September 1, 1870. ] 



JOUENAL OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GABDENEK. 



173 



their being safely housed daring the long nights. We are 

 often told, and we believe it, that they never do so well as when 

 they choose their own roosting-plaoes ; but we have to recollect 

 that with the long nights come sharp morning frosts, cutting 

 winds, and driving rains and sleet. These are very hurtful to 

 fowls of all ages. A labouring man once said to us, " A good 

 fire is half a bellyfull," and we believe him. In our country 

 labourers burn turf, and when a man comes home from his 

 work, damp, hungry, and tired, and the goodwife throws on a 

 couple of large turves, stirs in the ashes, blows into them with 

 the bellows till the dead heather on the turves ignites, and the 

 flame roars and crackles up the chimney, lighting the house, 

 and, through the windows, yards out into the road, though the 

 meal be but potatoes, there is a sense of comfort that is to 

 a certain extent satisfying. Compare the meal with one even 

 of a better quality eaten standing in a ditch with your back 

 against the bank to be screened from the rain and wind. It is 

 the same with chickens in all respects but one. The man will 

 choose the best lodging he oan, the chickens will most ob- 

 stinately stick to the first roosting-place, which is now getting 

 positively injurious to them. They will hold to it just as a 

 covey of Partridges cling to the stubble where they were bred 

 in the corn, until no vestige of it remains. " Ah ! " says one, 

 " bring up your chickens like Partridges, they roost where they 

 like." We are quite sure we rear more chickens in our artificial 

 way, than Partridges, Pheasants, and Grouse do in following 

 nature. Many of those who start with high expectations to- 

 day will be able to tell us bow, through the drought, covies 

 have disappeared, that the wonderful promise of the third week 

 in June has b6en badly kept, that pairs of old birds have been 

 found where eighteens were expected, that want of water and 

 scorching sun have done their work to the destruction of the breed 

 in many places. The same would happen with our chickens 

 if we allowed them to choose roosting-places for themselves, and 

 as it is too late to do so after they have colds and incipient 

 roup, they would soon follow the natural Partridges ; and now 

 cub-hunting begins, the litters are scattered and driven into 

 fresh districts, and they soon find the roosters in the hedges 

 or trees. But in many places the chickens roost in the rips 

 after the hens have left them ; in such a case the rips should 

 be moved every day nearer to the house they are intended to 

 ocoupy, till at last they are brought into it. The rips should 

 then be taken away, and for some nights the chickens must be 

 driven into the house ; thoy will not take to it willingly. To 

 do this now will save trouble and death hereafter. 



There are many complaints about the inconvenience of 

 numbers of young cocks now arriving at a troublesome age. 

 We have for years made a pen about 20 feet by 12, with a 

 warm briok and Blated roosting-place, and we keep therein 

 from fifteen to twenty cocks. They grow up there and do 

 better than they would running about. They do not fight, and 

 they give no trouble. 



BONE DUST FOR CHICKENS. 



In reply to those who desire a few further particulars re- 

 garding the use of this substance for rearing large birds, I 

 deBire to add the following : — I only recommend it for the large 

 breeds, and my experience of it does not extend further. For 

 them it is certainly not injurious. I cannot conceive that it 

 would be so for delicate varieties ; for small fowls it is useless, 

 except to give to adults during moulting time. In this way it 

 is most valuable, supplying just the material wanted for the 

 formation of new feathers. It must not be confounded with 

 raw or new bones crushed, the effects being altogether different. 

 Were raw bones given constantly the effect would be injurious 

 and unhealthy stimulation and hastening of maturity ; hence, 

 these cannot be given regularly to pullets as they approach 

 the laying age, though valuable in moderation for cockerels and 

 adult fowls. The dry bone dust, on the contrary, retards ma- 

 turity, keeping back laying, and maintaining the raw or leggy 

 appearance, during which the birds grow. To have this effect, 

 I repeat it ought to be given constantly in every feed of soft 

 food, adding about a good heaped-up teaspoonful to every half- 

 pint of meal. 



The bone dust is not always precisely the same, and is not 

 always eaBy to procure at all. Sometimes it is very dark- 

 coloured, and has an offensive foetid smell, but is not injurious 

 on this account, except that if given to laying fowls the eggs 

 will taste "mu3ty." Sometimes it is almost in fine powder, 

 at others — and I like this best myself — it more resembles 

 coarse meal. In this case the coarser splinters need not be i 



separated, as the birds will reject all too large for them. Some 

 I got this season was the best I have had for some time, being 

 nearly white and almoBt free from smell. I have also heard 

 that bone sawdust, as obtained from workers in bone, has been 

 found very good. 



Finally, I never recommended this substance as a necessity 

 for rearing fine birds. Hundreds of splendid fowls have been 

 reared without it, and, probably, people with good runs and 

 skilled feeders do not need it. Bat all my poultry-keeping is 

 carried on under a host of difficulties. My largest pen or run 

 is only 20 feet square, and all the others much less. Of grass, 

 I have not, of course, a blade in my whole yard. How I manage 

 under such circumstances I may, perhaps, say some other time ; 

 but my present point is this, that in such confined spaces I 

 find a marked difference in the size of pullets, especially since 

 I used the bone meal. I used to think 4 lbs. a good weight for 

 a Brahma pullet four months old ; now I can generally get 

 5 lbs. Further, I have letters since I first recommended it in 

 my work on Brahmas, from some of our best-known exhibitors, 

 stating similar effects in their experience, and I am convinced 

 that to all who only have such small pens as poor " Nemo," 

 the ingredient will be a real boon. — L. Weight. 



THE CRYSTAL PALACE POULTRY SHOW. 



Mat I ask if it is the intention to repeat this year the Show 

 held at the Crystal Palace ? If so, is it not quite time the 

 date were announced, that it may not claeh with other exhibi- 

 tions, as is likely to be the case if left until the last moment? 

 The Birmingham and Bristol authorities have for some time 

 past fixed their dates, and if the Committee of the Crystal 

 Palace follow their example, it will probably prevent two or 

 more important shows being held at the same time. I am sure 

 many of your readers will be glad to know that the only exhi- 

 bition in the vicinity of the metropolis will not be discontinued, 

 and the large number of visitors at the last show gave ample 

 proof of the interest taken in it by the public. Perhaps the 

 late President or Secretary will oblige by stating if any steps 

 are intended to be taken to repeat the show, or if, so far as they 

 and the late Committee are concerned, it is decided to let the 

 matter drop. — Columba. 



CLEAN-LEGGED WHITE BANTAMS. 

 We have had East Indian Ducks, Brown Bed Game Bantams, 

 and other varieties noticed as being much neglected, and de- 

 serving of encouragement from poultry committees. Being an 

 admirer and breeder of White Bantams, I wish to introduce 

 them to the notice of committees and others interested in them 

 as being a variety nearly lost sight of ; and if something be 

 not done, and some encouragement held out for them, we shall 

 soon lose sight of them in the Bhow pen altogether. They 

 have mostly to compete (with few exceptions) against the 

 Black, Laced, and foreign varieties, and in most cases the 

 prizes fall to Blacks. Being a breeder and exhibitor of Blacks, 

 I have shown them successfully, at the same time I have to 

 keep my White Bantams at home, knowing that Black would 

 be preferred by the judges. Still I do not know why it ought 

 to be so, for I consider White Bantams hardier, better layers, 

 and better mothers ; and what can look more beautiful than a 

 clean satiny White Bantam ? Being an old-established breed, 

 I think it the duty of every White Bantam fancier to do his 

 best for them. Out of twenty-three entries of Bantams " Any 

 other variety, except Game," at Bochdale last week, there was 

 not a single White clean-legged Bantam. I should be glad to 

 hear the opinion of other fanciers ; but I hope ere long we 

 shall have at every show a separate class for Black Bantams, to 

 which their numbers entitle them, and it would give a better 

 chance of success for the poor, despised, and neglected — White 

 Bantam. 



WORSLEY AND SWINTON POULTRY SHOW. 



This was held on August 25th in the Park at Worsley. Tlie follow- 

 ing awards were made by the Judges, Mr. K. Teebay, and Mr. John 

 Donglas: — 



Dorkings— 1 and 2, J. Stott, Healey, Rochdale. Spanish — 1, C. W. Brierley, 

 Middleton. 2, W. Parr, Patrieroft. Cochin-China.— Buff.— 1, 2. and Cap, W. 

 A. Taylor, Manchester. Partridge or any other Colour.— 1, W. A. Taylor. 

 Bbahma Pootras.— 1 and 2, W. A. Taylor, he, E. Leech, Rochdale. Game.— 

 Cock.— 1 and 2, C. W. Brierley. Black or Broum Bed.— I and he, J. Carlisle, 

 Earby. 2, O. W. Brierley. Any Colour— 1, O. W. Brierley. 2, J. MitcheU, 

 Moseley. Birmingham. Hajiburghs — Goldenspencilled.— 1, T. "Wrigley, jun., 

 Tonge Hall, Middleton. 2, W. Parr. Silver-pttwilUA.— 1 and 2, W. Parr. 



