February 25.] 
THE FIELD 
175 
STRETFORD MEETING.— Feb. 27. 
Acceptances fob the Manchester Steeplechase. About three 
miles aud a half. 
age st lb I ago st lb 
. a 10 3 The Duchess a 9 12 
. 5 9 13 | Petticoats a 9 11 
. a 9 12 1 Braggadocla a 9 6 
. a 9 12 1 Luke the Labourer .... a 9 4 
the Old Rake 
Theodine 
Freteric ••••••••• 
The Farmer (h o.). 
Acciptances for the Stretford Stkeplechase. About three miles 
and a half. 
age st lb 
Countess all 6 
The Liinet (h.b.) a 11 2 
Royal Hue a 10 12 
piano (l.b.)Mr.Edwards's a 10 9 
age st lb 
Killarney 6 10 
Smllax a 10 
Locomotlvo 10 
Take Notice C 10 
RACES IN 1854. 
Liverpool Soring 1 
poncaster Spring 7 
Salisbury — 9 
Coventry Spring 14 
Kipling Coates 16 
Warwick 21 
Catterick Bridge 27 
Northampton 29 
APRIL. 
(Vox ton Park 4 
Cheltenham Spring 4 
Epsom Spring 6 
Newmarket Craven 17 
MAY. 
Abergavenny 20 
York Spring 26 
Malton 27 
Newmarket First Spring 1 
Chester Spring 9 
Lothlans and Edinburgh 11 
Newmarket Second Spring 16 
Shrewsbury 18 
JUNE. 
Lothlans and Edinburgh 18 
Lewes 19 
Bath 23 
Liverpool Hunt Club 24 
Epsom 30 
Manchester 7 
Southwell 8 
Ascot Heath 13 
Ncwcastle-on-Tyno 20 
Hampton 21 
Carlisle 26 
JULY. 
Newmarket 4 
Worcester 4 
Lancaster 6 
Mansfield 11 
Liverpool 12 
Ipswich 13 
AUGUST. 
Beverley and Hull 28 
Illbury 28 
Stockbrldgo 29 
Ludlow 30 
Winchester 30 
Stourbridge 17 
Stum ford 18 
Knutsford 19 
Nottingham 20 
Goodwood 25 
Brighton 2 
Brighton Club 4 
Odlham 7 
Ripon 7 
Yarmouth 8 
Reading 9 
North Staffordshire 8 
Wolverhampton 14 
Egham 15 
York 24 
Hereford 26 
Eccles 28 
Chelmsford 29 
Derby 29 
Plymouth 30 
Lincoln 31 
SEPTEMBER. 
Warwick 6 
Lichfield 7 
Western Meeting 7 
Rochester and Chatham 7 
Doncaster 12 
Pontefract 18 
Bedford 19 
OCTOBER. 
Chester Autumn 3 | Caledonian Hunt 17 
Leicester 20 
Manchester Autumn 21 
Lanark 22 
Newmarket First October .... 26 
Walsall 27 
Northallerton 28 
Yorkshire Union Hunt. 5 
Wrexham 6 
Newmarket Second October .. 9 
Warwick Autumn 17 
Richmond 18 
Newmarket Houghton 23 
Worcester Autumn 31 
Epsom Autumn . 
NOVEMBER. 
. ... 2 | Cowbridge Hunt 8 
IRISH RACES. 
Ormond and King's County 
APRIL. 
.... 19 | Curragh 
JUNE. 
Ballcgelgh 
JULY. 
... 20 | Down R. Corporation .... 
Carlow 
AUGUST. 
... 1 1 Bellcwstown 
lvilcock 
... 7 | 
SEPTEMBER. 
Tramoro Strand 
.... 21 1 
OCTOBER. 
Curragh 
FRENCH STEEPLECHASES. 
April 2.— La Marche, near Paris. Handicap closed : weights pnb- 
« t, l s , ’ and acceptances to he declared Feb. 27. 
May 29.— Bordeaux Grand Steeplechase. Closed, and Selling Steeple- 
ohase to close April 13. 
STEEPLECHASES TO COME. 
(WEATHER permitting.) 
Feb. 27.— Stretford. Acceptances declared. 
„ 28.— Henley-in-Arden. 
March 1.— Liverpool Grand National closed; forfeits declared. 
„ 2.— Louth. 
„ 6 — Wunsford. Three races closed. 
„ 7.— Doncaster Grand National closed, and acceptances declared. 
„ 9. — Hexham. 
„ 9.— Nuneaton, 
„ 9.— Diss. 
„ 9 — Horncastle. 
„ in — Wethcrby. Handicap closed; and forfeits declared, 
„ 15. — Tadcnster. Handicap closed ; weights published, and for- 
feits declared. The Farmers’ Chase and Selling Hurdle 
Race close March 1. 
it 15.— Coventry Steeplechase and Hurdle Race. The Coventry 
Handicap, Craven Handicap, and Free Handicap, closed ; 
weights published, and acceptances declared. Selling 
Stakes and Selling Steeplechase to close the evening 
before running. 
„ 16. — St. Ives. 
„ 16. — Moreton-ln-the-Marsh (Gloucestershire). 
„ 17 — Beverley, Hull, and East Riding. Closed. 
„ 23.— Grand Military, at Leamington, to close and name on or 
before March 3. 
,, 24. — Warwick. Grand Annual and Free Handicap close March 
1 ; weights to be published on the 4th, nnd ucceptunces 
declared on the 8th. Hunt Cup closes the evening before 
running. 
,, 27 and 28. — Birmingham. The Grand Annual and Free Handi- 
cap close March 1 : weights to be published on the 11th. 
The Birmingham and Warwickshire closes March 14. 
The Grand Military and £50 Plate close March 22. The 
Knowle and Solihull Steeplechases close March 25. The 
Scurry Handicap closes the evening before running. 
„ 31.— Bath. 
April 1.— West of Scotland. 
„ 4 & 5.— Cheltenham. The Grand Annual closes March 1 ; weights 
to appear on the 12th. The Grand Military closes March 
20. The Free Handicap closes March 1 — acxcptAnces to 
he signified by Mnrcli 21st. Selling Chase, Berkeley 
Hunt and Welter Chases close the evening before running. 
» 8.— Liverpool Hunt Club. Liverpool Hunt Club Handicap, 
Selling Stakes, and Hunters’ Stakes close March 1 1 ; 
weights to be published on the 18th. 
,, 19. — Rothbury — The Northumberland Great Handicap closes 
. March 11. Weights to bo published on the 19th. 
„ 21. — Abergavenny. 
Nov. 9.— Cowbridge Hunt. 
Mar. 
Apr. 
May 
IRISH STEEPLECHASES. 
9.— Belfast. Acceptances to be declared March 1. 
13. — Newbridge 
17 — Palmerstown Hunt. 
21 — Nans. 
22.— Tallaght. 
21, 22.— Lismore. 
27, 28 — Meath Hunt and Trim. 
4.— Navan. 
6, 7. — Kildare Hunt. 
18, 19.— Ormond and King’s County Hunt (Lismacrory Course). 
1— Irish Metropolitan (Kilrue Cup). 
SPORTING MISCELLANEOUS. 
T U RFI AN A. 
The Duke op Richmond’s racing stud are to be sold at 
Tattersall’s on Monday, Murch 13. It comprises Harbinger, 
Pharos, Reel colt three years, a two-year colt by Robert de 
Gorham out of Wilderness, ditto by Red Hart out of 
Refraction, and a filly by Epirus out of Reel. There are 
also three Red Hart yearlings. Mr. Osbaldeston has 
christened his two-year old Brother to Champagne, Claret. 
A cotemporary mentions that the Manchester men have 
subscribed 701. towards the payment of a special police 
force, who will go from meeting to meeting, to prevent the 
intrusion of “Welshers” into the Ring. They look to 
their sporting brethren to aid the fund. The Lincoln Fund 
got 111. 14s. by Selling Stakes. Little Queen is now a 
steeplechaser in Prussia. The Racing Times states that 
Mr. Barber bought Spring after winning the Lincoln Hurdle 
Race, and took 50 to 1 about him for the Liverpool Steeple- 
chase ; and that Prince Sulkowski has purchased Squire of 
Malton as well as Melon. 
Mr. Peart is appointed starter at Doncaster Spring. 
The new 10 h. f. Biennial Stakesat York for 1855-56 close 
on March 1st. £100 are added each year. 
The following is the rule of the Bibury Club, ns to horses 
not the property of the members of the Club. All such 
horses must be entered in the name of a member, nnd an 
additional entrance paid to the funds of the Club, ns 
under: — 
When there is no money added, or the addition is 
under £50 ....... 2 sovs. 
When added money amounts to £50, and is under 
£100 . . . . . .3 sovs. 
When added money amounts to £100 or upwards 4 sovs. 
A member naming a horse not his own property is respon- 
sible for the stake, or forfeit. 
West Australian has seven engagements this year, Acro- 
bat 16, Appollonius 17, Autocrat 9, Boer 24, (!) Boinrdo 
13, Champagne 17, Dervish 7, Horatio 19, King Tom 9. 
Miranda 15, Marley Hill 15, Meteora9, Omoo 4, Orson 13, 
Ruby 7, and Tom 7. 
Irish Meetings. — The Ormond and King’s County 
Races come off over the Lismacrory Course, on the 1 8tli 
and 19th days of April. There arc three steeplechases, the 
Lismacrory Corinthians, and Birr Selling Stakes. £150 
is added to these five races, four of which are heats. 
Twelve horses are entered for the Free Handicap at the 
Belfast Races. There is also a 20 sovs. Selling Plate to 
close on March let. 
Mr. Villebois and the Yale of White Horse 
Hounds. — We are sorry to say that Mr. Villebois, the 
popular master of the Vale of White Horse hounds, is about 
to give up the mastership, and lie does so to the regret of all 
the sportsmen in the country hunted by the hounds. At 
the Conservative dinner at Cirencester, on Wednesday week, 
the chairman, E. Hopkinson, Esq., of Edgeworth House, 
proposed the health of Mr. Villebois, and expressed his 
regret that he was about to leave the country. Mr. Villebois 
said be had been’five or six years amongst them, and having 
done his best, they all kindly acknowledged he had been 
successful. The duties of a master of hounds were by no 
means light, for he had many duties to perform, many 
tastes to conciliate, many persons to please. If it were again 
his good luck to become the muster of foxhounds, he 
trusted it would beat Cirencester, where he would meet such 
staunch preservers of foxes as he now saw around him. He 
begged to thank the occupiers of land, the farmers, and the 
landlords, for the kind encouragement they had shown him, 
and might the blessing of God rest on all. Mr. Villebois, who 
bus hunted the country to the complete satisfaction and 
pleasure of all, sat down amidst the loudest applause. Mr. 
Drake, it is said, will take the V. W. H., and if he does, he 
will have a fine pack of hounds to hunt, and as straight 
going riders to boot as he bus met with in his old country. 
The Heath Races, (Ireland). — The days of running 
are fixed for Wednesday and Thursday, the 2nd and 3rd of 
August ; and the Earl of Portarlington has presented the 
club with a valuable silver cup to be run for. The raco is 
to be called the “ Portarlington Cup.” A new course has 
also been struck out, and an additional building is to be 
erected in connection with the Stand House; Lord Portar- 
lington very liberally contributing 501. towards it. 
Naas (County Kildare) Steeplechases. — A pre- 
liminary meeting was held lately in Naas for the purpose 
of entering into subscriptions, and making the necessary 
arrangements for getting up a day’s steeplechasing the lost 
week in March. Mr. P. Farrell, jun., was appointed 
treasurer; and Mr. Thos. Dowse, secretary. It is the inten- 
tion of the committee to have three races, including the 
County Members’ Plate, to which, we understand, W. II. F. 
Cogan, Esq., M. P., and D. O'Conor Henchy f Esq., M.P., 
have liberally subscribed. 
The Brave Days of Old. — There are indentures still 
in existence, which 6tipuluto that a master should not com- 
pel his apprentice lo eat sulinon trout, or salmon, more than 
twice a week for his dinner. 
To Close on March 1st at Epsom. — Four Handicap 
Plates with 400 sovs. added ; one for the spring, and three 
for the summer meeting. Manchester. — The Meiklam, 
Chesterfield, aud Derby Handicaps, and the Wilton Stakes. 
Beverley. — The Bishop Burton Stakes, (1001. added), the 
Hull Stakes, and the Holderness Hunt Stakes. Northamp- 
ton. — Earl Spencer’s Plate (1001. added), and five other 
stakes. 
Newcastle Meeting. — The ^Northumberland Plate, 
witb 200 sovs. added, closes and names on March 1st. At 
present there are sixty-four subscribers. The Grand Stand 
Stakes of 10 h. f. with 501. added close on the same day 
along with the Gold Cup ; and the Northern Derby of 1855, 
which is 10 sovs. p.p. with 100 sovs. added. There are at 
present eight subscribers to it. Nearly 9001. are added to 
stakes at this three-day-meeting. 
Stud News. — Alice Hawthorn has had a filly foal to 
Windhound, and is gone to Flyiug Dutchman. Her ’53 
foal was a colt to Touchstone, and her ’52 one a colt to 
Melbourne. As yet, her stock have had no running luck. 
Gnlconda and Troica have each had a brown filly to Vol- 
tigeur, and are with him again. Augur is put to the stud, 
as all efforts to get him sound have totally failed. Hfs 
prices are 5 gs. und 2gs; 5001. winners, or their dams, 
gratis. Young Altisidora dropped down dead lately. She 
was in foal to the Cure. Grace Darling has had a colt to 
k 
Surplice; this is her tenth foal, but, with the exceptiou of 
the Hero, sho has had nothing of much note. Lari season 
she had a mishap to Touchstone. Cymba has had a filly 
by Orlando, nnd goes to Bay Middleton. Collingwood 
seems the favourite sire at Ncwmurkot this year. 19 mares, 
including Rhedycina and Lucy Banks, are at his paddocks. 
Some of his stock are very promising. Faugh-a-Bnllogh is 
having a good season; and Nutshell is put to the stud. 
Marla has left thoTurf, and gone to Annandale. Touchstone 
is likely to have a great season this year. Beeswing and 
her daughter Bonnie Bee (both in foal to Flying Dutch- 
man) aro there ; as well Fair Helen and liowena (each 
with a colt foal by Touchstone) ; Dervish’s dam, Lady 
Evelyn, and the Duchess of Kent, &c. 
Steeplkc basing at Moreton — [From a Correspon- 
dent.]— The steeplechases at Moreton in tho Marsh are 
fixed for Thursday, March 16th. An increased number of 
visitors is looked for, on account of the facility which the 
railway affords for reaching it. Moreton has hitherto 
well sustained its name for the superiority of the manage- 
ment of its steeplechases, and, if wo may judge from 
appearances, those that are now coming on will be unusu- 
ally good. 
Rathfarnham fCo. Dublin) Steeplechases This 
meeting, postponed from the 13th inst. in consequence of 
there having been no entries, and announced positively 
to conic off on Monday last, turned out a complete failure. 
But two horses could he got to “ try conclusions,” and 
therefore the meeting fell to the ground. 
Kildare Hunt Steeplechases. — Active preparations 
are at present going on to render this meeting second to 
none in tho sister kingdom. The Marquis of Drogheda 
and the other stewards are determined to issue a most 
attractive bill of fare for the 6th and 7th of April, when it 
is expected his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant will ho 
present. The Corinthian Cup closed on last Wednesday 
with nearly sixty subscribers. 
The Irish Grand Military Steeplechase will not 
come off 
Kilmarnock Steeplechases.— Tho tenth celebrntion 
of this steeplechase meeting, which ranks A 1 of its kind in 
Scotland, is fixed to come off on April 4th. 100 sovs will 
be added to the Grand Coledoniun Handicap (for particulars 
of which see advertisement). 50 bovs is also added to a 5 
sovs p.p. Hunters’ Steeplechase, for horses “(hut have 
been fuirly and honestly hunted in tho counties of Ayr, 
Lanark, Renfrew, Linlithgow, See.," in 1853-4, and 30 sovs 
to an open 5 sovs pp. Selling Steeplechase. Full particulars 
can bo obtained from Mr. Hugh Craig, of Kilmarnock, or 
Mr. A. S. Anderson, of Glasgow; and we must especially 
remind our steeplechase readers, that the Great Chaso closes 
on March 3rd. 
Beverley Meeting.' — The Bishop Burton two-year old 
stakes of 5 sovs pp. with 100 sovs added, closes on Murch 
1st, along with two others. A new race called tho 
Londesbro’ Produce Stakes, has been established at this 
spirited little meeting. It is of 10 sovs h f with 50 sovs 
added, and the mares are to bo named on January 1st. 
Nuneaton Steeplechase. — A right merrie little gather- 
ing is expected here on Murch 9th, and 80 sovs is added to 
the three stakes. Mr. W. II. Tyler, of Nuneaton,. will 
furnish every information. 
POULTRY. 
We take the following oxtract from that very useful book 
“ Ferguson’s Illustrated Series of Rare and Prize Poultry.” 
The work may be procured at Culleford’s, 22, Southampton- 
street, Strand. 
“ For the benefit of those who, for the first time, have 
determined upon reserving to themselves a few line specimens 
of this really valuable domestic fowl, I w ill endeavour to lay 
dowm a few rules for guidance, which, if acted upon, together 
with what lias already been said upon the requisite distinguish- 
ing characteristics of excellence, will greatly regulate the 
quality', and he the means of procuring to tlio purchaser not 
only the genuine article, and therefore his money's worth, hut 
likewise render him capable of fully sustaining and retaining 
the breed to the greatest perfection. Before effecting a purchase, 
examine the bird, and if the fifth claw , that is, the claw grow- 
ing from the base and just above the ordinary hind claw, ho 
absent, refuse such specimen, whatever tho owner may have to 
say in its defence, anti select six hens und one cock, having tho 
required number of toes ; the latter bird must bcof different blood 
to the hens— that is, he must bear no relationship to them. If, 
therefore, the dealer’s word cannot be tak.n on this momentous 
point, it will be advisable to purchase the liens at one locality 
and the male bird at another, and this will ensure that object. 
If pullets be procured, the eoek matched with them should bo 
two years old; if two year old liens, then stags, thut is, young 
cocks, are most advantageous for breeding purposes. 1 recom- 
mend the greys as being the most valuable of all Dorkings, and 
prefer them as near alike in feather as possible. They must 
have perfectly' white legs and claws, this is indispensable— full 
and round breasts, not narrow or flat sided — should be wide 
across the back, and full in the girth. Care should be taken to 
observe whether they are diseased ; this may be ascertained by 
examination, and a slight pressure of the nostrils, from whence, 
if ought of a liquid matter be discharged that has anything of 
an unpleasaut odour, immediately re-place the bird in his pen 
and have nothing further to do with him, nor any that may 
have been in the same pen, at any price, for this is the roup, 
and a most infectious disorder ; also examine aud see that the 
birds are otherwise healthy, and have red healthy coloured 
visages and combs, and are active anil lively. I prefer u single 
comb to a double one, but no Dorking possessing a good share 
of other excellent qualifications would I dismiss upon that ac- 
count, considering it, together with the cup comb, rather tho 
fruit of domestication than a prdof of cross breeding.” 
Poultry Exportation. — A largo lot of fancy poultry 
has recently been bought by E. H. Kimball und S. VV. 
Jewitf, Esqrs., of tho United States, selected from the best 
and most valuable collections of her Majesty the Queen, 
W. I ; i»her Hobbs, Thomas H. Fox, John Etlsou, Esqrs., etc. 
Mr. Jewett is the Vermont gentleman, a portrait of whose 
Merino sheep hus appeared in “ The Field” p. 108. V o 
understand that Mr. Curtis, M. Lampson, of G4, Queeu- 
street, Cbeapside, is the possessor of the first four Merino 
sheep, of this particular.breed, tho pure race, introduced into 
England. Mr. Jewett’s “Ten Thousand” was the “ob- 
served of all observers ” at the recent New York Exhibition. 
About 700 of these Merinos have been introduced into the 
United Stales in the lust four years, a fair proof of Western 
enterprise. Mr. Jewitt personally visited France to effect 
this end, and procured his specimens in tho department of 
Seine and Oise. It is stated that there aro now in Franco 
only two or three flocks remaining of the same pure ruce. 
It cost 12,000/. to import the 400 mentioned above, and 
three thousand francs was in several instances the price for 
one sheep. Mr. Jewitt is an inhabitant of Middlebury, in 
Vermont. 
