380 
would everywhere alter it for “The owner of the best col- I 
lection.” Although it is not so frequently met with as 
of old, yet it is not the less true, that prizes, although 
awarded, are not always deserved, and may be due more 
to the absence of good competitors, than the actual merits 
of the birds. If the cup is to be awarded according to the 
wording of the rule, and that runs as we have stated, a 
pen that wins “ spite of” its defects, weighs as much as 
another that is successful “because of” its merits. In 
fact, the office of judge, so far as the principal prize is 
concerned, becomes a simple sum of addition. 
Let us turn again to our objector. The meaning, he 
says, of this prize, is to induce numerous entries. We 
think this wrong both in principle and result. In 
principle, because we think from sixteen to twenty pens 
the greatest number one competitor should enter. We like 
to take the Birmingham Show for a model; they found 
it an evil; hence the rule acted upon last year, that no 
subscriber should enter more than four pens. We are 
told this is evaded; that the husband, wife, and two 
children, all subscribe, and thus sixteen pens are sent 
from one yard. Granted ; but this does not alter our 
position. Entered in different names, if the birds are 
sufficiently good, many prizes may go to one family, but 
the cup could be awarded to only one member, and for 
the birds entered in one name. We think it wrong in 
result, because, although you may induce one to send 
thirty pens, you discourage twenty who would send six 
pens each. It is always adverse to the best interests of 
an exhibition for one exhibitor to have an easy victory 
in many classes. Prizes should be sown broadcast over 
the length and breadth of the kingdom, and not dished 
in one lino. We would, therefore, everywhere offer 
our chief prize for the best collection of not less than 
four, five, or six pens, according to the probable extent 
of the show, and the number of entries likely to be 
made. We have had some experience of these matters, 
and have no desire to add to the already onerous duty 
of judging, but we think this decision may safely be 
left to those who, from the sifting to which they subject 
every class, obtain a knowledge of the merits of the 
prize birds which cannot be gained by any one else. As 
we have before stated, all first-prize birds are not equal 
in merit; and it cannot be fair for six pens of ordinary 
calibre to be rewarded in preference to four of unusual 
excellence. 
Seeing the statement recently put forth by Callus, 
about the sex of his Geese, claimed at the Liverpool 
Show, we cannot help repeating our advice to all Com¬ 
mittees, to put up, in the most conspicuous part of the 
building or grounds, a notice, stating that while they 
will do all in their power to please all parties, they will 
not hold themselves responsible for the sex of any pen 
purchased. It is the interest of every exhibitor to send 
birds answering all tho requirements of the class in 
which they compete. The judges act to the best of j 
their ability, and if a mistake occur, which will some- | 
times, we think the purchaser should not object to his I 
August 21. 
j share of an error which none intended, and which was 
beneficial to no one. 
EGG-STEALERS AT POULTRY SHOWS. 
I was very much displeased on reading the letter of “A 
Subscriber,” in The Poultry Chronicle for August 15th. 
He describes an instance of theft, which he saw, and neg¬ 
lected to report, and which, therefore, lays him open to the 
charge of having connived at it. He says, at Lincoln a man 
was appointed to look after all eggs laid by the poultry. I 
believe at all shows the men have all orders to look after the 
eggs. At Birmingham, the most complete show of all, this 
is the case; yet, notwithstanding, I saw several eggs that I 
could have taken, and none of the men be the wiser. “ Sub¬ 
scriber ” thinks a remedy might be found. That remedy 
lies with such as he, who see the theft committed, and do 
not report it. I consider such men quite as bad as the thief. 
And to mend the matter, he writes a letter in a public 
journal, laying the blame on committees, or rather, I should 
say, insinuating that the blame lies at their door. I deny 
that any blame lies with the committee. The public cannot 
expect them to have an eye on every pen at all times. The 
thing is preposterous. If men are intending to take eggs, they 
will, of course, have an eye on the officials, and if any other 
party detects a thief, it is his place to give the information at 
once. If he has not moral courage to do this, let him adopt 
a plan of summary punishment, as I did, before I became 
mixed up with poultry show management. I saw, at a 
poultry show, a man take an egg from a pen by hooking it 
out with his walking stick. I noticed the pocket he put it 
into; it was the outside one of a shooting-jacket. I got 
close to him, and felt the pocket, and found something like 
half-a-dozen eggs, and a pocket handkerchief. I smashed 
all the eggs, and then went to a distance to watch the result. 
Very soon he wanted his handkerchief, and put his hand 
in his pocket for it. You may imagine his consternation, 
and on his looking round he saw me laughing at him; he 
walked away crest-fallen. 
I hope the next time “A Subscriber” sees a theft he will 
give the thief into custody at once, and not complain that 
committees do not pay persons to detect thieves.— Hon. Sec. 
[This letter was written for The Poultry Chronicle; 
but since it was written the writer sees that the P. C. is 
transferred to The Cottage Gardener. As the subject is 
ono of importance to those interested, the writer forwards it 
to The Cottage Gardener.] 
VERTIGO IN POLAND CHICKEN. 
I have this season been paying more than usual attention 
to Polands, and have, consequently, reared a large number 
of chicken. As the result of my experience, I may state, 
that I have found the pure white not more delicate than 
fowls in general; but I have not been fortunate with my 
young Silver-spangled birds. One disease which affects 
Polands to a much greater degree than other varieties, and 
which is, doubtless, connected with the peculiar organization 
of the brain, is Vertigo. 
The bird affected twists the neck until tho crown of the 
head is on the ground, and the lower jaw is upwards; the 
muscular movements are irregular; the animal, in severe 
cases, moving backwards; there is also great difficulty in 
drinking; the head, on being raised, is carried so far back¬ 
wards as to cause the patient great inconvenience. 
The disease evidently depends on an undue determination 
of blood to the brain, and, unless speedily remedied, proves 
fatal; all those birds I have left unassisted have died ; 
whereas, those that I have taken in hand are all alive to 
testify to the success of the remedial measures employed. 
In severo cases, I bleed freely, by opening a vein in the 
under surface of the wing, causing the blood to How, by 
pressing on the vein at some place between the incision and 
j the body; the quantity of blood abstracted must depend on 
j the age of the fowl, and on the severity of tho case ; from half 
I a tea-spoonful, to four times that quantity, I have found suf- 
TIIE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
