December 5, 1872. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



459 



1.4 A. "Weaver, Leominster; C Stephenson, Hart; S. & G. Hudson; T. E. 

 Pyman(2); W. H. Tomlinson; W. Donkin, Driffield. 



Judges. — Poultry, Pigeons, andBabbits : Mr. Hutton, Pudsey, 

 Leeds. Gage Birds : Mr. W. A. Blakston, Sunderland. 



SCARBOROUGH BIRD SHOW. 



The fourth annual Exhibition of Cage Birds was held in the 

 Mechanics' Hall, Scarborough, on the 20th and 21st ult The 

 classes, although not so numerously filled as at a show in the 

 same town a short time previously, contained many very excel- 

 lent specimens. Class 1, Clear Yellow Norwich, contained a 

 specimen of very suspicious appearance, which, on being tested 

 and closely examined, proved to have been disfigured with a 

 deep dye. The Lizards, Cinnamons, Crested Norwich, and 

 Mules were exceptionally good. 



The Show was well conducted, and the arrangements reflect 

 credit on the Secretary, Mr. C. Haughton, and the Committee. 

 The following is the prize list :— 



Norwich.— Clear Yellow.— I and 2, Hauehton & Robinson. 3, Moore and 

 Wynnp, Northampton, he. R Hawman, Middlesborough. c, J. Calvert, York. 

 Clear Buff.—l «.nii 3. M. King. 2, Haughton &, Robinson, he, Moore & Wynne. 

 c, G. Medd, Scarborough. 



Norwich— Evenly-marked Yelloic— 1, R. Hawman. 2. Moore * Wynne. 3, 

 Greenwood & Jackson, he, M. King, Scarborough. Evenhi-marked Buff— I, 

 M. Kin". 2, Moore & Wvnne. 3, Green & -lackson. he, Han^hton & Robinson. 



Norwich.'— Ticked and Unevenly-marked Yellow.— I, S. Bunting. 2. G. Medd. 

 3, M. King. he. R. Bunting; M. King c, Moore & Wynne; Hauehton and 

 Robinson. Ticked and Unevenly-marked Bu.ff.—l and 3, S. Bunting, Wook 

 Larkin, Derby. 2, G. Medd. he, Moore & Wynne, c, G. Medd; M. King; 

 Haughton & Robinson. 



Norwich.— Ann variety of Crested.— 1, M. King. 2, 3, and he, Wallace and 

 Beloe. c, D. Quin & Son, York ; Greenwood & Jackson. 



Yorkshire.— Clear Yellow or Buff.—l. R. Hawman. 2, G. Champley, Scar- 

 borough. 3 G. Medd. he, D. Quin & Son. c, Tenniswood & Jobling. Even- 

 marked Yellow or Buff.—l, J. Stevens. 2, Tenniswood & Jobling, North 

 Aclam, 



Lizard.— Golden>spangled.—l, J. Taylor, Widdlesborough. 2, R. Ritchie. 3, 

 J.Ellis, he. J. Tavlor; J. N. Harrison. C. M. King. bjilvcr-span(iled.— 1, R. 

 Ritchie, Darlington. 2. J. Taylor. 3, J. N. Harrisun. he, S. Bunting; M. 

 King. c. Moore & Wynne. 



Cinnamon.— Yellow or Buff— I and 8. Wallace & Beloe. 2, R. Ritchie, he, J. 

 Taylor. Midrllesborough ; Wallace & Beloe ; J. N. Harrison ; Moore & Wynne. 



'Any other. Variety. —1, W, Catton. 2, J. Stevens, Middlesborongh. 8, J. N. 

 Harrison, he. Haughton & RoMnson. 



Mules.— Even-marked Goldfinch. — 1. R. Havmian. 2, J. Stevens. 3, M. 

 Burton, he. R D Waite : M. Burton. Dark.— 1 and he, M. Burton. 2, Tennis- 

 wood & Jobling. 3, W. Lister, c, G. Medd. 



Canaries.— Cape of Four.—l, R. Ritchie. 2, Wallace & Beloe, Berwick-on- 

 Tweed. 3, G. Medd. 



Foreign Birds.— Any variety.— 1 and 3, J. Calvert. 2, J. Wyrill. he, Miss 

 Town send. 



Judge. — Mr. G-. J. Barnesby, Derby. 



CRYSTAL PALACE PIGEON SHOW. 

 (From a Correspondent.) 



This was by far the best Show of Pigeons ever brought 

 together, and without doubt the same as regards arrangement 

 and pens, and now and henceforth must be quite as attractive 

 as the poultry, for the fancy is' more popular, as is shown by 

 £50 being given for one Dun Carrier hen of Mr. Wiltshire's, 

 £25 for a Dun Carrier cock, and ^£20 each for three young 

 Carriers, the former being the highest price to my knowledge 

 ever given for a single bird. The Palace has no equal as a place 

 for showing off birds to advantage, as, besides being heated, 

 there is plenty of room between each aisle to see the birds, and 

 I have little doubt that many birds returned in better condition 

 than they came, which is no small consideration in these days 

 of high prices. 



The first class to attract my attention was the Pouters, shown 

 in beehive-shaped pens, and, notwithstanding the absence of 

 the Scotch fanciers, the birds were a very good lot, very well 

 judged, and the prizes well distributed. The class for Pigmy 

 Pouters contained good and delicately-marked specimens. 



I next came to the Carriers, where the competition was most 

 severe, and too much for the powers of one Judge, and I would 

 suggest that another year there should be two judges of this 

 class, especially if Mr. Corker is on the list of judges, as its 

 acknowledged fact that his knowledge of this breed is second to 

 that of no other judge ; besides which, Carriers, like all other 

 shy birds, want a deal of persuasion to show their true form. 

 The best bird (bought for £25), belonging to Capt. Heaton, was 

 very highly commended only, on what grounds I am at a loss 

 to conceive ; some said that the eye-wattle was too red. This I 

 can hardly think, as it's a sign of health, and not of a cross with 

 a Barb, as I heard one party say ; but in my opinion the only 

 possible fault was in his beak, which was a little spindly; in 

 every other point this bird was the beau ideal of a Carrier. 

 The class for Black Carriers bred in 1872 was the strongest in 

 all the Carrier classes, and contained some very excellent birds ; 

 In Duns Mr. Wiltshire won the cup against the Blacks with a 

 bird that left nothing to he desired, and which, though only com- 

 mended at Croydon, we spoke of so favourably in our report of 

 that show. 



The competition in Dragoons was very strong, the cup for 

 Blues going to a bird of Mr. South's. 



The class for Almonds and other varieties of Tumblers was 

 the best I have seen for colour, and made birds were less nume- 

 rous than usual. The prizes were well spread. 



In Jacobins the cup went to a very good Red in a strong class. 



Fantails were a show in themselves, and were well judged. 

 Trumpeters were few, but good. In English Owls the cup was 

 taken by an exquisite specimen of White in the foreign varieties. 

 In Turbitsthe cup was won by a good Silver. The prize for the 

 best four pairs of Pigeons, exclusive of Carriers, Pouters, and 

 Tumblers, went to a pen of White Fantails, some plain-headed 

 and some with a peak. 



The Rabbit Show at the Crystal Palace was the largest 

 Rabbit Show ever held in England, had been looked forward to 

 with much anxiety by all fanciers, and we are glad to be able to 

 pronounce it a great success. The pens were large, and the 

 management satisfactory. Of Lops twenty were exhibited vary- 

 ing from 22 to 23 inches in length of ear, and two Rabbits 

 measured over 231 inches. 



THE BEE SEASON IN CHESHIRE. 



I have not had an opportunity before of sending you a short 

 account of the honey season in this part of Cheshire, so now 

 proceed to do so. I succeeded in wintering twelve out of four- 

 teen stocks, and things looked very promising, for my stocks 

 were unusually strong in May. The white clover in this neigh- 

 bourhood was more abundant than I ever remember to have 

 seen it, and I had no difficulty in getting the bees to take to 

 supers; but alas! then commenced wet weather, which con- 

 tinued more or less throughout the summer, and was so persist- 

 ently against the labours of our little friends that I wonder how 

 they managed to keep things going ; and yet, owing, I suppose, 

 to the unusual luxuriance of the clover, honey was gathered 

 very fast whenever the weather allowed the bees to work. From 

 two hives in particular the results were excellent, as I obtained 

 from them 64 lbs. and 50 lbs., respectively, of fine super honey, 

 and both stocks in good condition for winter. I have had about 

 2 cwt. of honey altogether, and only broken-np one stock. 



I took thirteen hives to the heather, which was in fine bloom, 

 in August, all being in capital condition as to population, and 

 supers partly filled on every hive, for I had carefully prepared 

 them to return me a grand harvest, thinking as the summer 

 had been so wet the autumn would be fine. But "the best-laid 

 schemes," &c. I left them for six weeks, and it rained nearly 

 the whole time, so what honey was in the supers disappeared, 

 and I brought them back lighter than when they left home. 



Swarming has been easy to control this season. I have only 

 had seven swarms, including casts, and most of them have been 

 utilised in strengthening stocks, so winter finds me with fifteen 

 hives in good condition, and I have only to feed two or three up 

 a little ; and taking a retrospect of the whole season I am con- 

 tent to " rest and be thankful," especially when my neighbours 

 who still cling to the old way have done next to nothing; for 

 stocks which were heavy in July had fallen-off lamentably by 

 the end of September, and in most cases they are content to 

 keep all their stocks and hope for better luck next year. 



I am glad to notice that Mr. Pettigrew and a few friends have 

 organised an annual meeting of bee-keepers, as good results to 

 all concerned must follow such gatherings; indeed, I have often 

 wondered that we should be so much behind our American 

 brethren in these matters. It is also a sign of the increasing 

 interest being taken of late in our favourite pursuit that the 

 committees of flower shows are encouraging bee-keepers to ex- 

 hibit ; and I am sure it will always be one of the most interest- 

 ing departments of any show to see a nice lot of hives and honey, 

 besides the novelty of the thing. I have never yet shown in 

 competition, but will certainly do so if it be made a feature of 

 any show within a reasonable distance. — W. Beoughton Caur, 

 Higher Bebingtoii. 



AUTUMN FEEDING OF BEES. 



However people may differ as to the benefits of feeding bees 

 in the spring, we think they will all agree that to feed in the 

 fall is poor economy, except in special cases. If stocks are in 

 too poor condition to winter over, better make one good one out 

 of two or even three, than to attempt at this season to feed them 

 into good safe wintering condition. We have fed stocks that 

 had not 5 lbs. of honey in October, and made them good colonies, 

 and wintered them safely. We did it as an experiment, and 

 found that it " cost us more than it come to " — a homely and 

 ungrammatical phrase, but an expressive one. 



Now, our course is to go through the apiary some time in 

 October, see the condition of every colony, select the best 

 queens to save, destroy poor ones, and then selecting the best 

 combs from two colonies, place them in order in one hive, and 

 sprinkling the bees well with sweetened water and peppermint, 

 put them all together. This is no difficult matter. It may be 

 done in a few moments. Every year confirms our opinion tha 



