510 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ December 1, 1881. 
Rev. H. R. Peel, and tlie Messrs J. A. and M. F. Smyth, were the 
principal prizewinners. In Silver-Greys Mr. Cranston carried every¬ 
thing before him. He is a fancier who will put the Dorking breeders 
on their mettle. He seems to be able to get the Silver-Greys almost 
equal in size to the Coloured. In the variety Dorking classes Mr. 
J. E. Pilgrim, Col. Logan, and the Countess of Dartmouth and Mr. 
O. E. Cresswell were the most successful exhibitors, the prizewinners 
being, with the exception of those from Patshull (which were Cuckoos), 
Whites. There is room here for some improvement in size, but this, 
we believe, is a difficult point to get. 
Cochins were numerous and good, especially the Buffs, where Mrs. 
Barton, Mr. H. C. While, Mr. G. H. Proctor, and Mr. Henry Tomlin¬ 
son were the winners of cups or firsts. Mr. While’s winning cockerel 
was, however, closely pressed by Mr. Stanton’s second-prize bird, 
which, though hardly so even in colour, had more size and width. 
Mr. Tomlinson’s pullet was easily ahead in a class of fifty-five. We 
noticed in her a peculiarity which we do not remember to have before 
observed—namely, that all the feathers on her back and saddle were 
edged or laced with a fine golden fringe. This, though a little spoil¬ 
ing the uniformity of colour, had a very charming effect. The 
Partridge birds were not so numerous as the Buffs. The contest for 
the cup for cock or cockerel between Mr. R. P. Percival’s old bird 
and Mr. G. H. Wood’s cockerel was somewhat close, but, as we think 
rightly, resulted in the coveted honour going to the latter. In hens 
and pullets there was again a want of decision on the Judges’ part as 
to type. It is certainly time that Partridge Cochin breeders had 
some means of knowing what they are to breed for. Mr. Southern 
was first with a finely marked hen, and took the cup with a pullet of 
somewhat similar stamp, thus almost completely reversing the Palace 
awards. In White cocks or cockerels Mr. A. Darby deservedly had 
his old place with grand birds, and only yielded one point in hens 
and pullets respectively to Mr. Percival, whose large, shapely, and 
clear-coloured hen took the cup, and to Mr. Chase, whose pullet stood 
first in a nice class. Blacks were not very numerously represented. 
Mr. Darby, Lady Gwydyr, Mr. R. S. Williamson, and Mr. Lurgen 
dividing the honours amongst them ; the lion’s share, however, fall¬ 
ing to Mr. Darby. 
Langshans do not seem to make any great strides in popular favour 
or to show any great advance in quality. The cup here went to 
Mr. R. H. Bush with a cockerel. 
In Malays the Rev. A. G. Brooke and Mr. G. Burnell were each 
awarded cups ; the former lor a fine cockerel, and the latter for a hen. 
The French breeds were only moderately represented as to numbers, 
the Houdans being most numerous. Mrs. David Lane was here most 
successful, taking the cup and a first with fine birds. In Creve- 
Coeurs Dr. Lloyd, Mr. Cannan, Mr. Jackson, and Mr. J. T. Calvert 
all showed excellent birds, and to the former was awarded the cup. 
Spanish seemed to us to show rather a falling-off in quality of 
face, roughness and coarseness of texture being somewhat prominent. 
Mr. J. Bolton and Mr. William Croke each had a cup, the former also 
taking first prize, and a similar honour being awarded to Lady Allsopp. 
Andalusians were well represented, and seemed to be advancing 
in popular favour. Mr. Brooke and Mr. R. A. Boissier had here each 
a first. 
The white earlobe seems to be a particularly difficult point in the 
Leghorns, and we are not sure that undue prominence has not been 
attached to it. They are essentially laying birds, and it seems a 
pity that they should be spoiled as such by undue striving for what 
after all is a minor point. Mr. W. Bradbury here deservedly carried 
off all the prizes. 
Plymouth Rocks, under the auspices of the Club, seem to be making 
rapid strides. There -were eighteen entries, and though to our eyes 
they do not present many signs of beauty, still their first-rate use¬ 
ful qualities should recommend them to general notice. Mr. Stevens 
here stood first, followed by Mr. Bradbury. 
Minorcas were not numerously represented, although a cup was 
offered for them. This was awarded to Mrs. Baskervill. 
Polish had a very liberal classification, but did not come out in very 
large numbers, the average for the twelve classes being only eight. 
The quality was, however, good, except that we did not like to see 
quite so much white in the crests of the Golden birds, and w r e think 
that there is a tendency to carry the plucking of the black feathers 
from the front of the crests of the White-crested Blacks to an ex¬ 
treme. The cup went to Mr. C. H. Huish ; and Mr. Rawnsley, Mr. 
Unsworth, Miss B. Beldon, and Mr. G. C. Adkins were also winners 
of numerous prizes. 
In the Sultans we seemed to recognise the hen in Miss Beldon’s 
prize pen as being the same large-crested spurred hen that was shown 
by Mr. Atkinson at the Palace, and previously by Mr. Beldon else¬ 
where. She is of first-rate quality, and well worthy of her honours, 
to whomsoever they may be justly attributed. 
Mr. Darby was again to the front in Silkies, and Mr. 0. E. Cresswell 
here showed a nice pair of Japanese Silkies which were high’y 
commended. 
The Game classes were so numerous that we cannot pretend to go 
into them in detail. Captain Heaton’s old Black Red, which he 
claimed from Mr. Lyon last season at £100 10s., took the prize for 
the best Game cock in the Exhibition, and also as a matter of course 
Messrs. Spratt’s silver cup for the best Black-breasted Red, cock or 
cockerel. Mr. Lyon was a second time successful in carrying off the 
challenge cup, value fifty guineas, for the best bred Black Red 
cockerel. This is the second consecutive season in which he has 
gained this distinction, and he has but to add one more to the list of 
his triumphs to become the permanent owner of this coveted piece of 
plate. The £30 challenge cup for the best Black Red pullet, which 
also fell to Mr. Lyon last year, was this year wrested from him by 
Messrs. J. A. and H. A. Staveley. The winning of these prizes under 
such a judge as Mr. J. H. Smith, and in such classes, is sufficient 
evidence of the excellence of the birds to which they were awarded, 
and we need not comment further upon it. 
Aseels still seem to find favour amongst their supporters, Miss 
Mortimvr easily holding her own in both classes. 
Hambtirghs were only moderate classes as to numbers, but were 
generally good in quality. The cups went here to Mr. James Long 
and J. W. Kelleway for Blacks, Mr. William Cowan for Golden-pen¬ 
cilled, Mr. Caleb May for Golden-spangled, S. Fielding for Silver- 
pencilled, and Mr. H. Beldon for Golden-pencilled birds of the high 
quality which these exhibitors’ birds usually attain. It seems a pity 
that the prizewinning should be here in the hands of so few, but we 
hardly see how this can be avoided. 
In the variety class Mrs. Muir deservedly took first with a fine 
pair of Scotch Greys ; second went to Buff Polish, and third to La 
Fleche, both good pens. The Eymore Blacks again caught Mr. 
Burnell’s fancy, but this time only got a high commendation. 
The cup for Bantams other than Game was awarded to the Rev. 
W. Serjeantson with a beautiful pair of Sebrights. 
A flagrant case of attempted fraud was discovered in the White 
Bantam class, where the birds of Mr. Sam D. Rhodes, to which a 
prize had been awarded, were disqualified on account of false sickle 
feathers having been inserted in the cock’s tail. This had been so 
skilfully effected that there was nothing in the appearance of the 
bird to excite the slightest suspicion, and it was only through the 
fact that a Bantam breeder who had observed the same bird at the 
Crystal Palace with very short sickle feathers being surprised to 
see the length which these feathers had now attained, drew the 
attention of some other fanciers to the matter, that an examination 
was requested and the insertion of the feathers discovered. We 
trust that the just punishment which followed the discovery of this 
case will be a warning to others not to attempt such practices, which 
are a disgrace to the poultry fancy, and have occasioned the retire¬ 
ment from its ranks of many honourable men. 
Game Bantams were not nearly so numerous as at the Palace, 
which was easily accounted for by the classification. Mr. John 
Filkin took the cup with a Black Red cock, and the other three first 
prizes were awarded to Mr. J. R. Fletcher. 
In the variety Bantams the Countess of Dartmouth headed the 
list with a beautiful pair of Japanese. 
Ducks, Geese, and Turkeys were all numerously represented. The 
cup for Aylesburys or Rouens went to a fine pen of the latter, shown 
by Mr. P. Unsworth ; that for Pekins to Mr. Henry Allen wdth a very 
large pair of the true type. These birds seem rather to be driving 
the Aylesburys out of market, which is a pity. There is plenty of 
room for both, and it is an undoubted fact that the Aylesbury are 
much superior in table qualities to the Pekins, the great size of which 
is more apparent than real. 
The cup for Fancy Ducks was awarded to Mr. Robertson Gladstone 
with a beautiful pen of Mandarins. The extended classification here 
did not seem to create as good a competition as one would have 
wished, there being only three pens in the classes for Mandarins, 
Carolinas, and Call Ducks respectively, while the Any other variety 
class had but five entries. Jt seems a pity that fanciers should not 
avail themselves of the opportunity afforded by the liberality of the 
Birmingham Committee in giving classes for these beautiful birds. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
CAMDEN SQUARE LONDON. 
Lat. 61° 32'40" N.: Lone. 0° 8'0" W.: Altitude.111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
a 
'3 
03 
1881. 
November. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32° 
and Sea 
Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
I 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. 20 
3''.02.5 
52.2 
50.8 
S.W. 
46.5 
57.8 
42.9 
79.7 
34.7 
0.220 
Mon. 21 
29.529 
523 
48.9 
S.W. 
47.2 
58.7 
49.3 
80.2 
45.0 
0.033 
Tues. 22 
29.738 
54.4 
4.82 
W. 
48.0 
54.8 
48.5 
67.1 
42.0 
Wed. 2 i 
29.817 
50.0 
49.0 
S.W. 
47.6 
51.2 
43.5 
77.7 
36.4 
0.010 
Thurs. 24 
30.061 
.5 n ,3 
48.0 
£, 
46.8 
53.3 
41.4 
65.6 
33.7 
0.546 
Friday 25 
29.732 
53.2 
52.3 
s. 
47.8 
53.7 
49.7 
53.3 
47.3 
0.285 
Satur. 26 
29.630 
4 AO 
39.7 
S.W. 
47.7 
53.8 
40.7 
70.7 
35.4 
0.507 
29.795 
50.7 
48.1 
47.3 
55.2 
45.1 
70.6 
39.2 
1.601 
REMARKS. 
20th.—Fine dry day, with sunshine ; slight rain at 9.30 P.M. 
21st.—Stormy morning, high wind and rain, afterwards fine and bright; rain 
in evening. 
22nd.—Fine, bright, and mild. 
23rd.—Damp in early morning, afterwards bright and fine ; sudden gust of 
wind and sharp shower at 4.30 and 6.45 P.M.: starlight night. 
24th.—Overcast and dull; high gusty wind, rain 10 30 P.M. 
25th.—Rain and gusty wind during night and early morning, calm later, but 
dull and rainy throughout. 
2Cth.—Very fine, bright, sunny morning ; slight rain from 2 P.M., and very 
heavy gale in evening. 
A wet, warm, and windy week.—G. J. SYMONS. 
