December 8, 1881. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
531 
not impoverish it, because the earth only absorbs the liquid manure 
which under ordinary circumstances is usually washed away and 
often lost entirely. At the same time the cattle yards and pens 
always lay drier and more comfortable for the animals. The lambing 
folds now to be formed should have earth at the bottom, and the 
land should be rather on the incline to prevent the accumulation of 
■water during a heavy rainfall. 
Hand Labour .—The flat-lying soils where the Wheat has been 
sown should be looked over, and any accumulation of water found 
standing in the water furrows should be let off with the spade 
to prevent injury to the young Wheat. Men also will be engaged 
in hedging, banking, also draining if the weather is not too 
wet, otherwise it had better be delayed until drier weather after 
Christmas. Paring and forming the outsides of the farm roads will 
engage some men, because this work can frequently be done by filling 
the earth into carts at one operation. Men, and women too, may 
also be employed in pitting the Swedish Turnips in the fields to pre¬ 
vent game and rabbits and wood pigeons attacking the roots ; at the 
same time the roots are preserved in case of severe frosts occurring, or 
by the depreciation of their feeding value by sprouting greens in the 
event of a mild winter. 
Live Stool '.—Since we have done cutting up Clover grass for the 
horses and cattle the horses have received hay and Carrots or Man¬ 
gold, about 10 tbs. daily of the roots, for in the event of their being 
fed on dry fodder only the animals are sure to lose condition. We 
consider that sudden changes from succulent food to all dry fodder 
should be avoided for all sorts of stock, but more especially for work¬ 
ing animals, either oxen or horses. The horned Somei’set and Dorset 
ewes have now completed the lambing season, at least those kept for 
early lambs ; but those breeds kept as stock on the hill farms of 
Somerset and Dorset are now just lambing, and they require more 
care from the shepherd. They require a lambing fold fixed like that 
used for the down ewes, whereas the early-lambing stock only required 
a shifting fold on lea ground every night for the purpose of keeping 
the animals together and under the eye of the shepherd. Some of 
the Dorset down flocks for making lambs ready for Easter have com¬ 
menced lambing, and as the ewes are in good condition generally this 
year and freer from lameness than for several years past it is expected 
that it will prove a successful season. The bullocks intended for 
sale at the Christmas markets should now be well cared for up to the 
time of sending them away. We like not only to keep them clean 
and well littered in the boxes, but they always do better and lie 
down more when curried with the horse comb. In feeding bullocks, 
if for Christmas or any other time, we never exceed 4 lbs. of cake and 
2 lbs. of bean or barleymeal mixed and strewed over the cut roots. 
In this way little waste occurs. We advocate a moderate allowance 
of roots—only 5G lbs. of Mangold and 70 lbs. of Swedes daily, with 
sweet Oat straw ad libitum. We are enabled to show a return of 3s. 
per week over the cost of food and feeding. In case they had hay 
instead of straw no return in money would occur, besides which hay- 
fed animals will often refuse their other food; but when eating straw 
never, so far as food is concerned, but enjoy uninterrupted good 
health. Young cattle as stores and also the dairy cows may still be 
allowed to run on the pastures and parkland, except where flooded, 
for they not only get a little grass in open weather but they return 
to the stalls and yards for the night with better health and good 
appetites for their roots and other food, which may with advantage 
be pulped and mixed in the troughs with cotton cake meal and Oat 
straw in chaff. As the earliest Dorset down ewes are now just begin¬ 
ning to lamb, and as with proper care those lambs which fall now 
will be sold at Easter, both ewes and lambs should be fattened 
together, for it is a true saying that “ fat ewes make fat lambs.” 
THE SMITIIFIELD CLUB FAT STOCK SHOW. 
The exhibition of animals that has been held in the Agri¬ 
cultural Hall this week, together with the splendid stands of 
roots exhibited by the leading seedsmen, also the great display of 
farming and household appliances, afforded no indication of a 
depressed agriculture. The animals generally were of excellent 
quality, and the huge and almost immoveable examples of obesity 
of a few years ago find little favour at the hands of Judges now. 
Scotland has scored a great triumph this year, the champion beast 
of the Show being a wonderful animal of the Scotch polled breed 
exhibited by Sir Gordon Gumming, whose heifer won the silver 
cup as the best animal in her division ; next she took the £50 
silver cup as the best heifer or cow in the Show, the male animal 
winning the £50 silver cup for the best steer or ox in the Show. 
The final adjudication gave the crowning honour to the heifer— 
the champion plate of one hundred guineas as the best beast in 
the entire Show, and her breeder receives the Society’s gold 
medal. Nine times out of the twelve upon which this special prize 
has been previously given it has. however, fallen to Shorthorns, 
but only once did it go to Scotland ; that was in 1872, when Mr. 
Bruce achieved the honour with his polled Aberdeenshire steer. 
Shorthorns were more numerous but not quite so good as on 
former occasions, Mr. Wortley of Aylsham securing the highest 
prize. Herefords were splendid, Mr. Lewis Loyd of Beckenham 
having premier honours, the Queen receiving a prize in the section. 
Devons were excellent, Mr. Walter, M.P., taking the chief, the 
Prince of Wales also being a successful exhibitor. Cross-breed 
animals were admirably represented, Sir John Swinburne secur¬ 
ing the highest award. The sheep and pig classes were filled by 
animals of remarkable merit, and attracted a large share of 
attention. 
Roots .—The display of roots was as usual extensive, all the 
leading firms of seedsmen contributing imposing and well- 
arranged stands. Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Reading, had a large 
stand, in the centre of which were displayed some dozens of 
silver cups won by exhibitors at various shows of produce raised 
from seeds supplied by this firm. Among the roots, which were 
mostly even and of good size, were fine samples of Golden 
Tankard, Intermediate and Long Red Mangolds, and Champion 
Swedes. Potatoes were also largely represented, with samples of 
grasses. Messrs. J. Carter & Co., High Holborn, had similarly 
handsome samples of roots, their Warden Prize, Tankard, and 
yellow-fleshed Mangolds, with the Imperial Prizewinner Swedes, 
attracting much attention. Lincolnshire Red Globe Turnips were 
also well represented, with fine Cabbages and Potatoes ; of the 
latter Scotch Champion and Magnum Bonum were particularly 
noteworthy. Messrs. E. Webb & Sons, Stourbridge, contributed 
a large and attractive stand in the south gallery, the roots as in 
the others forming the chief feature. Mammoth Long Red, 
Champion Yellow Globe, Yellow Flesh, and the Kinver Globe 
Mangolds and Imperial Swedes being represented by handsome 
even specimens. Messrs. Harrison & Son, Leicester ; Thomas 
Gibbs k. Co., Piccadilly ; and J. King, Coggeshall, Essex, also 
had stands, those from the two former being highly creditable to 
the firms. 
EARLY versus LATE CHICKENS AT SHOWS. 
Amateurs who are anxious to have their chickens in good 
condition for the leading shows are often urged to mate their 
birds early and hatch early—that is to say, in January, February, 
or March, and not later than April. Acting under this advice I 
know many who go to much trouble and expense to secure early 
chickens for the Crystal Palace and other shows, and for some 
time back I have been wondering if this is really necessary. 
After consulting the last Palace catalogue I should say not. 
Three parts of the cockerels and pullets entered there are not 
over seven months old, many are only six, and some less than this, 
while few are eight months, and hardly any nine or ten. The 
average being seven mouths proves that April and May must be 
the favourite months for hatching the best fowls of the season, 
and this being so I think the fact is worth noting. 
If birds of the finest description can be hatehed-out generally 
in April, I think it is a pity that fanciers should go to so much 
expense in early rearing. All who have had chicks out in 
January and February know that they require much more at¬ 
tention and more expensive feeding than April and May birds. 
It is generally thought that large fowls should be hatched sooner 
than small ones, as it takes them longer to gain maturity ; but 
amongst Cochins, Brahmas, Dorkings, &c.., there were more seven- 
months birds at the Palace than any other age, while in some 
cases, such as that of the first-prize Any variety Cochin pullet, 
the age is given as five months and two weeks. That a June- 
hatched bird should take a first prize is rather suggestive, and 
probably it may have made others think, like myself, that many 
of us are in more haste than there is any occasion for in getting 
chicks hatched for the same season's shows.—J. Muir. 
[If Mr. Muir had many early chickens this year he was more 
fortunate than most breeders. It is, doubtless, owing to the 
general failure of early chickens that the ages averaged so low at 
the Palace—E d.] 
POULTRY AND PIGEON NOTES. 
Some time ago we heard that a Society for the improvement of 
the German Toy Pigeons was talked of. We lately received a 
copy of the rules of the proposed Society, and a list of those 
fanciers who have sent in their names as wishiug to become 
original members. It includes the names of many well-known 
breeders, and the Hon. Sec. pro tnu. is Mr. W. H. Morton of 
Newent, Gloucestershire. The class for three varieties of Pigeons 
at the Crystal Palace contained some charming specimens, of 
which we specially admired the “Fairy Spots” and “Chequered 
