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JOTJKNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 3, 1870. 



"canght," and "disqualified," for actually sewing cocks' 

 combs through and through to keep them upright. 



But many of our amateurs may ask — How can these things 

 be remedied? I rejoin, By employing additional judges, and 

 thus giving them sufficient time. Not, bo it supposed, by 

 sending three or four gentlemen together, for that only retards 

 progress, but let each have his appointed section, allotting 

 from sixty to seventy pens an hour in the general classes, and 

 considerably more time to all varieties of Game fowls, as the 

 majority of the best of these birds should be " handled." But 

 at once this brings the almost general veto of committees. 

 " Our receipts," say they, " do not allow of our employing more 

 than one judge," even should he request simply his travelling 

 expenses (which I know in the case of one official only is not at 

 all unfrequently never refunded) ; therefore, these suggestions 

 of extra arbitrators are at the first committee meeting usually 

 thrown to the wind in toto, as " extra pull-backs." 



To take notes on the spot as to the relative excellence of 

 rival pens in large classes, coupled with time restricted, is im- 

 possible, and still more so to record simply from meniorv the 

 varied characteristics of pen after pen of individual fowls in 

 keen competition. My honest conviction is this, that many 

 buyers of prize pens of poultry have to date theirdisappointment 

 from one or other of two causes, either "claiming" without 

 seeing the actual piize pens at certain shows, where, to the 

 disgust of the arbitrator, he was compelled to give the prizes 

 to the best birds there to keep faith with the exhibitors, as the 

 committees express it, though very, very imperfect specimens 

 indeed ; or through the still more reprehensible practice of 

 sending the money for them, as priced in the catalogue, after 

 the birds were returned to the exhibitor and the show con- 

 cluded. In the last-named case, oh ! how often, in spite of my 

 expostulations, as being no part of the legitimate duty to be ex- 

 pected from a poultry judge, have I been an involuntary witness 

 to the most lively " change-ringing." 



My concluding advice to buyers is this — If you want certain 

 pens, examine them on the spot ; if approved, claim them at 

 once, and let them go directly through the committee, at the 

 close of the show, to your own address. — Edward Hewitt. 



WHITE DORKINGS. 



It may be useful for poultry-fanciers who have given their 

 attention to any one particular breed, to publish from time to 

 time the results of their experience as a guide to others. 



White Dorkings, an exceptionally beautiful variety, provided 

 only they have a clean grass field to run in, have of late been 

 much neglected. Pew "entries have been made at the principal 

 shows, and consequently the prizes have been reduced in 

 number and value ; or the separate class has been abolished, 

 and Whites have been forced to compete at great disadvantages 

 with Coloured and Silver-Grey birds, so different in essential 

 poin's. I think the breed has fallen into this disrepute from 

 ignorance of its merits ; and as my experience in it has drawn 

 me to make a very different estimate of them to that usually 

 given in poultry books, it may not be amiss to relate it. 



1. As to their hardihood. It is stated in nearly all poultry 

 books that White Dorkings are a delicate variety. I believe 

 this idea arose from the old notion (an erroneous one, me 

 nidice), that all white birds are delicate. The earlier authors 

 gave this as their opinion, and others have simply copied their 

 remarks upon breeds in which they are not themselves learned. 

 This I have found to be the greatest mistake. I seldom lose 

 a chicken or have a sick bird. Early in the spring of this year, 

 when, from some mysterious epidemic, I lost the whole of my 

 young stock of Coloured and Silver-Grey Dorkings and Game 

 Bantams, and even many Brahmas and Scotch Greys, of White 

 Dorkings under the same hens I did not lose 1 in 8, and the 

 earlier pullets have long been fine mature-looking hens. The 

 breediog stock keep healthy through the year in a very small 

 run, with two or three hours' exercise daily in a grass field, 

 and rather more liberty at moulting time. 



2. As to their laying properties. They are generally classed 

 with other Dorkings as bad layers. This, too, in my yard has 

 been proved an entire error. The pullets begin to lay at six 

 or seven months old, produce more than twice as many eggs — ■ 

 large round ones of a pinkish colour — as Coloured or Silver- 

 Grey birds, and often eontioue to lay through nine months in 

 the year. They are almost non-sitters. Some steal their nests, 

 hatch in a wood, and prove good mothers ; but they hardly 

 ever take to the nest in a house. I have hens of two years and 

 a half old, which have never shown the slightest desire to sit. 



3. As to size. Here they confessedly fall short of Coloured 

 birds ; yet last year I had cockerels weighing over S lbs. and 

 pullets 5J lbs. at seven months old. I do not think, however, 

 that mature birds much exceed these weights, at least mine do 

 not ; but I believe there are other strains finer in mere size. 



4. Their excellence for the table all allow. 



Such is my experience. My stock originally came from a 

 farm in Sussex, but it has been necessary to introduce fresh 

 blood through a Birmingham prize cock, and the pullets from 

 this cross lay smaller and whiter eggs. I may be peculiarly 

 fortunate in this strain, but at least it is worth while letting 

 others know that a breed ornamental beyond almost all others 

 with their snowy plumage and coral-like combs, may also be 

 made one of the most generally useful. — 0. E. Cresswell. 



POUTER PROSPECTS. 



A 3io;t unfortunate fatality has brought into the space of 

 seventeen days the three ereat Pouter Shows of the season — 

 namely, the Scottish, the Birmingham, and the London; but 

 none the less there are prospects of a Competition keener and 

 more advanced than ever. 



Glasgow this year, in courtesy to a newly-formed Society, 

 gives place to Edinburgh, at which latter city the great Scottish 

 Exhibition will be held. The new Society maintains that 

 amplitude of schedule in favour of standard birds so long in 

 vogue at Glasgow, but with much judgment has provided two 

 classes only for outside varieties — Mealies, Splashes, See., 

 hitherto, by a too profuse classification, placed almost en a par 

 with birds of standard pretensions. This arrangement is a 

 clear step in advance, and if persevered in will unfailingly 

 promote the best interests of the Pouter and its admirers. 

 The special prize instituted some years ago by Mr. Volckman 

 for excellence of proportion and carriage, open to all the Pied 

 classes, is transferred to Edinburgh, Mr. Ure keeping that 

 gentleman company by offering a similar prize, so that both 

 cocks and hens may have the benefit of an extra searching 

 adjudication. 



Birmingham also maintains its lately-enlarged classification, 

 a proof that a correct principle will surely win its way. Yellow 

 Pied Pouters, however, occupy a most equivocal position, being 

 exiled to the " Any other colour " class, to keep company with 

 Grizzles and Sandies. Whether this is intended as a degrada- 

 tion of Yellow Pieds (sometime the favourite colour), or the 

 elevation of Pouter weeds to the level of standard birds, it is 

 impossible to divine. The judges, however, should have some- 

 thing very trenchant to say in the matter, and by unflinchingly 

 giving all the awards in this class to the standard Yellows, 

 should relegate the weeds to their true position. 



London creates astonishment by the energy it is displaying 

 on behalf of a variety it has so long neglected. Hitherto Car- 

 riers and Almonds have all but monopolised its attention ; but 

 now, as though with a twinge of conscience, it is clearly setting 

 about making up for lost time, and is endeavouring to win its 

 way into favour by an almost lavish consideration of Pouter 

 claims. Of the seventeen cups for Pigeons, four are devoted to 

 Pouters alone. The classification is admirable, compact yet 

 ample ; and the prizes are so distributed as to secure the utmost 

 respect for standard excellence. Fourteen classes now t»ke the 

 place of the six of last year, a result mainly brought about by 

 a twenty-guinea fund inaugurated by Mr. Volckman, who, in 

 addition to English donations, has received the heartiest sup- 

 port from Scotch friends and fanciers — a courtesy, we trust, 

 foreshadowing more and more of mutual co-operation. The 

 fund in question is supplemented by £30 from the Show Com- 

 mittee, and a five-guinea piece of plate from Mr. Ord. With a 

 schedule so well constructed and furnished, it will be the fault 

 and the loss of the fanciers themselves, both Scotch and English, 

 should this opportunity be wasted of reviving the Pouter in- 

 terest and widely extending the circle of his patrons. We hope, 

 therefore, that the nave of the Crystal Palace, where the Pigeons 

 will have the great advantage of being shown, will present a 

 grand gathering of the best specimens from all points of the 

 compass. 



Pouters are clearly " looking up," not merely in the better 

 provision which is being made for them, but in that more in- 

 telligent regard for a standard undivided and complete, so 

 lately advocated in these columns. 



Crystal Palace Poultry Show. — H. S. Fraser, Esq., 

 Headley, near Liphook, Hants, has sent us the following list 



