July 19, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



63 



2, E. Mawson. Long-faced.— 1 and 2, W. Lund. Fantails.— 1, H. Beldon 2, E. 

 Horner. Dragoons.— Cock. — 1 and 2, R. Woods. j'/ic.E. Horner. Hen. — land 

 2, R.Woods, vhc, J. Ratclyffe. Jacobins.— I, T. Holt. 2, E.Horner. Tdrbits. 

 —1. T. Holt. 2, E. Horner, vhc, H. Beldon. Antwerps.— Slwrt-faced.— 1, W. F. 

 EntwiBle. Medium-faced. — 1 and 2, W. F. EntwiBle. Long-faced. — 1, B. 

 Rawnsley. 2, J. Robertshaw. Young.— 1 and 2. W. F. Entwisle. Owls.— 1, 

 A. & W. H. Silvester. 2, S. Brier. Barbs— 1, E. Mawson. 2, M. J. TbreBh. 

 Any other Variety.— 1, E. Horner. 2, J. E. Croft. S, R. WilBon, A. & W. H. 

 Silvester, vhc, Founds & Chapel. Selling Class. — 1, E. Horner. 2, G. E. 

 Beanmont. S, A. Roberts, vhc, A. Roberts, A. & W. H. Silvester. Extra 

 Prizes.— 1, H. Yardley. 



RABBITS.— Lop-eared.— Buck or Doe.— I, Mrs. Roberts. 2, J. Nicholls. 

 Angora.— Buck or Doc. — 1 and 2. Mrs. R. Murgatroyd. Himalayan.— Buck or 

 Doe.— 1, J. Robertshaw. 2, W. Whitteron. Silver Hair.— Buck or Doe.— 1, S. 

 Ball. 2, J. Robertshaw. Dutch.— Buck or Doe.— I, S. Ball. 2, J. Robertshaw. 

 Common.— Buck or Doe.— I and 2, J. Oddy. Any other Variety.— Buck or Doe. 

 — 1, J. RamBhaw. 2, A. Atkinson. 



Judqes. — Messrs. Dixon and Hutton. 



SNAITH SHOW OF POULTRY, &c. 



The annual Show was held in the magnificent and beautifully 

 wooded Park at Snaith on Thursday last. The poultry and 

 PigeonB were well protected in a spacious marquee, and well 

 attended to. Game headed the lint, but with few exceptions 

 these were poor ; but Dorkings a capital lot, as also the Bralimas. 

 Hamburghs good, but few in numbers ; and Spanish only three, 

 but very good. Polish were, first Silver and second Gold, the 

 former winning the cup for the best pen in the Show. With the 

 exception of the winners the Game Bantams were but poor. 

 In the Bantam variety first were Blacks and second Silvers. 



Pigeons were a better lot than the poultry, both as regards 

 numbers and quality, and the birds generally in good order. 

 Carriers. — First a grand Dan cook, and second a Black. Pouters. 

 — FirBt a Black hen that won the painting also for the best 

 bird in the section, second a well-koown Blue cock; both in 

 capital show form. Jacobins. — Bed won first, a grand bird; 

 seoond losing in little but mane, of whioh it had little. Owls. — 

 First Silver and second Blue. Barbs. — First-and-cup Blaok, and 

 second Red. In Magpies were some good ones ; both the winners 

 Reds. In Dragoons a Grizzle was placed first, but we preferred 

 the same gentleman's Silver for that position. Antwerps. — First 

 Red and second Silver Dun ; both Short- faces. In the Variety 

 class first was a White African Owl, and second a good Nan. 



There were some Babbits, but nothing of any note. 



POULTRY.— Game.— Black-breasted or Brown Bed.— I, G. Carter. 2, F. 

 Sales. Any other variety.— 1, F. Sales. 2, J. E. Crofts. Dorkings.— 1, J- 

 Walker. 2, J. White. Cochin-China.—I, J. Walker. 2, W. Aaron. Brahmas. 

 —1, J. Walker. 2, H. Beldon. Hamburghs.— Golden-spangled.— 1, H. Beldon. 

 2, J. Rawnsley. Silver-spangled.— 1, Fawcett &Anderton. 2, J. Rawnsley. vhc, 

 H. Beldon. Golden^penc'dled.—l.'B.. Beldon. 2, J. Rawnsley. Silver-pencilled. 

 — 1 and 2, J. Bawnsley. Black.— 1, H. Beldon. 2, J. Rawnsley. Spanish.— 1 

 and 2, J. Powell. Polands — Cap and 2, H. Beldon. Any other Variety.— 1, 

 T. Addey. 2, J. D. Booth. Bantams — Game.— 1, 2. and vhc, W. F. Entwisle. 

 Any other variety.— I, H. Beldon. 2, J. W. Crowther. Barndoor Fowls.— 1, 

 R. Hill. 2, H. Thompson. Guinea Fowls.— 1, H. Thompson. 2, J. H, 

 Rockett Selling Class.— Price not to exceed S's.— 1, F. Sales. 2, T. Addey. 

 Price not to exceed 508.— 1, Holmes & Deetner. Ducks.— 1, J. Walker. 2, J. P. 

 Carver. Any variety.— 1 and 2, J. Walker. Turkeys.— 1, J. Walker. 2, T. P. 

 Carver. Geese.— 1, H. Beldon. 2, J. Walker. 



PIGEONS.— Carriers.— Cock or Hen.— 1, H. Yardley. 2,F. Seanor. Pouters. 

 — Cock or Hen.—l and Painting. C. Wroot. 2, J. E. Crofts. Jaoobins.— Cock or 

 Hen.— I, T. Holt. 2, T. S. Stephenson. Trumpeters.— Cock or Hen.—l, E. A. 

 Thompson. 2, J. E. Crofts. Tumblers.— Cock or Hen.—\, H. R. Tenney. 2, 

 H. Yardley. Fantatls. —Cock or Hen.—l. H. R. Tenney. 2, J. E. Spence. 

 Turbits.— Cock or Hen.— 1, G. Sadler. 2, R. Wood. Owi.s.— Cock or Hen— 1 

 and 2, J. W. Stansfield. Barbs.— Cock or Hen. — 1, Cup, and 2, S. Dyson. Mag- 

 pie— Cock or Hen.— 1, R. Wood. 2, J. E. Crafts. Dhiouons.— Cock or Hen — 

 \, R. Wood. 2, H. Yardley. Antwerps.— Cock or Hen.—l and 2, W. F. 

 EntwiBle. Any other Variety.— Cock or Hen.—l, H. Yardley. 2, F. Seanor. 

 Selling Class.— Cock or Hen.— Price not to exceed 2?s.— 1, F. Seanor. 2, R. 

 Wood. Price not to exceed £2.— 1, S. Dyson. 2. H. Yardley. 



RABBITS.— Lop-eared.— Buck or Doe.—l and 2, J. Taylor. Any variety.— 

 Buck or Doe.—l, O. Stephenson. 2, J. Armstrong. 



JunGES. — Poultry : Mr. J. Crosland, Wakefield ; Mr. J. Dixon, 

 North Park, Clayton, Bradford. Pigeons and Babbits : Mr. J. 

 Hawley, Girlington, Bradford ; Mr. j. Crosland. 



TEACHING CANARIES TO SING. 



Whether for the purpose of tutoring young Canaries under 

 choice songsters, or teaching them to sing with the aid of a 

 flageolet or bird organ, one important point is to remove thoBe 

 to be taught from birds of indifferent song ; or out of the hearing 

 entirely of all birdB if the young are to receive instruction from 

 an instrument. 



Now-a-days the chief aim of Canary fanciers appears to be the 

 breeding and Btudy of fine-plumed birds for exhibition purposes ; 

 but this was not so much the caBe with fanciers of past ages, 

 who studied the cultivation of song more than is done by fanciers 

 of the present period, at least in this country. 



The name of Hervieux (a writer of a treatise on Canaries) is 

 not unknown to many readers of our Journal, and from him we 

 quote at what time and in what manner Canary birds may be 

 put-up to be taught with a flageolet. 



" It is a certain truth that, next to the Nightingale, the Canary 

 bird sings best and has the strongest voice of any little bird. 

 When young they eaBily learn what they are taught, as airs and 

 tunes on the flageolet. For my part I prefer them before the 

 Nightingale, because they are much harder to rear than Canary 

 birds The Nightingale, after all the pains taken in feed- 

 ing and rearing, generally siDgs but one short Beason of the 



year, whereas our Canary birds are continually warbling at all 

 times. For these reasons I think the Canary ought to be pre- 

 ferred notwithstanding the Nightingale's notea are somewhat 

 more harmonious." 



As proof of the hatred Mr. Hervieux entertained against the 

 barbarous practices of depriving the birds of their vision and 

 enclosing them in stifled prisons he says, "As for the time 

 when a Canary bird is to be put into a separate cage in order to 

 teach him, that is commonly eight or ten days after he feeds 

 alone, and not, as many do, who take him out the first day they 

 see he feeds alone, without allowing him time to gather strength. 

 They unmercifully shut him up in a box — a sort of so-called 

 cage all shut up with boards, with some little holeB that tbey 

 may not be quite stifled for want of breath. That poor little 

 oreature, being thus scaroe able to breathe, and being deprived 

 of proper air which strengthens the body almost as much as 

 food, grows melancholy and pines away, so that it often dies in 

 a few days in its dismal prison. If yon desire to suoceed better 

 in that point you must observe this method. 



" A fortnight at soonest after your Canary bird has been taken 

 from the hen, if you perceive he begins to warble, whioh is a 

 good sign that he is a cook and in good health, part him from 

 the re3t and put him into a cage covered with a very thin trans- 

 parent linen cloth for the first eight diys. Pat him into a room 

 distant from all other birds whatsoever, so that he may never 

 hear any of their wild notes, and then play to him upon a little 

 flageolet; the notes whereof not too high, for if your fHgeolet 

 is too loud your Canary, who will not fail to follow the same 

 tone when he has learnt the air, and will repeat it several times 

 a day, will so dry up his lungs that it will cause him to grow 

 lean and die in a few days. 



"At the end of a fortnight take away the linen cloth and 

 supply it with a piece of thick green or red serge, and leave him 

 still in the same place till he perfectly learns what you teach 

 him. Some Canary birdB are more apt to learn than others, for 

 some are perfect in two months and others not in six; bat you 

 must have patience when you resolve to teach them anything, 

 without it nothing can be done. When you give him his food, 

 which must be enough for two days at least, it must be done by 

 candlelight, that he may not be distracted, but may learn what 

 he is taught the sooner. 



" As for the tunes, he must be taught only one fine prelude 

 and a choice air. When they are taught more they are apt to 

 confound them, and being taught too much they often know 

 nothing perfect, their memory becoming overburdened, so that 

 they know not what they Bing. Besides, their distemper of 

 moulting, which is once a-year [or should be if kept in a Bteady 

 and regular temperature], and lasts above two months, diverts 

 them, so that they do not sing, and consequently easily forget 

 the tunes they have been taught with so much trouble. 



"Do not follow the notion of those who think that the many 

 lessons they give their CanarieB every day improves them the 

 more ; they tire themselves and only make the birds nneasy. 

 Five or six lesBons a-day are sufficient for a Canary, though he 

 be ever so little disposed to learn ; besides, the trouble would 

 much outweigh the pleasure if a man were to be continually 

 about his Canary birds. You must, therefore, give them but 

 two lessona in the morning when you rise, another about noon, 

 and the same before bedtime. The morning and evening 

 lessons benefit the birds most, because at those times when all 

 is still, the birds being less diverted, better retain what is taught 

 them. The tunes taught them must be repeated nine or ten 

 times at every lesson, and those same airs must be played 

 running without repeating the first part of them twioe, and the 

 conclusion in the same manner, as is usually done in ooncerts 

 or other playing. A grey Canary bird of a good breed is more 

 apt to learn from a flageolet than any other sort of Canary. You 

 must not pretend to teach two Canary birds in the same room, 

 much less in the same cage, as many have attempted to do. If 

 that be done it must be only for a time— that is, as soon as one 

 of the two begins to take the tune, then they must be imme- 

 diately parted at such a distance that they may not hear one 

 another, because they will do nothing but distraot eaoh other, 

 and it would be all lost time to them and to him who teaches 

 the birds." 



In the book from whioh the above is quoted the prelude and 

 air spoken of are given. — G. J. Babnesby. 



APIARIAN EXPERIENCES IN 1877. 



It may be interesting to some of your apiarian novices to follow 

 the fortunes of an old bee-keeper, and therefore I shall narrate 

 here the fortunes of my apiary thus far in the present season. 



Let me say by way of preface that I do not go in for keeping 

 bees so much with a view to make if possible ^70 a year, or 

 indeed anything in the way of profit beyond supplying the wants 

 of my household and those of a few friends, and so I am oontent 

 to keep but few hives. 



This year opened with fair prospects of success. One hive 

 is an oblong box of good size in a bee house was exceptionally 



