410 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 22, 1877. 



not understand the second award, the cockerel had 6uch an 

 indifferent tail ; third a very rich-coloured bird. Much excep- 

 tion was taken to the first award in hens, but we could not see 

 bo much error in it, save that she has a badly- marked tail; 

 Becond with very even and medium pencilling ; third well pen- 

 cilled up to the tail. The first Silver-pencil cockerel was good 

 all round, but a little white in some of the tail feathers ; second 

 we thought a lovely little bird ; third was not in good condition. 

 The first hen was very heavily marked with real barring; 

 second again good in pencilling, not bo in comb ; third small in 

 pencilling. In Blacks the first cock was splendid in colour, but 

 bad in comb and long in leg ; second a very good bird all round ; 

 third a good old bird, his lobes wonderfully white for his age; 

 we admired the very highly commended one. First in hens an 

 old bird, very good in head and colour; second a very lustrous 

 pullet; third fair in style, but knock-kneed. 



Leghorns — The judging of Leghorns must be a difficult 

 matter, for the desired points still seem little defined. An 

 exaggerated comb seemed bere to be the first requirement for 

 success. In Brown cocks the cup went to a bird with such a 

 comb, generally the best in the class; tbe second seemed very 

 close upon him; the third was by far the best-coloured bird, 

 but he had the advantage of an end pen. The prize hens were 

 all pretty-looking birds and very equal. The cup "White cock 

 waB a pretty bird, but not clear. We preferred the Becond and 

 third, though the latter had ugly yellow lobes. 



Andalusians had two classes, one for cocks and one for hens. 

 By some inexplicable mistake pairs were sent in lieu of single 

 cocks in the majority of pens of the cock clasB, and all three 

 prizes were awarded to them. The cockerel in the cup pen was 

 a splendid bird ; we have never seen a better. Second a very 

 fair pair, but we did not admire the hen. Third a very good 

 pair, but the hen too light in neck hackle. The firBt hen was a 

 magnificent bird; we saw that Bhe had been claimed, though 

 the catalogue price was six guineas. Second we did not like 

 nearly so well. Third fine and large, but not so even in colour 

 as the first. — C. 



Cochins. — Adult Buff cocks only brought seven pens. The win- 

 ner was good in all points but colour, which was of three shades. 

 We do not, however, see what else could have won if the Judge 

 objected to the tendency to hock-feathering in the Becond. 

 HenB were not very good. When we saw them no cards were 

 np, and our own choice was for pen 117 (Proctor), which was 

 subsequently second. The first hen was pretty in shape but 

 not very good in colour; we believe she only fetched £8 5s. at 

 the auction, which is a small price for the best Buff hen in 

 the Crystal Palace Show. The cup cockerel was the bird which 

 was very highly commended at Oxford, we tbink; we then 

 noticed his grand style and shape, and also his want of sound 

 and even colour. The second was of grand colour, and his only 

 defect was his tremendous feathering. Buff pullets were pretty 

 and the winner of a nice colour and Bhape, as were second and 

 third, the latter of much the same colour as tbe first. The 

 Partridges were very good. In old cocks the winner was perhaps 

 now in the best feather, but in a short time we should think the 

 second would run him closely, but both are good birds. All 

 the three prize hens were very fine, the third excelling by the 

 fashionable pencillings. Young Partridge Cochins mustered 

 well. The winning cockerel was folly well feathered, and the 

 pullet which won first had good Bize, Bhape, and pencillings. 

 White cocks were very good — as superior as the cockerels were 

 poor. The winner was in good looka with fine style and carriage, 

 but not of the pure white we like to see. The second we put 

 third before the cards were out ; he is broad and square. Third 

 was a great lumpy bird, heavily hocked, otherwise, in our 

 opinion one of the best Cochins in the Show. The cup ben was 

 very white, large, and square, and an easy winner. Second was 

 also good. The very highly commended pen of Mr. Boissier's 

 and the third were very even in quality, and we thought the 

 position of the latter three birds quite a toes-np. The first 

 White cockerel was showy but very small, and the second we 

 think the pretty bird we saw very highly commended at Ox- 

 ford. The White pullets were moderate, the first easily the 

 winner. Blacks were very good, the first adults of Lady 

 Gwydyr's being of beautiful colour. The winners in both cock- 

 erels and pullets may consider themselves fortunate for their 

 honours ; though both birds have good points, and although the 

 classes were large and good, nothing stood out as easily ahead. 

 Langshans only had nine pens, and they and their champions 

 surprise us. 



Spanish were very fairly represented in numbers and quality. 

 From the half-score o» old cocka we thought the winner well 

 chosen; his head points were all good and his colour fair. A 

 great many hens want more time. This Show is full early for 

 hens of this breed, which appear to be late getting over the 

 moult. The first cockerel, too, was good, as were the very 

 highly commended pens of Messrs. Jones and Yates. The 

 pullets were fourteen pens in number, and the beBt birds ap- 

 peared to have their right positions. 



Malays. — There were twenty-nine penB in the two classes, 



and they consequently brought in entry fees £11 12s., and they 

 had in prize money £8 3s., so we Bhall hope to see next year 

 classes for chickens also, especially as it is hardly fair in this- 

 breed for the youngsters to compete against the parents. First 

 and second went to good old cocss, fine in shape and possessing; 

 much bone. The third was a promising young fellow of gcoi 

 colour. The hens were mostly dark. The awards we did not 

 obtain, hut we fancied a bird in pen 1473 (Grimmer), 1476 (Joint), 

 and 1481 (Hinton). We thought it on the whole as good a class 

 as we have this year seen. 



Poland's. — These were extremely good classes all round. 

 Thirteen Gold cocks opened the department, where the winner 

 was in superb condition and Beemed used to a show pen. The 

 second was a very fair cockerel. Many birds here want four or 

 five weeks more. Hens were fourteen pens stroDg, and though 

 many birds were very good, and some especially so, we heard 

 Bome difference of opinion concerting the winners. The winning 

 Silver cock was hardly silvery enough, or else his crest is large, 

 as is the crest of the cup hen, in fact as good as any we have 

 seen for many shows past. Lady Dartmouth showed a good 

 hen, and Mr. Adkius aho had a beauty. The Blacks were good. 

 We believe Mr. Dixon judged them ; if so, are we wrong in 

 saying that he this year selected birds with a different type of 

 crest ? We are not alone in our opinion ; and though we quite 

 approve of his choice, we did not think, knowing that he was to 

 judge, that the cocks would have been placed as they were. In 

 pen 1535 was the first-prize bird of last year . His tail is not quite 

 perfect, but we fancy he was in as good feather this year as be 

 was last. The first is an old bird good and well moulted ; second 

 a pretty cockerel the best part of which is his crest. In hens 

 the second won first last year as a pullet. She has improved 

 and appears to have more stamina, for it may be remembered 

 we always looked on her as delicate. The first here was 

 second last year, and Eeeond in 1875 ; she was grand in colour 

 and a fine crest, the latter a shade parted. Variety Class.— 

 Here was even a greater medley than usual, for two dozen pens 

 of all breeds met to do battle for three prizes. We hope if the 

 National next year does not increase its classification it will 

 copy less important societies and have two firsts, two seconds, 

 and two thirds. We are sure the present syBtem is unfair to 

 the Judge, who must use his own fancy however much be 

 may try to choose the best birda. This year the first prize in 

 the lottery fell to LaF.eche, second to Sultans, and the thircJ 

 prize was obtained by Indian Game. The latter breed we 

 hope, however, to see soon well established ; and we say now, to 

 give all breeders and fanciers the earliest knowledge, that classes 

 will be provided for the variety at the Oxford and Palace Shows 

 of 1878 if enough entries are guaranteed, particulars of which 

 may be obtained from the Hon. and Rev. F. Datton, or of " W.," 

 office of this Journal. Among the tenants of this class were 

 Mincrcas, Cuckoo Cochins, Frizzles, Plymouth Rocks, Domi- 

 nique?, Yokohamas, Surrey Fowls, Silkies, &c. To them we 

 offtr our sympathy, and to the latter breed especially, which 

 deserved (as far as the entries of the last Show are concerned), 

 their class as much as ever did Silver-pencilled Hamburgh 

 ; cocks, ditto hens, White Leghorn cocks, and Andalusian cocks, 

 I but Silkies are not to be crushed. 



Bantams. — Blacks were first in our peculiar Bantam depart- 

 j ment this time, and we hope exhibitors are satisfied. We saw 

 [ one fancier and said to him, " Will the awards do for you to-day?" 

 i He replied, " What the Judges do is well." He himself was not 

 noticed. What more can we say ? If tbe disappointed speak 

 thus, surely the awards were correct, and the most lustrous, the 

 I smartest, the best won. In the White-booted class were seven 

 ! entries. We hope next year to see a class for " Booteds of any 

 I colour :" Black, White, and Speckled. The winners were chosen 

 for their petitencss we suppose, and they were a pretty little pair. 

 In the mixed class a good pair of Dark Japanese were deservedly 

 firBt. They are a charming pair, and are, we imagine, the same 

 pair which we thought at the Alexandra hardly had their deserts; 

 second went to Cuckoos, and third to Gold Frizzles. The Laced 

 were very good, and we are delighted to see them more exten- 

 sively exhibited. Of the awards we can form no opinion, for 

 when we went by the cards were not on, but we should suppose 

 the pens of Mr. Leno, Rev. W. Serjeantson, and Rev. F. Tearle 

 would all come in for cards. The Untrimmed Classes. — " The 

 least said the soonest mended," said a poultry fancier of a Ecore 

 of years' standing, and so we will suffice to say that among the 

 " Game " there were a quarter of a hundred of undubbed Game 

 cocks, while in the next class a score of others sent representa- 

 tives from their yards to show that they are able at times to 

 show untrimmed birds. Dr. Holmes, Messrs. Newnham and 

 Manby, Messrs. Haines, Stretch, Potter, Lingwood, Bloodworth, 

 Borrow, Feast, Long, &c, we are amazed ! The cap went to 

 a Cochin, the second to a Black Hamburgh, and the third to 

 a Spanish. We are disappointed, aud once more emphatically 

 beg the class may next year be for " hocked Asiatics " of any 

 breed. 



Waterfowl. — Aylesbury Ducks only six pens in number— three 

 from Aylesbury, two from Stamford, one from Wales. Kindly 



