September 22. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
489 
titled, and cannot be shown to have ; and being a perni¬ 
cious system of exaggeration, in common fairness to the 
readers of The Cottage Gardener, it should be exposed. 
Mr. Stainton, and others, used to say of these Grey 
Shanghaes, years ago, that they were fine birds, but a bad 
colour; and large birds, but the colour against them ; and 
yet we are now to believe it is a new breed just imported 
from America! —C. II. B. 
GOLDEN DROP WHEAT. 
In The Cottage Gardener, about twelve months ago, 
you recommended the “ Golden Drop ” variety as the best 
kind of wheat, and I have tried it in the same field this year, j 
side-by-side with the “ White Cheddam.” The seed for both 
was procured for me by a respectable tradesman, and I am 
satisfied it was good and genuine. 
The “ Golden Drop ” has produced a much heavier crop 
than the “White Cheddam,” which has not corned well; 
indeed, there are many failing and defective corns in every 
ear. Both were sown early in November. 
I shall grow the “ Golden Drop ” again; but as the bread 
from it is of a dark colour, and the “ White Cheddam ’’ seems 
to be a tender variety, I shall be greatly obliged by your 
recommending a hardy while wheat lor sowing the last week 
in October, or the first week in November. My ground is 
situated within one-aud-a half-mile of the sea, but sheltered 
from its winds; the soil, a light loam ; the subsoil, in some 
parts of the same field, sand; and, in others, gravel; but 
the upper soil has a tolerably good depth, say twelve or 
fourteen inches. It does not require draining. 
Syonica. 
SOME MINOR POULTRY SHOWS. 
North Lancashire Agricultural Society.—T he show 
of this Society took place at Blackburn, on the 2Gth of 
August. 
Class 7.—POULTRY.—Hatched previous to 1853. 
Best white, speckled, or grey Dorking (single comb), William Ellison, 
junior, Low Sizergh, Kendal. 
Best white, speckled, or grey Dorking (double comb), Captain Wynd- 
ham Hornby, Knowsley Cottage. 
Best Spanish, Captain Wyndham Hornby. Knowsley Cottage. 
Best Game, Captain Wyndham Hornby, Knowsley Cottage. 
Best Cochin-China , William Wanklyn, jun., Bury. 
Best Silver-pencilled Hamburgh. Daniel Parsons, Cuerden. 
Best Golden-spangled, Hamburgh, Jonathan Hague, Lower Darwen. 
Best Silver-spangled Hamburgh, Frederick Townley Parker, Astley 
Hall. 
Best Poland, William Binder, Whallcy. 
Best Bantams, Captain Windham Hornby, Knowsley Cottage. 
GEESE. 
Best Geese, Mrs. T. Townley Parker, Astley Hall. 
DUCKS. 
Best Aylesbury, Thomas Leigh, Blackburn. 
Best Ilouen, Thomas Leigh, Blackburn. 
Best of any other variety, Frederick Townley Parker, Astley Hall. 
TURKEY'S. 
Best Turkeys, Joseph Feilden, Witton Park. 
YOUNG POULTRY.—Hatched in 1853. 
Best three Goslings, Mrs. T. Townley Parker, Astley Hall. 
Best six Aylesbury Ducklings. Captain Wyndham Hornby, Knowsley 
Cottage. Those shown by the Rev. John Kitton, of Hutton, were highly 
commended. 
Best six Rouen Ducklings, Edward Alison, jun.. Park Hall, Chorley. 
Best six Ducklings of any other variety, William Henry Hornby, 
Blackburn. 
Best six Dorking Chickens (single comb), Daniel Parsons, Cuerden. 
Best six Dorking Chickens (double comb). Daniel Parsons, Cuerden. 
Best six Spanish Chickens, John Ambler, Preston. 
Best six Game Chickens, Edward Alison, jun., Park Hail. Chorley. 
Best six Cochin-China Chickens, Capt. Wyndham Hornby, Knowsley 
Cottage. Those shown by the Rev. J. Kitton, Hutton, were commended 
by the judges ; and those shown by Michael Carter, of Preston, were 
highly commended. 
Best six Chickens of any other variety, Edward Alison, jun., Park 
Hall. 
Badger Poultry Show. —Badger is the seat of Robert 
Cheney, Esq., near Bridgenorth, and the show took place 
on the 25th of August. 
It was held in two tents, one appropriated exclusively to 
amateur’s stock, the other to fowls exhibited by cottagers ; 
whilst in two other tents the Floral Society exhibited the 
results of their labours. 
It was, undoubtedly, a very creditable exhibition for a 
“ first attempt; ” and though no money prizes whatever 
were awarded to amateurs (the credit of winning a first, a 
second, or third prize, being the only inducement held out 
to contributors), the entries thus obtained were upwards of 
100 pens ; some having been forwarded from distant loca¬ 
lities. Although the day was the very reverse of propitious 
(for it rained incessantly, and in torrents), many hundreds 
of visitors attended, amongst whom were not a few ladies. 
The birds were exhibited in baskets, as at Cheltenham ; 
and a rather singular feature of this show was the total 
absence of diseased specimens. 
The most successful exhibitors were Mr. Thos. Smith, of 
Stapleford, and Edward Wm. Hnslewood, Esq., of Bridge- 
north, as between them they took sixteen prizes and two 
! commendations. In the old Cochin classes (as the season 
I of the year naturally predisposes), the worst of plumage 
; was “the order of the day; ” not so in Cochin chicks. In 
this class (2) there have rarely been exhibited a more me- 
j ritorious assemblage of competing pens. The first prize 
1 (pen 14, belonging to Wm. Latham, Esq., of Sandbach, 
Cheshire,) soon changed ownership, as did several other 
pens in this class. Where* so much real merit exists, it 
would he invidious to particularise. The whole class would 
have done credit to any exhibition. A pen of Silver Poland 
chicks (pen 7, prize first, class 13) were soon purchased, 
and were certainly one of the most promising lots in the 
whole show; if all goes on well, they will prove themselves 
dangerous competitors at some of our largest shows. The 
Bantams, as a whole, were evidently a very neglected variety. 
In the extra class (pen 7, Malays), were of the very best 
birds of their class; whilst the Egyptian and Canadian 
Geese, belonging to Robert Cheney, Esq. (the owner of the 
grounds on which the show was held), were exhibited in 
the most creditable condition. In the Ducks, the Aylesbury 
carried away all the laurels, the other varieties being very 
indifferently represented. 
The most interesting, and, perhaps, the best contested 
part of the exhibition, was in the “ cottagers’tent; ” here 
the display of “ Hamburghs, of any variety,” much ex¬ 
celled the general run of exhibitions ; the first, second, and 
third prizes, in class 20 (section 1), and again the third 
and fourth pens, in class 20 (section 2), and I must add, 
the Golden-spangled Hamburgh, in pen 2, cottagers’extra 
stock, and which obtained the pair of Cochin chicks, for 
“ best cock of any vai’iety shown," would have proved no 
disgrace to a Birmingham or a Metropolitan exhibition. 
The gift of live fancy poultry to cottagers, for prizes, 
seems a step in the right direction, and will, no doubt, 
eventually prove most beneficial to the lucky competitors ; 
whilst the birds shown on this occasion by them prove, 
distinctly, that a cottager can breed, and compete, too, in 
poultry lists, with his more favoured employer, and will 
stimulate the labouring class to still greater exertions. 
It would be well were the like class of prizes offered at 
our fully-established poultry exhibitions, and would prevent 
many a labourer from wasting his time and wages in the 
degrading haunts of a pot-house kitchen. 
j Wetherey Poultry Show. —This show (Sept. 9th) was 
considered superior to that of former years. The buff and 
white Cochins were very much admired. The Dorking and 
Spanish classes were much in advance of last year. 
Judges. —Jonathan Pickard, Bardsey; W. S. Gill, Boston 
Spa ; and T. T. Tipling, Boston Spa. 
Best two Geese and Gander, to J. Tomlinson, Cowthorpe, Wctherby; 
second, to Thomas Dunwell, Burnbridge, Harrogate. 
Best two Ducks and Drake, to John Burniston, Follifoot, Wetherby ; 
second, to Thomas Dunwell, Burnbridge, Harrogate. 
Best three Ducklings, to David Hume, Marton, Middlcsborough. 
Best two Turkey hens and cock, to Hon. Albert Stourton, AUerton 
Hall. 
Best three young Turkeys, to Thomas Groves, Plompton Hall. 
Best two Dorking hens and cock, to T. B. Stead, Leeds; second, to 
John Whincup, YValshford. 
Best two Malay hens and cock, to Thomas Cartledgc, Knaresborough ; 
second, to David Hume, Marton, Middlesborough. 
Best two Spanish hens and cock, to J. II. Smith, Skelton Grange, 
Y'ork; second, to Hon. A. Stourton, AUerton Hall. 
Best two Cochin-China hens and cock, to T. B. Stead, Leeds; second, 
to J. H. Smith, Skelton Grange, York. 
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