298 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
January 20. 
don, for ^21; and only on condition that Mrs. George 
retained it till February to breed from. 
“ Now for the sequel, which with me, at least, is a fact 
that tells forcibly against the keeping Poultry confined 
in pens for so long a time, that bird, although in perfect 
health when he left home, is since dead. Fortunately for 
Mrs. G.’s credit, Mr. Fox had not taken him. 
“ May I here express a hope, and I believe it is that 
of most exhibitors, that the Metropolitan Show will, in 
future, be limited to a shorter duration. It will then, 
doubtless, possess attractions which none hut a great 
Metropolitan Show can offer. As it is, many very choice 
birds will be ‘ born to blush unseen; ’ their owners pre¬ 
ferring to keep them in modest retirement, rather than 
expose them to the gaze of admirers, and the risk of 
losing their beauty, health, and even life.” 
A clergyman in the South of England, who is sparing 
no expense in the endeavour to improve the breed of 
Shanghae Fowls, has thus written ;—• 
“ The manner in which you have lifted up your voice against 
two very great errors in the management of Poultry Exhi¬ 
bitions, entitles you to the praise of all, who, like myself, 
take a great interest in their success. They are errors of 
such magnitude that I am fearful that they will, unless 
remedied, he fatal to many a promising Association, and I 
therefore hope that you will not lose an opportunity of de¬ 
nouncing them as strongly as you have hitherto done. I 
need scarcely say, that I allude to the practice of appointing 
a dealer as judge, and to the length of time over which some 
of the leading shows extend. 
“We all know what a common thing it is for a man to 
fancy his own stock vastly superior to that of his neighbour’s, 
and, indeed, of almost every one besides. The dealer has, i 
in the first place, this weakness to contend against. Again, 
he has to stand well with customers whom he has supplied, 
as well as to maintain his reputation with a view to his future 
orders—points, surely, which present temptations sufficient 
to disqualify any man for so responsible an office. I am 
quite sure that unless the practice be checked, the public 
will lose their confidence in the awards, and consequently 
their interest in the exhibitions. 
“And now one word with regard to the number of days 
over which the leading exhibitions extend. Nothing can 
be more injudicious than this. There is a large and daily 
increasing number of fanciers, who would not mind sending 
some of their choice specimens for two or even three days, 
but whom all the prizes in the world would not tempt to 
submit their favoiuites to the wear and tear, and consequent 
injury of a seven days show. Indeed, we frequently see 
enough in one day to make us wish that we had never ex¬ 
hibited. How often may you hear a valuable bird addressed 
in some such words as these, “ Get up you lazy brute,’’ the 
speaker at the same time suiting the action to the word, 
I and making no very gentle thrust with his umbrella or 
1 walking-stick at the poor creature’s breast. I have reason 
j to know that some of our most eminent breeders complain most 
loudly ; and that two or three of them have declared that unless 
I an alteration is made they will not again exhibit. 
“ It is alleged that the judges require much time to make 
; their awai'ds, and also, that the expenses are so heavy, that 
the Societies, for their own protection, are obliged to keep 
I the birds longer than they could wish. Might not the first 
of these reasons be met by appointing many more judges ? 
I and I am quite sure that competent men in each class 
: could easily be found, if dealers were excluded. And might 
not an appeal be made to exhibitors and lovers of poultry 
to increase their subscriptions, so as to make the Societies 
less dependent on the money taken at the dooi’S ? Many, I 
am sure, would gladly relinquish their prize-money, and 
many would readily double their subscriptions and entrance 
fees, if, by such a course, the shows could be shortened 
some two or three days.” N, 
I lu confirmation of the statement made by our cor¬ 
respondent, we can say that we know that Captain 
Hornby, Mr. Sturgeon, Mr. Punchard, Mr. Peck, and 
some other extensive poultry breeders, are ready to 
pledge themselves not to exhibit unless the number of 
days of exhibition are curtailed. The three last were 
missed at the Metropolitan Show, and we have Mr. 
Gilbert’s permission to state that he is opposed to such 
a lengthened period of exhibition. This, to some 
extent, is an assurance that this reform will be effected 
in the next Show of the Metropolitan Society. 
COVENT GARDEN. 
We are considerably gratified to find that our sug¬ 
gestions for the planting of fruit-trees in situations 
which are usually accorded to timber and ornamental 
trees have, in several instances which have come under 
our notice, met with high approval. The more the 
subject is studied, the more interesting it will become; 
and we have no doubt that in a few years, after the 
effect of such a system of planting has been properly 
appreciated, that it will become very general. There 
is, perhaps, no country in the world where the study 
and, consequently, the cultivation of fruits is more 
neglected than in our own. In America, they have in 
various states Pomological “ Societies” and “Institutes,” 
which meet as regularly as our Royal and Linnaean 
Societies, and discuss pomological subjects. Several 
excellent works on the subject have issued from the 
press of that country, and are justly popular; and it is 
to America that we are indebted for some of the finest 
varieties of fruits. Of these, we have the Sechel, and 
many other Pears; the Jefferson, Washington, Law¬ 
rence, and numerous first-rate Plums; many very excel¬ 
lent Cherries; and numerous other subjects which are 
not known in this country, simply because there is no 
taste for, and no encouragement given to, the science. 
In Germany, too, it is a very popular study, as the 
numerous pomological societies and publications furnish 
ample evidence of. In France, it has a great measure of 
support, although, perhaps, not so great as in those 
countries already mentioned; but certainly far greater 
than in our own. And in Belgium it is found not 
unworthy of government patronage and support. Need 
it be wondered, then, that so little is known, when 
so little interest is manifested on the subject in 
this country? We trust the time is coming when 
the same vitality and energy will be exhibited as 
there was at the time when Mr. Knight and Mr. 
Sabine devoted so much of their attention to it. 'Phis 
study requires only to be known to be more highly 
appreciated. We intend to devote some attention to it 
as opportunity offers. We do not mean as regards the 
cultivation and management of fruit trees, for that is 
already ably treated of in a separate portion of this 
Journal; but rather to consider the kinds, qualities, 
distinctions, and adaptations of the different varieties 
of fruit either already in cultivation, or which ought to 
be in cultivation in this countiy. The popular taste 
generally runs on a few old-fashioned sorts, regarding 
not those which are of more recent introduction, and 
