95 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, November 13, 1860. 
peer who bore the same name as a small carriage then much in 
vogue. In the year 2460 a strong-minded woman, present at a 
midnight dinner where the subject is mooted, will explain that in 
those remote times care was not taken to chronicle correctly 
events as they occurred, and there was considerable obscurity 
about the birth of this man, who, for the age in which he lived, 
was clever, though, she believed, in their days he would hardly 
pass his examination as usher to a charity school. She was, 
however, glad to say that, although she could not bring proof in 
support of her assertion, she thought she could explain the 
coincidence of names to their satisfaction. She need hardly tell 
them morals were at a low ebb at that period of their history; 
children were constantly exposed and deserted, and, where no 
clue could be found to the names of the parents, the unfortunate 
children were named at the will or caprice of the masters of the 
workhouses. Tins great man in question was a deserted child : 
having been put by his unnatural parent in a brougham that was 
standing at a door, he was named after the carriage in which he 
was found, and afterwards became a peer and Chancellor of the 
United Kingdom. 
This good-looking girl had not seated herself in the carriage 
ere we heard a voice from the inside—“ Mary, my dear Mary, do 
stop one instant; you have nothing round your throat.” “ Oh, 
mamma,” said she, “I am tired of hearing you tell me that.” 
“ Yes,” replied the good, fond, careful mother, “ but you pay no 
attention to it.” 
It will be to many readers just as tedious if we tell them how 
to choose, prepare, and pack their fowls for Birmingham. And 
yet, before the Show is over, some will blame themselves for not 
attending to what we said ; others, with that facility which we 
always have for transferring our own faults to the shoulders of 
others, will try to prove our advice came too late, and that they 
could not have followed it if they would. But many, when they 
see scalped or beaten hens, dirty plumage, cramped birds, or 
broken heads, will wish they had followed the advice we feel it 
our duty to offer, two or three times every year, before the great 
contests of the poultry world. 
It does not follow that because fowls have been brought up 
together, and have lived in peace and amity in the same yard, 
that they will do so in a cage, basket, or pen. Those intended 
for exhibition should be tried by being shut up together at times. 
If they beat one, that one must be taken out; or if one beats 
the others, she must be removed. Indeed, there is little hope of 
success for a pen composed of quarrelsome birds. When we 
see such we always blame the owner or his servants, for we have 
never seen a yard from which we could not pick an harmonious 
pen. 
The birds should be well fed—rather better than usual, for a 
fortnight before the Show; they should have a good feed of soft 
food before they start for the Show; their legs, plumage, and 
faces should be clean, even if it be necessary to wash them. 
Exhibitors should always recollect high condition and beauty of 
plumage are required in prize birds. 
They should be sent in round baskets, as that shape insures 
unbroken plumage, and they should be covered at top with 
canvass—there is then no fear of damaged heads. The dimensions 
of the basket should allow of all the fowls sitting down at once, 
and it should be high enough for the cock to stand upright. It 
should be close ail round. 
ON THE MANAGEMENT OE POULTRY SHOWS. 
(Continued from page 83.) 
Sheffield ( continued ).—This is a four-days Show, and the 
Judges ought to make their awards the day before it is opened; and 
while they are doing so, the members of the Committee who 
are exhibitors ought in common fairness to be absent from the 
show-yard. I attended the last Show, as soon as it was opened, 
to purchase some of the prize birds. Not a single prize pen was 
ticketed, and I found that certain favoured individuals had 
purchased birds, through one of the Committee, before the 
prize list wa3 published. Such a manifestly unfair proceeding 
will not, I hope, be allowed to occur again. 
Preston. —This is an interesting Show, and is Held in a build¬ 
ing very well adapted in every respect for the comfort of the 
birds. The poultry pen3 are open to improvement; and I would 
recommend the Committee at their next Show to give a trial 
to the excellent pens of Turner of Sheffield, or Blythe of Bir¬ 
mingham. The railway charges for the carriage of poultry to 
| Preston are too high; and I hope the Committee will make 
better arrangements in this respect for their next Show. 
Carlisle. —A nice Show, and the prize money promptly 
paid. “ Cannie Cumberland” evidently admires poultry, so I 
think from the number of exhibitors in the county. The rail¬ 
way charges for the carriage of birds to this Show are also too 
high. 
Worcester. —A well-managed Show, and uncommonly well 
patronised by the town and neighbourhood. Being confined to 
chickens, this Show is always interesting as a criterion of what 
Birmingham will be, as it takes place only a few weeks before 
our leading Show. Bantams are the only classes in which birds 
“ of any age” arc admitted. This is, I think, a mistake; and 
as complaints have been made of the exception, I dare say it 
will not occur another year. 
Bridgnorth. —A Show which improves every time it is 
held. It is doubtful, however, if the silver cup given to the 
exhibitor who makes the greatest number of points in poultry is 
not a mistake. The competition for it is confined to four or five, 
and has no interest for the majority of the exhibitors. I should 
like to see the money given to the other prizes, as I think it 
would materially benefit the Show. Complaints have been 
made, I believe, that the railway does not run into the town, 
and it has been difficult to get birds to the Show; but I am 
told this evil will be obviated next year. 
Bath and West of England has great attractions for the 
west-country folk. The prize list is a liberal one ; but there is 
far too great a disparity between the first and second prizes. 
This must have an injurious influence on the number of entries. 
Coalbrookdale. —It is surprising that this Show has not a 
much larger number of entries. What can be the reason P Is 
it tfiat exhibitors prefer money prizes to silver cups ? This is 
at any rate a very nice and select Show, and the beautiful 
scenery of the adjacent country is well worth a visit. 
Chesterfield. —This may be called a rural Show from the 
great number of country people that attend it. It is well 
managed, and is held in a comfortable market hall. At the last 
Show the Committee gave notice that no bird would be allowed 
to be touched by a spectator on pain of instant dismissal. This 
was simply an “ oratorical flourish,” and was not attended to in 
the least; for I never, at any other Show, saw so many bird# so 
roughly handled by persons who evidently knew nothing of the 
value of fancy poultry. 
(To be continued .) 
DEVIZES EXHIBITION OE POULTRY. 
Accustomed as we have been for a number of years past to 
visit most of our Poultry Exhibitions, it has but rarely been 
that wo have seen a building in every way so suitable, or a meet¬ 
ing so well conducted, as the one just closed at Devizes. Among 
the amateurs of poultry, this Show was looked forward to with 
the greatest interest, on the supposition that it would afford 
them an opportunity of purchasing suitable specimens to com¬ 
pete for the premiums offered by the Committees of the Bir¬ 
mingham and Crystal Palace Shows. In very few instances 
indeed did disappointment ensue. The birds throughout were 
very far beyond average merit, as compared to those of 
former years, and the consequence was that a large sale was 
effected. The attendance of visitors was good, and the weather, 
most fortunately, quite satisfactory. All the pens were ranged 
in single rows, therefore no complaint could possibly arise from 
advantages of position. The health of the birds was also 
unusually good throughout, scarcely a single instance of ailment 
being apparent, though most carefully sought for. 
The Spanish classes were the first variety arresting the atten 
tion of visitors on entering the building. It is long since we have 
seen so perfect a collection; and although Miss M. L. Rake, of 
Bristol, managed to secure the cup and also the two first prizes 
for adults and chickens, the Messrs. Rodbard and Martin exhi¬ 
bited birds it was difficult for even the most fastidious and fault¬ 
seeking to complain of. The Grey Dorkings, whether old or 
chickens, were such as to cause them to be the objects of especial 
admiration to visitors. The pens belonging to the Marchioness 
of Winchester, Lady Louisa Tliynue, and Mr. William Bromley, 
were such as would add very materially to the credit of even the 
largest of our poultry meetings. As in Spanish, so in the Dork¬ 
ings, the early-hatched chickens took the cup from their more 
aged rivals. The season of the year has an inevitable tendency 
