September 29, 1870. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



257 



the prize pens, not so perfect as expected, but the Partridge- coloured 

 were first-rate. The Hamburgh classes were exceedingly strong. The 

 Duke of Sutherland took all the principal prizes with really grand pens. 

 Some very good Brahmas^ both Light and Dark, were shown, bnt 

 mostly too yonng to be in good show trim. It will take at least a 

 month, perhaps six weeks longer, to bring them to perfection, lur- 

 heys, Geese, and Ducks were strong classes as to excellence, bnt the 

 more than questionable ages of some of the so-called Goslings caused 

 considerable merriment among the bystanders and loss of expenses to 

 the contributors. The " Variety class " was unusually good, there 

 being far too many perfect penB to do justice to all ; but as the awards 

 were restricted to two prizes, high commendations and one very high 

 commendation were all that could under the circumstances be given, 

 much to the expressed regret of the Judges. The management of the 

 birds devolved on Mr. Thomas Rogers, of Walsall, who well fulfilled 

 the triple duty of packing, repacking, and feeding the birds. 



Game.— Black-breasted and other Reds.—l and 2, W. H. L. Clare. Twycross, 

 Atkerstone. c, G. Ba^nall, Draycott, Oheadle. Any other Variety.— 1, "W. 

 Dunning, Newport, Salop. 2. J. Mitchell, Moseley, Birmingham, he, J. Bras- 

 sington, Longton. Spanish.— 1, H. F. Cooper, Walsall. 2, J. H. Dawes, 

 Moseley Hall, Birmingham. Disqualified, J. F. Sillitoe, Penn Fields, Wolver- 

 hampton — "trimmed." Dorkings. — Coloured, except Silver-Greys.— I, H. 

 Pickles, jun., Earby. 2, C. Havers, Ingatestone. he, J. Watts, Hazelwell Hall, 

 King's Heath, Birmingham. Silver-Grey or White. — 1, Miss E. Williams, 

 Henllys, Berriew. CooHiN-CniNAS. — Cinnamon or Buff.—l, W. P. Kyland. 

 Erdington, Birmingham. 2, 0. Sidgwick, Ryddlesden Hall, Keighlcy. c, J. 

 Stephens, Walsall. Brown, Partrid-je-feathered, or other Varieties.— \ and 

 2, J. Stephens, he, C. Sidgwick. Brahma Pootras.— .Darfc.— 1, E. Leech, Roch- 

 dale. 2, G. F. Whitehouse, Kind's Heath, Birmingham, he, 8. A. Cooper, 

 Walsall. Light. — 1 and 2, Mrs. A. Williamson, Qneniborough Hall, Leicester, 

 he, H. Dowsett, Pleshey, Chelmsford, c, A. 0. Worthington, Newton Park, 

 Burton-on -Trent. Hamburghs.— Golden-pencilled.— 1 and he, Duke of Suther- 

 land, Trentham. 2, W. Collyer, Dubb, Bingley, Yorkshire, c, W. K. Tickner, 

 Ipswich; H. Pickles, jun. Silver-pencilled.-— 1 and he, Dnke of Sutherland. 

 2, H. Pickles, jun. Golden-spangled.— I, Duke of Sutherland. 2, T. May, 

 Wolverhampton, c, G. F. Whitehouse; T. Boulton, Hanford, Stoke-on-Trent. 

 Silver-spangled. — 1, Duke of Sutherland. 2, G. Brawn, Sandhills, Walsall. 

 hc T H. Pickles, jun.; G-. Brawn. Turkeys.— 1, F. E. Richardson, Bramshall, 

 Uttoxeter. 2, E. Leech, he, Rev. E. C. Perry, Seighforth Vicarage, Stafford; 

 Rev. F. J. Ridley, Hollington House, Newbury. Gebse. — 1, Mrs. SeamonB, 

 Hartwell, Aylesbury. 2, E. Leech. Ducks.— Aylesbury.— \, E. Leech. 2 and, 

 he, Mrs. Seamons. Rouen.— 1, S. H. Stott, Quarry Hill, Rochdale. 2, E. 

 Leech, he, Duke of Sutherland; S. H. Stott. c, A. O. Worthington. Any 

 oilier Variety. — 1, J. Stephens. 2, A. O. Worthington. Any other Variety. — 

 1, Duke of Sutherland ( Black Hamburghs). 2,H. Pickles, jun. (Silver Polands). 

 vhc, Miss E. Williams (Creve Cceurs). he, A. D. Payne, Lyth Hill, Shrewsbury 

 (Malays); Miss E. Williams (Hoadans); J. Watts (Black Hamburghs). c, J. 

 Stephens (Bantams). 



Mr. Edward Hewitt, of Birmingham, and the Rev. G. A. Brooke, 

 Ruyton XI-Towns, Salop, were the Judges. 



WOODSTOCK POULTRY SHOW. 



This was held in Blenheim Park on the 20th iust., and was the 

 largest yet seen at "Woodstock. The Pigeons, Aylesbury ducklings, 

 and Rouen Ducks were good. In the " Any other variety " Duck 

 class most of the honours went to the Black East Indians shown by 

 Mr. W. R. Pratt. The Geese and Dorkiiigs were very fine. 



Spanish.— 1 and 2, Mr. King, Oxford. Dorkings.— 1, Mr. Hutt, Thrup. 2 

 Duchess of Marlborough. 3, Mr. Salter. Chickens.— \, Mr. Salter, Oxford. 

 2 and 3, Emchess of Marlborough, Blenheim, c. Mr. Woodford. Brahmas.— 



1, Hon. Mrs. Devereux. 2, Col. Thomas. C hickens.—l, Hon. Mrs. Devereux 



2, Col. Thomas. Cochins.— 1, Mr. Johnson. 2. Mr. Salter.Oxford. Hamburgh.— 

 Spangled.— 1, Mr. King. 2, Mr. Scott. Pencilled.— 1, Mr, Scott. 2, Mr. Amies. 

 Chickens— \, Mr. Amies. 2, Mr. Hutt. Game.— 1, Mr. Hutt. 2, Mr.VWoodford. 

 Chickens.— 1. Mr. Hutt. 2, Mr. Woodford. Bantams.—I, Mr. King. 2, Mr. 

 Quarterman. Any Other Variety.— 1, Mr. Steventon. 2, Mr. King. Geese. 

 — 1, Mr. Sanders. 2, Duchess of Marlborough. 3, Mr. H. Barnet. 4, Mr. G. 

 Blake. Ducks.— Aylesbury— \, Mr. Quarterman. 2, Col. Bowyer. 3, Duchess 

 of Marlborough. Ducklings.— l,Mr. Amies. 2, Mr. Bateman. 3, Col. Bowyer. 

 he, Mr. Quarterman. c, Mr. Woodfield. Rouen.— 1 and 2, Mr. Salter. Duck- 

 lings.— 1, Mr. Hutt. 2, Mr. Woodford, he, Mr. Pratt; Mr. Quarterman. Any 

 otlier Variety.— l,Mr. Pratt. 2, Mr. Lester. Young.— 1, 2, and he, Mr. Pratt. 

 Turkeys.— Black. — 1 and 2, Duchess of Marlborough. Grey.— 1 and he, Col. 

 Bowyer. 2, Duchess of Marlborough. Pigeons.— 1, 2, and 3, Mr. Salter, he, 

 Mr. Salter ; Mr. Pratt. 



Special Prizes given by the Duchess of Marlborough for a collection of 

 poultry.— 1, Mr. Woodford. 2, Mr. Hutt. he, Mr. Pratt. Champion prize given 

 by the Earl of Jersey for best pen of young poultry.— Mr. Amies (Aylesbury 

 Ducks). Old,— Dnchess of Marlborough (Black Turkeys). 



Mr. H. Yardley, of Birmingham, was Judge. 



USES OF CARBOLIC ACID. 



In "our Journal" of September 2nd, 1869, reference was 

 made to the employment by "Apicola," of a piece of sponge 

 dipped in carbolic acid, and inserted in a fumigator, whereby 

 the use of burning material to produce smoke was rendered 

 unnecessary. I have now to add, that by the aid of a feather 

 having its tip wetted with the acid most operations in the 

 apiary may be comfortably performed. If it is desired to 

 examine a Woodbury hive, the procedure may be as follows :— 

 Open the central hole and touch the bees that crowd around it 

 with the acid, and they will immediately descend helter-skelter 

 amongst the combs. In the next place gently raise the top 

 board just enough to allow the feather to be drawn all round 

 between it aud the frames. As soon as this is done the board 

 may be removed, and the frames elevated, using if necessary 

 the feather to quiet and disperse any angry groups that threaten 

 to be troublesome. 



Daring the swarming season I have found the acid a useful 



auxiliary. You can chase the bees with it upwards or down- 

 wards at pleasure, from the stems of bushes on which swarms 

 have settled, and from which they cannot be shaken. When 

 lodged in the decayed heart of a tree to which there is access 

 only by a small hole, the swarm can be brought to the outside 

 by simply tying the feather on a flexible rod, and thrusting it 

 beyond them. When far down in a chimney they can in the same 

 way be driven up towards the top until they are within reach. 



The feather and acid are also of great service when cutting 

 out combs from the roof of a house ; for in a few seconds any 

 comb to be removed can be cleared of every bee, thus leaving 

 the operator a freedom he would not otherwise enjoy. 



The acid, no doubt, has an unpleasant odour, but its in- 

 fluence, when brought in contact with the wood or sealed 

 combs in the interior of the hive, is rather beneficial than other- 

 wise. It evaporates rapidly, and a few hours suffice to remove 

 all evidence of its presence. Hives frequently subjected to its 

 odour flourish amazingly, and I can well believe that it acts as 

 a powerful agent in checking incipient disease. I have always 

 a phial or two of it standing in my bee houses, and for a long 

 time, when manipulating bees, I have had recourse to it alone, 

 discarding all fumigators, whether in the shape of pipes or 

 cigars. By thrusting a feather moistened by it into the mouth 

 of a oommon straw hive, and slowly drawing it round the edge 

 of the interior, it also answers to the preliminary of blowing a 

 whiff of smoke in at the entrance previous to the turning-up of 

 the hive in order to drive it. 



By a little practioe skilfully direoted, I have no doubt that 

 with the help of the agent referred to, any tyro would soon be 

 able to control his bees in any situation, and direct them when 

 they have swarmed round the thick stems of bushes into the 

 skep or box placed near them which they are intended to occupy. 



As an attraction or guide, it is desirable on setting down the 

 skep or box to take from the cluster a handful of bees with a 

 twig or spoon, and shake them into it. These pioneers raise a 

 hum within, and the swarm enters more readily. This pre- 

 requisite is especially needful if the domicile intended is new, 

 and has not been previously occupied. Bees run much more 

 quickly into a hive to which remnants of comb adhere, than 

 into one that has never been tenanted. Sometimes a swarm 

 clusters all over and around the skep in which an attempt has 

 been made to lodge them, but I have always found it a simple 

 and easy process to drive them towards and in at the entrance 

 with the carbolised feather. — R. S. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Northallerton Show (W. J. S.).— We never had any notice of this 

 Show in onr columns. If a show is not of sufficient public importance to 

 be advertised, it cannot deserve to be permanently recorded. 



Ehdbakb Bed in Poultry-yard (F. C. IT.).— Let the fowls run over it 

 Tbey are not pests so far as the productiveness of a garden is concerned, 

 but they are enemies to neatness. We are not sure they are not at times 

 beneficial. 



Breeding Cochin-Chinas (Enthusiast' 1 . — We advise yon to use a Lemon 

 cock, at any rate for this nest season, as he will neutralise the effect of 

 the Cinnamon. Cinnamon is not a favourite colour, but in Cochin 

 classes for '-Buff and Cinnamon " the common wording colour does not 

 count, size and symmetry are essentials. Also straight combs and plain 

 hocks — i.e., not vulture hocks. 



Febdinq Dorkings (C. W.).—Let them have a dry dusty run with 

 plenty of grass and other green meat; feed on ground oats mixed 

 with milk, kitchen and table Ecraps, and meat chopped fine. You may 

 feed this way for a month, and may twice a-week throw down a hand- 

 ful of peas to keep plumage. When you send them to the Bhow wash 

 their legs and feet quite clean. Let tbem have a basket that will allow 

 them to stand upright comfortably, and let them have plenty of oat straw 

 in it. It is always advisable to put fowls that are going to be Bhown to- 

 gether in a small pen for a few hours every day for a week before the 

 show. They learn to know each other, and if they do not agree they will 

 never be successful. 



French Breeds of Fowls (W. L.).— All the French breeds' are good 

 layers, and if any fowl has a speciality for laying in the winter, it is the 

 Creve-Cceur. It also lays a very large egg. They are all non-sitters. 

 The hardiest is the Houdan, next the Creve-Cceur. The La Fleche are by 

 no means hardy. We have kept Creve-Cceura in confinement for many 

 years, and they do well. An experiment, however, proved they lay one- 

 third more egi?s when at liberty than in confinement. You may safely 

 choose either Houdan or Creve-Cceur. We think on the whole we prefer 

 the latter. If you live in a town black plumage is preferable to black 

 and white. 



Characteristics of Black Hamburghs (T. B.).— Perfectly black 

 plumage, striking white deaf ear the size of a fourpenny-piece, well piked 

 comb seated firmly on the head, and not too large, dark legs. 



Game Fowls Roupy (G. R.).— Your fowls are suffering from roup. Pat 

 none of them in a room, they will get worse. Give them all a dose of 

 castor oil. Discontinue the maize. Wash their faces and Dostrils with 

 cold wnter and vioegar. Give pills of camphor only, each pill the size of 

 a garden pea. Keep their houses and runs very clean. Give bread steeped 

 in strong ale for food in damp and cold weather. Keep tne diseased cock 

 separate from the others. Baily's pills are to be had at most chemists, 

 or at 113, Mount Street, London, W. 



Bills of Ducks (Sheffield),— T$o weight would justify a judge in giving 



