June 17. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
181 
quence that flow from a heart acquainted with God; and 
good would it he for some of us, who are surrounded with 
blessings, to enter the “ upper chamber,” where so much is 
to be seen and learned. 
Saunders lies crumpled-up in his uneasy bed, unable to 
move on his pillow. A small fire-place, which scarcely kept 
them warm in winter, now renders the room oppressive to 
all but the sick-man, and the few articles of furniture they 
possess are all crowded into the room, so that there is little 
space to move. Such is the dwelling-place of this aged 
pair, who appear in it as monuments of God’s judgment 
and mercy. The one, who has defied his law through life, 
is now brought to desolation ; his headlong race is run; the 
day of his mad folly has ended; and the night of sorrow and 
suffering set in. The other, amidst trial and trouble, says 
with a beaming eye—“ Goodness and mercy have followed 
me all the days of my life.” “ Though he slay me, yet will I 
trust in Him.’ ” 
We need to see the trials of the poor rightly to understand 
them, and to measure their patience under them. We need 
to see their trials, to measure aright our own blessings and 
enjoyments. We need to see their trials, to measure aright 
the grace that supports them, and to feel how and where it 
is that the believer gains strength according to bis day. We 
must not be content with looking in at a cottage door ; we 
may see nothing there to interest us ; but we must go into 
the “upper chambers,” where sickness dwells. We shall 
there see God’s controversy with man ; we shall see the 
ungodly tremble; the strong man brought low; the infidel 
confessing there is a God; the blasphemer silenced. We 
shall also see the triumph of faith; the truth and faithful¬ 
ness of the promises; the “power of Christ’s resurrection ; ’’ 
as well as the “ fellowship of his sufferings ;” and we shall 
be taught the most wholesome truth, that amid the changes 
and chances of our restless lives, “ but one thing is needful ,” 
both to sweeten adversity, to hallow prosperity, and to esta¬ 
blish the “ hope which is as an anchor to the soul, both sure 
and steadfast,” which “ maketh not ashamed.” Let us all 
seek lessons of wisdom, which are better than “ much fine 
gold,” and we shall find them plainly and powerfully set 
forth in the poor man’s “ upper chamber.” 
THE CHELTENHAM AND COUNTY OF 
GLOUCESTER EXHIBITION OF POULTRY. 
This exhibition, of which much was expected, came off 
on Thursday the 3rd inst., and certainly the expectations 
which had been raised were not disappointed; for whether 
we regard the number of entries, the qualities of the fowls 
shown, or the interest taken in the exhibition, it may be 
said, especially for a first attempt, to have been eminently 
successful. This is not difficult to be accounted for; for 
these exhibitions, hitherto confined almost exclusively to the 
North of England, are extending, as the fancy for good 
poultry spreads itself, and will soon be held in many 
localities in which they have never yet been heard of, or will, 
perhaps, be added to the ordinary Agricultural Shows, for 
which addition the Royal Agricultural Society has ex¬ 
tensively set the example. By means such as these, we 
hope soon to see the breeds of superior fowl diffused 
through our country farm yards, and as great an improve¬ 
ment effected in this branch of rural and domestic economy 
as has been attained of late years in the breeds of other 
useful animals. 
The show of wliich we have now to give an account, was 
held at the Royal Old Wells, at Cheltenham. The day was 
all that could be desired. A handsome and very capacious 
tent was placed in the centre promenade, and here the most 
valuable specimens were arranged upon a table extending 
along the whole length of the tent. The rest of the fowls 
shown, together with the pigeons, were exhibited in the 
Music-room, and this arrangement was favourable to those 
who desired a good view of the different specimens, for it 
caused a division of the company, and prevented crowding. 
Too much praise cannot be allotted to the Messrs. Jessop, 
with whom the whole management appeared to rest. It 
cannot be expected that all the arrangements for a first 
exhibition, so extensive as this, should be perfect, but with¬ 
out experience, and with very little assistance, the only 
wonder is, that these gentlemen were enabled to make their 
arrangements so perfect as they were. 
It will probably be expected that we should give our 
readers such particulars of the different classes as our space 
will permit. The names of the principal exhibitors will 
appear by the subjoined list of the prizes awarded by the 
judges, Mr. Bond, of Middleton Lodge, Leeds, and Mr. 
Bissell, of Birmingham. To these gentlemen, the managers 
of the show, the exhibitors, and the public, are equally 
indebted, for undertaking an office which is neither easy nor 
pleasant, and thereby preventing the necessity of resorting 
to the very objectionable practice of appointing dealers to be 
the judges to-day of the articles which they may have 
yesterday supplied. 
Of Cochin China foivls, which in this, as in most of our 
recent exhibitions, attracted most attention, and deservedly 
so, there was a collection equalled by few, and surpassed by 
none of our previous shows. This fine breed of poultry, 
equally useful and ornamental, is now becoming more 
diffused amongst amateurs, although the great price which 
good specimens still command, shows that they were yet by 
no means common. They were here divided into several 
classes. The first and principal class (buffs and cinnamons), 
comprised some of the best birds ever exhibited. The pre¬ 
mium prize, a Gloucestershire cup, for the best pen of birds 
in the exhibition, of any breed or variety, and the first prize 
in this class, were awarded, most deservedly, to Mr. Sturgeon, 
of-Grays, in Essex, whose birds more than sustained the 
reputation they had already earned at Birmingham, and 
elsewhere ; indeed, it is not too much now to say, that there 
is no breed of Cochins in England to equal them. The 
second prize was won by Mr. Andrews, of Dorchester, 
I whoso hens were equal to any in the exhibition. In the dark 
class, the hens shown by Mr. Bunchard, were undoubtedly 
the best, but the cock being buff, the judges felt obliged, 
reluctantly, to disqualify the pen. The white Cochins were 
very good, but only four pens of them were shown. The 
first prize being awarded to Mr. Hodgkinson, and the second 
to Mrs. Herbert. For the best cocks, the first prize was 
awarded to Mr. Holcomb, of Campden, for a very superior 
buff bird. The chickens of this breed, were, considering 
the time of the year, wonderfully forward; some of them, 
bred by Mr. Lawton, of York, weighing upwards of 5 lbs. 
each. The judges, however, gave the prizes to more uniform 
and better coloured pens, the successful exhibitors being Mr. 
Peters, and Miss Wilcox. We cannot dismiss this class 
without adding, that it was, as a whole, most excellent. 
The Malays were few, but good, and we hope this fine 
variety of fowls, which has of late been scarce at our 
exhibitions, will be still cultivated among amateurs. The 
specimens exhibited by Mr. Leighton, and in extra stock, by 
Mr. Sayers, were first-rate, and well deserved the prizes 
awarded to them. 
The Spanish foivls, as a class, were not so good as we 
have seen at other shows; there were, however, exceptions, 
and those shown by Capt. Hornby, R.N., to whom the first 
prize was awarded, were quite first-class specimens, and 
would have commanded a prize at any exhibition. The same 
gentleman carried off the first prize in the Dorking class, 
which he also well deserved, for all his kinds were good of 
their sorts, and were shown in blooming condition. Mr. 
Towneley Parker, also showed some good Dorkings; he 
obtained the second prize, and the first prize also for 
chickens of the same variety. 
Of Game fowls there were but few, but they were good, 
and an extra prize was awarded to Mr. Armitage, for some ' 
very beautiful Indian game fowls. 
The Hamburgh fowl were very poor, and in some of the 
classes the judges withheld the first prizes. The amateurs 
in this locality must apply to their Northern brethren for 
assistance in improving their breeds of these pretty varieties 
of poultry, which are cultivated to perfection, especially, we 
are happy to say, by cottagers and artizans, in Yorkshire 
and Lancashire. 
The black Polands, which are becoming favourites, were good, 
but not numerous, and there was a pair of good white ones. 
The pretty, pert, and sprightly Sebright Bantams, gold and 
silver, were represented by some good specimens ; but of the 
other varieties of these diminutive fowl there were but few, 
and those but middling. 
