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JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 25, 18&4. 



places, -when on our poultry-hobby, with an eye to their 

 fitness for runs or shows. 



We cannot tell the reason, but shows do not prosper in 

 the south or south-west. Curing the winter the north has 

 its weekly shows, which are well supported. They increase 

 yearly ; but in the south, and even in the south-west, they 

 die a natural death. They had no lack of support ; but, we 

 believe, they were a sort of poultry " Do-as-you-liies" of the 

 first category (see Kingsley's "Water-babies"), and so they 

 went out, and, like them, have disappeared. People left off 

 poultry in those parts, and descended to horses and dogs. 

 Extremes meet ; and so we suppose, as there are none now, 

 they will be numerous by-and-by. We must wait, but, like 

 Sancho's island, they are a long time coming. It is strange 

 how people differ, and how supine the Anglo-Saxon, so 

 enterprising in some things, is in others. He will compass 

 the elements and surpass the labours of Hercules to do 

 some great thing, but little things slip quietly by, and are 

 unnoticed. Were it not that a certain per-centage of man- 

 kind is born fond of everything that breathes, and must 

 find an outlet for a gushing sympathy for animal life, we do 

 not think Englishmen would care for any fowl but a Game 

 cock ; nor do they care for breeding the lower order of 

 quadrupeds, except as pets, or fancy things. In that little 

 hive of a country, Belgium, Rabbits are reared as an article 

 of food. In the suburbs of the towns, and in the towns 

 themselves, there is no such thing as a stray or wasted 

 cabbage-leaf or bad potato. The Rabbit-keepers collect all, 

 and the result, as shown by recent statistics, is that 80,000 

 Rabbits, weighing above 200,000 lbs. of delicate food, are 

 sometimes consumed in a week. This is a notable amount, 

 and, calculated for the year, gives large figures. All pains 

 are taken to increase the size of these Rabbits ; and the 

 garden of one of the breeders of them shows every cabbage 

 plant trimmed up like the elms in the hedges of some 

 counties. It also shows a goodly heap of manure, the 

 return for the waste vegetables consumed by the Rabbits. 



The same care and painstaking presides over the poultry 

 management. Every fowl is selected according to its fitness 

 for the place where it is to live, and for the purposes to 

 which it is applied. Being a Catholic country, there is a 

 great demand for eggs. This, added to the fact that much 

 of the soil is unfitted for rearing chickens, causes many of 

 the non-sitters to be kept. 



Attention to such details would enable many to have a 

 paying hobby, would provide many a delicate Sunday dinner, 

 and would add to the food produced in the country. 



there and Hastings, who have no show within easy access, 

 except the one at Brighton. 



Tour correspondent, Mr. B. P. Brent, would sweep all the 

 beautiful varieties of Hambnrghs into one class, with the 

 euphonious title of everlasting layers, while with (no doubt 

 his favourite fowl) Dorkings he would have no less than five 

 classes, even dividing Silver Grey, Cuckoo, and Speckled. I 

 agree with him that Dorkings must have the greatest 

 number of classes in order to make southern shows a success ; 

 but the chief reason why there are not more of the non- 

 sitters kept in the south, is the fact of hundreds of thousands 

 of eggs being weekly, nay, almost daily received in the 

 southern ports from the coast of Prance. These being sold 

 very cheap, are, of course, disseminated in all the large 

 towns in the south, and so quickly are they now brought 

 over by steamers, that they are commonly sold in our 

 watering places as " new laid." Until we cultivate and 

 encourage the breed of " everlasting layers " more, I fear 

 we shall not be able to compete with the French for eggs, if 

 we do for chickens. — A Thokotjghbeed Spanish, Ucitfiel&, 

 Sussex, October 19th, 1864. 



As a great lover of poultry, and a constant reader of your 

 Journal, I feel surprised at your remarks on the Tunbridge 

 Wells Poultry Show. I allude to the barndoor fowl, that 

 " abomination of all abominations." This neighbourhood 

 (I mean within a circle of ten or fifteen miles) is a great 

 poultry county, and, I believe, sends more fowls to the 

 London market than any other part of Sussex. From our 

 railway station alone, some thousands are sent every week, 

 and there is often a sum of .£600 sent in one week from the 

 Newgate and Leadenhall salesmen to pay for the fowls col- 

 lected by one van. Of course, these fowls are bred in the 

 neighbourhood, and yet not one farmer or cottager in a 

 hundred keeps a pure-bred fowl. Some breeders say the 

 more breeds are mixed the better and the hardier the chickens 

 are. I have walked ten miles out and home in the earlier 

 part of my "poultry mania," to see a place where only 

 Spanish were kept. Pure-bred Dorkings are better known, 

 and I have been pleased to see of late a growing liking for 

 them amongst those who breed for profit only. As for 

 Brahmas, I look back with regret to the hours I have wasted 

 in explaining to friends and poultry breeders what a Brahma 

 fowl is. In fact, I finally gave up the breed in despair of 

 ever meeting with any sympathy in this neighbourhood. 

 There were two or three pens at Brighton Show last year, 

 but no class for them, I believe, although I see there is to be 

 one this year. I consider the scarcity of Polands and 

 Spanish at the Tunbridge Wells Show is chiefly owing to 

 the Show being but little known, as this is only its second 

 year ; also, the difficulty in reaching it from any point 

 south of Tunbridge Wells. There are now many breeders 

 of Spanish and other non-sitters near Brighton, and between 



I am glad to see that the comparative dearth of poultry 

 shows in the south, which I lately noticed, is attracting the 

 attention of your correspondents. I should like very much 

 to hear any suggestion from " T. B. A. Z.," whose letters I 

 always read with pleasure. 



One of your correspondents last week alluded to the 

 absence of Brahmas from the Show at Tunbridge Wells. 

 If the authorities there and at Maidstone would only give 

 Brahma breeders a chance of knowing when their Shows 

 were to come off by an advertisement in your columns, I 

 feel confident, from the experience of other Shows, that they 

 would have a g oodly muster of Brahmas. The popularity 

 of the breed is by no means confined to the great towns of 

 the north, for at Islington, of the eighteen exhibitors who 

 showed Brahmas, fourteen belonged to the southern half of 

 the kingdom. 



Mr. Brent's suggestion that the Dorkings should be sub- 

 divided, and the number of Hamburgh classes diminished, 

 seems justifiable from the experience of recent Shows ; but 

 the same test proves that in popularity the Brahmas are 

 surpassed only by the Dorkings, and when the relative en- 

 couragement given to the two breeds at many Shows is 

 taken into account, it is found that the Brahmas stand 

 second to none. Spanish fowl certainly do not seem to be 

 growing in favour ; nor can I think that many, if any, poultry 

 exhibitors desire with Mr. Brent the subdivision of the 

 Spanish into Black, White, and Blue. The people at Dork- 

 ing last year held a Show at which no fowls were admissible 

 except Dorkings ; but I cannot conceive that such complete 

 subservience to the genius loci is deserving of imitation at 

 other Shows. — Brahma Pootba. 



FKOME POULTUY SHOW. 



This was an exhibition of poultry held in connection with 

 the Prome Agricultural Association in the private grounds 

 of John Sinkins, Esq., close to the railway station, and 

 though not large, contained some very good specimens. 

 We hear that it is the intention of the managers to offer a 

 more extended and attractive prize list next year ; and we 

 are quite sure they will meet with the success they deserve 

 in so doing, for nothing could exceed their anxiety to please 

 both exhibitors and the public. This was evident in all the 

 arrangements j and especial credit is due to Mr. Charles 

 Harding, the indefatigable Hon. Secretary. 



The day was fine on the whole, and the numerous visitors 

 must have helped to swell the exchequer, which offers 

 promise of greater liberality and success on a future occasion. 



Dorkings (Any colour).— First, Mr. S. Lang, Redland, Erisfcol. Second, 

 E. Baily, Calne. Commended, R. Elling, Sutton Parva. 



Spanish (Any colour).— First, A. Heaih, Calne. Second, K. EUlng. 



Cochins (Any colour).— First, Miss J. Mllward, Newton St. Loe. Second, 

 J. Gardener, Bristol. 



Hamboegh (Pencilled, any variety).— First, G. Bendcl], Wallbridge. 

 Second, Rev. C. W. Edgell, Styles Hill House, Highly Commended, G. 

 Bendell. 



Game (Any variety). — Firsfc^R. Elling, Sutton Parva. Second, Miss A. 

 Elling, Sutton Parva. Commended, H. B. Festing, Maiden Bradley. 



Ant othek Distinct Beeed.— First, T. P. Edwards, Lyndliurst, Hants 



