October 21, 1880. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 885 
been made in it; and classes for “any other colour” haYe been 
substituted for those for Whites. 
The cups in the Cochin classes have been dealt with in the same 
manner as those for Brahmas, four of £5 being offered, one for 
Buff cocks or cockerels, one for Partridge cocks or cockerels, one 
for Buff hens or pullets, and one for Partridge hens or pullets ; 
while one each of the value of £4 are offered between White and 
Black cocks and cockerels, and between White and Black hens 
and pullets. 
The Langshans, which were shown in great force last year, are 
divided into four classes instead of two as heretofore, with prizes 
of £4, £2, £1 10s., and £1 each for cocks, cockerels, hens, and 
pullets, the second prize in each case being provided by a few 
breeders. 
Instead of there being one class for Andalusians, with prizes for 
a cock and hen of any age, there are now two classes, with prizes 
for cocks or cockerels, and for hens or pullets. 
The classes for black Game, and also for Piles, have been with¬ 
drawn, and these kinds must in future be shown with those coming 
under the distinction of “any other variety.” Messrs. Billing, Son, 
and Co. continue their prize of £3 3s. for the best Game cock in the 
show ; and Spratt’s Patent Food Company offer a prize of £5 5.?. 
for the best Black-breasted Red cock or cockerel; but the prizes 
which will be most sought after, and which will, doubtless, attract 
a large number of entries, are two challenge cups, one of the 
value of £50 for the best Black-breasted Pied cockerel, and the 
other of £30 for the best Black-breasted Red pullet, which are 
offered by a few fanciers, and which must be won by the same 
exhibitor three years out of seven before they become his absolute 
property. 
Two cups of the value of £3 each are offered for Black Ham- 
burghs, one for cocks or cockerels, and the other for hens or 
pullets ; and cups of the same value between Golden-pencilled 
and Silver-pencilled cocks, Golden-spangled and Silver-spangled 
cocks, Golden-pencilled and Silver-pencilled hens, and Golden- 
spangled and Silver-spangled hens. 
The classes for Game Bantams have been altered. There are 
now prizes for Black-breasted or other Red cocks, cocks of any 
other variety, Black-breasted or other Red hens, hens of any other 
variety ; and for cocks and hens of any other variety. 
A number of changes have been made in the Pigeon department, 
the first important one being a class for badge and another for 
saddle Tumblers, instead of these two varieties having to compete 
with each other. There are now three classes for Magpies instead 
of one—viz., for Blacks, Reds, and any other colour ; four instead 
of two for Jacobins, for Blacks, Reds, Yellows, and any other 
colour ; and three instead of two for Turbits, for Red oi Yellow, 
Blue or Silver, and any other colour. The class for Blue Chequered 
cock Dragoons, and also that for Red or Yellow Dragoons, have 
been withdrawn, so that in future these varieties must compete 
with those of “any other colour.” The prizes for Antwerps have 
been increased, an additional one of £110.?. being offered for Silver 
Duns of any age, one of £1 10.?. and another of 10.?. for Silver 
Dun hens, and one of £1 for the best Red Chequered bred in 1880. 
Several minor alterations will be seen in the prize lists, which, 
together with certificates of entry, may be had from Mr. J. B. 
Lythall, Bingley Hall, Birmingham. The entries close on Monday 
the 1st of November, but post entries can be made in this depart¬ 
ment up to the following Saturday upon payment of double fees. 
The following gentlemen have consented to act as Judges :— 
Poultry —Mr. James Dixon, Mr. Leno, Mr. W. R. Lane, Mr. J. H. 
Smith, and Mr. R. Teebay. Pigeons —Mr. T. J. Charlton, Mr. H. 
Child, and Mr. F. Esquilant.—( Midland Counties Herald.) 
VARIETIES. 
Highland Cattle. —An agricultural writer observes that the 
West Highland breed has occupied a district in the Highlands of 
Scotland anterior to the records of history and tradition, and have 
acquired characters suited to a country of heaths and mountains. 
These have been produced in the highest state of perfection in 
Argyleshire and the adjoining islands. The cows, like all moun¬ 
tainous breeds, give but a small quantity of milk, but of a superior 
quality. These cattle are best and most profitable when fatted at an 
early age. They will live and thrive on the coarsest pastures, and 
when turned upon good pastures they will gain a third of their 
original weight in six months. They lay their flesh and fat on the 
best parts, and when fat their beef is fine in the grain, highly 
flavoured, and so well mixed or mottled that it commands the highest 
price in every market. This breed is, in fact, strictly a beef animal 
and nothing more. 
- American Wheat for England. —The American papers 
remark that the Royal Agricultural Commissioners, Messrs. Reed and 
Pell, have made a mistake in estimating the average yield of Wheat 
in America at 13 bushels per acre, and observe that from the districts 
that are likely to compete with England, the averages are much higher, 
—namely, over 20 bushels. The Cultivator observes that American 
Wheat is produced at an average cost, all over the United States, of 
20s. per quarter, or G2J cents per bushel; allowing 10s. per quarter 
for cost of transit to Liverpool (and this is a liberal allowance), it 
concludes that American producers have the advantage of quite a 
margin of profit, equal to about 42 cents, per bushel. Independent 
of all statements, however, grain can be taken from Chicago to Liver¬ 
pool for 22 cents a bushel at a profit. Therefore American Wheat 
can be sold in Li verpool in enormous quantities at $1.20 per bushel 
with a profit to the producers, carriers, and dealers. 
- Destructive Snowstorm. —A recent telegram from Lisbon 
states a terrific snowstorm occurred in the province of Buenos Ayres 
on the 18th inst., in which 700,000 cows, 500,000 sheep, and 250,000 
horses are estimated to have perished. The storm raged with more 
or less violence during three days and three nights, and was the 
greatest ever known there. 
- Agricultural Prospects. —The fine weather of the past 
week has made farmers too busy to write reports, and our advices this 
week are therefore fewer than usual. The ground turns up exceed¬ 
ingly well, and Wheat-sowing is going on very favourably. Mangolds 
are now being lifted, and if the weather keeps dry a very useful crop 
will be got together. It must be borne in mind, however, that the 
lateness of the season has prevented Mangold from maturing in all 
the colder soils, and a large proportion of the crop is not now any 
nearer maturity than it usually is at the middle of September. If 
growth has ceased the sooner they are up the better; if not, and if 
time present is considered safer than time to come, they will require 
a longer time than usual to ripen in the pit or stock. Swedes are 
mildewed in places, but on the whole are an excellent crop. The 
early frosts have touched the leaves of the common Turnips, but 
there is no damage done yet, and root crops, Cabbages, and Kohl Rabi 
will turn off an unusual amount of keep this season. The trade for 
store cattle has brightened a little, and but very little, the scarcity of 
cash being far greater than that of keep.— {Marh Lane Express.) 
-The Electric Light and Insects. — A suggestion was 
made at a recent exhibition of agriculture and insectology at Paris, 
that the electric light would form an excellent trap for moths and 
other night-flying insects. That the suggestion was a good one is 
proved by the fact that some electric lights on the Boulevards which 
were near coffee stalls have been extinguished, for they attracted a 
perfect plague of moths and other insects, which fell in shoals on the 
shoulders of the customers, and into their cups. A similar result, says 
a daily contemporary, was experienced recently at Charing Cross—an 
electric light on a roof attracting innumerable flies and moths, some 
of them no doubt from considerable distances, as they are rarely seen 
near town. Enterprising entomologists may take a hint from these 
facts. 
- The Honey Harvest.—T he crop of honey throughout the 
home counties is, we understand, very abundant this year. Small 
farmers and cottagers in many districts have begun to study the 
subject of bee-keeping, and are introducing improvements in the 
construction of the hives, which have proved successful even beyond 
their most sanguine expectations. We have heard of some swarms 
producing over 100 lbs. of the popular sweet this season, which is a 
handsome return for the outlay required. The large imports of comb 
honey coming from America this year is an indication that the indus¬ 
trious bees have had a good time of it. Honey from “ over the 
water,” in small combs, is just now selling in Glasgow at something 
under Gd. per lb., and will no doubt command a large and ready sale 
through the medium of the family grocers and confectioners, as it is 
much sought after in the winter months as a curative and preventive 
of colds as well as a popular adjunct to the tea-table.— {Grocer.) 
- The American and Canadian Food Supply.—T here was 
a large increase in the number of live stock and the quantity of fresh 
