THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, July 28, 1857. 
POULTRY SHOWS. 
July 28t,h, 29th, and 30th. Sheffield, South Yorkshire, and 
North Derbyshire. Sec., William Henry Dawson, Fig Tree 
Lane, Sheffield. 
August Sth, 10th, 11th, and 12th. Crystal Palace. Sec., W. 
Houghton. 
| August lQth. Bridlington. Sec., Mr. Thomas Cape. 
August 26th. Bradford. Secs., M. Brooksbank and H. Beldon, 
Esqs., 12, Queensgate Street, Bradford. Entries close August 18 th. 
Aug. 29th. Calder Vale. Sec., W. Irvine, Esq., Holmefield, Halifax. 
Entries close August 15 th. 
| September 2nd. Dewsbury. Sec., Havrison Brooke, Esq. 
September 4 th. Sowerby Bridge. Sec., F. Dyson, Esq. Entries 
close August 26 th. 
i September 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th. Gloucester, Sec., Mr. H. Churchill, 
King’s Head Hotel. 
October 1st and 2nd. Worcester. Sec., Mr. G. Griffiths, 7> St. 
Swithin Street, Worcester. Entries close Sept. 19th. 
October 7th. South West Middlesex Agricultural Society. 
At Gunnersbury Farm, Ealing. Sec., J. Gotelee, Hounslow. 
November 30th, and December 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Birmingham. 
Sec., John Morgan. Entries close the 2 nd of November. 
December 16th and 17th. Nottinghamshire. Entries close No¬ 
vember 18 th. Hon. Sec., Mr. It. Hawksley, jun., Southwell. 
December 30 th and 31 st. Burnley and East Lancashire. 
Entries close December 1st. Secs., Angus Sutherland and Ralph 
Landless. 
[ January 4 th, 1858 . Kirkcaldy Poultry and Fancy Bird 
Show. Sec., Mr. Bonthron, jun., Thistle Street. 
January 9th, llth, 12th, and 13 th, 1858 . Crystal Palace. 
January 19th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd, 1858 . Nottingham Central. 
Sec., Mr. Etherington, jun., Notintone Place, Sneinton, near Notting¬ 
ham. 
February 3rd and 4tli, 1858. Preston and North Lancashire. 
Secs., Mr. R. Teebay and Mr. H. Oakey, Preston. 
N.B .—Secretaries will oblige us by sending early copies of their lists. 
POULTRY AT THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL 
SOCIETY’S SHOW, SALISBURY. 
July 23rd and 24th, 1857. 
The Royal Agricultural Society of England this year 
yielded to the solicitations of Salisbury, and decided on 
holding its Meeting in that ordinarily quiet town. What a 
change! Even the great “ close” question was forgotten or 
laid aside, and all men and all parties united in an earnest 
desire to give a hearty welcome to the royal visitor. It is 
amusing to watch the effect of such an arrival. It begins 
at the railway station. The respectable officials know 
nearly all their regular customers; the porters know the 
very trunks; they are familiar with the weekly hamper of 
vegetables that goes up to the member’s house while he is 
in London. There is a little influx of business on market 
days; hut the traffic is so regular that if a dozen strange 
faces travel on one day they ask themselves what is going 
on. Only fancy, then, the effect of the first arrivals, and 
then the days ot the Exhibition, the thousands of visitors, 
and the town. Oh, the demand for beds ! Dusty, travel- 
stained men wandering about, each with a portmanteau or 
bag, all trying their best to scan faces, and, without any 
outward indication of a bed to let, asking that comfortable¬ 
looking man who stands at his shop door whether he can 
accommodate him for just one night. Then hands of 
music, acrobats, shooting galleries, glee singers, panoramas, 
dramatic performances, horsemanship, and photographic 
artists exercising their talents anywhere or everywhere, help 
to make up a scene which may well'cause a commotion in a 
quiet town. Then every house has its banner, and most 
streets have their triumphal arches. Agriculture is welcomed 
in every possible language, and the plough becomes for the 
week the favoured emblem. It is, indeed, no small event 
that can thus change a town, or that can make beds worth 
a guinea per night. No better proof could he adduced of 
the estimation in which the Royal Society is held than 
the tact that its meetings are always followed by many 
thousands who incur no light expense to attend them. And 
these are not exhibitors anxious for the prizes that are to 
he awarded; they are thinking, clever men, and they look 
forward to this meeting as an annual lesson—they do not 
miss it. No one can see all that is to be seen without being 
convinced he has still much to learn. Some few years 
since steam was talked of as a probable auxiliary to 
agriculture. Ihen a few engines were exhibited, and 
spectators hoped and shook their heads. Last year, how¬ 
ever, at Chelmsford, Boydell’s engine steamed about, laying 
its own rail, going on rough and uneven roads, over heaps 
of stones, through soft places, heedless of the police, who 
assured the driver he must not come farther. And now at 
Salisbury this year the same and others were busy at 
work showing their capabilities, and giving a very practical 
idea of things to come. 
The truth is the Society is one of progress, ever at hand to 
carry out any invention or discovery that may he serviceable 
to agriculture. Hence the magnitude of the Show. There 
is room and place to he found for everything that can 
teach a lesson or help the pursuit. It is only of late years 
poultry has been at all placed in the position it ought to 
occupy in the farm ; and the Society, true to its vocation, at 
once offered a liberal prize-list, and added it to the yearly 
Exhibition. The late Earl Ducie, president at the Lewes 
Meeting, at once saw its importance, and went largely into 
it. His death was a great loss to the pursuit. The entries 
at this Show will probably never reach those of some of the 
great exhibitions confined exclusively to poultry, but they 
will always be numerous enough to carry out the intentions 
of the Society, and to point out to those whose interest it 
is to know it (and they are especially the most numerous on 
these occasions), first, the points to be attained, and next, 
the progress made towards them. 
Few Societies deserve more credit for fixedness of purpose 
than the Royal Agricultural Society of England, and, true 
to its object, the premiums are offered for larm poultry. 
Thus the greatest amoun; is given to Dorkings, the fowls of 
the farmyard; Spanish, the producers of the greatest weight 
of food in the form of eggs; and Game, the hardiest of the 
tribe. This purpose was carried out by exhibitors. These 
three classes were the best. There will in most Shows be 
more numerous entries, but we liave no hesitation in saying 
there will not be better birds seen anywhere than at Salisbury. 
The Dorkings first on the list for adjudication were won¬ 
derful birds, and shown in capital condition. The prize-list 
must tell the names of the successful, and our task must he 
limited to calling attention to particular points and merits. 
Captain Hornby’s pen was perfect; it was, nevertheless, hard 
run by Dr. Hewson, a new name. One pullet in this gen¬ 
tleman’s pen was, we think, the best bird we have seen this 
year. Mr. Botham’s Dorking cock was a perfect bird; hut 
his pullets were out of condition and broody. Mr. Loder’s 
were excellent birds, and very large. The adults were in 
better condition than we have ever seen them at this time of 
the year, and richly deserved their honours. Captain Hornby 
again headed the list, followed by well-known names— 
Messrs. Botham, H. Smith, of Cropwell Butler, and the 
Rev. T. L. Fellowes. The single cock class contained eight 
immense and perfect birds. Captain Hornby took first, and 
Mr. Fisher Hobbs second; Loder, Botham, and Popham 
were among the unsuccessful names. Let this speak. Mr. 
Fisher Hobbs showed four birds, and they justify us in repeat¬ 
ing what we have before said—that we think this gentleman 
might challenge the world to show ten Dorking cocks. 
Mr. Botham won easily in Spanish. Many in this class 
were deeply in moult. 
There were very beautiful specimens of Cochin-Chinas, 
and we hope the breeders of these birds will work for their 
restoration to a high class, as they have merits that make 
them really valuable in a poultry-yard. The chickens seen 
at Salisbury encourage us to believe that the prize birds 
there began a career of success. Mr. Fowler took both 
prizes for chickens; Messrs. Fookes and the Rev. G. F. 
Hodson for adults. The latter were, some of them, in bad 
feather. Although, by the rules of the Society, the mention 
is confined to high commendations and commendations, yet 
the Judges expressed their opinions that they could not 
praise the Cochin chickens too highly. There was hut one 
pen of Brahma Pootras; they were very good. Another 
pen was entered, but we are at a loss to know why, unless 
as a joke. They were described as “ Buff, and bred by 
exhibitor,” and were simply Rumpless fowls! 
The Game fowls were beautiful, and richly deserved the 
high commendations of the Judges. The four prizes went 
to Lancashire, Dorsetshire, Salisbury, and Hampshire; the 
single cock prize to Birmingham. 
It will be seen in every class that the winners are the j 
names best known for goodness of stock and knowledge 
