148 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 15, 1883. 
u 
POULTRY NOTES. 
We have often remarked on the extension of the poultry fancy 
on the continent. Certain departments of France have long been 
famous for table poultry, but purity of breeds has been little 
thought of in that country. The starting of a new weekly paper 
devoted to the subject of poultry and Pigeons is evidence that at 
last French breeders are alive to the need of intelligence and care 
in the cultivation of their stock. The new paper is entitled Le 
Poussin, aud is intended to be a somewhat cosmopolitan organ of 
fanciers. A German article has appeared in one of the earliest 
numbers, and this is to be followed by articles in English as well 
as French from the pen of an English fancier. 
The prolonged wet is telling very prejudicially on poultry, 
especially where the soil is heavy. For one thing, wherever their 
dusting places are not thoroughly well covered above and raised 
below they are sure to be flooded, and so become worse than 
useless. The unfortunate birds, whose nature it is to bask on dry 
sunny banks, are too often doomed to wade in mud. All that can 
be done to remedy these discomforts should be carefully attended 
to. Where the dusting place is gone or wet, dry soil or ashes 
should be put on the floors of the roosting house, and the birds 
should all be examined to see if they are plagued with vermin ; if 
so, flour of sulphur or insect-destroying powder should be dusted 
into their feathers. 
We hear of another pest among poultry, arising, we fancy, from 
the prolonged rains—viz;., a diptheric affection in the mouth and 
throat. In its earlier stages cankerous specks are found about 
the mouth, not unlike the beginnings of canker in young Pigeons. 
These should at ouee he touched with caustic, and the complaint 
may be arrested. In its later stages the diptheric growth fills up 
the windpipe and the bird perishes from weakness and inanition. 
In even slight attacks plump birds will in two days lose all their 
flesh and condition. We are as a rule strongly averse to stimu¬ 
lating foods; but this is just a case in which we think a little 
spiced meal is useful. It will tempt a fowl to eat when otherwise 
it might refuse to do so. The only way to get poultry safely through 
such maladies is to keep them well fed and very warm. The 
disease is a severe drain to the system, which can only be borne 
if extra nutriment is supplied. 
Some time ago the formation of a society for the breeding and 
exhibition of German Toy Pigeons was announced. It is more 
than a year since Mr. Morton of Newent, Gloucestershire, invited 
admirers of these birds to send in their names to him. Rules for 
the society were forwarded to us, and after the lapse of a year we 
saw some voting papers for the formal election of divers officers 
of the said Club. Now it appears to have died its natural though 
early death, or at least if it exists it conducts its proceedings with 
much secrecy. 
We understand that the entries for the Hereford Poultry and 
Pigeon Show to be held to-day (February 15th) closed with nearly 
eight hundred pens. Considering the prizes offered this is a large 
number, and confirms the opinion we lately expressed, that such 
shows just now find much favour in the west of England. 
We have before us the schedule of a Poultry Show to be held 
at Melton Mowbray on March 8th. There are twenty-one classes 
for poultry with four prizes in each, and six for Pigeons. The 
time of year is hardly favourable for the exhibition of birds which 
ought to be breeding at home. 
Managers of shows should for their own sake, as well as that 
of exhibitorhave every alley well watched, especially in the 
evenings. We hear that immense trouble has been caused to 
exhibitors at the late Yeovil Show, as well as to the managers of 
it, by the changing of several pens of Pigeons, which must have 
been done by either dishonest or mischievous people. 
We wrote lately about the points of form of Japanese Bantams, 
though we did not then go into the question of their colour. At 
the Gloucester Show we remarked a cock of the breed exhibited 
by Messrs Eteen of a very unusual colour—viz., golden, with 
black spangles on the breast. Whether he was a pure Japanese 
or crossed, with some other similar race we could not feel sure. 
We hear that the whole of Mrs. Lane’s stock of Houdans, 
which she has bred and shown with so much success, have passed 
into the hands of Mr. Wingfield-Stratford of Addington Park, Kent. 
The Columbarian Society in its series of “ standards ” for fancy 
Pigeons is about to issue one for Turbits. The Chairman of the 
Committee deputed to draw it up is Mr. F. Esquilaut, and the 
Secretary the Rev. W. F. Lumley.—C. 
THE POULTRY CLUB. 
A meeting of the Committee of the Poultry Club was held on 
Friday, February 9th, at the Charing Cross Hotel, at 2 p.m. There 
were present Mr. S. Lucas (in the chair), the Earl of Winterton, 
Yiscount Grimston ; and Messrs. T. W. Anns, R. A. Boissier, A. 
Comyns, and G. H. Wood. 
Annual Accounts.—T he accounts for 1882 were examined and 
confirmed. They will shortly be published as provided by the rules. 
Prizes for Table Poultry.—A proposal that prizes should be 
offered for table poultry at some leading show this year was made. 
It was resolved to offer prizes on the following conditions, subject to 
any alterations which may be made hereafter. 1, The prizes to be 
competed for in the month of November or December next at some 
leading show to be hereafter named. 2, The prizes to be of the fol¬ 
lowing amounts—viz., 1st, £5 ; 2nd, £3 ; 3rd, £2. 3, The birds to be 
cockerel and pullet or capon and poulard of some pure breed, or first 
cross between two pure breeds. In the latter case the breed of both 
parents to be stated. 4, Price to be limited to £1, Poultry Club to 
have first option of purchase. 5, The whole or a proportion of birds 
selected alive as most likely for prizes and commendations to be killed 
and trussed by a qualified poulterer after being first exhibited alive. 
6, The prizes to be finally awarded to the dead poultry. 
Shows under Club Rules.— Some correspondence with the 
Secretary of the Gosforth Show was read, and a subscription in aid 
of its funds granted. 
Next Meeting. —The date of the next meeting was fixed for 
March 9th at the Charing Cross Hotel, at 2 p.m.—Alex. Comyns, 
Hon. Sec., 47, Chancery Lane, Feb. 13th, 1883. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Rye Flour {Reader ).—We have forwarded the address you have obligingly 
sent to our correspondent who sought information on this matter. 
Roup (/. P .).—Your birds have roup. Treat as follows :—Begin with a do se 
of castor oil, afterwards wash the face and nostrils frequently with Labarraque’s 
solution of chlorinated soda diluted with twice its quantity of water. The 
house where the birds have been should be thoroughly disinfected. Procure from 
Mr. Cook, 2, Park Road, West Chislehurst, a packet of his roup powder with 
directions for its use. We have found this act well. If there are any other 
symptoms than those you have described write again, and we will advise you a3 
to further treatment. We cannot understand the blindness of the recovered 
birds. Do you mean that one eye remains closed, or that the sight of one eye is 
destroyed ? 
Turkey Cock (/. P .).—As the young bird is such a fine one we should 
certainly advise you to keep him unless the stock have been much interbred 
already. We do not gather from your letter that this is the case. 
Concrete Floor {Old Subscriber ).—You cannot do better under the cir¬ 
cumstances than concrete or asphalte the floor of your fowl house, but you 
must keep the floor covered at least half an inch deep with sand, ashes, or dry 
earth. 
METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden Square, London. 
Lat. 51° 32' 40" N.; Long. 0° 8' 0" W.; Altitude, 111 feet. 
DATE. 
9 A.M. 
IN THE DAY. 
| Rain. 
1 
1883. 
February. 
Barome¬ 
ter at 32« 
and Sea 
. Level 
Hygrome¬ 
ter. 
Direction 
of Wind. 
| Temp.oi 
Soil at 
1 foot. 
Shade Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature. 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
snn. 
On 
grass. 
Inches. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg 
deg. 
deg 
deg. 
In. 
Sun. 
4 
30.052 
38 8 
36.5 
S.W. 
39.3 
49.4 
33.2 
79.2 
31.7 
— 
Mon. 
5 
30.258 
4L.6 
40.7 
S. 
39.5 
49.6 
38.3 
74.8 
31.9 
— 
Tues. 
6 
30.121 
34.5 
34.2 
E. 
39 4 
44.6 
32.2 
64.7 
25.6 
0.184 
Wed. 
7 
29.865 
38.7 
38.0 
s.s.w. 
38.7 
41.9 
33.5 
43.3 
28.1 
0.179 
Thnrs. 
8 
29.620 
43.2 
42.8 
S.E. 
39.2 
53.3 
37.9 
66.3 
35.3 
0.600 
Friday 
9 
29.795 
39.5 
39.5 
w. 
41.0 
52.4 
37.2 
74.9 
38.2 
0.208 
Satur. 
10 
29.513 
48.1 
46.4 
S.W. 
41.3 
49.4 
38.8 
50.2 
35.6 
0.553 
29.893 
40.0 
39.7 
39.8 
48.7 
36.3 
63.3 
32.3 
1.784 
REMARKS. 
4th.—Fine, bright, and calm throughout. 
5th.—Dull at first; fine bright day. 
6th.—Fine throughout. 
7th.—Rain early ; cold damp day. 
8th.—Dull, with rain ; heavy at night. 
9th.—Rain at first; fine bright day. 
10th.—Stormy and wet; fine and starlight 7 P.M. till midnight, afterwards 
heavy rain. 
A mild week, the early part fine, the latter windy and very wet, the rainfall 
of the last three days being alone more than usually falls in the whole month.— 
G. J. Symons. 
