THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, October 23, 1860. 
answers our purpose. To accomplish our wishes or desires to 
maintain any of these breeds in perfection, Are “ faute de mieux,” 
are obliged to get that nearest to our requirements; and we thus 
form our judgment from an impure source, or we are obliged 
to draw on probabilities and contingencies in order to arrive at 
a conclusion. It is worthy of note, that hybrids are not met 
with in a state of nature. The difference between certain breeds 
is hardly perceptible, yet we always find it naturally marked as 
distinctly as if they differed in everything. 
Another thing to note in a state of nature is, there is no 
degeneracy. Close observers will tell you, and records of weight 
will prove to you, the Wild Ducks, Widgeons, Swans, Hares, 
Rabbits, and Pheasants, are the same now as they were many 
years ago. They weigh the same, they are as prolific, and their 
plumage is as brilliant. 
We know there are places where we may be told Hares and 
Pheasants have increased in weight. We readily admit it; but 
. judicious management has only restored them to the size they 
should always have been, and to the properties they had lost by 
interbreeding. To prove more than this, Pheasants must be 
produced of an average weight of 5 lbs., and Hares of 12 lbs. 
We have no doubt of the purity and distinctness of every breed 
in nature; but even when at large, and living ‘ ferse naturae, 
there must be the introduction of new blood, but not a cross. 
This is an important phase of the question. As soon as the 
latter is adopted, we come either to the composite or hybrid. 
The first may be useful, as, for instance, in certain climates and 
on certain soils Dorkings may be made more profitable by a 
cross with Game or Brahma Pootra, or by fresh blood from a 
more trying or ungenial climate. The Dorking bred in the \ 
lower parts of Yorkshire, or in the damp parts of Lancashire, 1 
may be with equal purity a stronger and more robust bird than 
that reared in Sussex, just in the same way that in some parts 
of Europe, Spain for instance, the inhabitants of the north are, 
although derived from the same stock, a hardier and more 
vigorous race than those of the south. The introduction of 
fresh blood should be from a stock quite distinct; but too much 
care cannot be taken to secure purity. The produce of the cross 
between the Dorking and the Brahma will breed many birds that, 
so far as appearances are concerned, leave nothing to desire in 
that respect. Yet their progeny will show the cross plainly. 
Having stated the result that may be expected from a judicious, 
and, in some instances, a necessary cross, we may give an illus¬ 
tration of the effect of the introduction of fresh blood. We 
knew T a covert in the north of England where the Pheasants had 
been allowed to breed from the same stock till, in familiar 
language, they did not breed a young bird for an old one. We 
were consulted on the subject, and advised that a number 
of cocks should be procured from the eastern counties and 
turned down. Three years afterwards there was the best breed 
ever known for numbers, and the pale-headed, dull-plumaged, 
sickly birds were exchanged for those that cannot be seen or 
eaten without being admired. 
This was the result of the introduction of fresh blood, and the 
same may be carried out in any poultry-yard, illustrating the 
belief we entertain, but which is disputed by some, that each 
race is distinct. —B. 
SOUTHSEA POULTRY SHOW. 
We have received some complaints from exhibitors of Pigeons 
at this Show, complaining that their birds were delayed on their 
return, and some were consequently dead in their baskets. The 
result of inquiries we have felt bound to make has been that all 
the birds were despatched from the Show on the Saturday. We 
see many objections to sending them off on this day. It involves, 
in many instances, a delay of twenty-four hours. Railways do 
not deliver as punctually on Sundays as on other days. Many 
do not undertake to book or carry parcels on Sunday, except 
by mail train. There is, also, always more or less delay in the 
transit of baskets from one railway to another in London. It 
follows, then, that the secretary of a show in the west or south¬ 
west of England may strictly do his duty, and by an 8 a.m. 
morning train he may despatch every basket to the station. 
Grant, which is not always the case, that the Master [is able or 
willing to send them off at once, they reach London, at 12, and 
if they have to continue their journey to the eastern counties, 
they will probably reach Shoreditch in the afternoon. Either 
they must be forwarded by the mail train which does not call at 
every station—and if it does, they will probably lie at it till 
Monday bring s a return of traffic and delivery—or they must 
remain at the London terminus till then. In either case there | 
must be great loss of condition, if not death, and that without 
any fault on the part of the secretary. 
We, therefore, think it will be for the interest of shows, 
exhibitors, and secretaries, if arrangements are made which will 
enable birds to be despatched at latest on Friday. We cannot 
help adding that railways can well afford to take a little trouble 
in these matters. Poultry Shows pay them more money than 
they imagine. 
WORCESTER POULTRY EXHIBITION. 
I have read the report of this Meeting in TnE Cottage 
Gardener of the 16th inst., and it is certainly but an act of 
duty on my part as a visitor to add my personal acknowledge¬ 
ments of approval of the management throughout. 
The courtesy, attention, and general care bestowed by the 
Honorary Secretary, Mr. Griffiths, were untiring ; even although 
the pressure of correspondence during the period the Exhibition 
was open to the public view far surpassed that of the generality 
of local shows. It was evident that not a few poultry amateurs- 
were most anxious to secure for themselves, at the Worcester 
Meeting, specimens to make complete their own respective pens 
intended for competition at the fast-approaching important trials 
of Birmingham and the Crystal Palace: hence, no doubt, the 
great increase of applicants at Worcester as claimants, both by 
letter and also personally. There will be numbers of even our 
most highly reputed breeders that will this season find it a 
matter of no little difficulty to select from their own stocks 
perfectly icell-matclied chickens that are the produce of early 
broods. The severity of March, April, and May told fearfully 
on the first hatches; and it is admitted that most clutches of 
even a dozen at the onset dwindled down, in spite of every care,, 
to perhaps a fourth, or even a fifth, of that number diming the 
only time that the attempt to raise chickens for competition was 
worth making. The demand on every side for “a first-rate 
cockerel,” or a “ pullet or two to match one already in possession,” 
causes parties who happen to have been successful in rearing 
such isolated specimens the opportunity of realising amounts far 
beyond customary ones. The simple fact is, scarcely a single 
show now takes places in which numbers of pens are not claimed 
for the foregoing reasons. 
But to return more particularly to the Worcester collection. 
With Turner’s pens of Sheffield, and the advantages of a most 
commodious Music Hall in which to arrange them, a more satis¬ 
factory show has rarely been witnessed. Every one anticipated a 
hard race in the Game classes. None were disappointed. The 
Hon. W. W. Vernon may with truth be proud of as good a pen 
of Black-breasted Reds as could be desired. Mr. Archer’s pen, 
a very close second, were manifestly less perfect in the pullets. 
Although the Brown Reds of the Game were very excellent, still j 
they lacked much of the neatness that is always held to be most 
desirable in Game fowls. 
Mr. Chune’s Duckwing cockerel is without doubt the best ancl 
most forward chicken of the colour that has been shown this 
year. The Worcestershire Piles were capitally represented. It is 
high time, however, that- they should be carefully “ dubbed,” as 
they are shown to great disadvantages until this necessary 
operation is performed. If the Grey Dorkings anticipated at 
Birmingham are to surpass the whole class (for all were capital) 
that were shown at Worcester, they must indeed far outstrip 
those of former years, although the “ Mother Show ” has always 
stood pre-eminent for these most useful birds ; nor will the Rev. 
G. Ilodson’s White Dorkings be easily compelled to give up 
their laurels. The Spanish proved how intensely these beautiful 
birds feel severity of weather. Almost constant housing must 
be their lot if success is expected this season ; they being one of 
the most difficult of all birds to restore to constitution if once by 
temporary neglect allowed to go ailing. Although the Cochins 
were so praiseworthy, report whispers they will be left far behind 
at Birmingham. The numbers of birds well known to be ex¬ 
pressly reserved for this hard contest none would accredit from 
hearsay. The individual care and attention bestowed on them 
during the next six weeks by their respective owners will tend 
much to their ultimate position. All things considered, the 
ILamhurghs and Polands deserved most avourable mention. It 
is now pretty common among poultry fanciers to identify Mr. . 
Fowler and Mrs. Seamons, both of Aylesbury, beyond all others 
as breeders of Ducks and Geese. They both proved they not 
