September 5. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
439 
the changes by which it is surrounded; but, in a usual 
way, it is best to let Pears and Apples remain pretty 
loug on the tree, unless they fall very much, or are, in 
some other way, in a dangerous condition, for after the 
first few weeks are over, the packed-away fruit keeps 
much better than it does at first. Colder weather setting 
in, and other matters tending to check perspiration, the 
fruit does not so quickly attain that period of maturity 
which is identical with a speedy decay; in fact, it is 
only one form of the same, and that tendency must, 
if possible, be arrested. 
It is well known that certain fruits give off exhala¬ 
tions different from others, and from each other. 
Williams's Bon Gretian Pear is, perhaps, the most 
offensive of any, where any considerable quantity of 
them get mellow together, and assuredly, the strong 
odour from it cannot do otherwise than hasten all that 
it is in contact with down the road to destruction ; at all 
events, it would be highly improper to allow it to remain 
in the same place; other things that are equally strong 
ought also to be guarded against, and, of course, all 
decaying fruit, or other matters of that kind, ought to be 
removed as soon as discovered, and all dirt, &c., cleared 
away, so that the fruit-room, when furnished with its 
winter store, may be rendered as decent and healthy as 
its crowded state will allow; and with a judicious ventila¬ 
tion, and other means, combined with good, well-grown 
fruit to begin with, a fair share of success may be ex¬ 
pected, and the various kinds will no doubt keep as 
long as their specified term of existence is allotted them, 
and all premature decay and other destructive tendencies 
arrested, so that good Apples and Pears, 1 do not meau 
those hard, wooden ones, which some late kinds deserve 
to be called, but if good mellow fruit, said to be in 
season in January, can be kept until March, it will be 
much better than the kinds reported as being in season 
then, while a premature ripening has a contrary 
injurious effect. J. Robson. 
SOUTH HANTS POULTRY EXHIBITION. 
This took place on the 30tli and 31st of August, in a 
marque, erected for the purpose, on the Antelope Cricket 
Ground, Southampton. This was a fortunate change from 
the Victoria Rooms, where the show was intended to have 
been held. The heat and smell in those rooms would have 
been excessive, for even with all possible openings in the 
marque, the temperature was above 80°, and the most easily 
excitable birds, such as the Spanish, Hamburghs, Games, 
and Malays, were gasping and uneasy. It would have re¬ 
freshed both the birds and the visitors to have had the 
canvass sprinkled with water, as they do the tatties, or 
grass-made shades, in India. 
It is not often that we have to report of a poultry show 
under canvass that the weather was too hot for the event; 
and the good people of Wellington, in Somersetshire, and 
of the Surrey Zoological Gardens, remembering what 
happened to them, under similar circumstances, will be apt 
to exclaim, “ Is it possible ! ”—Yes, it is possible, as shown 
by the results at the show now under notice, for the intense 
heat of the weather must have kept many people away, 
j Nor was the time of the year without its effect in reducing 
| the amount of the receipts; for in August—the end of 
August—the most influential members are away in yachts, 
I on the moors, preparing for the stubbles, and for anything 
rather than sweltering in pent up exhibitions. 
Let us observe, also, that from the middle of August until 
the end of October is the worst of all possible times in the 
; year to exhibit adult poultry; for during that period they 
; are in some stage or other of their moult. This was most 
! strikingly apparent at the show now under consideration, 
for among the old fowls, with one exception, it is not too much 
j to say, that they were all disfigured by being in moult. The 
| exception was the Pile Game Cock, in pen 174, the property 
| of Mr. T. P. Mew, of Cowes. The bird was in beautiful 
condition, and one of the best specimens we ever saw. 
There were about 390 pens, and of their occupants we 
will observe in numerical order, that the Spanish classes 
were very good, and the best testimony is, that the two 
prize pens of Chicken found a ready sale at ten and fifteen 
guineas. The Coloured Dorkings were generally good, but not 
in good condition ; even the chicken class suffered in appear¬ 
ance from the extreme heat. The White Dorkings were 
not above an average, and every year we seem to notice a 
falling away in them. We very rarely see among them a 
stout-framed bird. In Buff and Cinnamon Shanghae chicken 
there was a considerable improvement over recent shows, 
but with the exception of the two prize pens of While 
Shanghaes, there was not one good one of either the white 
or black. The Grey Shanghaes, falsely called Brahma 
Pootras, were much as usual; pretty looking pullets, and 
coarse, ugly brutes of cocks,—pea-combs and single-combs 
were alike awarded prizes. The Game and Malay classes 
were very indifferent, and the Hamburghs and Polands, with 
a few exceptions, were not much better. The Gold-laced 
Bantams were good, but the other colours were very badly 
represented. In Turkeys there was only one pen, for those 
in pen 259, though they cantB from Bristol, might be held 
up as warnings. The Geese were few, but good; Aylesbury 
Ducks were also good, as were the Buenos Ayres, but the 
Rouen Ducks were very indifferent. The Pigeons were 
scarcely above the average. 
The heading of Class 28 was unfortunately worded. It ' 
was for “ Any distinct breed,” and not, as it should be, for j 
“ Any other distinct breed.” In it, therefore, were admitted I 
a pen of Malays (235), but we think the judges might have 
disqualified the pen as being misnamed, for they were 
called “ Rangoons.” Malay cocks, as they become old, often 
acquire more wliito feathers at every moult; and the one we 
are now noticing had scarcely any at one time, if he is. the j 
same bird as Mr. Sayers used to exhibit, which we are told i 
it is. It is curious to see how some birds change their | 
names when they chauge owners. Thus the birds in 
Pen 241 * were exhibited as “ Tailless Persians,” but we 
remember them under some more outlandish title at the 
Metropolitan Shows. 
There were a few other sales besides those we have 
mentioned, and the most noticeable was 133*, a two-year 
old Buff Shanghae cock, which was taken at the upset 
price of four guineas. 
The Silver Cup, for the taker of the most first prizes 
with fowls of his own breeding, was awarded to Mr. H. D. 
Davies. 
The judges were E. Hewett, Esq., Sparkbrook, Birming¬ 
ham, and Mr. J. Bailey, Mount-street, Grovesnor-square, 
London; but before giving a list of the prizes they awarded, 
we must express our sense of the good management of the 
show generally. The catalogues and prize-lists were ready 
when the show commenced, and every care seemed to be 
taken of the birds. Those on the ground benefited by the 
grass; but they did not appear to so much advantage as 
they would if nearer to a level with the inspector’s eye. 
Class 1 .—Spanish.— Birds exceeding one year old.—5. First prize, 
H. D. Davies, Spring-Grove House, Hounslow. Aged. 6. Second prize, 
H. D. Davies, Spring-Grove House, Hounslow. Aged. 8. Highly Com¬ 
mended.—The Right Hon. Lady Margaret Macdonald, Woolmer Lodge, 
Liphook, Hants. Age, two years. Commended.—3. John Clark, Shrub 
Cottage, Hartley Row. Age, unknown. 
Class 2.— Spanish. —Chickens of 1854.—16. First prize, The Right 
Hon. Lady M. Macdonald, Woolmer Lodge, Liphook, Hants. Age, 
eighteen weeks. 15. Second prize, The Right Hon. Lady M. Macdonald, 
Woolmer Lodge, Liphook, Hants. Age, eighteen weeks. Highly Com¬ 
mended.—9. John G. Ramsdcn, Ivy Cottage, Twickenham, Middlesex. 
Age, five months-and-a-half. Commended.—10. John G. Kamsden, 
Ivy Cottage, Twickenham, Middlesex. Age, five months. 
Class 3.— Spanish. —For the best Cock of any age.—17- Prize, most 
unusual merit, H. D. Davies, Spring-Grove House, Hounslow. Aged. 
Class 4.— Dorking (Coloured).—Birds exceeding one year old.—25. 
First prize, H. D. Davies, Spring-Grove House, Hounslow. Aged. 
24. Second prize, FI. D. Davies, Spring-Grove House, Hounslow. 
Highly Commended.—22. Mrs. Henry Fookcs, Whitechurch, Blandford. 
Age, cock fourteen months ; hens sixteen months. 26. J. W. Finch 
Noyes, The Cottage, Salisbury. Aged. 
Class 5.—Dorking (Coloured).—Chickens of 1854.—51. First prize, 
H. D. Davies, Spring-Grove House, Hounslow. Age, seven months. 35. 
Second prize, Robert Loder, The High Beeches, Crawley, Sussex. Age, 
four-months-and-a-half. Very Highly Commended.—50. H. D. Davies, 
Spring-Grove House, Hounslow. Age, seven months. Highly Com¬ 
mended.—27. W. G. K. Breavington, Hounslow, Middlesex. Age, six 
months. 40. H. F. Fisher, Blandford, Dorset. Age, five months. Com- 
