October 27. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
57 
may, in an over-crowded hospital, and under favouring 
circumstances and management, become virulent; and, 
in one sense, contagious. It is said, and we do not dis¬ 
credit it, that if an old woman and a very little girl con¬ 
stantly sleep together, the child will become thin, 
haggard, prematurely old. The breath and exhalations 
from an unhealthy body must always he more deteriorat¬ 
ing than from one in health. Are the results of the 
chances of war, then, or railway accidents, or that chronic 
complaint called old age, contagious? Contaminating, 
infecting, Haveners of the air, possibly they may be made, 
with very appropriate management, and favouring cir¬ 
cumstances. Favouring circumstances, and such acces¬ 
sories as a close damp air, a certain elevation of tempe¬ 
rature, a slight putrefaction or other kind of fermentation 
being excited, are necessary to ensure the raising of such 
low natural productions as mushrooms, vinegar plants, 
&c.; the microscopic parasites which may constitute 
blight, mouldiness, and the like. Practically, these 
accessories are all important; although it is most philo¬ 
sophical to presume the existence of a previous germ, 
how amazingly minute soever; and, however utterly 
abortive and insignificant, and problematical, it may be 
allowed to be, if unaided, unfostered, and alone. 
There is a law, somewhere, under which the thistles in 
a neighbour’s field may be indicted on account of the 
contagiousness of the seed. Here, however, common 
sense tells the farmer that it is only by keeping his own 
laud clean (and attending to premonitory symptoms) 
that he can expect an immunity from thistles, and that 
thistles will spring in a single neglected field. 
Pounds and pounds of white clover seed would be 
thrown away on an undrained, unlimed field; only drain 
and lime your pasture well, and this beautiful and valu¬ 
able herb will overspread it at once with its contagion. 
Names, and terms, and theories, are just so many 
threads upon which to string together facts and la¬ 
boriously-collected series of observations. Yet we com¬ 
monly despise, and dash to the ground, and utterly 
forget, all the pearls of price, whilst, like passionate 
children, we quarrel over that dear plaything—a piece of 
string._J. J. 
The columns of The Cottage Gardener, as the general 
record of Poultry transactions, should always contain 
references to the conditions on which amateurs are 
invited to compote at the different shows. 
The experience of those by whom the “Birmingham 
and Midland Counties Association ” has been conducted, 
has hitherto boon the usual guide in the management 
of more recently-formed societies. Now, among the 
alterations of the Birmingham prize list for the present 
year, was the rule which now enforces the separate exhi¬ 
bition of “ chickens," and “ birds exceeding the aye of one 
year." In every point of view was this change desir¬ 
able, for not only were competitors thus placed on a 
fairer footing, but the comparison of relative merits, by 
the judges and the public at large, became a far easier 
task. It is with regret, therefore, that we notice the 
intention of the “ Bedfordshire Poultry Society,” which 
advertises its meeting for the last day of November, and 
the 1st and 2nd of December next, to adhere to the old 
regulation of permitting “chickens of 1853 to be shown 
in the classes for fowls of any age, at the option of the 
exhibitor.” 
Hut there is, also, another point on which we would 
address a serious remonstrance to the managers of this 
exhibition, for we see it announced that “ the whole of 
the Poultry must be in the place of exhibition on the 
28th of November;” so that, with the 29th set apart 
for the judges, and the three days during which the 
exhibition will remain open, the fowls which arrive on 
the Monday will not be released till the Saturday, on 
which day they will commence their travels homewards. 
Now, it is not in anticipation of the evils of such pro¬ 
tracted confinement, but from their actual experience 
on several past occasions, that we again express our 
firm conviction, that a period of two days is amply 
sufficient for the duration of any poultry exhibition. 
With another day for the judges, and one for the recep¬ 
tion of the birds, even this necessitates a longer re¬ 
tention of the fowls than is at all desirable; but this 
third day of exhibition is a gratuitous hazard which 
ought never to be incurred. The risks of exposing 
valuable poultry to the many evils consequent on over¬ 
crowding, the usual want of sufficient ventilation, 
contagion from diseased specimens, and the chances of 
the journey, are now tolerably well appreciated; and, 
taking the mere pecuniary view of the case, and regard¬ 
ing the probable success of the show as dependent on 
the “ quality ” of the pens exhibited, it will be found 
good policy to contract its duration within the narrowest 
limits that may combine the safety of the birds, the 
convenience of spectators, and the receipts of the 
Society. All this we believe may be effected in two 
days open to the public, and any excess, therefore, 
beyond this period, appears to us to be a measure that 
must ultimately, if not immediately, prove as adverse 
to the interests of the Society as it is undoubtedly 
prejudicial to the health of the birds. 
The Birmingham authorities tell us, that in a financial 
point of view, they find themselves unable to reduce the 
number of days during which that show has hitherto 
been kept open. But, without entering into the con- 
I sideration of what may be practicable in their case, and 
1 we must confess our belief that their apprehensions on 
j this score would prove groundless, the case is wholly 
j different when we came to the minor local societies, that 
have more or less followed in the same course. Surely, 
the good people of Bedfordshire, and the surrounding 
districts, with the facilities of locomotion now at their 
disposal, would find two days amply sufficient for the 
full inspection of all the specimens that may then be 
brought together; and assuredly many of the best will | 
be wanting if this unwise resolution be persisted 
in. Some of our first breeders, be it remembered, have ; 
publicly expressed their view of the consequences of too 
extended a period for exhibition; and Bedfordshire can¬ 
not, we think, make out a special case for exceeding the 
prudent limits of a second day. 
