45S 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ Deeember 6, 1364. 



remarks to add, from some of which we hope, in our turn, 

 that our anonymous cateehiser will not " shrink." 



There is no doubt that among dealers in poultry are men 

 possessed of much sounder knowledge of the good condition 

 and desirable characteristics of each variety of fowl than can 

 be found usually among amateurs ; and the chief objection to 

 dealers being judges is that they might recognise birds which 

 they had sold, and might be prejudiced to decide in their 

 favour. If, therefore, such amateurs as the Rev. Mr. Pulleine. 

 the Rev. W. W. Wingfield, Mr. Hewitt, Mr. Andrews, and one 

 or two more we might name, could officiate at all the 

 poultry shows in the three kin gdoms, we should not require 

 any argument to induce us to say, Let them, and no others, 

 be judges at those exhibitions. Those gentlemen, however, 

 could not spare time to be such judges-general, and other 

 amateurs so qualified are not sufficiently numerous. Dealers, 

 and amateur-dealers, consequently have to be employed, 

 and the distinction between these two classes is not always 

 so clear, nor the characteristics of honesty always so deve- 

 loped in the amateur-dealer as to enable a committee to 

 decide without hesitation to select him as judge. Letters 

 written to judges indicating the pens in which certain birds 

 were to appear; mending broken feathers, and removing 

 other feathers that were of the wrong colour ; having rela- 

 tions who were bono, fide dealers, and with whose birds they 

 were thoroughly conversant, are all events that have occurred 

 among amateur-dealers, and which do not incline commit- 

 tees to select judges from among them. 



This leads us to observe that we advise poultry show 

 committees to trust to their own judgments in selecting 

 the judges, for they have quite sufficient knowledge; and 

 they stigmatise themselves if they act as if they thought 

 they were not quite as honest— quite as little actuated by 

 wrong motives — as are the members of any club, though 

 these modestly assume that they ought to have the appoint- 

 ment of the judges and the entire management of all the 

 poultry shows in the United Kingdom. 



JBIEMHYGKAM POULTRY SHOW. 



Gkea.t>tess, according to our immortal poet, may be a 

 birthright, or may be achieved, or it may be thrust on a man 

 nolens volens, as with a friend of ours, who, in the machine- 

 breaking riots, many years since, met some hundreds of 

 rioters in a narrow lane, and, being on horseback, was at 

 once surrounded, elected as leader, and compelled to go 

 with them. The public-minded men who originated this 

 great Exhibition, and who still carry it on, must, we think, 

 belong to the second category. It is the most arduous, but 

 it is also the most durable. 



Sixteen great Shows, one after the other, all eclipsing 

 their predecessors, are the results of those qualities that 

 command success in life, whether they are exercised in a 

 public, or a more limited private capacity. We can never 

 look at this great undertaking without reverting to its 

 beginning. We doubt whether the most sanguine of those 

 who assisted at its birth anticipated a third of the success 

 that has attended it. The show week has become an insti- 

 tution in Bir m ingham — cattle followed poultry, roots followed 

 cattle, implements followed roots, and then, spite of size and 

 galleries, Bingley Hall was full. The influence of the Exhibi- 

 tion is felt without — the Dog Show and the Elower and Fruit 

 Shows are offshoots of it. Viewed as a public undertaking, 

 it has filled the streets of Birmingham till police measures 

 have become necessary to prevent crowds and accidents. 

 Wherever you turn your eye you see a printed notice asking 

 you to "keep to the right." This insures circulation spite 

 of numbers. Beds are at a premium, and hotel accommo- 

 dation can only be had by being bespoken long beforehand. 

 The streets are filled with holiday people, and everything is 

 done to make the town attractive. On Tuesday a novel 

 procession was organised — fire engines, decked with flags 

 and ribands, and carrying stalwart firemen, in smart uni- 

 forms and glittering helmets, were each drawn by four grey 

 horses, and preceded by mounted police and a numerous 

 band. 



The increase of that part of the Show with which we have 

 more particularly to do is a thing to be recorded annually. 

 At different periods rules have been imperatively necessary 



to limit the entries; and while, in many exhibitions, an 

 extension of time is allowed, and exhibitors are solicited to 

 send birds, in this instance there is no deviation from the 

 fact ; the entries close, and this year more than a hundred 

 were refused, on the second day of November. The sum 

 now given for poultry prizes is a very large one, and the 

 managers are always open to suggestions for any alteration 

 in the list. In poultry, as in other things, there are ebbs 

 and flows, and the breed that one year is more numerous 

 than any other, may in three years time be only third or 

 fourth on the list. If exhibitors ask for fresh classes they 

 are immediately given as an experiment. If they are well 

 supported they are continued; if they are not they are 

 withdrawn. Silver Grey Dorkings asked for classes, and 

 had them, but they could not maintain them. The general 

 Dorking classes had more prizes, and new ones were this 

 year made for Creve-Cceurs and Black Hamburghs. Both 

 will apparently be successes. 



We need hardly say that the DorHng classes were remark- 

 able for the quality of the birds shown. They always are ; 

 but they were on this occasion worthy of notice from the 

 fact there was not an inferior bird in them. The Viscountess 

 Holmesdale and Capt. Hornby were the most distinguished ; 

 and we were glad to see that birds travelled from Dublin 

 were able, in the face of such competition, to take a fourtt 

 prize. Mr. Palmer Williams accomplished this feat. There 

 was hardly a pen in these classes that did not merit a com- 

 mendation. The birds were large, handsome, and healthy. 

 The classes for hens and pullets were well filled, and showed 

 excellent birds. Captain Hornby's pullets will make good 

 hens next year. Dublin again took the second prize with 

 fine birds of Mr. Boyle's. Lady Holmesdale and the R-ev. 

 Mr. Cadogan were deservedly prizetakers. 



The White Dorkings were highly meritorious. 

 We have before spoken of ebbs and flows, and an instance 

 of them is now before us. A few years since Spanish fowls 

 were supposed to be at their highest, and they then declined 

 in importance and merit. They have scarcely held their 

 ground these four years. The classes now shown indicated 

 one of the most extraordinary improvements ever seen; 

 there were lots of perfect birds. Mr. Rake's, shown by 

 their different purchasers, were the most successful. Mr. 

 Jones, Mr. Lane, Lady Holmesdale, Miss Biggar, and Mr. 

 Teebay, not only sent capital birds, but they were all in 

 unusually good condition. We know not the reason, but at 

 all shows the classes for Spanish hens and pullets fill badly 

 as to numbers. The present was no exception. 



Cochin-Chinas were good as were ever shown during the 

 sixteen years that have passed since they first tenanted 

 Bingley Hall. Captain Heaton's strain proved itself the 

 best last year, and it kept its word of promise now. His 

 yard was first in adults, chickens, and single cocks. But it 

 must not be thought the success was easy. Neither Mr. 

 Stretch nor Mr. Bates is defeated- without a struggle in 

 these classes ; and Mr. Bishop showed himself strong in 

 numbers as well as quality. In these classes the hens and 

 pullets are far more numerously sent than in most others ; 

 Messrs. Smith and Tardley were deservedly winners. The 

 Brown and Partridge were very good, and they introduced 

 some new names among the winners. An old one, Mr. 

 Stretch, was first in chickens. The Whites were excellent ; 

 Mr. Chase and the Rev. F. Taylor took all the prizes. 1 hese 

 formed numerous classes. We believe some of the heaviest 

 Cochins ever seen might have been found among the Grouse 

 and Partridge birds. 



The next class is one that has steadily and deservedly 

 worked its way in the public estimation. Brahma Pootras 

 have held on through abuse and neglect till they have 

 become an important class. Two of the five prizes went to 

 Dublin, and the first in adults was awarded to Mrs. Har- 

 greaves, of Arborfield. 



The Malays were excellent, but it is a pity they are not 

 more numerous. The same may be said of the Creve-Cantrs. 

 The Black Hamburghs justified the liberality that gave 

 them classes by numerous entries, and their exhibitors 

 show they can send first-rate specimens in good condition. 

 We are told these beautiful birds are common in parts of 

 Yorkshire. We look for large classes in future, and there- 

 fore offer a word of advice. These birds must not have 

 white faces. The Golden-pencilled were far better than the 



