38 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ January 13 , issi. 
found that, although when both drawers were empty No. 1 was 
about 2° hotter than No. 2, yet when the stage already indicated 
was reached, No. 1 at an equal distance from the cistern was 5° or 6° 
colder than No. 2. I therefore gradually raised No. 1 and lowered 
No. 2. I found it necessary to go to the extreme limit of dif¬ 
ference of height possible, and to put No. 1 two inches nearer the 
cistern than No. 2, before I could attain the heat I desired — 
namely, 102° in No. 1 and 104° in No. 2. The screws, however, 
gave me sufficient scope to obtain the desired temperatures, and 
have since afforded the means of meeting any variations caused 
by the removal of live chicks. 
Now as to the hatching results. From the twenty-eight fertile 
eggs twenty-four fine healthy chicks hatched out, generally a day 
before they were due. One of the remaining four eggs produced 
a live chick, but it was a monstrosity and died at once. Two 
others died in the shell, when ready to hatch out, from their heads 
being so placed that they could not reach the shell with their 
beaks. The fourth was the only failure which could be attributed 
to any fault in the hatching, as it contained a dead chick of about 
seventeen or eighteen days’ growth. 
These results I consider most satisfactory ; and indeed taking 
into account the season of the year, that the eggs had travelled 
by rail from Brandon, and that some of the second dozen were 
at least a week laid, I think the hatch wonderful. I have only to 
add that by the method of working which I adopted—namely, 
keeping a small gas stove constantly alight in the fireplace with 
a four-gallon pot of water upon it, and replacing the boiling water 
used by what I drew off from the incubator, the trouble and time 
consumed were reduced to a minimum ; the atmosphere of my 
room was not in any way vitiated, and the expense was kept low. 
The average consumption of water was three gallons night and 
morning. The temperature of the room varied from 50 3 to 60°. 
I believe that Messrs. Christy intend to make “ the Fancier ” 
rather larger than the experimental one—namely, to contain one 
hundred eggs in all, forty-five in No. 1, and fifty-five in No. 2 or 
thereabouts. This would give a steady setting capacity of five 
eggs per day, or fifteen every third day, and would probably suit 
the wants of many who now cannot use an incubator. “ The 
Fancier” could of course be fitted with the new heating apparatus. 
—Alex. Comyns. 
THE POULTRY CLUB. 
The last Committee meeting of the Poultry Club for 1880 was 
held on the 29th ult. at the Clarendon Hotel, Oxford. Present, 
the President (Hon. and Rev. F. G. Dutton), S. Lucas, and 
O. E. Cresswell. The Hon. Secretary reported that he had re¬ 
covered for two members of the Club sums due to them from two 
defaulting shows. Complaints were laid against three other 
shows from members of the Club, and the Hon. Secretary was 
requested to inquire into them. The following new members 
were elected :—Mr. R. W. Brett, Gas Works, Hertford ; The Hon. 
Mrs. Somerset Calthorpe, Ryde, Isle of Wight; Mr. L. Ponsonby, 
Old Parks Farm. Charlton, Malmesbury ; and Mr. A. Stevens, Pen- 
hill, Cardiff, an associate member, was elected a full member. A 
communication concerning the management of a large show was 
considered. It was decided that the drawing-up of a circular, in 
conformity to the resolution passed at the Crystal Palace, would 
more properly be left to the enlarged Committee, which might 
probably meet for the first time at Wolverhampton during the 
time of the show. 
ABERDEEN SHOW. 
The fifteenth annual Exhibition of the Northern Poultry and Pigeon 
Club was held at Aberdeen on the 6th, 7th, and 8th inst. It was very 
successful both in regard to the number and quality of the exhibits, 
and the management was all that could be desired. Owing to a 
rule that not less than six entries should in any class form a com¬ 
petition, several classes were deleted and the entry fees returned. 
We think it would be better to allow the classes in such cases to 
stand, but to diminish the prize money or withhold some of the 
prizes. One of Mr. Tomlinson’s incubators was specially purchased 
by the Committee, and with a Christy already in hand was used for 
the purpose of hatching out birds at the Show. The incubators were 
opened at regular hours. They attracted much attention, and con¬ 
sidering the circumstances gave very fair results. Mr. Raines judged 
the poultry, Mr. Alexander Frame the Pigeons. 
Brahmas. —Any Colour Cocks (seven) were all Darks, and not good 
as a class, coarseness of comb being almost general. First (Edmon- 
ston) large, shapely, and good in colour, but coarse and uneven in 
comb and carrying too much tail and hock. Second (Lind) good in 
size, but of very defective colour. Third and fourth (Wilson) only 
moderate, the former, however having the only neat comb in the 
class; h.c., Mrs. Suter; c., Forbes. Hens (sixteen) were again all 
Darks, and for size and shape were mostly of a good type. We 
think size has been properly kept in view in the north, and not sacri¬ 
ficed to mere pencilling. First (Sandeman) is, we believe a well-known 
winner. She is very pure in colour and well marked, but looks over¬ 
done. Second (Sandeman) another very good one of similar type, 
but deficient in foot feather. Third (Edmonston) rather brown in 
shade though well marked. Fourth (Mrs. Suter) same type as the 
winner, but not so good in marking ; h.c., Edmonston, Mrs. Bennett 
(2) ; c., Edmonston, Duncan, Wilson, Duguid. Cockerels (fourteen) 
were, with the exception of one unnoticed bird, all Darks again, and 
a good class. First-and-cup (Edmonston) a good cockerel in nearly 
all points, his faults being a rather uneven comb and rather too 
much leg. Second (Toplis & Duff) good size, but not very shapely. 
Third and fourth (Edmonston) both good-sized hocked cockerels of 
quality, the latter very neat in head ; v.h.c. (Mrs. Bennett), very 
shapely and neat in head, the best Brahma in the class, but too dark 
in hackle, and grizzled ; h.c., Sandeman, Mrs. Sutei, Toplis & Duff ; 
c., Mrs. Suter (2). Pullets (fourteen) were as a class, like the hens, 
good in size and shape, in these respects far surpassing the southern 
birds, but not so good in marking. First and second (Mrs. Bennett), 
both exceptionally large and of good colour with fairly clear markings, 
and rightly placed. Third (Sandeman) rather deficient in breast 
marking. Fourth (Edmonston) shapely, and good in breast marking, 
but not clear on wings and back; v.h.c. and h.c., Mrs. Suter; h.c., 
Edmonston (2) ; c., Forbes Robertson. 
Cochins. — Any Colour Cocks (seven) were a fairly good class. 
First (Mrs. A. Davidson) a large Buff, rather hollow in breast and 
white in tail, entered at 10s. and bought at £1; a bargain surely. 
Second, Forsyth Grant. Third and fourth (Mrs. Steven) all very 
good Whites rightly placed ; c. (Reid) a Buff, hens (seven) showed 
a considerable failure in colour in the Buffs, to which the first three 
prizes went. First-and-cup (Mrs. Davidson) a large, shapely, and well 
fluffed bird, of a lemon shade, but mossy. Second (Steven) a similar 
stamp, but darker and worse in colour. Third (C. Brown) was rather 
better in colour, but carried too much tail. Fourth (Mrs. Steven) a 
good White ; v.h.c. and c., Mrs. Davidson ; h.c., Reid. Cockerels 
(eight) were rather a poor class. First (Mrs. Forsyth Grant) a large 
Buff, heavy in comb and uneven in colour. Second (Mrs. Steven) a 
neat White very free from yellow. Third (C. Brown) a moderate 
Buff. Fourth (Mrs. Davidson) a shapely Buff of the Dark sort ; v.h.c., 
Mrs. Davidson ; h.c. and c., Pickeman (Whites). Pullets. —No com¬ 
petition. 
Dorkings. — Coloured except Silver-Grey Cocks (six) contained some 
really good birds. First (J. Cran) a fine-shaped full-breasted Dark 
cock ; he won the cup at Elgin last year as a cockerel for the best 
Dorking in the show : his comb was over, but only from the frost, we 
believe. One of Mr. Smyth’s breed, we understand. Second (Cath- 
cart) another Dark of good size but rather too upstanding. Third 
(Charles) another good Dark cock of Messrs. Smyth’s strain, the cup- 
winner at Inverurie, we believe. Fourth (Snowie) another Dark of 
very nice quality, and might have stood higher but for one spur being 
outside ; v.h.c. (J. Cran), a good-sized one light in colour. Hens 
(eleven) were a remarkably good class. First (J. Cran) a large¬ 
bodied shapely hen of very good colour with nice feet; second at 
Elgin, we believe. Second (Cathcart) another large hen, not quite so 
good in shape or colour as the winner; first at Edinburgh. Third 
(Cathcart) the third Birmingham hen, we think. Fourth (Cathcart) 
not quite so large, but good in colour; v.h.c., Charles, Cran ; h.c., 
Toplis & Duff ; c., Lind. Cockerels (nine) were not so good as a 
class as the old birds. First (J. Cran) a large bird with good comb 
and ear-lobes, and very white feet, but rather dark in colour and long 
in leg; he also came from Londonderry. Second (J. Cran) the Elgin 
and Inverness winner, in fine condition ; will make a very good one 
with a little more age. Third (Toplis & Duff) the Dundee and 
Forfar winner, good in size and shape, but shockingly dark feet. 
Fourth (Ovens) ; v.h.c. (Cathcart) we preferred to fourth ; h.c., 
Charles, Mrs. Snowie, Mrs. Morrison. Pullets (seventeen) were a 
very good class indeed, except that dark feet were very prevalent. 
We did not think them well judged. First (Anderson) rather long in 
leg and black feet. Second (Toplis & Duff) a large shapely pullet, 
but dark feet and one spur right outside. Third (ditto) a good 
pullet but for dark feet again. Fourth (Snowie) still another dark¬ 
footed bird; v.h.c., Cathcart (2); h.c, Charles, and 151, Cran, un¬ 
noticed, we liked best in the class ; they were both good in size and 
colour, and had white feet; after them the prizewinners would have 
been rightly placed; c., Snowie, Smith, Morrison. Silver-Grey or 
White Cocks (six) were all Silvers of good quality. First (Morris) a 
grand bird, one of the largest and most massive for a Silver we have 
seen for some time. He might with advantage be more silvery in 
shade. Second (Cran) a cockerel, good in head and feet but hardly 
body enough. Third (Angus) another good old bird, splashed on 
breast. Fourth (Ovens) rather yellow on back. Hens (eleven) were 
another strong class of Silvers. First (Morris) a grand Dorking 
indeed but down behind, which some thought should have thrown her 
out. Second (J. Cran) the Edinburgh and Elgin winner,, not so 
massive as first, but still a large fine hen of pure colour. Third (Mrs. 
Robertson) a squarely made shapely bird of medium size. Fourth 
(Black) also a good one though smaller ; v.h.c. (Angus) might have 
stood fourth but for a corn on one foot; Ovens, Meff; h.c., Geddes ; 
c., Morris. Cockerels (eighteen) were again all Silvers and a good 
class. First (Annand) nice in shape and colour but too long in leg. 
