478 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
opinion, as well as that of a large number of engraisseurs (or 
fatteners of poultry), is as follows. About thirty years ago, when 
Cochins were first introduced into this country, they caused great 
excitement. All the farmers would have crosses of these birds 
with our Cam pine fowls ; and these crosses, being repeated with 
the best subjects produced, became the large breed of fowls so 
called (de Malines), but really reared m the country between 
Diest and Beverloo. They are sent poor to the Malines poultry 
market held once a week, and are purchased by engraisseurs who 
live in the districts between Malines, Termonde, and Assche. As 
layers they are not considered the best, but they fatten exceedingly 
well, and are ready for the table in four weeks. The engraisseurs 
prefer those without feathers on the legs ; they all agree that 
those fatten more easily. 
“ This breed has a great reputation as a table bird ; so much so 
that the whole of Belgium, Germany, the north of France, and 
Holland always send to Brussels when they require large and 
delicate poultry.” 
At the last Berlin Exhibition for dead poultry the first prize was 
given to the Coucou de Malines fattened by a Brussels poulterer. 
— L. E. Wilson. 
LIVER FOR FOWLS. 
Some little time ago we had a long spell of parching east winds 
here. Vegetation, which should have been growing rapidly at the 
time, was at a standstill, and all kinds of insects and grubs which 
fowls devour with such relish were nowhere to be found. The 
most inexperienced poultry-keeper knows that the want of these 
soon begins to affect the hens, especially in the production of 
eggs, which become scarcer and scarcer until the supply almost 
ceases. This was the case with my fowls during the period in 
question, and probably I should have had no eggs until the 
weather and earth had become humid, had I not, when I saw how 
matters stood, begun giving a little raw chopped liver daily. 
Not more than three or four days after the hens had this they 
one and all started laying, and did not stop again until rain came, 
when no more liver was given. I have tried many kinds of flesh 
food for fowls during such a time, but have found nothing so good 
as the liver. Their recommencing to lay during the very kind of 
weather which stopped them, 1 attribute wholly to the liver, as no 
other change of food was made. As liver is so cheap and can be 
easily procured, probably it may be to the advantage of some of 
your readers to know this, and as we may have much dry hot 
weather shortly I consider the matter well worth publicity.— 
J. Muir. 
THE POULTRY CLUB. 
A meeting of the Committee of the Poultry Club was held at the 
Charing Cross Hotel on Friday the 3rd June. There were present 
the Hon. and Rev. F. G. Dutton (in the chair), the Rev. J. D. Peake ; 
and Messrs. T. W. Anns, A. Comyns, H. R. Dugmore, J. C. Fraser, 
S. Lucas, and L. Norris. 
' New Members. —The following new Members were elecred : Geo. 
Carrington, Missenden Abbey. Great Missenden, Bucks ; Mansfield 
C. H. Mills, Tapton Grove, Chesterfield. 
The following new Associates were elected : H. J. Buchan, Wilton 
House, Southampton ; Rev. Henry J. Crockford, Hexham Parsonage 
near Exeter ; Mrs. H. F. Dent, Scruton Hall, Bedale, Yorks ; Rev. 
W. A. Hows, Cold Higham Rectory, Towcester ; Jas. Read, High 
Park, Ryde, Isle of Wight: David W. J. Thomas, Ely Cottage, 
Brecon ; John W. Williams, Mildenhall, Suffolk. 
H. A. Silvester, late an Associate of the Club, was elected a 
Member. 
Members Removed from Books of Club. —The names of the 
following Members and Associates whose subscriptions for 1880 had 
not been paid were, in conformity with the resolution passed at the 
meeting of the Committee held on the 27th April last, removed from 
the books of the club. 
Members. —Dr. Cameron, Epworth, Rotherham ; John B. Compton, 
Hallyburton, Cupar Angus, N.B. ; W. Dalton, Allen Grove, Carlisle ; 
Mrs. J. S. Findley, 2, Alleyne Crescent, West Dulwich ; Lieut.-Col. 
Fludyer, Ayston Hall, Uppingham ; Lieut.-Col. Lockwood, Bromley, 
Harlow, Essex; J. J. Malden, Hill Farm, Biggleswade, Beds; W. 
Wallis, Jun., Eastleigh, Bishopstoke. 
Associates. —W. C Bland, Forston House, Dorchester ; J. E. Blood- 
worth, Jersey Cottage, Cheltenham ; Lawrence Booth, Victoria Road, 
Chester ; W. Champion, Griffiths Town, Pontypool; J. Day, 48. York 
Street, Luton ; W. Gatis, George Street, Luton ; S. W. Hallan, Whit- 
wick, Leicester ; Benj. A. Hogg, 2, Cornhill, Dorchester ; W. J. John¬ 
son, Vortersberg, Cork ; D. Lewis, Thornhill Cottage, Carmarthen; A. 
Ogden, Albion Foundry, Ashton-under-Lyne ; Capt. John N. Preston, 
Flasby Hall, Gargrave, Leeds ; W. T. Russell, Bude Lodge, S. Nor¬ 
wood ; R. Swift, Southwell, Notts. 
Owners Bidding at Shows.—T he resolution, of which notice 
had been given by Mr. Fraser at the last meeting to the following 
effect—“That the resolution passed at the meeting of the Com¬ 
mittee held on the 28th March last, condemning the practice of 
owners being permitted by Poultry Show Committees to bid for 
and buy in their own exhibits, be amended by inserting the words ‘ of 
birds entered in selling classes ’ after the word ‘ owners,’ ” was pro¬ 
posed by Mr. Fraser. After considerable discussion an amendment 
was proposed by Mr. H. R. Dugmore, and seconded by Mr. L. Norris, 
to the following effect. 
“ That the resolution of March 28th having been passed in relation 
to a specific case arising in a selling class, and considerable doubt 
having been since expressed whether or not the same illegality 
extends to the open classes, it is resolved that (before either limiting 
the said resolution to selling classes, or confirming its wider signifi¬ 
cation) the Secretary be instructed to obtain Counsel’s opinion on the 
whole question.” 
The resolution proposed by Mr. Fraser having been subsequently 
withdrawn, the amendment of Mr. Dugmore was put as a substan¬ 
tive resolution and carried. 
Circular to Railway Companies. —The Secretary reported that 
he had issued the circular to railway companies directed to be sent 
out by the Committee, and that he had received answers from nearly 
all the companies. Several of the letters from the leading companies, 
which were of a most satisfactory character, were read to the Com¬ 
mittee, and answers were directed to be sent to some of them. 
Circular to Secretaries of Shows. —The Secretary reported 
that he had received a large number of answers to the circular ad¬ 
dressed to the secretaries of shows as to the dates at which the 
several shows were to be held. The Secretary was directed to have a 
list of the dates of the shows so fixed printed, so that copies of the 
same might be furnished to the secretary of any show desirous of 
obtaining the same. —Alex. Comyns, Bon. Sec. Poultry Club, 47, 
Chancery Lane, June 4th, 1881. 
The following is a copy of the circular addressed to the secretaries 
of the various railway companies by the Club— 
“ I am directed by the Committee of the Poultry Club, a body representing a 
considerable number of fanciers and exhibitors of poultry throughout the 
United Kingdom, to draw your attention to the following facts and request 
your careful consideration of them. 
“There are during each season more than 250 shows held in the United 
Kingdom. In some cases thousands, and in all cases a considerable number 
of birds, are sent by railway to compete at these shows. The value of these 
birds is, as a rule, very considerable, and the amount of revenue derived from 
their carriage by the railway companies caunot but be large. 
“ From time to time complaints are received by the Committee of the Poultry 
Club as to the rough and improper treatment of these birds by railway servants. 
For example : piles of hampers have been seen packed upon their sides on the 
roofs of railway parcel vans ; the baskets containing the birds have been seen to 
be roughly pulled from the railway trucks, and handled in general with such 
roughness that the birds must have been dashed against the sides of the baskets. 
In one case the porters at a junction were seen rolling the circular baskets on 
their sides along the platform. Tail feathers have been plucked out, and birds 
thus rendered for a time valueless for exhibition, and notwithstanding the 
plainest directions on the labels, poultry hampers have been booked by slow 
routes and otherwise delayed. 
“ The Committee desire these matters to be brought under the notice of the 
various railway companies, in the hope that they will, either by giving special 
directions to their servants by circular or otherwise, take steps to diminish the 
evils complained of.” 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CAMDEN SQUARE,LONDON. 
Lat. 51° 32-40" N.; Long.0° 8-0" W.; Altitude,lll feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAT. 
1881. 
May. 
J une. 
| Barome- 
1 ter at 32° 
1 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. 
Sun. 29 
30.002 
58.8 
58.0 
N.E. 
58.4 
68.0 
54.0 
101.6 
54.0 
Mon. 30 
30.258 
60.4 
58.7 
N.W. 
56.8 
74.7 
43.3 
125.7 
41 6 
Tues. 31 
30.377 
CG.2 
55.0 
N.E. 
58.0 
80.7 
48.7 
128.6 
42.3 
Wed. 1 
30.232 
71.3 
57.9 
N.W. 
60.0 
82.7 
49.5 
127.3 
45.0 
Thurs. 2 
30.144 
69.0 
6 1.3 
N. 
61.6 
80.0 
50.7 
131.3 
45.6 
Friday 3 
30.151 
68 7 
58.8 
N.W. 
62.6 
81.0 
53.5 
123.3 
48.8 
Satur. 4 
30.033 
71.3 
59.0 
W. 
63.8 
82. L 
55.4 
129.2 
49.6 
Means. 
30.171 
67.5 
58.4 
6 -.2 
785 
51.0 
123.9 
46.7 
REMARKS. 
29th.—Overcast and cooler ; few drops of raiu, but not a measurable quantity ; 
brighter in evening. 
30th.—Fine, bright, and warm. 
31st.—Fine and hot; very bright sunshine throughout. 
1st.—Hazv morning ; bright hot day. 
2nd.—Fine, bright, and hot. 
3rd.—Fine and hot; rather stormy-looking at times. 
4th.—Fine, bright, hot, day ; gusty wind and much dust; cloudy towards night. 
A very hot week ; shade maximum temperature averaged 78-5°, which is about 
10° above the average. The temperature rose to or exceeded 80° on fine days. 
No rain throughout the week.—G. J. Symons. 
