208 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
December 15. 
scarcely sufficient light at this dark period of the year, 
would be one of the most complete places in the kingdom 
for such a purpose. We congratulated the society and its 
officers, last year, upon a good, though small,beginning; and 
we ventured to predict, that with a continuance of the zeal 
and ability they then displayed, they would soon be able to 
bring together an assemblage of Poultry inferior to those of 
few, if any, rival exhibitions. But we confess that we did 
not expect that in less than a year they would increase their 
numbers from a little above 200 pens to upwards of 800. 
Such, however, was the fact; and it is even more satisfactory 
to be able to assert that there was a corresponding improve¬ 
ment in point of quality. 
The pens were arranged in double rows throughout the 
whole length of the building, and the celerity with which the 
managers of the show were compelled to execute their 
work will be apparent, when we state that the market was 
in use up to a late hour on Saturday night, and on Monday 
evening 800 pens were ready for their feathered occupants. 
The pens themselves were spacious, and care was taken to 
arrange the birds of each class as much as possible on the 
same elevation, so that none of them should gain an advan¬ 
tage by being placed in a position more advantageous than 
others—a point too often neglected on such occasions. 
The only improvement we can suggest for the future, is 
that the pens should be well whitewashed inside, which may, 
in some degree, compensate for the deficiency of light in the 
building. 
The other arrangements, under the management of the 
honorary secretary, Mr. Henry Moore, assisted by an active 
committee, were in all respects such as to leave very little 
indeed to be desired ; and to these gentlemen, the members 
of the society, the exhibitors, and the public, are alike in¬ 
debted for the trouble which they have taken to cater for 
their benefit and amusement, and for their urbanity and 
attention during the days of the exhibition. 
Although the show was, as we have said, wisely confined 
to two days, we hope the money taken at the doors will have 
been sufficient not only to defray all the expenses, but, with 
the subscriptions, to have a good surplus towards another 
year. 
In noticing the different classes, we shall follow the order 
of the catalogue, which commenced with the Spanish. Of 
these, some good specimens were shown, and a cockerel, 
which failed to obtain a prize because the pullets shown 
with him were inferior to others which were exhibited, was 
sold for a large price. The Dorkings, which came next, 
comprized some very fine birds, especially those, exhibited 
by the Hon. and Rev. S. W. Lawley, to whom the first prize 
was very justly awarded. The Cochin classes, we must con¬ 
fess, scarcely held their position in such an exhibition as 
this, for although there were many good birds among them, 
there were but few which attained to first-rate excellence,—• 
if, indeed, there were any which reached that point. The 
Buff chickens were the most numerous, and, perhaps, the 
best class, taken as a whole ; they comprised not less than 
88 pens, several of which, besides those to which the prizes 
were awarded, were commended by the judges. We were 
glad to see the Malays muster a few pens ; for although we 
do not think these a very useful breed of fowls, we should 
be sorry to see one so majestic and well-bred in appearance 
vanish from amongst us. We now come to the Game 
classes, which were, undoubtedly, the best in the exhibition, 
and numbered together 120 pens. The whole of the first 
class (white, and piles) were declared by the judges, and most 
deservedly, to be “ highly meritorious." We never saw any¬ 
thing in the shape of fowls which more completely combined 
high breeding, fine condition, and beauty of plumage, than 
the adult birds shown in this class, and for which the first 
and second prizes were awarded to Mr. John Hartop, of 
Barnbrough; and the two magnificent pens of white chickens, 
which obtained the same honours for their owner, William 
Hopkinson (a working man, we understand) of Worksop. 
And even in singling out these, it is fair to add that many 
of their competitors were very near to them in the race. 
The next two classes, comprizing the Black-breasted and 
other Reds (old and young) were of almost equal merit, and 
we did not at all envy the task of the judges who had to 
determine between their respective claim to the prizes. 
The Blacks and Brassy-winged were not quite so good, nor 
were they so numerous, as their relatives; but the Duckwings, 
Greys, and Blues, which formed the last classes, were again 
excellent, and showed that the old English Game fowl is 
still cultivated in all its purity in this sporting locality, 
although the days of cock-fighting are gone by. The Ham- 
buryh classes were of unequal merit. The Pencilled Ham- 
burghs were few, and by no means good; while the Golden 
Spangled comprised some good pens, and next to the Game 
the Silver Spangled Hamburghs were undoubtedly the best 
class in the show. It was admitted, on all hands, that a 
better assemblage of these beautiful birds had never been 
got together, and the judges evinced their appreciation of 
their excellence by awarding very numerous commendations 
besides the prizes allotted to them. The Polands included 
two or three nice pens, but nothing which appeared to us to 
call for especial remark. A class for “ any other distinct 
breed ” included a fine pen of Grey Cochins, exhibited under 
the new-fangled name of “Brahma Pootras,” and afforded 
an opportunity of comparing them with a bird bred by Mr. 
Bond, of Leeds (one of the judges) from those which he 
purchased from Mrs. Hosier Williams, at Birmingham, in 
1851, under the name of Grey Cochins; and except that the 
latter was a trifle darker in colour, and somewhat larger than 
the so-called Brahma Pootras, we defy any one to tell the 
difference. The Golden Sebright Bantams were numerous 
and good, and there were a few pens of Silvers also. The 
Blacks were particularly good; and the Whites little, if at all, 
inferior. The Geese were numerous, but there was nothing 
among them that struck us as particularly good. The Ayles¬ 
bury Bucks, on the contrary, were one of the best classes in 
the show, and ran so close, that we are sure the judges 
must have found much difficulty in awarding the prizes; 
many of the pens obtained commendations. Among the 
Rouens there were some good pens of Ducks, but certainly 
none equal to the two for which the first and second prizes 
were awarded to Mr. Brooksbank, of Tickhill. The Turkeys 
were good classes, and the commendations awarded showed 
that the judges so considered them. Some good pens of 
Pigeons, and a few fine Rabbits, filled up the remaining 
classes; and Mr. Bond exhibited, as “ extra stock," some 
Cochin chickens inferior to none in the exhibition. 
The Judges were Mr. Travis, of York; Mr. Bissell, of Bir¬ 
mingham ; and Mr. Bond, of Leeds; all of whom have had 
much experience in such matters, and they concurred, we 
understand, in the opinion we have expressed, both as to the 
excellence of the show itself, and of the manner in which its 
details were managed and carried out. 
A show of Pigs took place at the same time, under 
spacious tents, erected for the purpose just outside the 
market house. About 100 pens were entered for competi¬ 
tion, and the show was pronounced by competent judges to 
have been first-rate. 
We append the Prize-list in the Poultry Classes. 
SPANISH. 
Class I.—For the best Cock and two Hens, exceeding one-year-old. 
(14 competitors.) 
First prize, James Dixon, West Brook-place, Bradford. Second prize, 
J. H. Smith, Skelton Grange, near York. 
Class 2.—For the best Cock and two Pullets, chickens of 1853. (21 
competitors.) 
First and second prizes, Wm. Batty Mapplebeck, Birmingham. 
DORKINGS. (Coloured.) 
Class 3.—For the best Cock and two Hens, exceeding one-year-old. (10 
competitors.) 
First prize, Hon. S. W. Lawley, Esrick Rectory, York. Second prize, 
Robert J. Bentley, Finningley Park. 
Class 4.—For the best Cock and two Pullets, chickens of 1853. (22 
competitors.) 
First prize, Titus B. Stead, 1, Upper Albion-street, Leeds. Second 
prize, Sir Thomas W. White, Wallingwells. 
DORKINGS. (White.) 
Class 5.—For the best Cock and two Hens, exceeding one-year-old. 
(3 competitors.) 
John Maw, Doncaster. 
Class 0.—For the best Cock and two Pullets, chickens of 1853. (4 com¬ 
petitors.) 
J. Oldham, Long Eaton, Derby. 
SHANGHAE. (Cinnamon and Bu(T.) 
Class 7.—For the best Cock and two Hens, exceeding one-year-old. 
(11 competitors.) 
First prize, Henry Ambler, Watkinson Hall, Halifax. Second prize, 
Thomas Shackle, Hayes, Middlesex. 
