384 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. c October 21 , isso. 
the 18th of this month, and the office of the Society is 42, Milsom 
Street, Bath. It is long since a show was held in Berkshire, and 
at last one is promised at Windsor on November 10th and 11th. 
The schedule is a very fair one for a beginning ; the Secretary, 
Mr. W. Cleave, Sheet Street, Windsor. Let us hope that the 
manager of the Royal poultry yards may be authorised to make 
some purchases at it. When last we saw that establishment its 
inmates by no means were such as they might be, or worthy of 
their fine- abode. 
The following week is the great Derby week of the poultry 
fancy, when the Crystal Palace Show is held, to which all fanciers 
who can leave their homes aud occupations flock. The schedule 
is not in our hands yet, but let us hope that it may be liberal, and 
that the sums offered in prizes may be in some larger proportion 
than hitherto to the enormous sums received for entry fees, which 
last year came up to more than £1400 ! 
The week following the Crystal Palace is that of the Oakham 
and Tredegar Shows. The former has long been a well-managed 
and popular agricultural meeting for the midland counties, with 
good prizes. Great advantages are offered to exhibitors in the 
way of reduced entry fees who become members of the Society, 
giving a small annual subscription. The Secretary is Mr. James 
Wellington, Oakham. 
The Tredegar Show will be at Newport, Monmouth, on Novem¬ 
ber 23rd and 24th. The classification and prizes for poultry are 
good ; for Pigeons there are only nine classes. The Secretary is 
Mr. F. J. Justice, Tredegar Estates Office, Newport, Mon. 
On Saturday, November 27th, begins the Birmingham Show, the 
schedule of which is referred to more fully in another article.—C. 
WASHING FOWLS. 
Few things connected with poultry management seem more 
difficult to accomplish properly than washing fowls. Previous to 
my having any personal experience in the matter I read articles 
on the subject, and the more I read the worse I thought it must 
be to do. Experience has since taught me that washing is a 
much more simple process than manj r would imagine, and much 
that has been written respecting it has magnified the whole affair 
a great deal more than there is the slightest occasion for. There 
is no secret in it; the whole is as simple as washing a piece of 
calico, care only must be observed, and only a fair amount of this 
is needed. Game and other hard-feathered fowls should not be 
washed, and it is seldom that black birds of any kind require it 
unless they are very dirty before being exhibited. Pure white 
fowls, however, generally want washing before they can be shown, 
and those of a light colour are usually much improved by wash¬ 
ing. Sometimes fowls which should be clean are shown un¬ 
washed and dirty, and were I about to buy anything of the kind 
I should be a little cautious, as it is just possible dirt may be left 
on to hide defects in colour. Those with fowls of a pure colour 
are always glad enough to wash them well before showing, as the 
better they are washed the greater is their chance in the show 
pen. Buff and White Cochins are about the worst to manage so 
far as size is concerned ; but for particular washing no kind is 
more difficult to do well than our favourite Sultans with their 
large crests, muffs under their chin, and so much feather about 
their legs and feet, all requiring careful handling ; but they can 
be washed easily enough, too, as some of ours, although black and 
dusty before washing, invariably turn out as white as snow. 
In preparing to wash fowls two ordinary-sized tubs should be 
prepared, one to wash in, the other to rinse them out. Two or 
three gallons of water should then be placed in a saucepan, adding 
to every gallon about 1 oz. of white soap, and to the whole a piece 
of washing soda about the size of a filbert. Boil all together and 
empty into one of the tubs. Add cold water to lower the tem¬ 
perature to about 110°. The bird must then be taken and placed 
in the water, sponging it well over so as to wet the feathers, after¬ 
wards taking a small handbrush and brush the whole of the 
feathers down repeatedly. Always brush down with the feathers, 
not against them. It is easier done when one person holds the 
bird and another uses the brush. There must be no surface 
cleaning only—the very foundation must be reached. Do not be 
afraid to brush hard, it is the only way to render them clean. 
Sometimes a tail, crest, breast, or wing may want rubbing or 
brushing for upwards of five minutes before it is thoroughly 
clean ; but clean it must be made, or washing had better not be 
attempted, as of all the miserable-looking fowls none can be worse 
than a badly washed one. 
In finishing with the brush have a quantity of water in the 
other tub heated to about 70°, and take the bird out of the soapy 
water and swill it well in this, as no soap must be left amongst 
the feathers, or it will make them adhere together. After taking 
it out of the water it may be placed on anything clean underfoot, 
and the feathers gently rubbed downwards with a sponge. This 
takes much of the water out, but it must be dried thoroughly in 
a wicker basket before a fire. It should be placed here as soon 
as it is washed, and not removed until it is dry. When washed 
in the evening and placed before the fire all night the feathers 
will be found to be fairly dry in the morning. Fowls should 
always be washed two or three days before they are sent off to a 
show. When done only the day before or so some accident may 
occur, and there is no time to give them another dip. Lately one 
of our birds was covered with soot blowing down the chimney 
when he was drying overnight, but we had plenty of time to 
change his colour again before sending him to the show he was 
being prepared for. 
Some say the feathers ought to be dressed during the time they 
are drying. I never do anything of the kind, nor find it necessary 
to do so, as every feather comes into its proper place as it becomes 
dry. From the time they came out of the tub until they are sent 
to the shows we dress nothing at the feathers, not even the “ fluff ” 
in Cochins, so that this must not be counted in as one of the 
difficulties to be overcome in washing fowls. After washing they 
must not be exposed too soon to draughts, or they may catch cold, 
but ordinary care will always prevent this.—J. Muik, Margam. 
THE ALEXANDRA PALACE BIRD SHOW. 
The autumn Show of Canaries and British and Foreign cage birds, 
which terminated at the Alexandra Palace on the 13th inst., was 
one of considerable interest to ornithologists and the general public. 
There were about six hundred entries of birds spread over some 
seventy classes, and the arrangements made by Mr. F. W. Wilson, 
who had the management, were such as to afford every facility for 
careful inspection. The birds in the Canary classes were in such 
excellence of plumage as to somewhat surprise us, and the honours 
for the birds in the high-coloured Clear Norwich classes were spiritedly 
contended for between Messrs. Mackley of Norwich, who gained first 
prizes in Clear Yellows and Clear Buffs, and Mr. Yallop of Cossey, 
near Norwich, the latter exhibitor scoring second in each class with 
very showy birds. Even-marked Norwich, although few in number, 
were good, and there were many Norwich birds heavily crested, 
besides two or three fairly moulted London fancies. Lizards were 
not so good in distinctness of spangles and other qualifications as on 
former occasions, but the mules of the Goldfinch and Linnet crosses 
with the Canary were first-class. 
Conspicuous amongst the hybrids were those exhibited by Mr. Tom 
Lovell and Mr. Sleep, the former exhibiting a charming specimen of 
the Bullfinch and Goldfinch cross, and the latter a bird of the Green¬ 
finch and Goldfinch cross, both of which took prizes. British and 
migratory birds were (excepting in the Blackbird class) amply re¬ 
presented, and we noticed amid others a Nightingale, Blackcaps, 
Willow Wrens, &c. 
Foreign birds formed not only an imposing portion of the Exhi¬ 
bition, but were remarkable not only as regards the pair of Grass 
Parrakeets, which were of a different plumage than we have ever 
before witnessed owing to them not possessing that sweetly undu¬ 
lating pencilling so characteristic of the breed, and still more remark¬ 
able was the colour, which more appi'oached that of a Canary. The 
birds were exhibited by Mr. Yan der Snickt, and were justly awarded 
a special first prize. Another noted specimen was an Australian 
Piping Crow named “ Maggie,” marked like a Magpie, the playful 
tricks of which, bursts of laughter and imitations of vocal sounds, 
“ drew down the house.” 
Considerable attention was devoted to the Widow or Whydah 
birds, especially that entered by Mr. Bowen, which was very perfect 
in plumage, general condition, and fiuely-developed threads in its 
tail. There were also many fine Parrots, Parrakeets, Cockatoos, 
Weaver Birds, Virginian Nightingales, a Blue Thrush, and others as 
an auctioneer would remark “ far too numerous to particularise.” 
Amongst the principal exhibitors of foreign birds were Mr. W. 
Satchell, of Hampshire; Mr. J. Drake, of the Aviary, Ipswich ; Mr. 
Bowen, of Kensington ; Mr. Groom, of Camden Town ; Mr. Barrs, of 
Derby, &c. The birds were judged by Mr. Harrison Weir (for foreign 
and British), and Mr. G. J. Barnesby and Mr. E. Bemrose (Canaries 
and Mules). 
[This report was not received in time for insertion last week.] 
THE BIRMINGHAM CATTLE AND POULTRY SHOW. 
It has for some years been the custom to offer a £10 prize for 
the best dark Brahma in the Show, and another of the same 
amount for the best light Brahma. The Poultry Committee have 
this year decided to give four prizes of £5 instead of two at £10, 
one going to the cocks and cockerels, and the other to the hens 
and pullets of each variety. 
The prizes for Dorkings remain as before, with the exceptions 
that the class for “ Cuckoo, Blue or any other colour,” is withdrawn 
in consequence of the small number of entries which have hitherto 
