220 
TIIE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 23. 
hay. So difficult is it to dry hay after having been 
exposed to wet weather, that I make it a general rule 
never to cart to the stack on the same day it has re¬ 
ceived rain. It is often asserted by farmers, that the 
hay is better for being heated in the stack, but this does 
not accord with the fact, for the most that can be said 
is, that it comes out of stack more compact, and is less 
wasteful. 
I am of opinion, that it always loses a portion of nu- I 
trition if the stack is heated sufficient to change the 
colour of the hay; for the best and most nutritious 
hay I liavo ever consumed by stock has been as bright 
and green as when lirst put together. 
This matter, however, may be easily decided by 
chemical analysis; and I hope, at an early period, to 
have this point settled by scientific enquiry. 
In conclusion, it must be considered necessary to 
make the ricks of such size and shape as will be likely 
to secure the greatest portion of hay from damage, by 
excessive fermentation and exposure to the weather on 
the outside. Large ricks are objectionable, unless the 
hay is overmade, or has taken rain, in which case it is 
a good plan, if available, to introduce a few loads of hay 
only partially made into the stack. Hay can always be 
carted a day earlier into moderate-sized ricks, containing 
about fifteen tons. Small ricks of six to ten tons are 
best made round, as in some of the Midland districts! 
having less outside appertaining to them. 
If circumstances occur likely to produce excess of 
heat in the stack, a hole, or chimney, in the centre of 
the stack, should be made by drawing a sack stuffed with 
straw up the middle whilst making: this will allow the 
heat to escape. Joseph Blundell. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
Bath and West oe England Poultry Exhibition.— 
“Plymouth weather” is proverbial, and its usual rainy 
character was fully maintained on the Oth, 10th, and 11th of 
the present month, the days on which the annual meeting 
of the Bath and West of England Agricultural Society took 
place. 
It will be remembered, that at the Exhibition of this 
Society at Taunton, in 1852, poultry was first allowed ad¬ 
mission ; a few pens only were then brought into competi¬ 
tion, and many members of the Society were strongly 
disinclined to regard them with any favourable eye. The 
results of the past year, however, especially the interest 
evidenced by the Loyal Agricultural Society, encouraged 
those who felt that the time had now come when poultry 
might be fairly classed as an important item of agricultural i 
stock. But still there were many impediments in their way, i 
and we fully believe that had it not been for the continued 
zeal and activity of Jonathan Gray, Esq., who undertook ! 
not merely the management, but also the pecuniary respon- 
sibility of this portion of the Exhibition, the Plymouth 
Poultry Show would never have been carried out. 
Mr. Gray’s arrangements were admirable, and the comfort 
of the birds, and the convenience of the spectators, were 
equally consulted. Two large tents contained upwards of 
three hundred pens, but very few of which had the unwel¬ 
come ticket “ not arrived ” attached to them. These pens 
were of a far more substantial character than any we have 
before seen, and several improvements were deserving of 
general application. The first, for instance, was so placed 
in a groove as to slide upwards, and when down each was 
secured by a padlock, by no means, we imagine, an unne¬ 
cessary precaution; the only alteration we should suggest 
would be having those intended for the elder Slianghaes 
higher, as in several instances their combs touched the 
top, and any injury to that sensitive part is attended with 
great risk. 
The list commenced with Dorkings, where the victories 
recently achieved by Captain Hornby were once more re¬ 
peated, though No. 1 at Cheltenham became No. 2 at 
Plymouth. No. !), belonging to Miss Wilcox, had many 
points of merit, but, excepting the three winners, we must 
not speak of this class in any higher terms than as a fair 
lot. Dorking Chickens, however, were very good, and here 
again success attended the Knowsley Yard. 
Spanish, as might have been anticipated, appeared on the 
prize-list with both first and second places attached to 
Captain Hornby’s name ; those that followed, belonging to 
Mr. Head, came, we should imagine, from the same stock ; 
and the commended birds of Miss Goodenough had much 
to recommend them. Exhibitors should fully understand 
the extreme importance, in the eyes of a judge, of the per¬ 
fect development of the white face, the peculiar charac- 1 
teristic of the Spanish breed. Wherever this is stained, 
or imperfect in form, no other points can atone for the 
deficiency. Spanish chickens had no good pen. 
When we came to Slianghaes, and found ourselves unable 
to speak so highly of them generally, as we did of this same 
class at Cheltenham, the many advantages enjoyed by the 
latter town, from its central position, should be duly taken 
into consideration. Mr. Cattell won the first prize with a 
pen including his large cock, a bird that, six weeks since, 
weighed upwards of 14 lbs.; next came Mr. Potts, with some 
well-shaped fowls; while the third place was held by Mr. 
Bawson. There were, also, several commendations, one of 
which distinguished a pen of Mr. H. E. Gurney, of Lombard- 
street, containing a cock of remarkable merit. Breeders 
must carefully consider colour in the selection of their 
stock; there are too many birds now shown of a washy, 
dingy, drab, far removed from the bright, clear, buff, that 
forms so beautiful a feature in the best strains of Shanghae 
stock. In the same way, dark hackle on a light body-colour 
strikes us as objectionable; violent contrasts, in short, do 
not become this breed, and the general tone of their fea¬ 
thering should certainly be uniform. Shanghae chickens, 
in the buff and cinnamon division, were deservedly praised. 
Besides the prize birds, Mr. Cyrus Clark and Mr. James 
Cattell exhibited pens of great promise. The “ dark ” 
Slianghaes, old and young, we can say but little of; they 
wanted brilliancy of feather, and were shown in poor condi¬ 
tion ; nor had due care been taken in their selection, since, 
in more than one instance, cinnamon cocks were shown 
with partridge hens. 
Game was an excellent collection. Black-breasted Beds 
carried off the two first prizes, while the third was allotted 
to a pen of Duckvvings—excellent specimens of feathering. 
The point, however, on which we should be most disposed 
to criticise, would be the absence of sufficient power in the 
leg: the shank of a Game-fowl should be both long and 
strong ; and, in this respect, the birds that took the second 
prize were admirably formed. We have spoken in praise of 
this class generally, certain exceptions, however, must 
be taken where the birds evidenced manifest traces of 
Malay blood; while, again, in the Malay class, the same 
indications of an admixture of Game blood were discern- 
able. The Malays, however, were bad specimens. 
In speaking of Hambitrglis, we must pronounce the 
Golden-pencilled to be a far better lot than the Silver; the 
latter, indeed, were deservedly rejected by the judges for 
any first prize. Any village in Lancashire, or Yorkshire, 
could have produced birds of infinitely higher character for 
eighteen-pence or two shillings apiece. 
The Polands , both Gold and Silver, were good; not so 
the White-crested Blacks, on whom we think the honour of 
a first prize was ill-bestowed; they were faulty in many 
respects. By the way, since pruning in Shangliae’s tails 
had been deservedly objected to, the reduction of Polish 
combs strike us as equally contrary to the principles on 
which poultry should be placed in competition. 
Hybrids were pronounced as not of sufficient merit to 
receive any prize; and in this judgment we most heartily 
concur; the propriety, indeed, of offering any prize for 
mongrels is, to us, questionable; but, if shown, the parent- 
