2-2 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 5, 18f2. 
forward counties, bat in the northern districts delayed the ripening 
and produced blight. The peculiarity of the harvest was that 
after the rains commenced there was seldom more than two days 
of dry weather in succession, in consequence hardly any corn was 
stacked iu a satisfactory condition. It is, however, a fact that 
thousands of acres of corn in the early districts were seriously 
damaged when they might have been secured if the question of 
fitness for stacking was more generally understood, and we have 
on various occasions endeavoured to show the home farmer that 
whenever the straw is ripe enough and free from weeds, &c. (as it 
was last harvest), not to heat in the rick, it should be secured at 
once from all weathers, to save the straw and grain of the best 
quality. We heartily wish the home farmer more productive 
seasons, and, moreover, we anticipate that the new year will in¬ 
augurate a cycle of fruitful years. 
I he Mechi Fund. —Under the presidency of Mr. Samuel Morley, 
M P. (the Chairman and Treasurer), a meeting of the General Com¬ 
mittee of this fund has been held for the purpose of bringing the 
matter to a close, and of considering the best mode of investing the 
money collected in the interests of Mrs. Mechi and her four daughters. 
Mr. C. B. Shaw, the Honorary Secretary, having stated that the total 
sum collected, after deducting the cost of advertising, printing, lire., 
was still about £300 short of the £5000 which the Committee origi¬ 
nally proposed to raise, and that a few unpaid and fresh subscriptions 
were still being received, it was resolved that the fund should be 
kept open until the beginning of the year, but that the Committee 
should meet again early in January with the view of winding it up 
and appointing Trustees. Mr. Morley expressed a hope that in the 
interim, and especially during this charitable season, the remaining 
£300 might be secured, and the Honorary Secretary signified his 
willingness to receive and acknowledge any sums addressed to 
himself or Mr. Morley, at the offices of the fund, 26, Charles Street, 
St. James’s. 
POULTRY NOTES. 
To judge from a batch of schedules lying before us, the rules 
of the Poultry Club for the good management of shows are being 
very generally adopted. We observe that besides the Cambridge 
Show, which is practically that of the Club, the Ashbourne Show 
is held under the Club rules, and during the next month or so 
shows at Hedncsford, Southport, Wolverhampton, and Uttoxeter 
will all be held under the same rules. The Wolverhampton 
schedule is as usual a very liberal one, and the classification very 
good. _ 
"We have just received a revised list of the Poultry Club, from 
which we gather that the Club now numbers 205 members and 
associates. 
We are apt to think that neat little poultry houses, in which real 
care is taken for the comfort of the birds, are only an invention of 
European fanciers brought about during the last few years. Such 
is not the case, and nations which we consider somewhat barbarous 
have evidently long ago cared not only for Ihe utility, but also for 
the appearance of their poultry houses and yards. At the great 
Paris Exhibition in 1878 we were much struck with the Japanese 
farm. Pens of tiny Japanese Bantams, the production of which 
doubtless occupied some native fancier or succession of fanciers at 
least as long as that of the Golden or Silver-laced Bantams did Sir 
John Sebright, occupied the prettiest little bamboo coops and runs ; 
and the beautifully carved gates, surmounted by a pair of the said 
Bantams, carved in a manner worthy of Gibbons, were evidently 
intended for the entrance of the poultry establishment of some mil¬ 
lionaire. Among the illustrations of last week’s Graphic we noticed 
one of a Madagascar village, in which are prominent neat little 
poultry houses, such as are seen in our best-managed yards, mounted 
on legs to keep them dry, and with small ladders for the birds to go 
in and out. We believe that the fowl of the land is the Frizzle. 
Most excellent mothers, by-the-by, are Frizzled hens, and crossed 
with Silkies they produce very quaint birds, which w T e should think 
the most perfect of all sitters and mothers. 
It is ju3t now of the utmost importance to have as many eggs as 
possible from our best hens ; on this depends the success of the early 
season. In our own case generally we observe the greatest differ¬ 
ence between the laying of those hens which have complete liberty 
and those which are confined even in the largest yards and warmest 
situations. This is probably owing in great measure to the lack in 
confinement of lime and other materials which assist the formation 
of eggshells. This should be most carefully supplied. 
There is often a difficulty in preventing Pigeons from nesting at 
this time of year. Warm winter days make them think of spring ; 
they lay and sit, and some hard late frost kills the young ones. 
Where the sexes have been s-parated there is little difficulty. The 
hens will often lay. '1 hey should be allowed to sit awhile on their 
eggs, or they will lay again too soon, while this will occupy their 
time till the pairing season comes. When, however, there is but 
one Pigeon cote it is very difficult to know how to manage valuable 
birds in the winter. On the w'hole we think it best to allow them 
to sit. If the weather keeps mild the squeakers often turn out very 
strong birds from being so early; if weather turns cold they 
should ho killed when quite small, and probably the parents will 
then pause to nest again till spring comes.—C. 
TROUBLES OF A PIGEON JUDGE DURING JUDGING. 
There is a rule which we find among others appended to almost 
all schedules of our shows—viz., “Admission during judging,” 2s., 
2s. 6 d.. and so on. Should any member of the numerous committees 
throughout the country ever act as judges they, I think, will agree 
with me that this rule ought to be altered in some way, or at all 
events modified. I do not know how judges in the poultry classes 
get on, but from experience I can say that it is almost impossible to 
judge fairly or satisfactorily what I call the finer—certainly the 
more sensitive—classes, such as Pigeons and Canary birds, while a 
crowd of outsiders or even fanciers are watching you. The move¬ 
ments of the on-lookers disturb the specimens, put them out of 
position by exciting or frightening them, and therefore justice can 
be given neither to the exhibitor nor to the judge. I have acted 
at a large show where I have had hardly room to move owing 
to the crowd of visitors admitted ; and, again, have been busy at one 
side of a long table while a crowd of excited fanciers (having paid 
the high admission fee) were moving about on the other side. No 
longer ago than last week, while judging and arranging the award 
for a cup, I felt almost put out by the excitement of a number of 
fanciers watching and following me about, anxious to ascertain if 
possible who was to be the winner of the cup. Now, I think the 
judge should he entirely alone while judging, so that he may fami¬ 
liarise himself with the birds, see all into their natural positions, 
and thereby have some satisfaction in his work. Then he should 
have time to walk quietly through the show, so as to alter, if 
required, any award he may have made by mistake. Should such 
an arrangement be made by committees, of course greater prompti¬ 
tude would be required in starting the judging, so as not to keep 
visitors waiting too long for admission. I should be glad if any 
of our friends would give their views on this subject.— James Huie. 
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 
c3 
05 
1881. 
December. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32° 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
| Temp, of 
Soil at 
1 1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiati on 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
sun. 
On 
gr*,ss. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg 
deg. 
In. 
Sun. 25 
30.515 
36.0 
33.9 
S.W. 
37.0 
41.9 
28.9 
45.5 
22.2 
— 
Mon. 26 
30.589 
44.5 
44.1 
W. 
87.1 
46.0 
35.3 
43.9 
31.8 
— 
Tues. 27 
30.623 
42.8 
42.0 
W. 
.9.0 
44.2 
42.5 
44.5 
40.4 
— 
Wed. 28 
30.470 
38.1 
38.0 
S.W. 
39.9 
44.2 
37.9 
43.3 
37.8 
— 
Thurs. 29 
30.25G 
44.8 
42.4 
s. w\ 
40.0 
46.5 
35.9 
48.5 
30.3 
— 
Friday 30 
30.003 
43.8 
41.8 
s. w. 
4'.3 
45.2 
41.3 
57.5 
34.1 
— 
Satur. 31 
29.923 
44.2 
42.0 
s. 
40.2 
45.2 
38.2 
47.8 
31.6 
— 
30.346 
42.0 
40.6 
39.1 
45.2 
37.1 
47.3 
32.6 
REMARKS. 
25th.—Fair, overcast. 
26tli.—Dull, damp, misty. 
27th.—Damp, overcast, and mild. 
28th.—Mild, hazy, and calm. 
29th.—Calm and dull; bright for a short time about sunset. 
80th.'—Fine and bright; warm sun and moonlight evening. 
31st.—Generally fine, but little sun ; moonlight evening. 
Only one frosty night, and temperature generally very equable. No rain 
throughout the week. The total rain for the year, 27 - 92 inches, is, however, 
quite 10 per cent, above the average.—G. J. SYMONS. 
