41G 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ November 3, issi. 
We remember several excellent poultry shows held at Ipswich. 
They fell into desuetude chiefly, we believe, from the poor atten¬ 
dance of visitors at them. We have received the schedule of 
another, to be held there on November 22nd and 23rd. Unfortu¬ 
nately it will clash with the old-established Show at Oakham ; but 
November is a month in which poultry are generally in show 
trim, and so we may hope that it will be well filled and 
successful. 
In reply to the remarks of “ F. R.” upon our estimate of Pekin 
Ducks, we do not in the least deny that they are excellent layers 
of generally fertile eggs, though we have not found them to sur¬ 
pass in fertility those of Aylesburys. They are also hardy, but 
so, in our experience, are all Ducks, and attain maturity—or 
rather, we should say, large size—very rapidly. What we assert 
is, that this early maturity is rather apparent than real, and that 
birds which to the eye appear immense are only more thickly 
feathered, but not so large as Rouens and Aylesburys of the same 
age. We have seen a great inclination on the part of breeders of 
Ducks, not for fancy but for table, to discard our old favourites, 
carried away with enthusiasm for the beauty and size of Pekins. 
We simply warned them that there is something to be said on the 
other side, and that our experience leads us to think it a mis¬ 
take to make all give way to the new breed before it has been 
thoroughly tried. As layers we find Pekins unsurpassed on a run 
of moderate size. On a large piece of water they do not lay 
nearly so well. As table Ducks we believe them to be a failure. 
—C. 
COVERING POULTRY HOUSES—BALLAST FOR 
RUNS. 
I WAS struck by one or two points in the advice of “ C.” on 
page 370 of your Journal, and I would like to add a few facts 
gathered from experience. 
In the first place, for covering of poultry houses I find nothing 
so cheap as plain wrought iron. As soon as it is cut for the place 
required—for the sheeting can be had 6 feet long by 4 feet 
wide, or even larger—I have the pieces tarred on the inside, and 
they are then nailed with short clouts, and when tarred again 
form the cheapest and most enduring roof. I obtained the idea 
from Mr. John Harvey, who came into some large estates in 
Scotland, and in covering the farm houses he found that nothing 
was more lasting or cheaper than this mode of roofing. 
Anybody can understand that corrugated metal requires double 
the quantity of flat, and there is really nothing gained by it. 
On another point. When land is very light, if the surface is 
scratched or dug over, it is sufficient for poultry ; if it is very 
heavy (in all probability it is clay), then by some judicious manage¬ 
ment and a small collection of rubbish, a good fire can be ignited 
and the clay piled round it. This when burnt forms an excellent 
covering for poultry yards, and a small sprinkling from time to 
time answers every purpose, to say nothing of the neat red 
appearance. 
For footpaths, I find on clay that if I cut out any loose wet 
material and place a layer of about 2 inches of this burnt ballast 
on the dry ground and on this “asbpan breeze ” that can be had at 
any gasworks, or fine ashes, however wet the weather may be, 
there is always a dry path. Anyone living on a clay soil will 
appreciate this hint. 
If the poultry runs are well protected, and there is any good 
dry space in them, advantage may be taken by allowing the 
litters of young rabbits to run in them. If they are bred from 
the large varieties of Giant de Flanders or Leponides, I find that 
the stock is greatly improved for breeding purposes if they are 
allowed to run as soon as they are taken from the does for some 
months. If not frightened they do not become very wild, par¬ 
ticularly if the same person feeds them.— Thos. Christy. 
THE POULTRY CLUB. 
A MEETING of the Committee of the Poultry Club was held at the 
Clarendon Hotel, Oxford, on the 27th of October. There were present 
the Hon. and Rev. F. G. Dutton (in the chair), the Revs. E. H. Mor¬ 
gan and W. Serjeantson ; and Messrs. R. A. Boissier, A. Comyns, 
O. E. Cresswell, A. Darby, H. R. Dugmore, L. Norris, and G. Yigers. 
New Members.— The following new Members were elected :— 
The Hon. Mrs. Augustus Calthorpe, Perry Hall, Birmingham; T. Jen¬ 
kins, Bexley Heath, Kent; John Metcalfe, Auburn Cottage, Nar- 
borough, near Leicester. The following new Associate was elected :— 
James Metcalfe, 11, Sheendale Terrace, Richmond. 
Return Carriage from Ramsgate Show. —The Secretary 
reported that he had written to the Secretaries of the Ramsgate 
Show as directed, and had received an answer to the effect that the 
Station Master at Ramsgate had verbally authorised the statement 
made in the schedule that the South-Eastern Railway would return 
exhibits sent by their line from the Show carriage free ; that he had 
further written to the Station Master at Ramsgate, and to the General 
Manager of the South-Eastern Railway, both of whom denied that 
any such authority had been given. Under these circumstances the 
Committee recommended that application should be made by Mr. 
Boissier (one of the exhibitors who had complained to the Committee) 
to the Secretaries of the Ramsgate Show for the payment of the 
amount of return carriage paid by Mr. Boissier, and decided that the 
further consideration of the matter be adjourned to await the result 
of that application. 
Club Show.— The report of the Sub-Committee appointed to 
make arrangements for the holding of the Club Show at Cambridge, 
was read by Mr. Norris, and it was resolved— 
“ That a Club Show of Poultry be held at Cambridge on Wednesday and 
Thursday, January 4th and 5th, 1882, in conjunction with the Show of Pigeons 
and Cage Birds of the Cambridge Ornithological Society, and that the report of 
the Sub-Committee and Schedule of prizes prepared by them be adopted, sub¬ 
ject to some slight alterations.” 
The matter was referred back to the Sub-Committee to carry the 
arrangements into effect. 
Shows to be Held under Poultry Club Rules. —An appli¬ 
cation from the Secretary of the Wolverhampton Show was con¬ 
sidered, and it was resolved— 
“ That in the event of a Show being held at Wolverhampton under Club Rules 
as heretofore, the Club do subscribe £5 to the funds of the Show.” 
Applications for subscriptions from Belfast, Darwen, andDoveridge 
Shows, which are to be held under Club rules, were considered and 
granted. Communications from Witney and Wellingborough, as to 
holding the Shows under Poultry Club rules, were considered. 
Annual Report. —It was resolved that the annual report of the 
Club should this year be presented at the General Meeting at the 
Crystal Palace. A draft of the report was read, but the further con¬ 
sideration of it was necessarily postponed until the next Committee 
meeting, which was fixed for Monday evening, November 14th, at 
the Crystal Palace Hotel, at 7 P.M.—Alex. Comyns, Hon. Sec., 
47, Chancery Lane, W.C. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Book on Turkeys (W. Fowler ).—Wc do not know of any book treating 
solely on Turkeys. You had better procure from Messrs. Cassell, Petter, and 
Gal pin the parts of the Illustrated Book of Poultry which contain the chapter 
upon Turkeys. 
Beet as Food for Stock (T. P .).—There is no doubt about Beet being 
of higher feeding value than any variety of Mangold, but only as it contains 
more sugar than common Mangold. As, however, the yellow Tankard Mangold 
is most valuable as regards nutrition, and the weight grown per acre is greatly 
in excess of Beet, we should prefer it as farm produce for the feeding of stock. 
Green Fodder Crops (J. Mackenzie ).—We cannot recommend the Bromus 
Grass in preference to Lucerne, because the latter is a permanent crop when 
kept clean, and will give a quick succession of very valuable green fodder for all 
kinds of stock. We have no doubt that the damage done to the Drumhead 
Cabbage and sprouts was caused by small white slugs or small snails or both, 
which feed at night but recede and hide themselves at daytime. They may, 
however, probably be detected early in the morning and late in the evening, but 
can only be checked by hand-picking and destroying them. Your other ques¬ 
tion as it is put is unanswerable. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CAMDEN SQUARE LONDON. 
Lat. 51° 32'40" N.; Long.0°8'0" W.: Altitude,111 feet. 
date. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
52 h o3.— 
Hvgrome- 
fl . 
Shade Tem- 
Radiation 
a 
ter. 
£ d 
Sr 1 
2 
perature. 
Temperature. 
cS 
a 
October. 
5 U S'- 3 
££ 
a 
03 J/3 r-< 
In 
On 
“3 *-i oj 
Dry. 
Wet. 
So 
Max. 
Min. 
sun. 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
In. 
Sun. 
29.408 
49.8 
49.8 
S.E. 
46.5 
51.9 
48.5 
51.2 
46.8 
0.192 
Mon. 
29.64 > 
37.8 
37.6 
N.E. 
47.4 
51.8 
46.7 
52.1 
45.6 
_ 
Tues. 
29.782 
43.9 
42. i 
N.E. 
42.2 
52.1) 
384 
96.4 
31.9 
_ 
Wed. 26 
30.054 
45.0 
42.9 
N.E. 
46.3 
51.6 
39.0 
94.4 
33.1 
0.010 
Thurs. 27 
30.225 
41.7 
39.6 
N.E. 
45.6 
47.5 
37.5 
59.8 
31.2 
_ 
Friday 28 
3' LI 93 
41.9 
38.2 
N. 
44.9 
48.3 
364 
88.7 
30.6 
_ 
Satur. 29 
30.118 
31.9 
36.3 
N. 
44.6 
45.5 
34.7 
89.3 
30.0 
— 
2L917 
43.9 
42.4 
45.4 
49.8 
40.2 
76.0 
35.6 
0.202 
REMARKS. 
23rd.—Heavy rain in morning; damp and dull throughout. 
24th.—Dull damp morning ; latter part of day fine, but not bright. 
25th.—Generally fine, bright, and cold ; slight showers in afternoon. 
26th.—Very bright morning ; afternoon overcast, shower at 3 P.M. 
27th.—Fine bright cold morning; afternoon overcast and slight showers; fine 
evening. 
28th.—Fine bright cold morning ; cloudy afternoon ; slight rain 10.30 r.M. 
29th.—Generally fine and cold N. Mind, few flakes of snow, and slight showers 
at times. 
Not as cold as the previous week, but still the temperature, especially by day, 
has been below the average ; very little rain.—G. J. SYMONS. 
