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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 25, 1877. 



entries any extra expenditure. We should much like to know 

 what each Judge will do, and cannot understand why this should 

 not be known, for a mere string of names is as useless as none 

 at all. 



There are a few new Pigeon classes, and there appear to be 

 lots of new Pigeon fanciers, so we hope the classes will obtain 

 very many entries. The collections of four pairs of Pigeons 

 other than Carriers, Pouters, and Tumblers still remain, and 

 always make to our mind a great feature of the Show. Mr. 

 Howard is still the Secretary, and Mr. Crook the Treasurer ; the 

 names of the remainder of the Committee do not transpire, but 

 the schedule of rules and regulations is signed by their order 

 by Mr. Howard. "We have every confidence of a great show 

 again, and we shall he delighted to see such an one ; and the 

 sight of some of last year's inmates of the Palace interspersed 

 with the chickens of this season will be very pleasing, for in 

 the number of the paBt chicken shows we seem to have quite 

 learnt to know the peculiarities and appearances of moBt of the 

 youngsters, though, of course, many will appear here which 

 have never before seen the walls of Messrs. Turner's and Billett's 

 cages.— W. 



MOULTING FOWLS. 



The moulting season is the most critical period of the year 

 for old fowls; and yet in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred 

 there is less care taken then than in the spring, when every- 

 thing is in their favour. The idea seems to be, that now the 

 young stock is out of harm's way, they can all shift for them- 

 selves. 



Some have much more difficulty in moulting than others. 

 Spanish are a long time naked. All the non-sitters feather more 

 slowly than the others. It may be because they lay a greater 

 number^ of eggs, and that the production of them causes more 

 exhaustion of the system than the twenty-one days of the sitters. 

 Certain it is, however, that moulting is an effort, and taxes the 

 bird ao much that at such a time any old weakness or partially 

 cured disease is sure to Bhow itself again. Thus where roup has 

 existed in a poultry-yard it always re-appears at moulting time. 



Perhaps many readers have never considered the great drain 

 upon the system of the fowl during this change of covering. 

 Not only have the regular flesh-forming, life-giving processes of 

 Nature to be fulfilled, but an entire new coat of feathers has also 

 to be manufactured. These feathers consist not of flesh and 

 blood alone, but of component parts of animal and mineral sub- 

 stances. _ These substances are assimilated from the food, and 

 unless birds can obtain such food as contains the necessary 

 qualities the work drags, is prolonged, and the poor fowl droops 

 and grows thinner in the vain endeavours to fulfil Nature's re- 

 quirements without the proper means to work with. I doubt if 

 one person in twenty has ever given this a thought, and yet it 

 is of the utmost importance to thorough and complete success in 

 raising first-class stock. 



Birds that have their fall liberty and are well fed always 

 moult well ; but when they are kept in confinement, care and 

 precaution are generally necessary. The effects of food may be 

 proved by a fact. Quails are exceedingly fond of hemp seed. 

 This is of a very heating nature, and if they are allowed to eat 

 too much of it their plumage becomes nearly black. If they are 

 fed entirely on it, their bodies are so heated that everything is 

 dried up and no nourishment is possible. Their feathers, like 

 plants, die for the lack of moisture. If improper food has this 

 effect, then judicious feeding ought to assist. When birds are 

 moulting they mu6t have plenty of cooling food, and there is 

 none so good as lettuce ; if it has gone to seed and stalking so 

 much the better. 



Sometimes a fowl will be seen while moulting to be continu- 

 ally pecking or scratching at one spot of its body. On ex- 

 amination it will be found that one or more feathers have failed 

 in passing through the opening in the skin that is provided for 

 the purpose. They keep on growing, but they grow beneath it. 

 This causes much pain. It is common in the top-knots of 

 Polands, but the remedy is a very easy one ; take a stout needle 

 and pass it under the quill end of the covered feather, then draw 

 the feather from under the skin. An abundance of warming 

 nutritious food is needed at this time, and a tonic of some kind 

 may also be given. Stale bread soaked in old ale given two or 

 three times a-week is said to be beneficial ; but perhaps one of 

 the best things to use is one-half pound sulphate of iron (green 

 vitriol), one ounce sulphuric acid, two gallons of water. Put a 

 teaspoonf ul of this mixture to each pint of water in the drinking 

 fountain, and keep it by them daring the whole time of moulting. 



One thing requires to be watched; they will sometimes, in a 

 dissatisfied habit of body, begin to peck and eat each other's 

 feathers. If a fowl does this it should at once be removed, as it 

 will teach others the same habit.— {Stock Journal.) 



Birmingham Cattle and Poultry Show.— The schedules of 

 prizes for the above important Exhibition, which has now 

 reached its twenty-ninth year of existence, are in circulation, 



and intending exhibitors are reminded that all entries must be 

 forwarded to the Secretary, at Bingley Hall, on or before Thurs- 

 day next, November 1st. The lists have in past years been eo 

 liberally extended that little change has now been thought 

 necessary, the premiums ranging in the cattle department from 

 .£100 down to £o for the leading breeds, which are kept distinct 

 throughout, besides the President's twenty-five guinea cup, the 

 Elkington 100-gninea challenge cup, and other valuable trophies. 

 The amount devoted to this division is close on £1200. The 

 poultry list will be augmented by the addition of classes for 

 Black Cochins, Leghorns, Langshans, Andalusians, and Silkies; 

 and several additional cups are given to the Pigeons, the prizes 

 for which amount to about £850. New Selling classes have 

 likewise been introduced for all breeds of poultry, Ducks, and 

 Pigeons, the entrance fees in these classes being at a reduced rate. 



OUTDOOR RABBIT HUTCHES. 



Like all other animals Rabbits in domestication require to ba 

 very carefully housed, without which they will not give satis- 

 faction to the keeper. There are many varieties of hutches, but 

 as a rule the simplest and warmest are the best. Sometimes 

 the only houseB provided are tubs or barrels turned on one side, 

 and short planks nailed across the bottom to make a level floor. 

 As they bulge out in the centre and go smaller at the ends they 

 make very suitable hutches for single Rabbits but do not answer 

 generally for breeding, although some of the hardier varieties, 

 especially the common Grey, will breed very well in them, 

 The mode of construction is very simple. Instead of nailing-in 

 the floor it is best to have the planks loose and fitted in a groove. 

 If a space of half an inch between each be left the cleansing 

 process will be much facilitated, as the boards can be removed 

 and the bottom washed. For the front a square frame should 

 be made about the size of the bottom square, the interstices 

 being planked over. This will give both air and retirement, and 

 will be very satisfactory. The frame should consist of wooden 

 slabs nailed on cross pieces. The slabs should be 2 inches wide 

 and 1 inch apart. If the Rabbits gnaw the bars, as they some- 

 times do, their mischief can be stopped by fixing a piece of 

 copper wire near each edge. If preferred iron netting may be 

 nailed over, but it is a trifle too cold for an outdoor hutch. 

 Perhaps the best of all are iron hoop bars, which may be nailed 

 on as the wooden ones. They cannot be gnawed, and they tend 

 to strengthen the frame very much. The top of the tub should 

 be covered with felt to keep the wet out, and it will be found 

 economical to tar or paint this, as otherwise it would soon rot 

 and want renewing. It need not be nailed down, but is better 

 laid on loose, so that it can be shaken occasionally and thus 

 kept free from vermin. The framework referred to, and which 

 is much the same for all outdoor hutches, should be very strongly 

 made. Four pieces of wood the proper size nailed together will 

 do and last for some time, but the proper way is to dovetail the 

 pieces together, using glue and a screw at each junction. The 

 wood should be at least three-quarter-inch or it will not be 

 sufficiently strong. The iron bars should be put on evenly and 

 upright. If you are short of tools take the hooks to a blacksmith, 

 who will cut them to any length — and the lengths are easily 

 measured and chalked — and will moreover make the holes in 

 each for the nails by which they are to be affixed to the solid 

 frame. For about sixpence this can be done, and it will save 

 much trouble. If the hoops are broken to the desired lengths 

 the edges will be rough and never look well. If it be desired 

 to do matters extra well, and so as to be very durable, the bars 

 should be screwed on. Great care should be used not to split 

 the frame, and if a little red lead be put in the screw holes it 

 will be well. Of course one screw each end will be enough. If 

 preferred the bars may be put between two pieces of board for 

 the frame, and the two pieces screwed together. There is some 

 difficulty in putting them together like this, but they will last 

 a very long time if once well done, although for ordinary wear 

 and tear it is not necessary. Barrels are sometimes merely 

 stood on end under a shed and used as hutches. This form is 

 very useful for a day or two on a sudden addition being made 

 to the rabbitry beyond the strength of the hutches, but it is not 

 to be recommended for several reasons. Not only does it look 

 untidy and unfinished, but it also places a great temptation in 

 the way of cats. Besides this there can be but little comfort 

 for the Rabbit and the waste of space is enormous, the height 

 being so much more than can be necessary. Still, as previously 

 remarked, there can be no objection to a temporary hutch being 

 formed in this way. 



A good strong case — such as can be bought from egg-importers, 

 grocers, and others — will make a capital outdoor breeding hutch, 

 and a very inexpensive one into the bargain. A wine case is 

 the best, but they are generally very expensive. I once had 

 one made of li-inch boards with each plank dovetailed into the 

 next, bo that it was both water and damp proof. It was given to 

 me, but I think it would cost at least half a sovereign. A suit- 

 able case can be purohased for much less than a quarter of that 

 sum. Let the length be from 2 feet 9 inches to 3 feet G inches, 



