468 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ November is, was. 
admixture of impure blood in one strain may do much harm. It 
is not a degenerate or declining race which must at all risks be 
recruited by the introduction of foreign blood ; far otherwise. 
There are, of course, differences in different strains and families, 
and even in individual birds of the same strains. Some are of a 
purer white, others more creamy. Some seem easily tanned by 
exposure to sun and wet, others are hardly afEected by either. 
Some have a yellowish tinge during the moult, others look at 
all times snowy. Birds of the latter hue, provided they are 
vigorous and sturdy, should be selected as breeding stock, and 
such only. Peculiar purity of plumage is as easily perpetuated 
by care as any other point. On the other hand, the introduction 
of a single bird, however fine and correct in comb and feet, 
which has a taint of alien blood, may do harm to the colour of a 
strain which can scarcely be undone. There are quite enough 
separate good and pure strains of White Dorkings to enable 
their possessors by occasional purchases and exchanges to keep 
them up in strength and vigour. We do trust that they will do so, 
and that they will not for the sake of a few extra ounces of 
weight spoil a race which is probably of the highest antiquity, 
and certainly in an unusual degree combines usefulness with 
extreme beauty.—C. 
POULTRY NOTES AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE SHOW. 
Never before in the history of the poultry fancy has so large a 
collection of birds been assembled at this Show. Over 3000 pens of 
poultry and some 2400 pens of Pigeons made a collection which, even 
under the most favourable circumstances, would have somewhat 
taxed the resources of even such a huge building as the Palace. 
This year, unfortunately, the Electric Exhibition, announced to be 
held in November, although it was postponed, caused some of the 
poultry to be thrust into the side parts of the building. Some—the 
Ducks in particular—were quite in the dark, and exposed to an ex¬ 
treme of cold which could not but be injurious. We trust the 
Palace authorities will another year be more mindful of what is due 
to so old, and, as we believe, remunerative institution as the poultry 
annual Show. 
Dorkings .—Taken generally we cannot say that we thought the 
Dorking classes as good as those we have seen at other shows, notably 
at some of the Birmingham meetings. The best dark bird to our 
idea was the first-prize cock, claimed at £20, a thorough Dorking all 
round. The cup cockerel is huge, but has many points rather of an 
Asiatic than of a Dorking. Silver-Greys improve in colour, not in form; 
the hens specially are now almost always free from red on the wing, 
and the cocks have pure silver hackles and backs. Cuckoos show a 
deplorable falling-off, why we do not presume to say. Whites keep 
up well, the first cock and first hen being as fine as any we have 
ever seen. 
Cochins were on the whole a fine show, and had two hundred 
entries. The cup old Buff cock (Percival) could only have been im¬ 
proved by having a more self-coloured tail. The three winning Buff 
hens were very shapely, and good in all other points, though a trifle 
uneven in colour. The cup cockerel was very shapely and extremely 
even in colour, though rather smaller than we have sometimes seen. 
The winning pullet (Tomlinson) was perfect in shape and feather, but 
a little mossy. The gem of the Partridge classes was Mrs. Turner’s 
cup cockerel, which was large, shapely, and rich in colour. The other 
winners were hardly so good as we have sometimes seen. Mr. Darby’s 
winning White cock though good was hardly equal to the exhibitor’s 
old form, but Mr. Percival’s cup White hen could hardly have been 
surpassed for size and quality. We noticed that the second cockerel 
had a good deal of colour on his wing bar, which should have pre¬ 
cluded him from taking such a position. 
Dark Brahmas as a whole were hardly as good as we have some¬ 
times seen them. The old cocks seemed late in getting through their 
moult. The cup bird was the Birmingham winning cockerel of last 
year grown into a larger-bodied bird than might have been expected. 
It is but another example of the powers of growth in their second 
year of pure-bred birds. In this class a somewhat glaring case was 
discovered ; the fourth prize bird was recognised as a cockerel which 
had last year had badly slipped wings, and these were now somewhat 
suspiciously close and compact. An examination showed that they 
were both neatly tied up with string, the fastening round the 
shoulders being so tight that they must have caused the bird much 
pain. The Judge, acting under the instructions of the Committee, 
disqualified the bird, and the prizes below third were re-awarded. 
The hens were a wonderfully good class, and it was no slight honour 
to gain a prize. First (Warr), second (Holland), and third (Norris) 
were, taken together, undoubtedly the best, and the placing of them 
more a matter of individual taste than anything else. We hardly 
agreed with the awards in cockerels. Sir Henry Thompson’s Dairy 
winner was again to the front; we much preferred the same exhibi¬ 
tor’s v.h.c. bird (498). Second was as shapely as possible, but had one 
very loose wing. The class was not as a whole up to the standard 
of some former years ; the pullets were sixty-seven in number, and 
many of them were of good quality, but we must protest against the 
wholesale distribution of cards. A commendation ceases to be an 
honour when there are forty-three noticed birds; many of them were 
quite unworthy the distinction. The winner was Mr. Henshall’s 
pullet, which we selected as best at Wolverhampton ; second (Ling- 
wood) here presses her closely, being a beautiful clear grey, well 
pencilled all over; third (Field) very well marked and shapely, but 
going brown ; fourth too small to take a prize here ; fifth the Dairy 
winner ; v.h.c. (Maddison) the Dairy third, and might well have stood 
higher here. Light cocks were a good class and well judged, though 
suffering from the cold. The cup-winner (Percival) was a trifle yellow, 
though still the best in the class; second (Nettlefold) large and 
of good colour ; third (Norris) very pure in colour, though his comb 
was not of the best. The hens were hardly as good as usual, and 
were more or less yellow throughout; first and second were a grand 
pair, but might with advantage have changed places. The cockerels 
were also not quite up to the average ; the winner (Sir H. Thompson) 
had rather too much yellow on his shoulders, but was still the 
best; second (Wood) good in all other points but comb; fourth 
(Thomas) might have done better but for want of condition. Pullets 
were as a class better than the cockerels ; cup (Nettlefold) and second 
(Morgan) were especially good ; the other winners were well placed 
and worthy their positions. We hope to add a few notes on the 
remaining classes next week. 
SPOILING THE DORKING. 
I CAN fully sympathise with Mr. H. Weir in his remarks on 
the present type of the Dorking fowl, and he deserves the best 
support from fanciers in trying to return to the true old Dorking, 
which has not been surpassed by any other variety as a good 
all-round useful sort. Mr. Weir points out some very practical 
points concerning the white earlobe and dark birds. What say 
the present fanciers to this colour-reforming ? Will you still 
adhere to “ Sooty feet and yellow skins, the black toenails and 
Brahma wings,” &c. 1 If so, then fanciers like a manufactured 
bird, as it is the case with more varieties than the Dorking. The 
Game cock of the present day shows the Malay flat toenail. It 
will take some generations to obliterate these defects. 
Mr. Weir’s article on the Dorking could not have appeared at 
a more seasonable time, when the long-looked-for “ new Standard 
of Excellence ” is about to appear. I trust that those who are 
selected to revise the new Standard on the Dorking will at once 
review Mr. Weir’s notes to see if this vexed question cannot be 
settled. One word about the Standard. I am glad to see that the 
Secretary, Mr. A. Comyns, has published one or two varieties, 
which I presume is for public criticism ; this will make the work 
more valuable, and I hope the fanciers will come forward before 
the work is published, and say or suggest what they have to 
make, so that the book will be a standard of excellence and a 
work of reference that can be relied upon.— R. Hawkins, Seaham. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Renovating Pastures ( Diagles ).—You will probably find methods suit¬ 
able for your purpose described in the series of articles that are now appearing 
on neglected pastures and parklands. If you require further information and 
will state the nature of the soil and condition of the pasture we will endeavour 
to aid you. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat. 81° 32' 40" N.; Long. 0° 8 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
PATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAT. 
3 
*3 
« 
1882. 
November. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32« 
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. 
£ 
29.956 
55.5 
52.$ 
S.W. 
48.9 
61.8 
46.7 
76.6 
40.2 
0.0.15 
Mon. 
6 
30.162 
46.2 
43.9 
w. 
49.5 
57.5 
42.7 
75.8 
35.7 
0.298 
Tues. 
7 
29.861 
44.6 
42.9 
w. 
49.0 
55.2 
43.7 
55 8 
43.2 
0.295 
Wed. 
8 
29.519 
42.2 
39.7 
w. 
48.2 
49.7 
88.7 
84.2 
35.3 
_ 
Thnrs. 
9 
29.265 
42.0 
39.7 
w. 
4 .9 
51.7 
39.3 
72.9 
34.8 
_ 
Friday 10 
29.686 
38.6 
87.4 
s.w. 
46.7 
50.7 
35.9 
82.3 
81.8 
0.010 
Satur. 
11 
29.668 
89.9 
38.0 
w. 
44.8 
47.2 
37.2 
72.6 
32.6 
— 
29.730 
44.1 
42.1 
47.6 
53.4 
40.6 
74.3 
36.2 
0.638 
REMARKS. 
8th.—Fine and warm, with much wind ; heavy shower 9 P.M. 
6th.—Fine bright morning ; rain after 2 f.m. 
7th.—Fair and calm ; starlight evening ; rain at 10 P.M , and very heavy at 
10.30 P.M., with high wind. 
8th.—Fine, bright, and cold. 
9th.—Lightning and high wind in early morning ; fine day. 
10th.—Very fine, with bright sunshine during morning; shower at 3 P.M.; rest 
of day fair; starlight evening. 
11th.—Fine bright day. 
Windy but finer ; temperature near but slightly above the average.—G. J. 
STMQNS. 
