JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
454 
[ June 2, 1881. 
In the first place, the sexes must be separated until about the 
middle of February, as well to prevent too early breeding, which 
would be injurious to the hens, as to avoid any mating between 
birds which it is not desired should mate. When the breeding 
season arrives each pair of birds intended to mate with each other 
may either be put in a loft by themselves until they have paired, 
or they may be put into a pen constructed in two compartments 
with a moveable wire partition between the compartments, so 
that the birds can see each other through the partition, and then 
after a few days the partition should be withdrawn. The match¬ 
ing-up can generally be managed in this way, but should the hen 
be inclined to lord it over the cock it may be necessary to keep 
her confined in the dark for a few days and then return her to the 
pen, to which the cock will in the meantime have become accus¬ 
tomed, and of which he will regard himself as master. In three 
or four days after they have mated the birds may be returned to 
the breeding loft, but not more than one mated pair should be 
set free at the same time, as this may lead to quarrelling for nests 
and other undesirable disturbances. The breeding loft should be 
reserved exclusively for mated birds, as the presence of odd birds 
frequently causes jealousies which are not always groundless. 
Pigeons are generally faithful once they have regularly mated, 
but exceptions are by no means rare ; and nothing is more pro¬ 
voking to the fancier than to find that a match, upon the bring¬ 
ing about of which much trouble has been expended, has been 
broken through the intervention of some unmated bird incautiously 
left in the loft. 
If an accidental alliance has been formed which it is desired to 
break, the hen should, after she has laid her eggs, be removed, 
kept about a fortnight in seclusion, and then introduced in the 
usual way to the new mate intended for her. 
The first egg which the hen lays should be removed from the 
nest and an imitation or hard-boiled egg substituted for it until 
the hen has laid her second egg. This is done to avoid the earlier 
hatching of the first laid egg and the consequent undue advan¬ 
tage as to feeding which the bird hatched from it generally 
obtains. 
To prevent an excessive strain upon the constitutions of the 
birds the breeding season should not be unduly prolonged, and 
all birds which are not actually engaged in hatching or rearing 
operations should be separated about the middle of August, those 
so engaged being separated a little later as opportunity oilers. 
The more delicate breeds, and some which from the character 
and shape of their beaks are ill adapted for feeding their young 
ones, require to be supplemented by a supply of nurses to take 
charge of the youngsters. These are generally chosen from 
amongst the hardier breeds, best suited by their nature and dis¬ 
position for the task imposed upon them, or are common Pigeons 
specially bred for the purpose. The change of the young Pigeons 
to their foster-parents is sometimes effected while they are still in 
the shell, sometimes when they are about eight days old and have 
consumed all their own parents’ “ soft food,” as the natural secre¬ 
tion upon which the young Pigeons are at first fed is called. If 
the change be made while the birds are still in the shell it must 
be only between birds whose eggs were laid within a day or two 
of each other that an exchange is effected, as otherwise the sup¬ 
ply of soft food will not be ready for the youngsters when they 
make their appearance. Again, if the transfer to the foster- 
parents be made when the birds are a few days old, care must be 
taken that they are transferred to birds whose own offspring are, 
if anything, rather younger than their foster-children, and who 
will thus be able to supply them with soft food adapted to their 
digestive organs. 
An essential distinction between the breeding of poultry and 
Pigeons is this—that whereas poultry breeders but rarely think of 
crossing-in a bird of another colour to improve the colour of a 
strain. Pigeon breeders constantly resort to this expedient, and 
indeed, as to some varieties, habitually breed from birds of dif¬ 
ferent colours mated together. This renders it necessary that the 
young Pigeon fancier should, in addition to learning the points of 
the breed he takes up, also be careful to ascertain the most desir¬ 
able crosses for the production of sound colour, and of the other 
points of colour which are so important in the show pen. 
Oriental fanciers have even gone further in their desire for 
variety and their search for improvement, and have produced 
birds which will not breed true to colour if mated with other 
similar birds, but which require for their mates birds of a differ¬ 
ent shade. These varieties owe their origin to the mingling of 
three or more colours in one bird ; and as the process by which 
they were produced undoubtedly required the employment of 
successive various crosses, so a like method of breeding is necessary 
for their perpetuation. For the successful breeding of these 
varieties considerable skill is necessary, and young fanciers, how¬ 
ever much they may admire the variegated plumage of the Sati- 
nettes and Blondinettes, will do well to begin with something 
more simple, and in which success is not so problematical. 
(To be continued.) 
DOVERIDGE POULTRY SHOW. 
I feel gratified by the tone of the remarks made by “ C.” in 
your last paper about the arrangements of this Show. I cannot 
quite understand about the “guarantee for good management of 
a prospective show ”—viz., “ that it should be regulated by 
practical fanciers.” Is it necessary to constitute a practical 
fancier that he should keep several kinds of fancy fowls ? My 
fowl house door is covered with prize and commendation cards 
for Houdans, the only breed I have kept, and those I have 
regularly exhibited since 1871. My coadjutor the Secretary has 
not been long in the fancy, but he has, perhaps, more different 
breeds than I possess specimens of the kind I keep, and his fowl 
houses almost amount to a small village. I know he has been a 
successful exhibitor, but I do not know to what extent. If the 
public will send us plenty of entries we will endeavour to manage 
the Show practically and properly. Our schedule is now ready, 
and I hope it will be considered a fair attempt for beginners.— 
— E. J. Blair. 
[A reperusal of “ C.’s ” comments will convince Mr. Blair that 
no slight was intended to be cast upon any of the persons named 
in connection with the Show. “ C.” merely stated that as a rule 
it is desirable to have a committee of practical fanciers, and in 
this respect we must say that we entirely agree with him.—E d.] 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Chickens not Thriving (G. P .).—The long-continued dry weather has 
probably been the cause of your chickens not doing so well lately. Chickens 
always do best when there is a fair supply of moisture in the atmosphere. Have 
you tried the effect of a plentiful supply of green food and a little meat daily ? 
We have not so far had many complaints as to success in rearing this season. 
Chickens Ailing {Curate ).—It is impossible to tell from the imperfect 
account you have given what (if anything) is the matter with your chickens. 
You say they have a dark rim round the eye, but you do not state of what 
breed they are or give any other particulars. It may be that the rim you speak 
of is natural marking ; in any case it could not be caused by anything done 
to the eggs. 
The British Goat Society (A. L. N .).—The address of the Secretary is 
H. S. Pegler, Esq., 346, Strand, London, W.C., from whom you can, we think, 
obtain the information you require. 
Muzzling Dog3 {Protection ).— Professor Ferguson says:—“The wire 
basket or cage muzzle, when made sufficiently large to admit of the jaws being 
opened apart for drinking and tongue-panting, is a humane and efficacious 
invention. It effectually prevents the animal from doing mischief with his 
teeth, while it allows sufficient freedom to the mouth and tongue for his com¬ 
fort. The mere screen muzzle of wire projecting forwards from the upper 
part of the nose, leaving the under jaw and mouth uncovered, is often found 
ineffectual as a preventive of biting. All persons muzzling dogs, particularly 
in warm weather, with the ordinary leather muzzle that prevents the opening 
of the mouth, should be punished for cruelty to animals.” 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CAMDEN SQUARE,LONDON. 
Lafc. 51° 32'40’' N.; Long. 0° 8'0" W.; Altitude.lll feet. 
date. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
Rain. 
1 
1881. 
May. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32° 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
Temp, of 
Soil at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sun. 22 
30.441 
60.2 
51.9 
N.E. 
54.3 
70.0 
44.0 
119.4 
37.2 
— 
Mon. 23 
30.267 
65.8 
55.3 
E. 
55.3 
72.4 
46.7 
123.3 
40.4 
— 
Tues. 24 
30.106 
63.6 
5.5.0 
N.E. 
66.6 
69.7 
47.8 
120.3 
38.8 
— 
Wed. 25 
29.833 
63.4 
56.9 
N.E. 
57.6 
75.6 
48.7 
113.7 
42.8 
0.064 
Thurs. 26 
29.794 
60.4 
58.4 
N. 
57.6 
67.6 
50.7 
113.6 
46.6 
0.148 
Friday 27 
29.819 
58.4 
57.0 
N.W. 
57.8 
68.4 
55.6 
92.6 
55.7 
— 
Satur. 28 
29.910 
62.6 
57.0 
N.W. 
57.9 
74.8 
56.6 
122.0 
51.6 
0.571 
Means. 
30.024 
62.1 
55.9 
c.7 
71.2 
50.0 
115.0 
44.7 
0.783 
REMARKS. 
22nd.—Fine and bright throughout. 
23rd— Fine and bright, but very gusty ; calm evening. 
24th.—Fine warm day. 
25th.—Fine bright morning; overcast afternoon, showers 4.15 P.M.; damp close 
evening. 
28th.—Showery during morning, and very close ; fine afternoon and evening. 
27th.—Calm, overcast, and very close; spots of rain in afternoon ; finer evening. 
28th.—Fine and warm the greater part of the day, but rather close ; shower at 
11 a.m. ; heavy rain with thunder at 6 to 6.10 P.M., 0’28 of an inch 
falling in those ten minutes. 
A warm and generally fine week, with a slight thunderstorm at 6 P.M. on 
Saturday.—G. J. SYMONS. 
