THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
176 
ably permit their bearing a common designation; while 
the sub-divisions of each arc neither more or less than 
we should expect to meet with in any similar family of 
domestic fowls. The Golden-spangled form the class 
where discussion has been most rife, and specific dis¬ 
tinctions have been claimed for the several birds there 
usually brought together. This claim, however, in our 
opinion, is not to be sustained; for whether a bird has 
the spangle round, or in the form of a horse-shoe, or 
whether the cocks should be hen-feathered or otherwise, 
are points which in no way remove them from their 
present position in a common class. 
Both as regards the specific name, as also with re¬ 
ference to the several sub-divisions of their race, the 
“ Hamburghs,” we repeat, have been well arranged in 
the Birmingham schedule. This classification we 
believe to be the best, so far, at least, as our present 
knowledge goes; and its opponents assuredly have 
shown no cause to lead us to suppose that any better 
can as yet be suggested. At any rate, it lias the further 
advantage, and that by no means an inconsiderable 
one, of meeting with acquiescence from the great body 
of English poultry-keepers and exhibitors. The same 
objections that have been raised on the ground of geo¬ 
graphical inaccuracy apply equally to some of the 
substitutions that have been proposed, while confusion 
worse confounded would be the sure consequent of legal¬ 
ising the admission of the many synonymes now 
locally employed. 
What has now been said lays no claim to be con¬ 
sidered as an elaborate summing up of the various 
special pleadings on either side, but may be considered 
as representing a fair, though brief, deduction from 
wliat has been alleged both pro and con. 
A gentleman well known as one of our most ex¬ 
perienced fanciers has long objected to the term 
“ Polish,” as commonly applied to the tufted birds 
shown in the classes so termed. With due deference, 
however, to an opinion in every way entitled to respect, 
we venture to believe that no chauge in this designation 
will be for the better, either as regards accuracy of 
nomenclature, or the facility of general comprehension. 
“St. «Tago,” “ Bearded Hamburghs,” and “Paduan’’ 
fowls, so far from aiding our enquiry, seem hopelessly 
to complicate the question, and, geographically con¬ 
sidered, rest on no more plausible reasoning than the 
designation complained of, which is sanctioned by 
common use, uncontradicted by fact, and fully meets 
our object in specific classification. 
Here, as in the case of “ Hamburghs,” we argue from 
the data in our possession, and, while recognising their 
imperfections and uncertainty, would maintain that no 
good cause has yet been shown for departure from the 
common practice, however possible it may be, that cir¬ 
cumstances may be brought to light that might mate¬ 
rially influence our judgment on both these questions. 
The crested fowls not included under the term 
“ Polish ” (“ Poland” being grammatically incorrect), are 
properly limited to the “ Ptarmigan,” and the newly- 
introduced “Fowls of the Sultan.” Of these, the 
June 12. 
former, we imagine, are simply inferior specimens of 
the samo original variety, from which the latter have 
been produced. The “ Lark-crested ” fowl, it need 
hardly be observed, has no specific distinction. A freak 
of nature, or some infusion of Polish blood, accounting 
for its origin. 
“Hamburghs” and “Polish,” then, appear to us as 
terms by which, according to the Birmingham schedule, 
certain classes of fowls are properly defined, and sug¬ 
gested alterations from this practice have no apparent 
justification from any of those sources on which their 
promoters rely. 
Such of our readers as took an interest in the “ Poultry 
Book,” will be gratified by knowing that a Supple¬ 
mentary part is in the press, containing figures, by 
Harrison Weir, of the Spangled Hamburghs, Dorking, 
and other fowls, which could not be included in the 
original work. The letter press consists of much 
new and valuable information which has reached the 
Editors since the work was published. As only a small 
number of the Supplement will be printed beyond the 
requirements for actual subscribers, we recommend an 
early application to Messrs. Orr and Co., the Publishers. 
HORTICULTURAL FETE AT THE CRYSTAL 
PALACE.— June 2. 
The first show of plants, flowers, and fruit, at the 
Crystal Palace, on the 2nd inst., went off most trium¬ 
phantly. The day was mild and calm, the sun was 
bright enough, without that heat and glare which soon 
fatigue a crowd, and take the freshness off the flowers 
before they are half seen. We had a steady rain, all 
day, round London, from the south-west, on the last 
day of the coldest May in the calendar. June opened 
fair and lowery, with a mild breeze, and on the 2nd, the 
roads, the grass, the trees, and the whole face of the 
country looked comfortable and refreshing. Just such 
a day as one would choose for “ going out.” There was 
a state ball at Buckingham Palace the night before, and 
the Queen was too much fatigued to go to the show, but 
Prince Albert was there, and looked as fresh as when he 
left Balmoral, and evidently enjoyed a quiet private 
chit chat about flowers with Sir Joseph Paxton. There 
were no more in the party ;—the gentlemen of the Court 
walk behind on these occasions, and the “two Princes” 
had it all to themselves: but if you heard them talk, 
and did not know to the contrary, you might have mis¬ 
taken them for two of the judges for the day; and if I 
had thrown the die for one of the thirty guinea medals, 
I would make no objections to their being “ officially 
engaged ” on the merits of the entries for the higher 
stakes. 
I happened to know all the Judges; for though now on 
the woolsack myself, I have been fifteen years on the 
bench, and I am sure I could not make a better selection. 
I am equally certain, that our proud position, as a 
nation of gardeners, is as much owing to the firmness 
and practical decisions of such judges, as to the loads 
of gold and silver medals which they have awarded for 
the last twenty years. 
The first thing which a reporter for a show should do, 
whether it be of plants or bullocks, or “ machinery in 
motion,” is to take a rapid glance at the whole, all 
