370 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
requirements might then no longer be insisted upon, and much 
good would have been done to useful poultry breeding. Such 
discussions as that invited by “Buff” help to clear the way 
towards a really good “standard,” and I earnestly hope that his 
appeal may not be left unanswered.—0. E. Cresswell. 
THE POULTRY CLUB. 
A MEETING of the Committee of the Poultry Club was held at 
Charing Cross Hotel on the 27th of April. There were present the 
Hon. and Rev. F. G. Dutton (in the chair), the Hon. and Rev. A. 
Baillie-Hamilton, the Rev. E. H. Morgan, and Messrs. T. W. Anns, 
R. A. Boissier, A. Comyns, J. C. Fraser, S. Lucas, and T. P. Lyon. 
New Members. —The following new members were elected :— 
William Proctor Collier, Seamount, Malahide, Co. Dublin ; Robert 
Watson Cowen, Dalston, Carlisle ; Capt. Heaton, Worsley ; George 
Yigers, Hersham, Walton-on-Thames. The following new Associate 
Members were elected :—C. R. Haddesley, Caistor; W. S. Marsh, 
Winkland Oaks, Deal; G. Y. S. Shaw, Edgeworth Rectory, Ciren¬ 
cester ; Harold A. Silvester, Hum Lodge, Beverley; Samuel Taylor, 
Moorgreen, Notts ; Mrs. R. J. Wade, How End, Windermere, 
Circular to Fanciers. —The Secretary reported that 7537 cir¬ 
culars addressed to the persons whose names appeared in the poultry 
section of the “ Fanciers’ Directory ” had been issued, and that a copy 
of the rules of the Club and a list of the officers and members thereof 
had been sent with each circular. 
Circular to Secretaries of Shows. —The Secretary reported 
that over two hundred circulars addressed to secretaries of shows, in 
conformity with the resolution passed at the general meeting, had 
been issued, but that owing to the difficulty of obtaining the neces¬ 
sary addresses a good many shows had been omitted. 
Subscriptions in Arrear. —The Secretary reported that notwith¬ 
standing the issue of two notices requesting payment of subscriptions 
still due for 1880, several members and associates had neither sent in 
their subscriptions nor given notice of retirement. It was resolved 
that in the case of all persons whose subscriptions for 1880 shall 
remain unpaid at the date of the nest meeting of the committee with¬ 
out any explanation having been given, their names shall be then 
announced as struck off the list of members. 
Standard of Excellence. — The Secretary reported that the 
Sub-Committee appointed at the last meeting had met three times, 
and had prepared the following report:— 
Your Sub-committee have considered the best means of obtaining the neces¬ 
sary data for the preparation of a standard of excellence, and have come to the 
conclusion that the following course will be a suitable one to adopt. 
1. To send out to a number of leading breeders and exhibitors of each variety 
a blank form of standard, with a circular requesting them to fill up the same. 
2. That a draft standard of each variety be formulated upon the basis of the 
replies received. 
3. That copies of such draft standard be sent to the leading poultry Judges, 
with a request that they will comment upon the same. 
4. That copies of such draft standard be published in the leading poultry 
papers. 
5. That the standard be finally settled by a committee to be appointed at the 
annual meeting. 
Your Committee have prepared blank forms of standards of each breed, and 
also a form of circular to be addressed to those fanciers whom it is proposed to 
consult, also a list of names of those they consider it most desirable to consult 
as to each breed. 
Where any breed is represented by a club your Committee suggest that the 
standard of such club shall be accepted in the first instance. 
The report was after some discussion approved and adopted, and it 
was resolved that the Sub-committee should be re-appointed for the 
purpose of issuing the circulars and preparing a report upon the 
replies received thereto. 
Yotes in Committee. —It was proposed by Mr. Lyon, “ That when 
in any case the decision of the Committee is not unanimous the 
Secretary be directed in his report to the papers to give the names of 
those members voting each way.” 
This proposal was not, however, seconded, and thus fell through. 
Owners Bidding at Shows. —Notice was given that at the next 
meeting of the Committee a resolution will be proposed by Mr. 
Fraser, and seconded by the Rev. E. H. Morgan, 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.’ ” 
Next Committee Meeting. —The date of the next meeting of 
the Committee was fixed for Friday, June 3rd, instead of Monday, 
May 30th, the date previously announced.— Alex. Comyns, Hon. 
Sec. Poultry Club, 47, Chancery Lane, May 2nd, 1881. 
The following are copies of the circulars recently issued by the 
Secretary of the Poultry Club. 
No. 1. 
In accordance with a Resolution passed at the Annual General Meeting of 
the Poultry Club held on the 16th November last, I beg to enclose a copy of the 
rules of the Club, and to direct your attention to the objects for which it was 
formed. These objects are as follows :— 
(1.) The promotion of the breeding and exhibition of poultry. 
(2.) The suppression of fraud and dishonourable conduct therein ; and 
(3.) The advancement and protection of the interests of poultry breeders 
and exhibitors. 
No. 2. 
A Resolution was passed at the Annual General Meeting of the Poultry Club, 
held on the 16th November, that—- 
“A circular be sent to the secretaries of the various poultry shows in the 
United Kingdom, requesting them to communicate with the Secretary of the 
Club as early as possible as to the dates of their shows in the season 1881-82, 
with a view to ascertain if, and how far, any of such shows are likely to clash ; 
and, if possible, to obviate such clashing.” 
You will oblige me if you will kindly let me know as early as possible the 
date on which it is intended to hold the-show during the ensuing season. 
The first was addressed to all persons whose names appeared in the 
poultry section of the “ Fanciers’ Directory ” for 1880 ; the second to 
the secretaries of poultry shows. We see by the report of the 
recent Committee Meeting of the Club that, owing to a difficulty as 
to obtaining addresses, some secretaries of shows have not had copies 
sent them. It may be well for these gentlemen to furnish the desired 
information to the Secretary of the Club. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Address ( James Foot). —The address you require is Mr. Edwin Crook, 
Carnaby Street, Regent Street, London. 
Treatment of Goslings ( G. S.). —The method of rearing the Chinese 
Goose and Canada Goose is not materially different from that adopted with the 
more common kinds. The goslings should for the first few days be kept warm 
and dry, and fed upon hard-boiled eggs and bread crumbs or rice well mixed 
up with some green food, such as young green onions (of which they are especi¬ 
ally fond) or grass. This food may in a few days be changed by substitution of 
barleymeal or oatmeal and middlings for the eggs, rice, and bread crumbs. 
India meal may also be given occasionally. The mother should be cooped after 
a day or two on a grass run, so that the goslings can have access to the grass. 
They will at first require five or six feeds daily, but the number may be decreased 
gradually until they are fledged, when grass will form their staple food, and they 
will only require a small meal of grain or meal once or twice a day. When the 
goslings are pretty hardy the mother may be allowed to range with them, and 
the gander will aid her in protecting them. They may then be allowed to swim 
in a pond for a short time daily, but it is not safe to give them complete liberty 
in this respect until they are fledged. Ordinary rain will not hurt them, but 
long exposure to very heavy rains, especially for the first week or two, should be 
avoided. It is not safe to trust to the mother protecting them from rats ; they 
should be shut up securely at night until fledged. Their food should not be 
mixed in such a very liquid state as that they can daub themselves with it, and 
by the use of long narrow troughs as feeding vessels any risk from that cause 
can be avoided. 
Canker in Pigeons (Suburban). —The disease affecting your young 
Pigeons is that known as canker. As it prevails throughout your loft it 
evidently depends on some general cause. You are either feeding the birds on 
unwholesome food, or, what is more probable, your loft or pigeon-house is 
overcrowded, the dirt is allowed to accumulate, or there is insufficient venti¬ 
lation. Look well after the general health, and you will have no more canker. 
The safest application to those birds already cankered is powdered burnt alum, 
to be applied after removing the white matter. 
Canary Dying (G. Walker). —It is impossible without details of symptoms, 
&c„ to tell the cause of your Canary’s death, or to recommend treatment for the 
other. From the appearance of the body we suspect internal inflammation, and 
fear there is something wrong with your system of feeding. You had better 
purchase some work treating upon Canaries. You can have “ The Canary and 
Other Song Birds,” post free from our office for Is. 7 d. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square,London. 
Lat. 51° 32'40''N.; Long. 0° 8'0” W.; Altitude.lll feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
a 
•s 
(A 
1881. 
April 
| 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. 24 
29.996 
49.3 
43.7 
N. 
46.3 
58.3 
41.3 
101.3 
88.4 
_ 
Mon. 25 
29.913 
54.5 
50.6 
W. 
47.3 
61.7 
46.3 
93.7 
412 
_ 
Tues. 26 
29.928 
46.3 
43.7 
W. 
47.5 
57.0 
39.7 
112.7 
35.0 
0.017 
Wed. 27 
30.161 
50.7 
45.4 
s.w. 
47.0 
58.7 
38.'! 
90.8 
32.5 
_ 
Thurs. 28 
30.246 
51.6 
46.7 
N. 
47.4 
60.6 
S9 4 
97.1 
82.0 
Friday 29 
30.1.59 
53.0 
50.6 
w. 
48.0 
63.7 
40.3 
93.6 
88.7 
0.068 
Satur. 30 
29.878 
58.0 
51.7 
s.w. 
49.0 
64.2 
48.5 
111.5 
46.6 
0.020 
Means. 
30.040 
51.9 
47.5 
47.5 
60.2 
42.8 
101.0 
37.8 
0.105 
REMARKS. 
24t,h.—Mild calm pleasant day with some bright sunshine; overcast at intervals. 
25th.—Fair and warm ; very slight shower in forenoon. 
26th.—Cool, slight showers ; shower of soft hail at noon ; lightning and thunder 
at 1.35 p.m. ; gusty wind. 
27th.—Fine, overcast at intervals. 
28th.-—Fine bright morning ; dark and stormy-looking from I P.M. till 3 P.M.; 
fine evening. 
29th.—Fair, but dull and close. 
30th.—Warm and fine till 5.30 P.M. then slight rain. 
On the whole rather a dull week; rain threatening almost constantly, thongh 
very little fell. Mean temperature about 6° higher than that of the preceding 
week.—G. J. Symons. 
