 

 poultry, for the farmers would then always have a market for 

 their chickens, as fattened poultry always finds ready pur- 

 chasers. Moreover, the produce in manure would not be un- 

 important, for each pullet fattened by M. Martin gives on an 

 average 2f lbs. of dry manure, said to be equal to the best 

 guano of Peru. Another great point is the health of the 

 breeders as well as of the fowls. Poultry fattened by hand is 

 generally kept in narrow cages, often in barrels, without a 

 proper supply of pure air ; and in the midst of all the filth, the 

 persons who feed them tie three of the unfortunate birds to- 

 gether by the legs, and then cram them alternately with fifteen 

 or twenty balls of food in spite of their violent struggles ; and 

 it is surprising how the feeders themselves live in the vitiated 

 air around them. 



In M. Martin's system the fowls are always surrounded by 

 pure air, everything is kept scrupulously clean, washed, and 

 disinfected by means of sulphate of iron ; the birds suffer in no 

 way from the mode of feeding, and are almost invariably 

 healthy, and the feeders have but little to do. It has been pro 

 posed to set up a model feeding establishment in the gardens 

 of the Acclimatisation Society in the Bois de Boulogne. 



There is little doubt that many supplies of food are capable 

 of great extension, and that poultry, whether reared naturally 

 with the aid of houses on wheels, or on Martin's system, offers 

 to farmers and others a fair prospect of remunerative occu- 

 pation. Perhaps in time we may see realised the hope of 

 Henri of Navarre, that every peasant should have a fowl for 

 dinner on Sundays. — (Food Journal.) 



It was the Society's twenty-seventh meeting, hut the first on which 

 poultry was introduced. The Show was quite a success, and most of 

 the classes were well represented. Turner's pens were used, and every 

 care was taken of the birds by the Committee. 



Of Dorkings and Cochins there was only a small entry ; of Spanish 

 there were nine pens, but most of them were in the moult ; the prize 

 Brahmas were good. There were nine pens of Red Game in the adult 

 class ; the first-prize Brown Red was a splendid bird, and in good 

 condition ; the Black Red second-prize bird was also very good, but 

 a little ont of condition. There were ten pens of Spangled Hamburghs, 

 some of them of great merit ; the same may be said of the Pencilled 

 Hamburghs. The Polands mustered nine pens, but many of them 

 were not so good as we should have liked to have seen. There were 

 eleven pens of Red Game chickens, some of them very promising, but 

 a little too young for the exhibition pen. Of Hamburgh chickens there 

 were eleven pens, and in the " Any other variety " class eighteen pens, 

 some of them of first-rate character. The cup for the best pen went 

 to an excellent pen of Brahma chickens in this class. There were 

 eighteen pens of adult Red G-ame Bantams, and twenty-one pens of 

 chickens. The cup was awarded to a very good pen in this class. 



Dorkings (Any variety). — 1, J. White, Warlaby, Northallerton (Grey) 

 Cochins (Any variety).— 1 and 2, G. H. Proctor, Durham (Buff and White). 

 Spanish (Any variety).— 1. G. Holmes, Great Driffield. 2, W. Elliott, Bishop 

 Auckland, he, W. Bearpark. Brahmas (Any variety).—!, E. Leech, Rochdale. 

 2, J. Stalker, West Sleekburn. he, G. Todd, Bishopwearmouth. GA3TE.— Black- 

 breasted or other Reds. — 1, T. Robson, Bishop Auckland. 2, J. Brough, Carlisle. 

 he, W. Rodeers, Bishopwearmouth ; Buglass & Williamson, Durham. Any 

 other Variety. — 1 and 2, J. Robson (Duekwings). Chickens. — 1, J. Dixon. 

 2, J. Hardy, he, T. Dent, Sunderland; W. Bearpark, Ainderby Steeple. 

 Hamburghs. — Gold and Silver-spangled. — 1, H. Pickles, jun., Earby, Skipton. 

 2, W. Bearpark. Ainderby Steeple, he, H. Pickles, jun. ; W. Whitfield, Hetton 

 Station ; G. Holmes, Great Driffield. Gold and Silver-pencilled. — 1 and 2, H. 

 Pickles, jun. he, W. Hall ; W. Bearpark. Chickens (Any variety).— 1 and 2, H. 

 Pickles, jun. he, C. Armstrong, Bedlington (Silver-pencilled); J. Brown & Co., 

 Water Works (Silver-pencilledl. Polands (Any var ety).—l, J.Brown (Silver). 

 2, H. Pickles. Ant other Variety. — 1, R. Loft. Wuodmansey (Sultans). 2, R. 

 Hawkins, Seaham (Malays). Chickens.— Cup, E. Leech. 2, H. Pickles, jun. 

 (Polandsl. he, J. J. Waller, Kendal (Coloured Dorkings); T. W. L. Hind, 



1 Kendal (Dorkings) ; J. White, Warlaby (Grey Dorkings) ; G. H. Proctor (White 



' Cochins), c, W. Bearpark ; E. Brown (Spanish). Guinea Fowl (Anv variety). 



1—1, G.Todd. 2, J. S. Challoner, Benwell Lodge, he. H. Forest, Durham; T. 



' C. Harrison, Hull. Turrets.— 1, E. Leech. Ducks. — Aylesbury.— 1, W. Stone- 

 house, Whitby. 2, E. Leech. Any other Variety.— I, E. Leech. 2, Rev. J. G. 

 Milner, Belle'rbv (Rouen), e, Rev. J. G. Milner (Rouen Ducklings); T. C. 



; Harrison. Selling Class.— 1, G. Todd (Partridge Cochins). 2, G. H. Procter 

 (Buff Cochins). Bantams.— Game (Black-breasted and other Reds). — 1, D. 



! Hunter, Nile Street (Black Reds). 2, W. Grey, Tow Law (Black Reds), he, W. 



i Rodgers (Brown Redsl ; T. Wigham, Sunderland (Black Reds). Chickens.— 



I Cup, T. Clark (Black Reds). 2, D. Hunter, he, F. Steel. Halifax (Brown Reds); 



: T. Clark (Black Reds). Any other Colour. —1, J. Ferry (Duckwings). 2, J. 



' Hurrell (Duckwingst. he, Buglass i: Williamson (Lemon Piles). Any other 



i variety.— 1, S. & R. Ashton, Mottram (Black). 2. R. Youll (Black Rose-combs). 



: he, W. Dixon, Bishopwearmouth (Black Rose-combs). Chickens. — 1, S. & K- 



' Ashton (Black RoBe-combs). 2, T. C. Harrison, Hull. 



Mr. James Dixon, of Bradford, was the Judge. 



LISKEARD POULTRY SHOW. 



The Becond annual Poultry Show held at Liskeard on the -ith inst. 

 was a great success, the entries having been three times as many as 

 last year's, and Fome of the birds, especially in the DorJang and Game 

 classes, being of high merit. The cup given for the best pen of Game 

 was won by Mr. J. H. Reynolds, of Redruth, closely pressed by Mr. J. 

 Jeken. A noted local breeder of Game fowl exhibited some fine birds 

 in each of the Game classes, notably some Henny and Tassell chickens, 

 said to be the purest strains of those scarce breeds, but being on the 

 Committee he withdrew them from competition. Exhibitors visiting 

 the Show were pleased with the care and attention given the birds 

 by the Committee. 



Game —Black-breasted and other Beds.— I and Cap, J. H. Reynolds, Red 

 rath 2 J. Jeken. 3, J. Beard, St. Blazev. Duckiciws and other Greys and 

 Bluet.— 1, J. Hancock, Liskeard (Silver-Grey). 2, J. H. Reynolds (Black). 

 3 Withheld. Tassells, Kennies, and any White-legged Variety.— 1, W. Kenriek, 

 Menheniott (Tassells). '2, G. Martin, Devonport. Extra 2, J. H. Reynolds 

 (Heiraies). 3, H. Roberts, St. Cleer (Hennies). Malays.— 1, J. Toll, Menheniott, 



2 C. White, Liskeard. 3, J. Bone, Liskeard. Dorkings.— 1 and 2, E- Burton, 

 Truro. S, J. H. Nickolls, Lostwithiel. Spanish.— 1, S. R. Harris, St. Day. 2, Mrs, 

 Smith. 3, J. H. Nickolls. Cochtns.— 1, W. Humphreys, Liskeard. 2, J. Long, 

 Plymouth 3. F. Brewer, Lostwithiel. Brahmas— 1, Mrs. Smith. 2, J. Beard. 



3 J H. Nickolls. Polands.— 1 and 2, J. Beard. 3, Miss Webber. Exeter. Hak- 

 burghs. — Pencilled. — I and 2, S. R. Harris. 3, R. Courtney, Liskeard. 

 Spangled.— 1 and 2, S. R. Harris. 3, J. Roberts, Menheniott. Bantams.— L, C. 

 White 2, Miss Webber. 3, S. R. Harris. Ant other Variety.— 1, J. Nickolls 

 (Black Hamburghs). 2, S. R, Harris (Minorcas). 3, F. Brewer (MinorcaaL 

 Selling Class.— 1, J. S. Anear. Truro (Golden-pencilled Hamburghs). 2, W. 

 Tolland, Liskeard (Crested Polands). 3, J. Hancock (Game Hennies). Ducks. 

 —1 J. E Hawken, Lostwithiel (Avlesburies). 2, E. Burton (Rouen). Extra 

 2, Miss Webber (Mandarin). 3, S. R- Harris. Geese.— 1. T. Burrows, St deer. 

 2, S. Bone, Liskeard. Turkeys— 1, Mrs. Smith. 2, Withheld. 



Pigeons.— Carriers.— 1,E. Burton. 2, S. Richards,' Truro. Tumblers.— h E. 

 Burton. 2, A. Bailev, Liskeard. Jacobins— 1, W. C. Herring, Menheniott. 

 2. Mrs. Lander, Menheniott. FantaiU— 1, S. Richards. 2, J. Oliver, Liskeard. 

 Common.— 1, E. Burton. 2, S. Richards. 



Mr, Leeworthy, of Barnstaple, was the Judge. 



DURHAM COUNTY POULTRY SHOW. 



The Poultry Show in connection with the Durham County Agricnl- 

 tnral Society's Exhibition was held on the 9th inst. at Sunderland. 



BLACKPOOL POULTRY SHOW. 



The following awards were made at this Show, held on the 10th and 

 11th inst. 



Dorkings.— Grey— 1, T. Briden. 2, J. Robinson. White.— 1 and 2, J. Robin- 

 son. Cocfc.— 1, J. Robinson. Bkahjias— 1, J. H. Pickles. 2, J. Watts. Spanish. 

 —1, C. W. Brierley. 2, H. Beldon, Bingley. Game.— 1 and 2, C. W. Bnerlej 



