June 19. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
207 
handing over a contribution of ,£1,000 to the fund for the 
relief of the widows and orphans of British soldiers who 
have lost their lives in the existing Russo-Turkish war, 
placed at the disposal of the Council of the Agricultural 
Society more than £450. The Show at Tiverton, on the 
Gth, 7th, and 8th instant, was of a character calculated to 
extend the reputation of its predecessors. The entries were 
not so numerous as they were at Bath, but, nevertheless, 
amounted to 354. The birds were shown in the excellent 
pens of the Society, which are roomy, lofty, square wood 
pens, with fronts of perpendicular bars. The pens were 
arranged in four rows in two light tents, the longest 
210 feet long 37 feet wide, and the other GO feet long 
and 38 feet wide. All the larger classes were in the first, 
and Bantams and Pigeons in the last-mentioned tent. 
On this occasion, Mr. Gray having, at the request of 
the Council, undertaken to provide the Society with 
permanent shedding adapted for exhibitions of live stock, 
poultry, implements, Ac., and having erected a tent on 
a novel plan, which he lias brought under the notice of 
the War and Ordnance Departments of the Government, 
as adapted for a campaigning army, the Poultry Show had 
only that energetic gentleman’s occasional attention. The 
arrangements, however, were admirably carried out by the 
Directors, Samuel Pitman, Esq., T. Coulson Sanders, Esq., 
and J. E. Knollys, Esq., and Mr. John Kingsbury, of Taun¬ 
ton, the Hon. Secretary. Most of the classes of large fowls 
were well represented, and many pens of really first-rate 
birds. This remark applies more particulary to the Spanish, 
the Game, and the dark-coloured Cochin-Chinas. The whole 
of the Hamburgh classes mustered very strong in numbers, 
and of good quality. The least satisfactory part of the Show 
was the Pigeons. There were a large number of birds sent, 
but not many up to the high standard of excellence now 
looked for in exhibition birds. 
We observed in several of the pens diseased Birds. It is 
impossible for tbe managers of an Exhibition of this sort, 
in placing the birds in the pens with the expedition that 
circumstances make necessary, to detect every diseased bird; 
but when observed, the pens to which they belong ought to 
be removed from tbe Exhibition, and the exhibitors disqua¬ 
lified from receiving any prize. If this were made a rule, 
many persons would be more careful than they seem 
to be in selecting birds for show. The judges must have 
had a difficult task to award the prizes in the Hamburgh 
Classes, from the extraordinary number of good pens exhi¬ 
bited. The best pen in the Golden Spangled Class, belong¬ 
ing to Mr. Plugo, of Exeter, was marked for sale at only 
£2 2, and was, of course, claimed on Wednesday morning; 
the fortunate buyer being F. Hicks, Esq., of Mount Plym, 
Plymouth. The first-prize pen in the Grey Game Class, 
which included a really splendid cock, superior to the hens, 
in shape and colour, were claimed at £10 10. Several other 
pens changed hands. 
Another authority writes to us as follows :— 
“ This meeting lias proved itself a most successful one; 
the competition in the classes generally was without pre¬ 
cedent ; consequently, the premiums were pretty evenly 
distributed among most of the principal poultry amateurs 
of the United Kingdom. The much-coveted principal prize, 
a valuable Silver Cup, for the best collection, after a close 
rivalship, was borne away by G. Atkins, Esq., of Birming¬ 
ham, whose poultry w 7 ere in the highest possible condition— 
a feature that in cases of equality undeviatingly tends to the 
advantage of their owner, and, therefore, should ever form 
one of the most desired aims of exhibitors generally; whilst 
it is one that but too frequently is altogether lost sight of 
where large numbers of poultry are confined to a somewhat 
limited space. The exhibition contained somewhat more 
than 350 pens; these were, however, as a whole, far beyond 
mediocrity; the entrance money, being five shillings per pen, 
would most probably tend strongly to produce this effect, 
and the almost total absence of indifferent specimens was 
tbe constant theme of congratulation among those most 
calculated to form correct opinions in such matters. Hence 
the difficulties to the judges, Mr. John Baily, of London, 
and Mr. Edward Hewitt, of Birmingham, in awarding the 
premiums, were unusually severe ; and one of those gentle¬ 
men was heard to remark, “ The trial was not confined to the 
selection of the best pen alone, but also where to find an in¬ 
different one.” 
The Spanish were very good, the first-prize birds not 
only being excellent in character, but also of superior 
size to most of our exhibition-birds of this variety; and 
when we state, that nearly all our principal breeders 
competed, our readers will perceive the rivalry that pre¬ 
vailed adds much to the honours of success. The 
Dorkings were fowls of great merit; and the prize chickens 
the forwardest we have yet seen of the present year, some 
of the larger ones weighing upwards of five pounds each. 
The White Dorkings were also very well represented. The 
Buff Cochins (adults) did not show to advantage, many 
having commenced their annual moult; still they contained 
many highly creditable specimens. In the Chicken Class, 
two different pens of otherwise excellent birds were very 
properly disqualified, from their owners (contrary to regula¬ 
tions) placing more than a single male bird in each pen. 
The Partridge-coloured Cochins were the best by far we 
remember to have seen. Here the Bev. G. F. Hodson, of 
North Petherton, Somerset, monopolized both first-prizes, 
in adults, and also chicken, with pens very carefully 
selected; the condition, too, all that could be desired. In 
this class we were much gratified to find the entries, so 
numerous as they are, naturally, a most useful and also 
hardy variety. The White Cochins contained some most 
extraordinarily well-developed specimens, but the presence 
of green legs proved a fatal obstacle to the success of several 
pens, otherwise in the highest degree meritorious—a failing 
that exhibitors should always carefully avoid, and which, 
though unfortunately common, cannot be too strongly repu¬ 
diated. The Bramah class was not well supported, either as 
to quality or condition. The Game, contrariwise, were most 
excellent in all known varieties, and were much admired by 
tbe public generally. In Pen 95, which were “ highly com¬ 
mended,” we noticed a most superior male bird; but, 
unhappily, this pen’s chances of success was much lessened 
by the presence of that very objectionable disease, called 
“cankers;” and which, by a little care on the part of 
owners, may be so easily prevented. The first-prize Duck- 
wings were superlatively beautiful, and undoubtedly one of 
the most ably selected in the whole exhibition. The 
Malays were unusually good, many very superior pens con¬ 
tested ; and we can state with confidence, that so good a col¬ 
lection as a whole never before were exhibited at any of our 
public Poultry Shows. The Hamburgh classes were well 
repi-esented in all their varieties ; the almost total absence 
of “ lien-tailed” cocks was remarkable ; and the “ moonings ” 
of several of the Golden Spangled pens were perfection. The 
Polands presented the weakest point in the whole Exhibition, 
if we except a pen or two of white-crested ones. Perhaps 
. it would be difficult to assign a reason for so manifest a 
deterioration from those exhibited at the meeting of this 
society last year. The Extra Class was rich in unusual 
varieties; among them were some excellent specimens of 
Eangoons, Bumpless, Ptarmigan, Cuckoo-coloured Cochin- 
Chinas, and Black Hamburgh Fowls. The Bantams were 
not worthy of especial notice; the Aylesbury Ducks, on the 
contrary, have, perhaps, never been excelled—eight pounds 
each bird being the average weight of several of the rival 
specimens. The Rouens appear, in the present day, more 
difficult to procure. Here were no first-rate birds, though it 
is a well-ascertained fact, this variety of ducks are the most 
profit-producing of all the tribe, being, when purely bred, 
pre-eminent for early maturity, great size, and piquancy of 
flavour. The Turkics were marvellous examples of what 
excellence is attainable by care and attention, when not 
misapplied, though so late in the breeding season naturally 
would tell fearfully against such a result. Tbe three birds 
(a cock and two hens) were in weight upwards of fifty-five 
pounds !—perhaps they have not ever been excelled, more 
especially as regards tbe truly gigantic size of the females. 
All the Pigeons mustered in abundance, and proved excel¬ 
lent in character. The competition was here universal, and 
tbe whole received the highest approbation of the Judges. 
“The town of Tiverton on this occasion piesented an un¬ 
usual scene of gaiety and attractiveness, many hundreds of 
large Firs from the neighbouring woods being temporarily 
planted along each of the principal streets, whilst garlands 
of evergreens and flowers of all kinds were festooned across 
