THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— September 10, 185C. 443 
chickens whose breasts were entirely brown ? As I intend 
keeping the chickens in question, they may be seen at any 
time by any person.—G. Botham, Wexham Court. 
SO WE 11 BY BRIDGE POULTRY EXHIBITION. 
The third annual meeting of this Society took place on 
the 5th instant, and we are glad to find it presented the 
most marked improvement on the preceding Exhibitions. 
Now, to those well conversant in the management of 
Poultry Exhibitions, the causes that led to so favourable an 
issue were very apparent. The committee throughout con¬ 
sisted entirely of gentlemen, whose sympathies were not 
only enlisted to secure its success, but who also esteemed 
it no derogation of their position among their townsmen, 
on this occasion, to actually “put a shoulder to the wheel,” 
and push forward their meeting into notoriety ; consequently, 
at the early hour of five o’clock on the day of the Exhibition, 
we found every member present, and “ working ’’ in the 
exhibition-field, to bring about the result they so happily 
attained, and which they so richly deserved. Nothing at all 
was left to dependants; each member fulfilled bis self- 
imposed duties faithfully and efficiently, and the conse¬ 
quence was, there were no grumblers, nor anything left in¬ 
complete. How different, by-tbe-by, to the course pursued 
by some committees that shall be nameless, where all the 
laborious duties are supported by one or two of their 
number, whilst the majority call in, perhaps, once or twice 
a day to ask how “we” were getting on, and similar ob¬ 
servations, denoting that their assistance is confined simply 
to sanctioning the meeting. Such laxity may profit extremely 
by a few' “ early morning lessons ” from the committee of 
Sowerby Bridge, and, no doubt, in all instances, a parallel 
improvement will be the certain result as to the eventual 
finances of their meeting. The fowls at Sowerby were well 
attended, and well provided with green meat also. They 
were all packed (that were to return by rail) and waiting 
at the station by six o’clock the same evening the Ex¬ 
hibition closed to the public. Such promptitude must in¬ 
fluence the entries for future years most favourably. 
From this little digression we proceed to a very concise 
summary of the fowls themselves. The Spanish w'ere very 
good ; the chickens in this variety really excellent, but all 
the earliest broods bore evident proofs of their sufferings 
during the severe spring of the present year, and not a few 
pens were most manifestly the pickings out of various 
broods, far removed both as to age and general maturity. 
The Dorkings were not equal to what we are now accus¬ 
tomed to meet with. The solitary pen of ■ white ones, however, 
were superior-fowls, and were deservedly awarded (though 
all Dorkings competed equally) the second premium. The 
Cochins were, as a whole, an evidently neglected class in 
this locality. The Game were really most deserving, par¬ 
ticularly the birds of this year ; but it appears to ourselves 
most desirable that a regulation should be enforced (so late 
in the season), “ that all Game cockerels must be dubbed." 
This would tend much to render the task imposed on the 
arbitrators less difficult, whilst the public generally would 
also be better able to form opinions of their relative merits. 
The Hambnrghs, it being moulting time, did not realise our 
wishes. The first prize Geese were not only very good 
specimens, but of a variety rarely met with out of North 
Wales, where they are comparatively abundant, and are 
making themselves ihany new friends, from the really ex¬ 
cellent quality of their flesh. They are entirely huff 
throughout, very pretty-looking additions to farm poultry, 
and, we are told, are unusually hardy whilst young. The 
Aylesbury Dudes were far beyond our expectations; but as 
the avowed object of Poultry Exhibitions is to offer oppor¬ 
tunities to breeders to improve tlwir home stock by well- 
advised purchases, we would, in all friendliness, suggest an 
improvement in the classes for “ Ducklings,” viz., that a 
male and two females must compose the pen. At Sowerby 
Bridge three drakes were all but universal throughout the 
class, simply from the hope that superiority of size might 
curry favour with the Judges, but to buyers rendering the 
purchase anything but popular. This simple alteration of 
the established rules will, no doubt, another season, be 
effected. In the class for dishes of eggs (twelve each) all 
the eggs were tested by water, and the spoiled ones at once j 
disqualified. The competition here was excellent. The : 
Pigeons did not exceed mediocrity. 
The Show was kindly permitted on the grounds of John 
Radcliffe, Esq., of Allen House, and presented an excellent 
spot for the purpose. 
The Judges were Alfred Goodman, Esq., of Gledhow 
House, near Leeds, and Edward Hewitt, Esq., of Eden 
Cottage, Spark Brook, Birmingham, whose decisions wet*, 
we are happy to say, satisfactory. 
Adult Spanish Fowls. —First and Cup, Joseph Tate, Preston. 
Second, W. Smith, Halifax. Commended—W. Newsome, Heckznond- 
wike. (A superior class.) Chickens. —First, William Newsome, Heck- 
inondwike. Second, M. liidgway, Dewsbury. 
Adult Dorking Fowls. —First, Joseph Tate, PrestoD. Second, John 
Robinson, Garstang. Highly Commended—W. Copple, Present. Com¬ 
mended—C. H. Titterton, Birmingham. Chickens. —First and Cup, 
Joseph Tate, Preston. Second, John Robinson, Garstang. 
Adult Cociiin-Ciiina. —First, W. Copple, Present. Second, Wil¬ 
liam Newsome, Heckmondwike. Chickens. —First, John Robinson, 
Garstang. Second, W. Newsome, Heckmondwike. 
Adult Game. —First, James Dixon, Bradford. Second, Ephraim 
Wright, Horton. Chickens —First and Cup, J. Dixon, Bradford. 
Second, W. Newsome, Heckmondwike. Commended—Ephraim Wright, 
Horton. (A good class throughout.) 
Adult Golden Pheasant. —First and Cup, M. H. Broadhead 
Holmfirth. Second, James Dixon, Bradford, Chickens. —First, James 
Dixon, Bradford. Second withheld. 
Adult Silver Pheasant.— First, Mrs H. Sharp,Bradford. Second, 
James Dixon, Bradford. Chickens. —First, Mrs H. Sharp, Bradford. 
Second, D. Deeming, Halifax. 
Adult Ciiittapratt. —First., Mrs H. Sharp, Bradford. Second, Janies 
Dixon, Bradford. Chickens. —First, James Dixon, Bradford. Second, 
Mrs H. Sharp, Bradford. 
Adult Poland. —First, James Dixon, Bradford. Chickens.*- First 
and Second, James Dixon, Bradford. 
Adult Bantam. — First, James Dixon, Bradford. Second, N. 
Crowther, Sowerby Bridge. Chickens. —First, Fred France, Fulham, 
London. Second withheld. 
Any other breed.— First, W. Dawson, Hopton. (Sultans.) Second, 
Jno. Ferris, Halifax. (Silky Fowls.) 
Goose and Gander. —First. John Rawson, Brockwell. Second, 
W. Copple, Prcscot. Goslings.— First, John Rawson, Brockwell. Second, 
W. Copple, Prescot. 
Aylesbury Ducks. —First, James Dixon, Bradford. Second, W. 
North, Huddersfield. Ducklings. —First, F. E. Rawson, Thorpe. 
Second, W. North, Huddersfield. 
Rouen Ducks. —First, Jame3 Dixon, Bradford. Second, W. North, 
Huddersfield. Ducklings. —First and Second, W. North, Huddersfield. 
Ducks, any other kind.— First, James Dixon, Bradford. Second, 
D. Leemiug, Halifax. 
Dish of Twelve Eggs.— First, Wm. Stott, Sowerby Bridge. 
Second, John Rawson, Brockwell. 
PIGEONS. 
Carriers. —Prize, John Bairstow, Skircoat. 
Almond Tumblers. —Prize, John B. Edge, Aston, New Town, 
Birmingham. 
Balds, Beards, or Mottled Tumblers.— Prize, H. Child, jun., 
Birmingham. 
Fantails.— Prize, H. Child, jun., Birmingham. Commended— 
John Bairstow, Skircoat. 
Pouters.— Prize, II. Child, jun., Birmingham. 
Dragons. —Prize, John Bairstow, Skircoat. 
Runts. —Prize, John Firth, jun., Halifax. 
Antwerps. —Prize, John Firth, jun., Halifax, 
LET HENS SIT WHERE THEY CHOOSE. 
I have long been a keeper of poultry, and an observer of 
their habits; and I have arrived at the conclusion that 
hens are most prolific when left to their natural instinct, ns 
1 think the following interesting circumstance will prove :— 
One of my hens (a pullet of a late brood last year) formed 
herself a nest among the Ivy on the top of a wall nine feet 
high, and on Sunday last, August 31st, from sixteen eggs 
brought out fourteen strong, healthy chickens of every 
colour, though the hen is a cross between the Gold-pencilled 
Hamburgh and the Grey Dorking. During the time of 
sitting she was several times exposed to violent storms, and J 
the wall faces the high road, with constant trallic between 
Richmond and London.— Wistauia. 
