258 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ September is, issi 
the classification is a little better, and separate classes for adults 
and chickens seem to have been almost universal. 
In an article on “ Poultry Judges and their Duties,” the pros 
and cons are well weighed concerning the advisability of having 
many or few judges. The question, however, was a far different 
one to that of the present day, as it was taken for granted that 
the many judges would judge together as a board. Fortunately 
no one wishes now to revive the latter system ; the experience of 
the Paris Exhibition alone would condemn it. 
A letter headed “A Word to the Unwise ” contains much advice 
which from experiment we are certain is most valuable. The 
writer says, “Many there are that still go on complaining that 
their poultry, and especially their chickens, keep dying off from 
catarrh or cold complaints. Let me, therefore, give one more 
very modern instance of the rapidly beneficial effect of artificial 
warmth in both arresting and curing bronchial and roupy affec¬ 
tions in several chickens, Bantams and Polish. On referring to 
the late edition of Mowbray it will be seen that not only a warm 
but an artificially warmed apartment is strongly recommended. 
Observing, therefore, ten days ago that four Bantams and three 
Polish chickens after exposure to wet without and accidental wet 
within their domicile, were affected, some with catarrh, others 
with the more advanced roupy discharge from the nostrils, and 
others with the gapy rattling or bronchial irritation in the throat 
or chest, I forthwith removed them into a greenhouse warmed by 
flues. I was surprised to see that all my patients at once sought 
out the warmest—yes, I might say the hottest flags, and there 
nestled. So warm were these flags which they selected, that I 
question whether I could have retained my own hand upon them 
and called it a comfortable warmth. The result was that some 
of them in three or four, and all within ten days, were perfectly 
recovered, showing clearly the efficacy of the sound practical 
advice given in the late edition of Mowbray, that an artificially 
warmed apartment is most essential in the treatment of such com¬ 
plaints.” A letter on “ fraudulent practices ” proves that even 
in those early days of the fancy many abuses had crept into exhi¬ 
bitions which of late years have caused so much bitter disappoint¬ 
ment to honest fanciers. Borrowing, painting, falsification of 
ages are here alluded to as by no means unknown. 
An extract from an American journal speaks of Dorkings im¬ 
ported from London as being “beautifully speckled, chocolate and 
white.” These were subsequently crossed with Game to obtain 
more vigour of constitution. In the same article the Dominique 
is thus alluded to—“ The Dominica hen, well selected and com¬ 
pletely bred, is a fine useful bird. They are of no particular 
breed, only distinguished as Dominicas by their colour, which 
usually indicates hardiness and fecundity. We have seldom known 
bad hens of this variety.” 
A report of the Beading Show is interesting. The entries of 
Dorkings seem to have been very numerous. In one class sixty 
pens competed for four prizes. There were no less than twenty 
trios of White Dorkings in two classes. We recognise the names 
of one or two fanciers of the present day as successful exhibitors. 
Among them Mr. Smith of Henley-in-Arden showed Coloured 
D 'rkings, Mr. Clift of Dorking White Dorkings, Miss Julia Mil- 
ward Turkeys. 
In a report of the Derby Show we see that Dr. Hitchman, still 
a fancier and breeder of Dorkings, took first prize for Coloured 
Dorkings, and that his pen sold for fifteen guineas. 
The advertisement columns of the “ Poultry Chronicle ” show 
that high prices were then asked for well-bred birds, and as much 
as two guineas a dozen for their eggs.—C. 
SQUIRREL-TAILED FOWLS. 
In farmyard fowls this is no blemish, but in show birds it is a 
great fault—so great, indeed, that no matter how good a fowl may 
be in all other points, if it has a squirrel tail it will never win in 
good company, and fowls of the kind should be avoided for breed¬ 
ing. Probably some may not know what a squirrel-tailed fowl 
is, but if they were breeding and showing such they would soon 
find out. A successful exhibitor of Grapes at the Manchester 
Show told me there, that he had the finest Scotch-Grey cock in 
the country, and being interested in the breed I thought I might 
be able to secure the bird, but further my informant told me that 
his tail was a most ornamental one, as it “ came over his back 
and touched his head.” After this I said no more on the matter, 
as that was a full indication of a squirrel-tailed fowl. When the 
tail bends sharply over the back and touches, or almost touches 
the head like that of a squirrel, it is considered a great fault, and 
prob ibly it is so, as it certainly does not look so well as a tail as 
one further from the head and hanging more in whip fashion. 
There is another kind of tail which is equally or more faulty still, 
and this is what is known as a wry tail. In this the tail is carried 
on one side and is more unsightly than when carried over the 
back. Wry tails often come from in-breeding, as many fowls so 
affected have humps or deformities on the hack. There is no 
cure for either, and the only way to avoid them is to be particular 
in not breeding from any fowls the least inclined that way, as 
imperfect tails are a great blemish in show birds.—J. Muir. 
FORTHCOMING POULTRY SHOWS. 
We have before us a number of schedules of forthcoming poultry 
shows, some of them of considerable interest to fanciers. First on 
our list is the Exhibition of the Altrincham Society, to be held on 
the 19th inst. at Bowdon. There are forty-one classes for poultry 
with three prizes in each, of 30.?., 15.?., and 7s. 6d., and twenty- 
four classes for Pigeons, with prizes of 15?., 10?., and 5?. The 
Secretary is Mr. Alfred Wilde, 41, Church Street, Altrincham. 
On October 5th, 6th, and 7th, a Show will be held at Southampton. 
A series of good and admirably managed shows were formerly 
held there, but of late have been discontinued, owing, we believe, 
to the poor attendance of visitors at them. The schedule now 
before us is a good one, and the Secretary is Mr. G. Billett, well 
known as a good manager of shows. The list is somewhat peculiar 
from the fact that in the poultry department cocks or cockerels 
have many more classes than hens; thus there are separate classes 
for both varieties of Brahma cocks, while the hens compete 
together—two classes for Cochin cocks, three for Dorking cocks, 
three for Game, while the hens of each breed will compete together. 
The schedule is altogether a liberal one for poultry, Pigeons, and 
cage birds, and we advise exhibitors to send for it. On October 
6th, 7di, and 8th a Show will be held at Nottingham under the 
rules of the Poultry Club. The Hon. Sec. is Mr. R. Hill, 92, Par¬ 
liament Street, Nottingham. The classification of poultry, Pigeons, 
and Rabbits is fair, and a list of subscriptions to a guarantee fund 
is published. This is a good plan. On October 18th and 19th, 
also under the rules of the Poultry Club, a Show will be held at 
Leek. There are four prizes in each of the sixteen classes for 
poultry, and three in the Rabbit and Pigeon classes. There is 
also a Show of cage birds, with four prizes in each class. The Hon. 
Sec. is Mr. F. J. Milner. On November 3rd another Show will be 
held under the Poultry Club rules—viz., that at Doveridge in 
Derbyshire. It is solely for poultry, to which forty-six classes are 
given. On November 9th and 10th a Show with extensive classi¬ 
fication will beheld at Carlisle. Game have eight classes, Dorkings 
four, Brahmas four, Cochins four, Hamburghs ten. &c. The Secre¬ 
tary is Mr. George Coulthard. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
White Game Fowl (II. L. B .).—These birds are but seldom seen in the 
show pen, partly because they are scarce, and partly because they are not 
usually so good in the general characteristics of the Game fowl as to compete 
successfully with the other varieties of the breed. They were at first neglected 
in consequence of their real or supposed delicacy and their want of success in the 
fighting pit, and having once fallen behind have never recovered their lost 
ground. They are only suitable for a grass run where they can have plenty of 
liberty. In such a situation they will look well, lay well, and if killed at three 
or four months old will make admirable table fowls. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CAMDEN SQUARE,LONDON. 
Lafc. 51® 32'40" N.; Long.O® 8'0" W.: Altitude.il] feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE Day. 
Rain. 
1 
1881. 
September. 
| Barome- 
! 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. 
In. 
Sun. 4 
19.916 
54.5 
52.8 
N. 
56.0 
(JO 5 
4;. 4 
108.6 
42.3 
— 
Mon. 5 
29.753 
57.0 
54.1 
N.E. 
56.4 
65.5 
51.5 
103.6 
46.7 
0.330 
Tues. ft 
29.529 
01.7 
55.9 
S.W. 
66.6 
G7.0 
53.9 
113.4 
52.0 
0.075 
Wed. 7 
29.614 
5(5.2 
54.6 
N.E. 
57.0 
(17.7 
53.9 
119.3 
53.2 
— 
Thurs. 8 
29.737 
55.3 
54.5 
N.E. 
67.2 
68.0 
48.3 
101.9 
45.6 
0.032 
Friday !) 
29.854 
66.6 
52.5 
N. 
57.3 
67.5 
53.2 
1083 
52.2 
— 
Satur. 10 
30.000 
37.7 
53.9 
N. 
57.2 
59.6 
46.6 
89.6 
44.0 
0.010 
Means. 
29.772 
67.0 
54.0 
56.8 
66.0 
50.5 
100.4 
48.0 
1.447 
REMARKS. 
4th.—Fine da} 7 , bright in the afternoon and evening. 
5th.—Dull cloudy day, with heavy rain at night. 
6th.—Wild morning, bright with occasional short sharp showers ; thunder at 
noon ; bright afternoon ; rain at night. 
7th.—Dull early ; bright morning ; very fine afternoon ; fine evening. 
8th.—Dense fog early ; bright morning; cloudy afternoon ; rain in evening. 
9th.—Dull morning ; bright afternoon and night. 
10th.—Dull, with one or two slight showers. 
The first part of the week was, on the whole, fine and pleasant, but with 
occasional showers ; the latter part was dull and damp. Temperature average, 
and about 2° above that of the preceding week.—G J. SYMONS. 
