JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
326 
[ October 6, 1881. 
prize only will be awarded. The Committee of the Hemel- 
Hempstead Show, which was held last week, adopted the some¬ 
what sweeping rule, that if in any class there are less than ten 
entries that class shall be expunged from the list and the entry 
fees returned. 
We think any rule of this kind objectionable, and that adopted 
at Hemel-Hempstead will probably be found to be detrimental in 
the long-run to the interests of the Show. An exhibitor who has 
once had his entry returned is not likely to enter again at that 
show. He will rather choose some other where he is certain of 
having his birds exhib’ted in any event. Accidental circum¬ 
stances may one season lead to a want of entries in a generally 
well-filled class, and the fact of the disappointed exhibitors de¬ 
clining to come forward the next season will again cause a dearth 
of entries. 
The rule in question bears hardly also upon visitors to the 
Show coming from a distance and finding that their favourite 
breed has been altogether or in part removed from the list. The 
Dark Brahma fanciers, for instance, who found that there were no 
cockerels exhibited in consequence of there having been only five 
entries, must have had a feeling that the inspection of even five 
cockerels would have given them a better idea as to how the 
youngsters were likely to turn out this year than the perusal of the 
statement in the catalogue, “ Five entries—removed from list.” 
The general question is a difficult one to deal with, but upon 
the whole we think committees would find it to their advantage 
to omit any rule of this sort, and, framing their classification 
upon their past experience, rely upon the excess of entries in one 
class making up for the deficiency in another. This would gene¬ 
rally be found to be so. Take the Brahmas at Hemel-Hempstead 
as an example. There were in the three classes which remained 
forty-four entries. If to these we add the five returned entries in 
the dark cockerel class we get a total of forty-nine entries, or an 
average of twelve and a quarter over the four classes. If we 
extend the average system to the thirty-six poultry classes, we 
find that there were 364 entries catalogued, which with thirty 
returned entries—representing seven expunged classes—gives a 
total of 394 entries, or an average of almost eleven entries per 
class. It is true that the return of those thirty entries enabled the 
Committee to effect a saving in prize money and pen hire of about 
£15, but, if our view be correct, such a saving is dearly bought. 
If it be absolutely necessary to introduce such a rule into a 
schedule, we think the form which provides for only first prize 
being awarded is the least objectionable of those which we have 
seen. The withholding of first prize, except for want of merit, is 
a course which has the practical effect of much lessening the 
honour of winning. The fact that most exhibitors think more of 
the honour of winning a prize than of the amount of the prize 
money, leads us to suggest that a rule might with advantage be 
adopted, that if there were less than a certain number of entries 
in any class the prizes would be only one-half the amount stated 
iu the schedule. This would still leave to the exhibitors the 
honour of winning and a fair proportion of the prize money, and 
would relieve the committee from a part of the burden of finding 
prize money. 
What may be termed the co-operative principle has in some 
few cases been adopted. By this plan the entry fees, or a part 
of them in each class, are offered in certain proportions as prizes 
in that class. We do not know what amount of success has at¬ 
tended this experiment, but we hardly think it likely to succeed 
generally. It has too much of the gambling character about it to 
be acceptable to most fanciers. A rule such as we have suggested 
would, we think, effect all that is desired by exhibitors and com¬ 
mittee men, and still leave sufficient certainty as to the amount 
of the prizes. 
POULTRY NOTES. 
A most successful show of poultry and Pigeons was jheld on 
Thursday in last week at Newnham in Gloucestershire. About 
120 pens of poultry appeared, and nearly 300 of Pigeons—a won¬ 
derful entry considering the moderate prizes offered. The Jacobin, 
Turbit, Tumbler, and Dragoon classes were specially strong. Mr. 
0. E. Cress well was the Judge. 
The uncertainty of English law is proverbial ; still we were a 
little surprised at the legal opinions lately obtained by the Poultry 
Club concerning owners bidding for their own birds at exhibition 
auctions. It seems in the opinion of two eminent counsel that 
unless an auction sale is advertised as “without reserve” owners 
can bid for and buy-in their own birds equally in open and in 
selling classes. This opinion is contrary to more than one County 
Court decision. So much corruption has at various shows been 
the result of this buying-in of selling-class birds by their owners, 
that should this opinion prove to be really the law we trust 
that selling classes will promptly be abolished at all well-managel 
shows, or that at least a carefully worded rule will be introduced 
into schedules to prevent such buying-in. To owners openly bid¬ 
ding for their own birds in open classes we never could see any 
objection, but the Poultry Club will do good service to the cause 
of honesty if it withholds its support from all shows where it is 
possible for dishonourable traffic to be carried on through selling 
classes. 
The same opinion raises a somewhat awkward question as to 
whether it may not legally be in the power of exhibitors to with¬ 
draw their birds from sale during a show. 
We have seen late broods of Turkeys suffering much from rheu¬ 
matism of the hock joints. Some of our own (cooped too long on 
grass we believe) suffered to such an extent that their legs became 
completely bowed and distorted, and they could hardly walk. On 
removal to a dry house where all can perch they have completely 
recovered, and their legs are again perfectly strong and straight. 
This may be a hint to breeders of late Turkeys. It is only another 
instance of a fact upon which we have often remarked, that with 
young Turkeys as long as there is breath there is hope, not only of 
their living, but of their turning out fine and healthy birds. 
We remarked some weeks ago that our ducklings, and those of 
neighbours too, were suffering from leg-weakness and apparent 
convulsions, from which many died. We have since discovered 
that the leg-weakness was the sole malady, and is easily curable. 
The convulsions were only the ineffectual efforts of the poor little 
things to get upon their legs again, and their repeated struggles 
exhausted and killed them. We shut our own up in small dry 
pens on straw where they had little room to roll about, and in a 
week all the survivors were completely cured. Those which thus 
suffered in our flock were all Pekins. 
Speaking of Pekins we cannot but remark that they are most 
disappointing birds on the table. As layers they are certainly 
unrivalled, but their size is more apparent than rea’, as the scales 
soon show, and for table Ducks we intend to return to old- 
fashioned Bouens and Aylesburys.—C. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Pekin Ducks ( Woolhamplon ).—You will find an article on this breed in 
our number for March 4th, 1880 (vol. xxxviii., page 188), and some further notes 
iu the number for July 8th of the same year (vol. i., new series, page 40). See 
also the above note. They are useful birds for laying. 
Ring Doves (JV. C .).—The Ring Dove is the Wood Pigeon or Cushat, and 
is perfectly hardy. Perhaps your question refers to the African Eing Dove 
(Columba risorius), which is somewhat like a Turtle Dove, and is not perfectly 
hardy in this climate. It must not be kept too warm in winter, but merely 
sheltered, as if in a shed or dovecote. 
Silver-Grey Rabbits (N. C .).—You do not say where the Rabbits have 
been kept. If they are in a damp place where there is not an abundance of fresh 
air this will account for their dying. A cool orchard house will suit them very 
well. They require to be kept in a dry airy place. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden square,London. 
Lat. 61° 32'40" N.; Long.0° 8'0" W.; Altitude,lll feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
Rain. 
1881. 
September 
and Oct. 
I Barome- 
! ter at 32° 
1 and Sea 
l 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. 
30.030( 
61.9 
61.4 
W. 
56.6 
70.6 
54.4 
115.6 
53.7 
_ 
Mon. 26 
30.069 
58.0 
55.9 
S.W. 
56.7 
66.0 
47.0 
110.0 
42.5 
_ 
Tues. 27 
80.191 
54 4 
52.6 
W. 
56.0 
62.7 
47.5 
105. 
43.4 
_ 
Wed. 28 
30.318 
54.0 
51.5 
N. 
55.1 
64.7 
44.7 
102.4 
39.3 
_. 
Thurs. 29 
30.416 
47.1 
47.4 
N.E. 
54.3 
64.2 
42.4 
94.8 
37.4 
_ 
Friday 30 
30.397 
47.6 
47.4 
N.E. 
53.6 
63 7 
43.0 
95.4 
36.3 
_ 
Satur. 1 
30.295 
54.4 
51.4 
N.E. 
53.3 
62.8 
44.3 
106.6 
37.8 
— 
30.215 
54.0 
52.5 
55.1 
65.0 
46.2 
104.3 
41.5 
— 
REMARKS. 
25th.—Wet early ; fine, bright, warm day. 
26th.—Pine bright day, but with one or two very slight showers in morning. 
27th.—Dull cloudy day. 
28th.—Fine, bright, and pleasant. 
29th.—Fine but rather hazy; dense fog early. 
30th.—Dense fog early ; fine bright day. 
1st.—Fine bright day, with cold easterly wind. 
A fine bright week with no measurable quantity of rain, two dense fogs, and 
some cold easterly wind at the close. Temperature a little above the average, 
but nearly 5° below that of the preceding week.—G. J. SYMONS. 
