^[arch 10. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENEE, 
485 
to 1)0 awavclod at a meeting, at riymoutli, in June 
next. Chickens, of course, must bo of the current year; 
and what witli the present severity of the weatlier, and 
the early period of the exhibition, the judges will have 
lull room for speculation as to what the young birds 
will eventually turn out, when they behold them in the 
infant state in Juno. Wo do not say that matters 
could have been otherwise arranged, but simply allude 
to it as one of the many drawbacks of summer poultry 
shows. Tlieso chickens of 1853, which will bo, at the 
most, some twelve or fifteen weeks old, are, wo see, 
dignified by the reverend title of “ cochs and hens.” 
The elasses for Slianghaes being limited to “cimiamon 
and huff” and ‘'dark” — “uddte" wo must understand to 
be excluded. We must, too, utter some little remon¬ 
strance on behalf of the ''gold and silver-spangled Ham- 
hurghs,” which are also proscribed; while for the class 
"for any other distinct breed,” wo have in exchange one 
for “ silks ”—hardly, we think, an improvement. 
“ Hybrids ” are to be honoured; but their class is so 
placed under the general heading "Polands” that any 
one deriving bis information from the prize-list must be 
led to infer that “ hybrid Poles” alone are admissable. 
We sliall be curious for the appearance of these highly- 
favoured top-knots. 
But the question of the admission of hybrids at all 
is one of great doubt; and Birmingham, a good au¬ 
thority, has, as we think, justly excluded them. W’^e 
should be glad, however, if we are called upon to notice 
better results from the stimulus thus given than have 
ever rewarded the careful and scientific experiments of 
many of our friends, as to the advantages to be gained 
in cross-breeding fowls. We regret observing that some 
of the best pigeons are altogether omitted. 
The system of post-entiy, so fruitful a source of dissa¬ 
tisfaction at meetings of another description is here in¬ 
troduced. We shall be glad to learn what object the 
committee hope to serve by it. The rules, especially 
with regard to entries, are not quite so clear as we could 
wish, nor do we undei’Stand the principle on which these 
entries are to be made. This, it seems, has already been 
noticed, and to one of our friends who sought for in¬ 
formation, the following letter has been addressed by the 
honorary secretary at Plymouth :— 
“ Plymouth, 21st Feb., 1853. 
“ Sir,—Your other questions will be best answered by 
my observing that our conditions and regulations are to 
be interpreted literally; that the list of prizes, as it 
stands, is complete, and that it is not intended to add 
to, or diminish from it in any particular whatever. 
“ An exhibitor can obtain a prize in accordance with 
his entry only. If he enter, say cock and two hens, for a 
first prize, he cannot obtain a second or third ivith the 
same fowls. If the entry be for a second prize, he can¬ 
not obtain a first or a third; and so with an entry for a 
third, the exhibitor on entering cannot obtain a first or 
a second prize. (Signed) Jajies Mulleny, Hon. Sec. 
“ Mr. W. C. Pennington, Penzance.” 
When any society deviates, for the first time, from the 
course hitherto taken by other associations established 
for similar purposes, the public may fairly ask for what | 
object certain unusual arrangements have been effected. I 
Just so in the present case. Birmingham, with the ' 
Metropolitan and our other Poultry societies, adopted | 
and acted on the usual system for making the different ' 
entries of stock for exhibition, leaving it to the merits ; 
of each pen to determine whether a first, second, or i 
third prize should bo assigned to it, or whether it should ‘ 
remain unnoticed. The secretary’s explanation of the 
regulations presents some very novel features, the rea¬ 
sons for which we must confess ourselves as yet unable 
to appreciate. We shall hope, therefore, to be enlight¬ 
ened on these points, and are the more disposed to ask 
for this information, as such revolutions on the part of 
so influential a body as this society nmst have an im¬ 
portant bearing on otlicr similar institutions. W. ! 
COVENT GARDEN. 
Some time ago w’e had occasion to remark on the 
unsatisfactory state of the meterage of the market, and 
to expose what cannot bo called by any other milder 
term than the fraud which is practised on purchasers by 
the irregular measures which are employed in the sale 
of fruits and other productions. We have, for some 
time, intended to prepare a statement of these for the 
benefit of those who may not be acquainted with the 
subject. To many our reports must have appeared 
unintelligible, from the strange names of the measures 
quoted; but we shall now, and on future occasions 
notice some of these, until we have overtaken the wliole. 
The Bushel. —This is, in its integrity, an imperial 
bushel; but wirat it is as used in the Garden would 
puzzle all the meters in London; it is something like 
the quart wine-bottle—a bushel only in name ; for what 
with the tremendous “kick” in the bottom, and the 
stratum of straw over it, the Coveut Garden bushel 
rarely ever contains more than three pecks. This is 
not, however, the fault of the bushel, but that of the 
inspectors of weights and measures, whose duty it surely 
is to take proper cognizance of these matters. 
Tire next smaller measure of capacity is— 
The Sieve. —This, like the bushel basket, is made of 
wicker-work, and should contain about the same quan¬ 
tity as halfa-bushel, or 1044 cubic inches. I 
The Half-Sieve is the'next in size smaller, and 
contains 822 cubic inches, or about the capacity of a 
peck. This also is made of wicker-work. There is also 
The Quarter-Sieve, which contains about one 
gallon. 
Besides these there are smaller measures called Pun- I 
NETS, which are constructed of thin strips of deal, and 
plashed in the same way as wicker-work. They are of 
four sizes. 
The Large Punnet contains 248 cubic inches, or 
five pints-and-a-half. 
The Second Punnet contains 228 cubic inches, or i 
about a pottle. 
