Novombor 8, 1877. ] 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



37b 



characteristic of the pure breed, but it should never be present 

 in a well-bred bird, and when it appears the bird will almost 

 certainly be found to have originated in the Golden or Silver- 

 Bpangled Hamburgh. The true Black Hamburgh is a bird 

 whose pedigree, in its purity, long antedated the poultry fancy, 

 and originated in the home of all the Hamburgh varieties — Lan- 

 cashire and Yorkshire. It is the largest of the Hambnrghe, and 

 although perhaps not so great a layer as the pencilled bird, lays 

 eggs so much larger that the difference in quantity is made up. 

 The pure bird should be black throughout the feathers, and 

 when in condition the lustre on all the feathers is indescribable, 

 the metallic hue having almost a peacock brilliancy in the sun- 

 light. This hue should never be anything but greenish, although 

 old cock birds sometimes get a coppery tinge, and a bluish tinge 

 is suggestive of a cross. The comb should be of moderate size, 

 with a very long spike turning upward, the wattles and ear-lobes 

 of cock and hen being round, not elongated, and the ear-lobes 

 intensely white and very smooth. The Burest indications of 

 purity of blood are the greenish lustre of the plumage, smallness 

 and neatness of the comb, compactness of feather, redness of 

 face, and more than all, narrowness of the back of the head. 

 The last is an almost unfailing indication. The combs are very 

 difficult to obtain of proper shape, the points being often twisted 

 or absent, and the comb itself being very apt to sag over on one 

 side; yet, with all this difficulty in rearing to a proper standard, 

 the bird, from its great beauty, prolificacy, and general useful 

 qualities, has never 1 oked admirers, and tue proof of this is the 

 great price a cup bird will bring in England. A very fine cock 

 is so scarce that it is no' uncommon for one to be sold for a sum 

 equal to $100, and the Crystal Palace cup cock of 1875 brought 

 $400. The most cslebrated strain in England is that of the 

 Rev. W. Serjeantson, and such has bean the danger of contami- 

 nation that it is said the strain has never been crossed, the 

 owner preferring to breed together birds of his own strain dis- 

 tantly related rather thau injure the strain by any base alloy. 

 Mr. Beldon, the celebrated Hamburgh breeder, has sent to this 

 country some very fine birds of his own strain, but as he has 

 not obtained the cup for the best birds of this variety at any of 

 the later great English shows, some of the other well-known 

 strains in England are probably superior. It is greatly to be 

 regretted that the very large prices asked for genuine Black 

 Hamburghs has prevented the importation of very high- class 

 birds, but the difficulty of rearing the variety in its perfection 

 will probably keep up the price and the demand. The variety 

 is of very great merit, and as it possesses, in addition to the 

 beauty of the other Hamburghs, the extra qualifications of size 

 and hardiness, is justly regarded as a great addition to the 

 poultry yard, and should be better known. Except perhaps the 

 Silky and Sultan varieties, it is the rarest bird in its purity in this 

 country, and it is to be hoped that the same enterprise which 

 brought from the English breeders to this country so many of 

 our valued strains of other varieties of poultry will be devoted 

 to the importation of this, which is certainly fully the equal of 

 any known, either as a useful or beautiful variety for farmer or 

 fancier. — (American Pet Stock Bulletin.) 



GIVING OIL TO A BIRD. 



In last week's Journal of Horticulture "M. H." is recom- 

 mended to give his Canary a drop of cod-liver oil by opening its 

 beak and dropping the oil into its throat from a large needle or 

 bodkin. I tried to administer castor oil to a Virginian Nightin- 

 gale and another bird in this way, but in each case the bird died 

 within a few seconds. No doubt they were unable to Bwallow 

 with the beak open, but the suddenness of death was remark- 

 able. Another plan of administering castor oil I have seen 

 somewhere and found to be safe and effectual. It was this : — 

 Keep the bird without wattr for a time (two hours ?), then put 

 a drop into the water fountain. The bird in drinking takes the 

 floating oil first, and apparently without much noticing anything 

 unusual. — H. T., Humshaugh, 



SOUTHWELL SHOW OF POULTRY, &c. 



This Show is making excellent progress, tho number of entries 

 increasing year by year, this time coming almost up to four 

 hundred. Game headed the list, and there were some good 

 birds, a great improvement in fact upon those of la-t year. The 

 winners in the Black and Brown Reds, and the Pile3 firBt in the 

 variety class, were very good in all respects. Cochins. — Buff 

 very good old birds ; the hens slightly pencilled on the necks, 

 but of a good shape and well feathered. In the next class Par- 

 tridge were first and third, and Whites second. Brahmas a 

 mixed lot and very good. The winners Dark in the first, 

 second, and third. The first a grand pair in colour and marking. 

 Dorldngs were large but somewhat uneven, some bad on feet and 

 others scarcely moulted. Creve-Oceurs were a claBS such as is 

 rarely seen in size, correctness of comb, and crest. A pen of 

 Minorcas were very highly commended in this class, though not 

 strictly a French variety. Houdans had two classes. Cocks 



were a capital lot, old birds carrying off the prizes, and being a 

 strong class those correct in comb were solected as the winners. 

 Hens a fine lot and well shown. Hamburghs were unfortu- 

 nately Gold and Silvers in each class, a system we cannot suffi- 

 ciently condemn. Game Bantams were very good classes. The 

 winning Black Reds were a superior pair; the second stylish, 

 but the cock somewhat out of colour; the third rather large, 

 but otherwise very good. In Brown Reds were some very good 

 ones, especially the pullets. Any other Game, first and second 

 Duekwing, the first a most stylish bird; second cockerel excel- 

 lent in style and colour, but pnllet not equal ; third smart Piles, 

 not one clean. Variety Bantams very poor. Ducks were very 

 good in Rouens and Variety, but Aylesbury were poor. The 

 Selling classes were large and good. 



Pigeons — Carriers poor with the exception of those noticed ; 

 but the winners were very good — first Dun and second Black. 

 In Pouters first was a capital Blue, second and third White. In 

 Dragoons tho ManBfield loft carried off the prizes, and these were 

 very good— Blue, Yellow, and Blae-chequered. Tumblers. — First 

 a good Almond cock, second Blue Bald, and third a grand-headed 

 whole-feather. Jacobins about the best class of the Show. The 

 winners were Reds. Some exceeding neatFantails were shown ; 

 Magpie, Nun. and Swallow were very good and the competition 

 keen. English O.vls a fair class, and Antwerps a moderate lot. 

 The Variety class was a good one. Au African vl was placed 

 first, second a grand Fairy Swallow, third a Sitiuette, fourth a 

 Blondinette, and fifth also. 



POULTRY.— Game— Bla-.k Zi«ls.-1, G.Doubleday. 2, Mias A.. Spence. 8, A. 

 Cameron. Broil' n Reds— I, R. Swift 2,W.Rudd. 8, Lord Loudon. Any otlier 

 variety.— 1, W. & R. Smith. 2. J. Cox. 8 Barneaby & Heath. Cochins.— 

 Cinnamon or Buff.—l and 2, W. A Burnoll. 3, C. M Stiekena. Any other 

 variety —1,2, and vlic, Vf A. Burnell. 3. G. W. Henshall. Brahmas.— Light or 

 Dark— 1,H. Lingwood. 2, L. C. C R Norris. 8, W. Thorn. Dorkings — 1 and 

 3, B. Smith. 2. S. W. Hallara. vhc, B. Smith, H. Woods. Creve-Ccgurs, or 

 any other French Variety fxcept Houdans — 1 and 2. I. Ward. S, R. B. 

 Wood vhc, W. Thorns. HouDANa —Cock or Cockerel.— I and 8, R. B. Wood. 

 2, S W. Thomas vhc, W. Hauilyn, H. Meredith, R. A. Boiaaier. Sen or 

 Pullet —1 and 2, R. B. Wood. 8, A. Ogden. vhc, W. Hamlyn, R A. Boiaaier, 

 W. 0. Quibell, J. E. Pilgrim. Hamburghs.— Gold or Silver-pencilled— \, C W. 

 GibbB. 2, G. Morris. 3. H. Kyme. vhc, J. Smith. Gold or fiilver-spangled.— 



1. J. Jackaon. 2, H. Picklea. 8, S. May. Bantams — Game, Black Bed3.—\, 

 Miaa K. E. Swift 2, W. F. Entwiale. 8, E. Barker. Game, Brown Beds.—l 

 and 3, W. F. Entwisle. 2, S. Beighton. vhc, R. Beighton. R. Swift. Game, any 

 othervariety.—l.W.F.EMmsle. 2, S. Beishton. 8. W. N- Hudson, vhc, T. 

 CollinB. Any other variety— I, J. Calladine. 2. R- H. ABhton. 3, T. Birch. 

 DucKa.-ilouen —1, E. V. Snc-U. 2, S, and vhc, W. Bygott, inn. Aylesbury.— 1 

 and 8, E. V. Snell. 8, Mra Hole Any other variety.— I and 2, A. & W. H. 

 Silverton. 8, Rev. A. S. Webb, vhc, Mra. Savill (2). Geese.— 1, E. V. Snell. 



2, B. Smith. 3, C. Atkinson. Selling Ccass— 1, W. A. Burnell. 2, R. Hill. 8, 

 J. H. "Watkins. i. G. W. Henshall. vhc, T. S. Clarke. Cottaoerb' Class. 

 — 1, R. Spick. 2, Mra. Bingham. 3, R. Morley. i, T. Gascoigne. vhc, H. 

 Coddington. , „ _ - 



PIGEONS.-Carriers.— 1 and 2. J. Chandler. 3. H. Parker, vhc, C. Cook. 

 Pouters— 1, J. E. Crofts. 2, J. Hawkins. 3. W. F. Foottit Dragoon8.-1, 2, 

 and 3, R. Wooda. vhc, C. A. H. Pearson. Tumbi.erj.— 1. H. Yardley. 2, J. C. 

 Taylir. S.M.Weston vhc, J. C. Taylor, H. Yardley. Jacobinb.— land vhc, J. 

 Darby. 2, L. Allen. 8, H. Yardley. Fantails.— 1 and 2, J. F. Loversidge. 8, 

 T. Hiyea. Tuebitb.— land 3, R. Woods. 2. J. G. Tomkinaon. v he, J. Chandler. 

 Magpies, Swallow, or Nun.— 1, 2, and 3, R. Wood vhc. H. Yardley, J. E. 

 Crofta. Owls.— English.-!, L. Allen. 2 and 8, H. Parker, vhc, E. Leo, 

 Antwerps.— 1, H. Yardley. 2, J. Chandler. 3, W. H. Butler Any other 

 Varietv.— 1, J. Hawkina. 2. J. E. Crofts. S and 4. A. & W. H. Silverton. 5, H. 

 Yardley. vlic, H. Yardley, R. Hill, J. E. Crofts. Selling Class.— 1 and 5, R. 

 Woods. 2, J. Chandler. 8,W.H Butler. 4, J. F. Loversidge. vhc, H. Yardley, 

 A. P. Byford, R. Hill, J. C. Tomkinaon. 

 Judge.— Mr. E. Hutton, Pudiey. 



STEWARTON-HIVE SYSTEM. 



The results of my experience with the Stewarton hive in the 

 splendid Beason of 1S76 were duly chronicled in the Journal of 

 Horticulture last autumn. I then obtained from a single colony 

 144 lbs. of super and 6 lbs. of slung honey, a harvest not ex- 

 ceeded, as far as I was able to ascertain, on any exhibition in the 

 kingdom. The past summer has been an unfavourable one 

 here as elsewhere. The crop of white clover was abundant, but 

 owing, I presume, to the presence of a dry easterly wind during 

 the greater part of the time whilst it was in blossom, it ntvar 

 seemed to yield any supply of honey, so that though the fields 

 were white with clover, the bees appeared to be comparatively 

 inactive, and. this was characteristic of the summer during the 

 entire Beason. A little more briskness was observable when the 

 lime trees were in blossom. 



The colony above alluded to has, however, yielded a harvest 

 of 63 lbs. of fine super honey. As I only keep bees for amuse- 

 ment, and never sell either wax or honey, I am content with a 

 small number of stocks, and never now retain more than four 

 or five hives for the winter. Having thus only a very limited 

 number of hives from which to make a selection, I think that 

 the success which has been attained is sufficient to demonstrate 

 the excellence of the Stewarton syBtem. The supers have been 

 uniformly free from all trace of brood or pollen, and the use of 

 perforated zinc sheet to exclude the queen from the supers 

 appears to be quite unnecessary. I do not wish to lead bee- 

 keepers to suppose that these results are solely attributable to 

 the Stewarton hive, as although I do not believe that a better 

 system of management has hitherto been devised, I am quite 

 aware that a hive of this description would be comparatively 

 valueless in the hands of an ordinary cottager, or of any bee- 

 keeper who was unwilling to take the trouble of carefully looking 



