201 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Janttary 1 , 1861. 
Commended, J. Robinson. Chickens.— First, J. Dixon. Second, W. Cannan. 
Highly Commended, J. Robinson. 
Hamburoii (Silver-pencilled).—First, J. Munn. Second, W. Cannan. 
Highly Commended, J. Dixon. 
Hamburgh (Silver-spangled).—First, R. Teebay, Fulwood, Preston. 
Second, J. Dixon. (A good class.) Chickens. —First, J. Robinson. Second, 
R. Teebay. Highly Commended, J. Dixon. 
Poland (any variety).—First and Second, J. Dixon. Highly Commended, 
T. Clowes, Froxmer Court, Worcester. Chickens.— First and Second, 
J. Dixon. Commended, II. Beldon, Barkevend Road, Bradford. 
Single Spanish Cocks.— First and Second, T. Boucher, Birmingham. 
Highly Commended, J. Smith, Kent Side, Highgate, Kendal ; M. Graham, 
Wildman Street, Kendal. 
Single Cochin-China Cock.— First, T. Saul, Stricklandgate, Kendal, 
Second, C. Bower, Bolton-le-Sands, Lancaster. 
Single Dorking Cock.— First, W. Ruttlidge, Stortli End, Kendal. 
Second, J. Robinson. 
Game Cock.— A Silver Cup, the gift of Mr. George Hully.—First, 
J. Fletcher, Stoneclough, near Manchester. Second, J. S. Butler, Poulton- 
le-Fylde, Preston. Third, W. anil N. Grimshaw. Highly Commended, 
Messrs. Munn and Schofield; W. Griffiths, Nantwich; J. Fletcher; 
G. Hully, Woolpack Yard, Kendal ; J. Hindson, Barton House, Everton, 
Liverpool. Commended, J. Fleming, Sill Field; J. Dover, Captain 
French, Kendal. (A most excellent class.) Cockerel.— First, J. Orr, 
Cartmei. Second, E. Wells, Stricklandgate, Kendal. Commended, G. 
Robinson, Gamekeeper, Lane Head, Burneside. 
Bantams (any variety).—First, Miss V. W. Musgrove, Aughton, near 
Ormskirk. Second. R. Moon, jun , Liverpool. Third, W. Lawrenson, 
Poulton-le-Fylde. Highly Commended, J. Dixon. Commended, R. Braith- 
waite, Ulverstone; I. G. Park, Moresby, Whitehaven. 
Geese, —Prize, J. K. Fowler, Prebendal Farm, Aylesbury. (Second not 
awarded.) 
Ducks (Aylesbury).— First, S. Barlow, Manchester. Second, J. K- 
Fowler. Highly Commended, T. W. Hill, Manchester ; J. Abbot, Kenclal- 
Ducks (Rouen).—A Silver Cup, the gift of the Managing Committee.— 
First, J. K. Fowler. Second, J. Sergenson, Gowrey, Ivirkby Lonsdale. 
Highly Commended, W. Richardson, Kendal; G. A, Gelderd, Aikrigg 
End, Kendal; T. Robinson ; T. Hodgson, Carnforth Lodge, Carnforth. 
Pigeons. — Carriers. —First, G. Goore, Liverpool. Second, D. Thwaites, 
Rock Ferry Cheshire. Almond Tumblers. —Silver Medal and Second, 
G. W. Hartley, Kendal. Highly Commended, G. W. Hartley. Tumblers 
(any other breed).—First and Second, G. W. Hartley (Black Mottles). 
Highly Commended, G. W. Hartley. Commended, J. W. Edge, Aston 
New Town, Birmingham; Master E. Sergeneson, Huyton, Piescot. Owls. 
—First, A. Monkhouss, All-hallow’s Lane, Kendal. Second, D. Thwaites. 
Commended, G. Goore, Liverpool. Powters or Croppers. —Firot, A. 
Cattley, 5, Tower Street, York. Second, D. Tlrwaites, Rock Ferry, Cheshire. 
Commended, D. Thwaites. Barbs. —First, A. Monkhouse, All Hollows 
Lane, Kendal. Second, I. Monkhouse, All Hollows Lane, Kendal. 
Fantails. —First, J.W. Edge, Birmingham. Second, T. Elbungton, Wood- 
mansey, Beverley. Highly commended, A. Cattley, York. Turbits. — 
First, A. Monkhouse, Kendal. Second, J. W. Lawson. Beverley. Com¬ 
mended, G. Goore, Liverpool. Trumpeters. —First, D. Thwaites, Cheshire. 
Second, A. Cattley, York. Highly commended, G. W. Hartley, Kendal. 
Jacobins. —First, T. Elbungton," Beverley. Second, J. J. W. Murray, 
Langholm. Highly commended, D. Thwaites, Cheshire; J. W. Edge, 
Birmingham. Any other variety. —First. G. Goore, Liverpool. Second, 
J. W. Edge, Birmingham. Commended, I. Monkhouse, Kendal. 
Extra Stock (not for competition).—Highly commended, G. C. Whit- 
well, Kendal (Dorkingand Cochin Pullets). Commended, J. Hully,Kendal 
(Black-breasted Red Game Pullets). 
Owing to Mr. Hewitt having been suddenly taken ill, the 
Committee were compelled, at the last moment, to alter their 
arrangements. They are happy to say that they obtained the 
services of Mr. Challoner, of Chesterfield, who acted as Judge in 
place of Mr. Hewitt. 
PREVENTING SWELLED FEET IN DORKINGS. 
I WAS some time since a serious loser by a complaint which 
my fowls suffered from for many months without my being able 
to discover the cause of it; and as it may be just possible that 
some of your readers may have been annoyed as I was, I venture 
to hope that you will allow them to profit by my experience. 
My birds (Dorkings) were constantly subject to swelled feet. 
At first a little speck would appear on the ball of the foot; then 
the foot would get puffy; then inflammation would set in, and 
soon the foot would burst, and appear to fester in a most terrible 
I and offensive manner. 
I wrote to your valuable paper for assistance and advice, and 
i you then kindly inserted my letter, describing the disease, in 
your columns. You advised me to look to the perches in the 
poultry-house, and to treat the diseased feet in such and such a 
manner. However, I found no decline in the complaint. At 
length I wrote to Mr. Baily, of Mount Street, in the hope that 
in the course of his wide experience he might have met with 
some cases similar to mine, and might also be able to point out 
or suggest a probable cause. Fortunately for me I described in 
my letter to him everything connected with my yard, house, &c., 
and amongst other particulars I mentioned that I had an 
j asphalte floor laid down in the roosting-house; but that, as the 
perches were only eighteen inches from the ground, the hardness 
ot the floor could not possibly he the cause of injury. He wrote 
back immediately, advising me to remove the asphalte (of which 
1 was not a little proud), as he considered that to he the cause 
of a 1 the mischief. I did so, much against my will, and since 
then I have never had a single case of bad feet in my yard ! 
My object in laying down asphalte was to promote cleanliness, 
and to keep out rats ; but I have no doubt that after repeated 
scrubbings a good deal of the tar got washed away, leaving the 
points of the gravel stone3 (of which the composition is made) 
sticking out sharply, the little stone itself being still immoveably 
imbedded in the composition. These little points penetrated the 
feet of the birds, and the little wounds probably became poisoned 
or irritated by the tar, and thus soon a bad and* an incurable sore 
was established. Now I know that there is great fashion amongst 
many poultry-keepers just now for having these asphalte floors ; 
they are as clean as brick, and have the advantage of being dry 
and warm, and of keeping out rats completely. Let them, how¬ 
ever, take warning by me, and have them either picked off, or 
at least covered with five or Bix inches of loose gravel or road 
sand.—R ey. E. C. 
EGGS IN WINTER. 
On so important a question as “ How is my wife to get eggs 
enough?” tire testimony of any one who has succeeded will, no 
doubt, be worth communicating. 
Last spring twelvemonth I retired from London to a snug 
country cottage, and set up my poultry-yard with five hens and 
a cock, common barndoor fowls. They laid 180 eggs up to 
October 20th, and then took a month’s holiday, beginning busi¬ 
ness again on the 20th of November. 
On the 30th of November the pullets began to lay, and at the 
end of the year I had a stock of seventeen hens and two cocks 
The eggs produced this year have been as follows :— 
January. 
. 247 
July . 
February . 
August . 
. 123 
March . 
. 234 
September. 
. 125 
April . 
October. 
May . 
. 121 
November. 
. 33 
J une . 
. 102 
December 20th . 
. 56 
I have reared about 100 chickens, and have now about a dozen 
hens and pullets, besides chickens fit to kill. We are taking 
about three eggs a-day on the average, and I have many appli¬ 
cations for them at Is. Gel. per dozen from neighbours whose 
fowls do not lay at all. 
I believe the secret is to keep pullets, and keep them well. 
My fowls have the run of a field and orchard; the pickings of 
the rabbit-house, and as much corn, rice, and barleymeal as they 
can eat. The chickens are never put up to fatten; they are 
always fleshy enough, and the delicacy and flavour of their flesh 
are admired by all who taste it. 
Does it pay ? I do not keep fowls for profit; but the produce 
of eggs and chickens pays for the keep, and leaves a small margin. 
I reckon nothing for rent or attendance, as I pay nothing extra 
on that account. 
With regard to rice. I never let the fowls pass a day upon 
ricealone; but they preterit to almost any otlierfood.— Theodore 
Compton, Winscombe, Somerset. 
ITALIAN BEES. 
Being one of a Committee of three, chosen by the Apiarian 
Convention last spring, to receive the Italian honey bee from 
our government agent for cultivation in its native purity, I take 
this method to report, that the bees imported by that depart¬ 
ment (the Patent Office) were all dead, and the enterprise would 
have proved a failure had not the agent made a further im¬ 
portation on private account. I am happy to inform your 
readers that the Italian bee has been introduced into some of our 
first apiaries with every hope of success. It will also be interest¬ 
ing to all to be informed that what was hoped for then seems to be 
fully realised. My own observation will warrant me in saying 
that the queens are more prolific, and that the workers are more 
hardy and industrious than the native bee. 
On the 17th day of August last, I introduced an Italian 
queen bee into one of my moveable comb-hives with the native 
workers, removing the native queen, and leaving four frames only. 
I have added eight frames since, from time to time. On the 
15th day of October, I find the swarm completely Italianised, 
