THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
August ]4. 
356 
birds were withdrawn, insects would increase to such a 
degree that vegetation would be stopped, and the air would 
be choked with them. If birds be lessened in numbers 
unduly, the evil takes place to a proportionate amount. The 
balance is altered, and the law of reciprocity broken. 
Let the arrival of our migratory birds be withheld for only 
one summer, when insects multiply, and the pages of The 
Cottage Gardener would teem with accounts of the dis¬ 
astrous results. But the consumption of insects is not the 
only service which birds render us ; they devour the seeds 
of wild plants which would otherwise spread to our discom¬ 
fort and the detriment of vegetation. 
The subject, if fairly and dispassionately viewed, and espe¬ 
cially in reference to the design of a beneficent Creator, so 
far from exciting our reprobation, ought to call forth our 
admiration, gratitude and love.—S. P., Rushmcre. 
P.S.—Happening a short time since to be in company 
with a few gentlemen, one of them made a slightly disparag¬ 
ing remark on the weather; he was corrected by another, 
I and acknowledged his error. “ I ought to have known better,” 
i he said, “for I was once travelling in the West of England, 
! alone in a post-chaise, and had leisure to look about me, 
when my attention was caught by the fields of wheat, nearly 
ripe, which for a great extent lay flat upon the ground, and 
appeared destroyed; a few ears only remained standing. 
So heavy a loss led me to question the doctrine of a parti¬ 
cular Providence. I passed on, however; completed my 
visit, and was returning a fortnight later, when I could not 
resist the temptation to get out of the carriage and examine 
the phenomenon more closely, particularly as a blight had 
attacked the crops in my absence. To my astonishment, I 
found that the prostrate ears had nearly recovered their 
erect position—that they were sound and good, whilst the 
few ears which had been left standing were black and 
destroyed. Thus, what I, in my short-sightedness, had been 
inclined to regard as a public calamity, was a benevolent act 
of Providence for its prevention.” 
Class 4.— Dorking Chicken of 1855.—22. First prize, Mr. Wm. 
Saunders, Egypt House, Cowes. (Silver Grey.) 24. Second prize, Mr. 
Wm. Saunders, Egypt House, Cowes. (Silver Grey.) Highly Com¬ 
mended.—23. Mr. Wm. Saunders, Egypt House, Cowes. (Silver Grey.) 
Class 5.— Dorkings (White).—28. First prize, Mr. N. Antill, 
Portsea, Hants. 29 . Second prize, Mr. G. Kay, Ivy Cottage, Munsteed, 
Hants. 
Class 6.— Dorkings (White).—Chicken of 1855.—31. First prize, 
Mr. Charles Dain, Southampton. 32. Second prize, Miss Fleming, 
Binstead. 
Class 7-— CocuiN-CniNA (Coloured).—34. First prize, Mr. R. Griggs, 
Dibden, near Southampton. 35. Second prize, J. Vaux, Esq., Barfield 
Lodge, Ryde. 
Class 8.— Cochin-China (Coloured).—Chicken of 1855.—40. First 
prize, Mr. J. W. Kelleway, Ryde. 44. Second prize, Mr. P. Jones, 
Fulhatn; Highly Commended.—43. Lord de Blaquiere, Woodlands, 
Hants. (A meritorious class.) 
Class 9.— Cochin-China (White and Black).—46. First prize, Mr. 
N. Antill, Portsea, Hants. 4/. Second prize, Mr. Wm. Saunders, 
Egypt House, Cowes. 
Class 10.— Cochin-China (White and Black).—Chicken of 1855.— 
49. First prize, Mr. Wm. Saunders, Egypt House, Cowes. 48. Second 
prize, J. R. Rodbard, Esq., Bristol. (White.) (Cock prize, No. 48, 
J. R. Rodbard, Esq.) 
Class 11.— Game Fowl (Reds).—53. First prize,_.T. P. Mew, Esq., 
Cowes. 51. Second prize, J. R. Rodbard, Esq., Bristol. |(Cock prize, 
No. 53, T. P. Mew, Esq.) 
Class 12.— Game Fowl (Reds).—Chicken of 1855.— 57 . First prize> 
T. P. Mew, Esq., Cowes. 54. Second prize, J. R. Rodbard, Esq., 
Bristol. 
Class 13.— Game Fowl (Duckwing).— 59 . First prize, T. P. Mew, 
Esq., Cowes. 58. Second prize, J. R. Rodbard, Esq., Biistol. 
Class 14.— Game Fowl (Duckwings).—Chicken of 1855.-63. First 
prize, T. P. Mew, Esq., Coives. 62. Second prize, J. R. Rodbard, Esq., 
Bristol. Cock Highly Commended.—61. Mr. J. Downer, Brixton. 
Class 15.— Game Fowl (White and Piles).—65. First prize, T. P. 
Mew, Esq., Cowes. (Piles.) 66. Second prize, T. P. Mew, Esq., 
Cowes. (Piles.) 
Class 17 .— Golden-pencilled Hambcrgu. —7L First prize, T. P. 
Mew, Esq., Cowes. 70- Second prize, T. P. Mew, Esq., Cowes. (Cock 
prize, No. 71. T. P. Mew, Esq.) 
Class 18.— Golden-spangled Hamburgh.—73. First prize, Mr. 
I 
ISLE OF WIGHT POULTRY EXHIBITION. 
I 
This was held on the 7th and 8tli instant, in a tent 
erected in a grass field near Ryde, or rather about half-a- 
mile from that town. It was a hazardous locality, for if the 
weather had been unpropitious the receipts from visitors 
would have been very limited. On the second day, a Poultry 
auction was held in another tent erected in the same field. 
We have not heard the results of that sale, but judging of 
the probable biddings from the quality of the fowls collected 
there as an extra stock for sale, we think the prices cannot | 
have been such as to induce a renewal of this mode of 
vending. It has failed, generally, wherever attempted. 
The number of pens was small, only 130, and with the 
exception in the Coloured Dorkings and Coloured Shanghae 
Chicken classes, there was little competition. In many 
classes there were only two pens, and in some of the classes 
all the pens belonged to one exhibitor! The old Coloured 
Dorkings were generally good, as were the Coloured Shanghae 
chicken, but we doubt much if one of the alleged pullets in 
the second-prize pen had not fully attained to henhood. 
The Aylesbury Ducks were generally very tine birds, and the 
first prize would probably have gone to another pen than it I 
did if the bills of the birds had even approached the re¬ 
quisite colour. Great attention was paid to the feeding of 
the birds, and very great credit is due to the gentlemen of 
the Committee for their exertions. j 
The judges were Dir. J. Baily, Mount-street, London, and 1 
H. Hinxman, Esq., Dumford House. 
The following is their award of prizes :— 
Class I.— Spanish.—6. First prize, W. Plummer, Esq., Bristol. 3. 1 
Second prize, Mr. W. Saunders, Egypt House, Cowes. Highly Com- I 
mended.—5. P. P. Cother, Esq., Salisbury. Commended.— 1 , Mr. G. 
W. Locke, Newport. (Cock prize, No. 6 , Mr. Plummer.) 
Class 2.—Spanish Chicken, 1855.—14. First prize, W. Plummer, 
Esq., Bristol. 11. Second prize, Mr. G. W. Locke, Newport. 
Class 3.— Dorkings (Coloured).—16. First prize, W. A. Warwick, 
Colchester, Essex. 17 . Second prize, John Vaux, Esq., Bar 6 eld Lodge, 
Hyde. Highly Commended.— 19 . Mr. Wm. Saunders, Egvpt House, 
Cowes. (Coloured.) Commended.— 20 . Mr. Wm. Saunders, Egypt 
House, Cowes. (Coloured.) 21 . Mr. Wm. Saunders, Egypt House, 
Cowes. (Silver Grey.) 
iwocrt ttiuucB, rarcnam. 
Class 19 .—SiLVER-rENClLLED Hamburgh,— 75. First prize, T. P. 
Mew, Esq., Cowes. 76 . Second prize, Mr. R. James, Fareliam. 
Class 20.— Silver-spangled Hamburgh. —78 Second prize, Lord 
de Blaquiere, Woodlands, Havant, Hants. 
Class 21.— Polands (Black with White Crests).—84. First prize, 
Mr. T. P. Edwards, Lyndhurst. 83. Second prize, Mr, T. P. Edwards, 
Lyndhurst. Commended.—81. Mr. Isaac Harvey, Newport. 
Class 22.— Golden Polands. —85. First prize, T. P. Mew, Esq., 
Cowes. 
Class 23.— Silver Polands.— 88. First prize, Mr. Parkins Jones> 
Fulham. 87. Second prize, Mr. T. P. Edwards, Lyndhurst. (Cock 
prize. No. 88, Mr. Parkins Jones.) 
Class 24.—Bantams (Gold and Silver-laced).— 91. First prize, Mr. 
Casteels Cooper, Guildford. (Silver.) 92. Second prize, Mr. Casteels 
Cooper, Guildford. (Gold.) 
Class 25. — Bantams (White).— 94. First prize, T. P. Mew, Esq., 
Cowes. 93. Second prize, T. P. Mew, Esq., Cowes. (Cock prize, No. 
94, T. P. Mew, Esq.) A meritorious class. 
Class 26 .— Bantams (Black and other varieties).—97- First prize, 
Mr. Wm. Saunders, Egypt House, Cowes. (Game.) 100. Second prize, 
T. P. Mew, Esq., Cowes. (Black.) Highly Commended. —101. T. P. 
Mew, Esq., Cowes. (A meritorious class.) 
Class 27.— Distinct Breed. —107. First prize, Lord de Blaquiere, 
Woodlands, Hants. (Cuckoo Cochin-China.) 104. Second prize, Mr. 
Wm. Saunders, Egypt House, Cowes. (Brahma Pootra ' 105. Cock 
prize, Mr. Wm. Saunders, Egypt House, Cowes. (Brahma Pootra, 
Pencilled.) Highly Commended. —108. Mr. Hervey Ickwell, Bury, Bed¬ 
fordshire. (Silk Fowls, from China.) 111. Mr. H. B. Higgs, South¬ 
ampton. (Black Ghoudooks. Imported.) 
Class 28. — Distinct Breed. —Chicken of 1855.—114. First prize, 
Mr. Wm. Saunders, Egypt House, Cowes. (Brahma Pootra.) 113. 
Second prize, Mr. Wm. Saunders, Egypt House, Cowes. (Brahma 
Pootra.) 
Class 29 .— Geese. — 117 . First prize, C. W. Estcourt, Esq., Newport. 
119 . Second prize, W. A. Warwick, Esq., Colchester. Commended.— 
121. Mr, T. P. Edwards, Lyndhurst. 
Class 30.— Ducks (Aylesbury).—122. First prize, Mr. J. W. Kelle¬ 
way, Ryde. 124. Second prize, Mr. T. P. Edwards, Lyndhurst. 
Class 31.— Ducks (Rouen and other varieties).— 126 . First prize, Mr. 
N. Antill, Portsea, Hants. 
Class 32.— Turkeys. —130. First prize, Mr. Wm. Saunders, Egypt 
House, Cowes. (Cambridge Greys.) 129 . Second prize, J. R. Rod¬ 
bard, Esq., Bristol. (Cambridge Greys.) 
A Piece of Plate, a Silver Cream Ewer, given by W. G. Ward, Esq., 
was awarded to Mr. Saunders, of Egypt House, Cowes, as the most 
successful Hants exhibitor. 
