September 2. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
those farmers and cottagers who, for profit, look to chickens 
no less than eggs, fowls that will both sit and make good 
mothers are best adapted. It also tells well for the Cochin- 
Chinas, that even with the time lost in sitting and rearing 
their broods, a larger number of eggs was laid by them than 
by their competitors, who were never thus occupied. 
While speaking of Spanish fowls, I may observe that 
“ Minorcas ” was the name commonly given in this neigh- 
I bourliood to a fuller-sized fowl than the true Spanish; it 
i wanted more or less the distinguishing characteristic of the 
, white cheek, and their plumage was generally a glossy black, 
j occasionally mottled. I kept them myself for several years, 
j and remember but one hen ever wanting to sit. Eggs were 
j given to her, and a brood hatched and reared, but the 
! mother soon after died with every symptom of consumption, 
I though previously in apparent health. My recollections of 
j poultry in Spain recal a very varied promiscuous race ; and 
some few years since, I bought, out of a Spanish xebecque 
that stress of weather had driven into our bay, some fowls, 
whose plumage, in all respects, resembled a brown Indian 
silk fowl. It would be interesting to learn whether the pure 
bred birds, now in the possession of “ Gallus,” are from any 
recently-imported stock, or allied to Mr. Barber’s Anda¬ 
lusian fowls. I am told that many good Spanish birds 
are now imported from Holland and Belgium. 
So much, then, for our respective candidates as regards 
their laying properties. With respect to their fitness for 
the table, I should wish to be clearly understood, when I 
claim for Cochin-Chinas no mean place in the estimation of 
those most useful functionaries, our cooks : I repeat, that 
any of the long-legged varieties must at once be discarded 
for this purpose; to my own eye they are unsightly in the 
yard, and become still more so on the dinner table. Most 
correct, therefore, must I consider the answer given to a 
correspondent in the last Cottage Gardener, where you 
say, that the most “ perfect form of Cochin-Chinas is as free 
from legginess as the Dorkings." Nor do I regard it as profit¬ 
able to keep them beyond a certain age, as for general 
purposes I find them quite large enough from 14 to 18 
weeks old ; probably they are then killed at the greatest 
profit of any age. Thus we may fairly compare them with 
the improved Short-horns in cattle; for assuredly, from no 
other race of fowls could a like weight be looked for in an 
equal period of time. And here I must repeat my opinion, 
founded on very many actual experiments, that the quality 
of their flesh is not to be found fault with, provided the breed 
be originally well selected, subsequently well fed, and finally 
well dressed. In saying this, I do not assert their equality 
with Polish (the very ne plus ultra of deceased chickens), 
or such special Dorkings as Mr. Baily’s shop can often 
supply. 
Now, the Spanish, from their dark skin and twisted 
breast-bone, certainly do not look well on the table, and, as I 
think, fairly merit their assumed relationship to the Corvida; 
alluded to by “ Gallus.” Thus, if my poor friends the 
Cochin-Chinas are, in Thomas’s opinion, somewhat too 
closely allied to the parrot tribe, we must leave it to the 
decision of the public to decide, on the evidence of their 
own palates, to which of the two they will award the pre¬ 
ference—remembering always, that weight for their money 
will often influence purchasers, even among those who can 
appreciate other merits, while it is for those who supply the 
i market that we are now writing. 
I still think that the food consumed by Cochin-Chinas 
is not beyond the proportion of their greater size ; but, not 
having kept so careful a measurement of their allowances as 
would justify me in pronouncing positively on this head, I 
shall wait till the result of actual experiment will enable me 
to give an accurate account of their comparative consump- 
! tion with other fowls. 
But, after all, Cochin-Chinas and Spanish must fight it 
out on a fair field and without favour. All that I urge for 
the former has been said; but I again renew the caution, 
that it is very far from every Cochin-China — even im¬ 
ported birds—that is likely to be kept with profit; for this 
purpose, a broad, deep, short-legged race can alone answer. 
Now, if “ Gallus ” should wish to try such birds as I believe 
will answer this description, I shall be happy to exchange 
with him, and draw my own conclusions of the various 
merits of their really beautiful competitors, the Spaniards. 
361 
With respect to the grey and speckled Dorkings, I shall as 
yet maintain discreet silence, for I am conscious of not 
possessing so full a knowledge of their merits as they 
doubtless deserve from the accounts repeatedly given of | 
them by such highly competent judges. But I have said I 
enough to show how highly I appreciate the practical in¬ 
formation to be gained from correspondents of yoiu - paper, 
who, like “ Gallus,” write that others may leam, from such 
comparisons of individual experience, what is most likely to 
suit their own case. I must also thank him for the very 
courteous manner in which he has alluded to my observa¬ 
tions on the comparative merits of the different breeds, and 
will assure him, that he is correct in believing that I am 
only anxious, by these remarks, to benefit that large class of 
persons to whom poultry-keeping may now offer the means 
of increasing the comforts of the cottage, or the profits of 
the farm.—W. W. Wingfield, Gulwal Vicarage, Penzance. 
YORKSHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY’S 
POULTRY SHOW. 
In imitation of the Royal Agricultural Society, the Agri¬ 
cultural Society of Yorkshire added to the other attractions 
of their Exhibition, at Sheffield, on the 4th and 5th of 
August, a show of poultry. At this time of the year it is not 
to be expected that the birds should look so blooming as in 
winter or early spring, and many are kept away altogether 
by the moulting season. Making allowances for all this, the 
Exhibition under notice, although not numerous, was credit¬ 
able to the Society and to the exhibitors. We append the 
prize list, entire, which renders it unnecessary to go into 
much detail here. In the Cochin class there were several 
entries, Mr. Sturgeon again carrying off the first prizes. 
The Dorkings were the best class in the Exhibition, and the 
whole class was deservedly commended by the judges, the 
Hon. and Rev. S. M. Lawley, and T. T. Parker, Esq. 
dividing the prizes. The latter gentleman also obtained an 
extra first prize for his Goslings. The Ducks were a very 
good class, and the judges awarded two extraprizes to them. 
In some of the other classes good birds were exhibited, 
and we hope the Society will continue to make part of their 
Exhibition a feature so deservedly attractive as poultry, and 
one so rapidly rising in favour. 
Best Spanish cock and two hens, sBl, awarded to J. M. Thompson, 
Dewsbury ; second ditto, 10s., to Robert J. Bentley, Eastwood-house, 
Rotherham. (5 entries.) 
Best Spanish cock and one hen, 10s., awarded to Robert J. Bentley, 
Eastwood-house, Rotherham. (2 entries.) 
Best Dorking cock and two hens, ^6*1, awarded to S. W. Lawley, 
Escrick Rectory, York; second ditto, 10s., to T. T. Parker, Sutton 
Grange, St. Helens. (6 entries.) 
Best Dorking cock and one hen, 10s., awarded to T. T. Parker, Sutton 
Grange, St. Helens. (4 entries.) 
Best Cochin-China cock and two hens, £1, awarded to Thomas Stur¬ 
geon, Manor House; second ditto, 10s., to John Hill Smith, Skelton 
Grange, York, and Mrs. Hoggard, Clifton, York. (15 entries.) 
Best Cochin-China cock and one hen, 10s., awarded to T. T. Parker, 
Sutton Grange, St. Helens. (4 entries.) 
Best Malay cock and two hens, £1, awarded to Matthew Redgway, 
Dewsbury; second ditto, 10s., to James Dixon, West Brook Place, 
Halifax. (5 entries.) 
Best Malay cock and one hen, 10s., awarded to James Dixon, West 
Brook Place, Halifax. (1 entry.) 
Best Game cock and two hens, £\, awarded to Edward Frith, Turner 
Wood, Worksop; second ditto, 10s., to John Hall, Kiveton Park, 
Worksop. (6 entries.) 
Best Game cock and one hen, 10s., awarded to John Hall, Kiveton 
Park, Worksop. (3 entries.) 
Best Golden Pheasant cock and two hens, jffl, awarded to Joseph 
Tuley, Matchless House, Keighley; second ditto, 10s., to G. E. Taylor, 
Oatlands, Leeds. (6 entries.) 
Best Golden Pheasant cock and one hen, 10s., awarded to Thos. John 
Mould, Makeney House, Belper. (2 entries.) 
Best Silver Pheasant cock and two hens, £ 1, awarded to Daniel 
Leeming, Little Blackwood House, Halifax; second ditto, 10s., to G, E. 
Taylor, Oatlands, Leeds. (10 entries.) 
Best Chitteprat or Corsican cock and two hens, £i, awarded to G. 
E. Taylor, Oatlands, Leeds ; second ditto, 10s., to ditto. (6 entries.) 
[Mr. T. B. Stead, 1, Upper Albion-street, Leeds, exhibited some beau¬ 
tiful specimens of Polish, Cochin-China, and Black Spanish poultry, 
which arrived too late on the ground for adjudication.] 
Best Poland fowl (any variety) cock and one hen, 10s., awarded to C. 
J. Mold, Makeney House, Belper. (2 entries.) 
Best cock and two hens of any other distinct breed, .£’1, awarded fo 
John Hall, Kiveton Park, Worksop; second ditto, 10s., to Fenton 
Bright, Bright, Crook’s Wood, Sheffield. (7 entries.) 
Best cock and one hen of any other distinct breed, 10s., awarded to | 
R. J. Bentley, Eastwood, Rotherham. (1 entry.) 
Best Gold or Silver-laced Bantam cock and two hens, 10s., awarded to I 
