524 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ December 26, 1872. 



manure we think the proposed plan will answer admirably. "We shall make a 

 few remarksin answer to your inquiries. In the first place we would leave the 

 whole space beneath the beds open, as a heap of fermenting material there 

 would permeate the whole of the dung chamber, and the heat would rise to the 

 fiooringof slates, though the manure was not close to them. "We would not 

 have a pigeon-holed wall at h on that account ; but if disposed, you might have 

 a solid wall a foot or li foot or more from your flue, so that the flue also 

 would give you bottom heat. Ey having a solid 4-inch wall, as we presume you 

 intend to have now at the side of the riue, you would have the dung htat and 

 the fire heat quite distinct, and with a close flooring of slates you would never 

 have any steam from the dung in your house, however rank the dung might 

 be when you put it in ; and for getting all the heat the ranker the dung the 

 better. By this plan, however, neither roots nor steam must pass your slate 

 flooring. The roots coming through would be no advantage whatever, as 

 they would be liable to be scorched when the dung was rank ; and if they 

 penetrated into it when mild, you would have your foliage too large, and 

 justice would not be done to the fruit. There is another thing you must do 

 to get the full benefit of the manure in the chamber. "With just enough of 

 air to keep up fermentation, the trench for getting the manure in, marked g, 

 should be covered with close-fitting wooden covers. Again, we notice that 

 your bed is 5 feet wide. Wepresumeyou inteud training up the roof, and then a 

 bed of earth a foot or 15 inches less in width would be ample for Cucumbers 

 and Melons, so that if disposed, the flue might be placed farther in from the 

 back wall, and thus tell more on the bottom heat. And once more here : be the 

 flue where it is or a little changed, it would be advisable to have pans on it 

 for water when deemed necessary, and these could be filled from little slides 

 in the wall next the pathway, and these slides would enable you to have dry 

 ormoist heat from the flue into the atmosphere of the house, or you might 

 have plugs and holes alorjg the top of the chamber. We think that in sum- 

 mer — say from May, you will obtain enough of heat from the dung if well 

 managed ; but it would be a great auxiliary to be able to put on a little fire 

 in dull cold weather, and iu such weather it would be useful in giving a fine 

 flavour to Melons. The improvement would be as suggested. A cover of frigi- 

 domo or light canvas for the roof would be of great advantage in the winter 

 and early spring months. The simplest mode would be to fix it to the ridge 

 and a pole in front, and pull up and let down with a pulley. 



Ka3ie of Fruit {Rev, C. Badham). — ~Wormsley Pippin. 



Pastes of Plants (C. Price). — Adiantum hispidulum and Cheilanthes 

 elegans. The Moss is Selaginella cuspidate. 4, An iEschynanthus, near 

 JE. radicans. (Chester). — 1 and 3, Adiantum cuneatum ; 2, A. tenerum; 5, 

 A. tetraphyllurn; 4, Polypodium lineare '? 6, Davallia pentaphylla. {R. AT.). — 

 Xour Orchid was too far advanced for determination. (Scventeen-years Sub- 

 scriber). — Peristrophe speciosa, Nees. (Justicia speciosa, Roxb.). (Cam). — 

 Mosses shortly, but do not send a large collection. 



POULTEY, BEE. AMD PIGEON CHRONICLE. 



JUDGING SILVER-GREY DORKINGS. 



I Air sure it would be a satisfaction to breeders and exhibitors 

 to have some definite standard of excellence with regard to this 

 most beautiful class of fowl. As a persevering and successful 

 breeder of these, and these only, I am grieved to see judges 

 awarding prizes to male birds full of white on the breast, thighs, 

 and even in the tail. I am quite sure that pre-eminently suc- 

 cessful breeder Mr. Cress well must be sorry for this, though I 

 am inclined to think he may have something to do with this 

 alteration of the standard of excellence if I judge from the 

 colour of some of his birds. The difnculty of breeding this 

 class of fowl we all know, and Mr. Cresswell, I am glad to find, 

 does not deny it. Now, to my mind, there ought to be an utter 

 absence of any white in the breast, thighs, or tail. I have been 

 successful in taking the first prize at the Crystal Palace and 

 elsewhere with a bird entirely free from any white; but the 

 third-prize bird at the Crystal Palace was full of white feathers. 

 Now, I am aware that two Judges differ in their opinions of the 

 standard of excellence to be required in these birds. I have now 

 in my yard excellent birds according to this new standard, 

 but I regard them as simply fit for the pot. I am sure we 

 should all hail with gratitude a statement from three or four of 

 the great Judges as to what they are determined shall be the 

 qualifications necessary in these birds to make them prize- 

 winners. — T. 33. Cato, Wye Vicarage, Kent. 



NORWICH POULTRY SHOW. 



[The following are extracts from notes furnished by the 

 Judges to the reporters.] 



Fanciers of poultry on the 11th had the opportunity of inspect- 

 ing iu the Corn Hall one of the largest and finest exhibitions of 

 their pets ever held in the eastern counties ; 4-17 birds were ex- 

 hibited. All the arrangements for the Exhibition (for which the 

 Corn Hall is well adapted) were admirable, as might have been 

 expected from the great experience of the Manager, Mr. Groom, 

 and his staff of able assistants. 



There was a very good show of Game birds, but some of them 

 were found when handled to have crooked breasts. A Black 

 Eed took the first prize for cocks, and also the extra prize for 

 the best bird in the first four classes. The second-prize bird 

 was a henny-feathered Game cock, a fine specimen of a breed 

 seldom seen except in Cornwall or Devonshire, where it is com- 

 mon upon farms. These were the favourites of the- cock-pit 

 •when cock-fighting was fashionable. In the class for Game hens 

 or pullets a fine Brown Red took the first prize, a Black Bed 



the second; the latter was a finer bird, but it had a defect in 

 carrying the tail over the back. There were some good birds 

 in the classes for Game cocks and hens of any other variety. 

 Buff Cochin-China cocks were strongly represented. A magnifi- 

 cent bird took the first prize in this class, and was also awarded 

 the extra prize for being the best of the breed in the Show. The 

 hens were only fairly represented. The prize bird is of grand 

 symmetry. Cochin-China cocks of any other variety were a 

 moderate class. They, however, included a remarkably beauti- 

 ful White Cochin, that was deservedly awarded the first prize. 

 Cochin-China hens of any other variety were also a moderate 

 class. The Brahma Pootras, which came next, formed a notable 

 feature in the Show. Dark Brahma cocks or cockerels were a 

 well-represented class. The first prize in this class was taken 

 by one of the grandest birds exhibited this season. The second- 

 prize bird is a fine specimen, and after a lapse of time, with the 

 bestowal of care, will take a very good bird to beat him. The 

 class of Dark Brahma hens was considered the best class in the 

 Show. Both the first and second-prize birds were fine speci- 

 mens of the breed. The first-prize in the Light Brahma cock 

 class was a magnificent bird, weighing 18 lbs., recently imported 

 from America. Only the prize birds in the Light Brahma hen 

 or pullet class were worthy of attention. Dorkings showed np 

 strongly. Besides the prize birds in the class for Dorking cocks 

 there were many meritorious specimens. The prize hen in the 

 Dorking hen class was a beautiful bird, and has been previously 

 placed in the position of a prizetaker. Spanish cocks and hens 

 were moderately represented. Most of them were hardly enough 

 up in the face. Gold or Silver-spangled Hamburgh cocks were 

 a rather inferior class upon the whole, nor were there any good 

 representatives of the breed in the class for hens. The class for 

 Gold or Silver-pencilled cocks included some pretty birds. The 

 classes for Any variety were both interesting and good. In the 

 class for cocks a Silver Poland, a fine bird, took the cup, and a 

 good specimen of the La Eleche variety the second prize. Game 

 Bantam cocks were a moderate class — in fact, hardly any but the 

 prize birds were fit for exhibition. In the Game Bantam hen 

 class the prize bird was a Duckwing Bantam. This also took 

 the extra prize for the best bird in the two classes of Game 

 Bantams. Bantam cocks of any other variety were a class that 

 contained many handsome birds. A Silver-laced Sebright took 

 the first prize, and a Black the second. The hens were mode- 

 rately represented. 



There was one class for Ducks. The first prize went to Ayles- 

 burys, and the second to Kouen Ducks. Half a dozen Turkeys 

 well represented that bird. They were considered to be as fine 

 specimens as ever exhibited. 



The names of the Judges and the list of awards were given 

 last week. 



BARRHEAD POULTRY SHOW. 



The old Scotch breed was a very fair class. The Spanish 

 class was excellent, the first and special prizes going to a very 

 promising bird, which was also a winner at Kilmarnock. The 

 birds shown in the Dorking class were all Silver-Greys with the 

 exception of one pen, which were coloured. The Silver-Greys 

 carried off the honours. The Black Bed Game was well repre- 

 sented, the first and special prizes going to a very superior bird. 

 The Duckwing Game was not nearly such a good class as we 

 have seen at this Show. The Gold and Silver-spangled Ham- 

 burglis were a very good class, the special prize going to a 

 Golden-spangled. The Gold and Silver-pencilled Hambnrghs 

 were two very fine classes, the special prize going to the Silver- 

 pencilled, a bird that was nearly perfection. The Brahma class 

 was very numerous and very good, the first-prize pen being 

 greatly admired. The Polands (Topped) were something worth 

 looking at. Both classes of Bantams were good, the first and 

 special Game Bantams being those which took the first and 

 special prizes at Larbert. In the class for Any other pure breed 

 the first-prize pen was a great attraction. 



The Aylesbury Ducks were pretty numerous, and the quality 

 was quite up to the mark, the first-prize pen in this class gain- 

 ing the special for the best pair of Ducks in the Show. This 

 pen has been first at all the local shows it has been shown 

 at. The second-prize pen was not far behind the first. The class 

 for Any other variety of Ducks was not quite so numerous as 

 we have seen them, but what were shown were of excellent 

 quality. There was an English pen entered for this class, but 

 too late for competition, as also a number of pens in other 

 classes which only arrived after the decisions had been given, 

 otherwise we believe a number of them would have been in the 

 prize list. 



We published the awards last week. 



WOLVEBHAMT-TON ANNUAL PoUXTKT SHOW. This Show has 



gradually increased in success year by year. Last year the total 

 number of entries was 1159, an increase of 250 upon the Show 

 of 1871. This year the amount of prizes is increased in all 



