454 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 5, 1872. 



that many years ago one of the first poulterers in London was 

 asked for the largest Dorking cock that could he got. It was 

 for a particular purpose, and he was much lauded for a bird 

 that weighed 9 lbs. Had he lived in our days, he might at 

 Birmingham have bought one 2 lbs. heavier. All the cocks in 

 b;>tu classes were good in weight and symmetry, and formed ex- 

 cellent classes. 



The hens and pullets were worthy of their relatives, and mus- 

 tered in goodly numbers. There were many hens over 9 lbs. each, 

 and that was not the result of fat, but good scaffolding and succu- 

 lent flesh. There would have been little difficulty in picking a 

 pair, a cock and hen, that would have weighed 21 lbs., and if a 

 pound more were wanted it could have been had. With some 

 exceptions the hens were not in very high condition. This 

 brings us to an end of 152 pens. 



Many beautiful birds were shown in the next classes, but it is 

 evidently very difficult to come up to their requirements. "We 

 allude to the Silver-Greys. It is hard to disqualify an other- 

 wise perfect bird because it has a few white feathers on the 

 breast, but it is necessary. There is a tendency in the pullets to 

 have too much salmon colour. In some instances it pervades 

 the wings, back, and shoulders. They are on the increase. They 

 brought fifty-one entries. The White Dorkings were excellent, 

 especially the old cocks. They have seldom been seen as good. 

 The young cocks and the hens and pullets showed very superior 

 specimens that for size might have competed with their darker 

 brethren. 



The adult Buff Cochin cocks made, we think, one of the best 

 classes we ever saw. They had size, colour, and symmetry, and 

 there were twenty-nine of them. The young birds were very 

 good, but they appeared small after the old ones. The hens 

 were very meritorious, many of unusual weight and size, but as 

 a class they lacked condition, and were in that respect inferior 

 to the pullets. Many of these latter left nothing to be desired, 

 and we were delighted to see these old and deserving favourites 

 in such force in numbers and merit. They filled 250 pens. 

 The Brown and Partridge Cochins showed careful selection. 

 As with the Silver-Grey Dorkings the presence of a few white 

 feathers disqualifies, so in these cocks a few buff feathers in the 

 breast disqualify him. As we had to mention the prevalence 

 of the salmon tinge on the Silver-Grey pullets, so we could not 

 help noticing a yellow tinge on many of the Partridge pullets. 



The Dark Brahmas were very beautiful, and we were glad to 

 note that vulture hocks were not as prevalent as we have seen 

 them. The cocks were a very fine class, and there were splendid 

 specimens of this beautiful breed. The estimation in which 

 they are held will be sufficiently proved by the fact the Dark 

 alone contributed 238 entries to the Show. It is only of late the 

 Light variety has occupied a prominent position with the public, 

 yet there were 142 pens shown. They deserve favourable 

 mention as well as their Dark companions. The cocks were 

 large and heavy, and the pullets beautiful with their white 

 plumage, striped hackles, dark tails and flights. The Dark 

 pullets were many of them perfect in their pencilling, well 

 marked up to the lower beak. 



The good old town-loving fowl, the Malay, though more nu- 

 merous than of late, were few; only twenty-nine pens entered 

 the lists, and they were not in any way remarkable. 



The Creve-Cceurs mustered thirty-nine, and were excellent. 

 It would seem of this breed that transplantation agrees with 

 them. They have plainly improved since they were first shown 

 in England. They are much larger and heavier than they were, 

 and they have evidently more constitution. Many of the cocks 

 shown might vie with Dorkings for size and weight, and their 

 square forms give assurance to those who can overlook black 

 legs that they are not to be scorned for the table. 



If so much may be said about the Creve-Cceurs, what shall 

 we say for the Houdans, repvesente&by eighty-nine pens? There 

 is rollicking, devil-may-care, Robert Macaire-like look about the 

 head and face of a cock of this breed that cannot be mistaken. 

 Dorkings have taught us to respect five claws in a table fowl, 

 and we therefore are predisposed in favour of this breed. The 

 specimens were of the highest class, good, square, useful birds. 

 That which we said of the Creve-Cceurs may here be repeated — 

 the climate and treatment of England agree with them. Better 

 'birds of both breeds are bred in England than can be imported. 

 Spanish showed in good form, and furnished seventy pens ; 

 feut they are not the Spanish of former times. We do not pretend 

 t:> say we could not find perfect specimens, or that we could not 

 hive made-up pens that would have been faultless or nearly so, 

 feut the general type of the class is lower and less numerous. 



We are admirers of the Hamburghs, there is a cheerful jaun- 

 tiness in their air and appearance which always pleases us. 

 Nothing could exceed the beauty of the Golden-pencilled ; some 

 of them were equal to anything we ever saw, and had the prizes 

 b?en ten times as numerous, worthy recipients could have been 

 f jund for all. The Blacks were also excellent. The clean-cut 

 white deaf-ear, the red comb and glossy black plumage, form an 

 agreeable and pleasing contrast. We cannot award the same 

 praise to the Silver-pencilled. They, like the Spanish, are not 



equal to those of old times. With rare exceptions they were not 

 a good clxss. The Spangled birds were very good, but in them 

 We preferred the Golden to the Silver. 



The Polands were sufficiently numerous to bring twenty-three 

 pens into the prize list, and were equal to anything we ever saw. 

 We would especially name the Silver and the Black with white 

 tops. They were perfect in clean-cut markings, and in the size 

 and colour of their top-knots. 



In the Various class there was not the usual collection of 

 novelties. The La FUclie, which for some years have had a 

 class to themselves, have now returned to this refuge for the 

 destitute, and two of them took a first prize. The second went 

 to a very good pair of Silkies. 



It is difficult to say more for the Game than that they were a 

 show of themselves. Every variety seemed bent on distinguish- 

 ing itself. The first-prize Black Red, Brown Red, and Duck- 

 wing were such as might give the world assurance of what a 

 Game cock should be. But there were not wanting some that 

 were ridiculous, inasmuch as they had more of the Malay than 

 Game in them, and had as much pretension to one as to the 

 other class. Exhibitors of such did not confine themselves to 

 cocks, but showed pullets in numbers presenting the same un- 

 deniable proof of the cross. It would be hard to say which was 

 the best bird, but we should be disposed to take the Black- 

 breasted Red birds that took the cup aud first prize. The Duck- 

 wings were numerous, and showed signs of improvement. Our 

 old favourites, the Gold and Silver Sebrights, can make but a 

 poor show with two colours mixed in one class. The Black, 

 White, and Game have overrun them. The latter especially 

 form very numerous classes, and show almost as many varieties 

 as their larger brethren. 



The Rouen Ducks have quite eclipsed the Aylesburys — fifty- 

 one pens of the former to foixrteen of the latter. The Rouens. 

 are also the heavier. There were pairs of birds that weighed 

 more than 22 lbs. the pair. An average may be taken at from 

 7 lbs. to 8 lbs. each bird throughout the class. Mr. Robertson 

 Gladstone's first-prize birds weighed 19 lbs. 10 ozs., and he had 

 another pair 2 ozs. heavier. Mr. S. Burn's weighed 221bs. 2ozs. 

 Mr. Fowler's Aylesburys weigh 18 lbs. 12 ozs. The Black Ducks 

 were, perhaps, the best show of the breed that has ever been 

 seen. Small size, beautiful plumage, and perfect symmetry, 

 were the characteristics of the class. Exhibitors in these classes 

 must bear in mind these are all birds of feather; and although 

 great weight is looked for in the Rouens and Aylesburys, and 

 diminutive size in the East Indian, yet important as these 

 points may be, they can only be successful when allied to 

 perfect plumage. 



The comparatively new classes for Ornamental Waterfowl are 

 become a great success, and bid fair to form one of the most at- 

 tractive classes in the Show. Nothing could exceed the beauty 

 of the Carolina and Mandarin Ducks. Twenty-two pairs of them 

 were shown. But there were also Casarkas, Bahamas, Teal, 

 Whistling Ducks, Sheldrakes, Call Ducks, and others. 



The Geese were very large and meritorious, but their weight 

 did not exceed those of former years, nor did the entries. Mr. 

 J. K. Fowler sent a pair of White Geese weighing 56 lbs. 2 ozs., 

 and his prize birds of the present year weighed 50 lbs. 2ozs., 

 and his Grey and Mottled 53 lbs. 



Turkeys increase yearly, and their weights bid fair to go on 

 till the supposed tables of former times become the sober facts 

 of our days. On this occasion one cock from Mr. Lythall 

 weighed 38 lbs. 5 ozs., and a bird of this year 29 lbs., while two 

 hens weighed 321bs. Mr. F. E. Richardson's first-prize hen 

 weighed 32£ lbs., while one of the present year from Mr. Lythall 

 weighed 31 lbs. We were sorry to see the pure American is dis- 

 appearing, being merged in the Cambridgeshire. Many of the 

 best birds shown were a cross between these breeds. 



The Pigeons will be reported on in our next. 



Dorkings (Co'oured, except Silver-Grey).— Cocks— \ and Cup, W. H. Deni- 

 son, Woburn Sands. 2, J. Lonyland, Grendon. S and i, N. Russell, Bas- 

 chureh, Salop, he, H. Yardley, Birmingham. 



Dorkings (Coloured, except Silver-Grey). — Cockerels.— 1, 2, and 3, Mrs. Ark- 

 wright. Chesterfield. 4, Mrs. E. Wheatley, Ingatestone. 5, J. Longland. 6, J. 

 Copple, Preseot. he. Mrs. E. Wheatley (2): hev. J. G. A. Baker, Biggleswade 

 (2); J White. Warlaby, Nothallertori ; Miss Whittington, Henley-in-Arden ; 

 R. D.Holt, Windermere; J. Drewry, Burtou-on-Trtnt : E. Fearon, Whitehaven. 

 c,E. Miles, Tenbury; N. Rnssell (2) ; Rev. J. G. A. Baker. 



Dorkings (I'oloureiJ, except Silver-Grey).— Hens.— 1. R. W. Beachey, Fluder, 

 Kingskerswell. 2, Mrs. E. Wheatley. 3 and 4. J. White, Warlaby, Northaller- 

 ton he, Miss Fairhurst, Ormskirk ; Colonel Lane, Bracknell ; J. Copple ; Mrs. 

 E. Wheatley. 



Dorein'g* (Coloured, except Si\ver-Grev).— Pullets,— 1, Mrs. Arkwright. 2.and 

 5, Mrs.E. Wheatley. 3, Miss Davits, Chester. 4, R. W. Beachey. 6, J. Copple. 

 he, Colonel Lane : J. Copple ; Mrs. E. Wheatley (2) ; Miss Davies ; Miss Whit- 

 tington. 



Dorkings (Silver-Grey).— Cocks.— I, R. D. Holt. 2. W. H. Denison. 



Dorkings (Silver-Grey) —Cockerels— \, R. D. Holt. 2, H. Yardley. he, J. 

 Horton, jun., Shirlev (2) ; R. D. Holt, c, Ludy Bagot, Rugeley. 



Dorkings (Silver-Grev).— Hens.— 1, W. W. Ruttlidge, Shurtend, Kendal. 2, 

 0. E. Cresswell, Baushot. he. T. Raines, Stirling, c, Countess of Dartmouth, 

 Patshull, Albrighton ; Lady Baeot. 



Dorkings (Silver-Grey).— PuUets.—l, Countess of Dartmouth. 2, R. D. Holt. 

 he, 0. E. Cresswell. 



Dorkings (White).— Cocks— I, J. Robinson. Garstang. 2, J. Choyce, Ather- 

 stone. he, O. F. Cresswell ; J Robinson, c, Miss Fairhurst. 



Dobkings (White).— Cockerels— \, Mrs. Hayne, Fordington, DorcheBter. 2, 

 O. E. Cresswell. he, Countess of Dartmouth Rev. F. Tearle, Newmarket (2); 

 J, WattB, King's Heath, Birmingham, c, Miss Fairhurst. 



