189 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, December 22, 1857. 
Chippenham Poultry Committee should divide the classes a 
little more, and they would get a larger Show. 
Dorkings.— First, Miss Milward, on Loe. Second, H. Garlick. 
Chickens. —First, G. Hanks, Malmesbury. Second, Miss Milward. 
Highly Commended, — Hybole. 
Spanish.— First, J. K. Bartrum, Bath. Seeond, T. Lyne, Malmesbury. 
Chickens. —First, E. Lyme, Malmesbury. Second, T. Eacott, Devizes. 
Game (Reds).—First, G. T. Giller. Second, M. Wheeler. 
Game (any other variety).—First, J. J. Fox. Second, Rev. T. Lang¬ 
ford. 
Game Chickens (various).—First, T. Giller. Second, H. Brown. 
Highly Commended, J. J.Fox; B. Gingell. 
Cochin-China— First, J. K. Bartrum. Second, T. Keable. Chickens. 
—Prize, J. K. Bartrum. 
Hamburghs (Silver-pencilled and Spangled) .—First, J. Iv. Bartrum 
(Spangled). Second, G. S. Sainsbury, Rowde (Pencilled). 
Hamburghs (Golden-spangled and Pencilled).—-First, T. Eacott 
(Spangled). Second, J. J. Fox (Pencilled), Highly Commended, J. J. 
Fox (Spangled). 
Hamburgh Chickens (any variety). — First, E. Ingram (Gold- 
pencilled). Second, T. Keable (Silver-pencilled). Highly Commended, 
T. Keable (Gold-pencilled). 
Polands.— First, J. J. Fox (Silver). Second, — Higgins (Silver). 
Chickens. —Prize, J. J. Fox. 
Bantams (Gold and Silver-laced).—First, J. K. Bartrum. Seeond, 
J. J. Fox. Highly Commended, J. J. Fox. 
Bantams (White and Blacks).—First, J. Iv. Bartrum. fccond, J. J. 
Fox. 
Cross Breeds.— First, Miss Milward. Second, E. Little. 
Turkeys.— First, Miss Milward. Second, — Sergent, Wrangham. 
Highly Commended, W. Shy. 
Geese. —First, C. Beaven, jun. Second, R. Rich. 
Ducks (Aylesbury) .—First, — Lamb, Paiton. Second, W. Higgins, 
Chippenham. 
Ducks (Rouen).—First, G. Hanks, Malmesbury. Second, — Keable, 
Rowde. 
CHARACTERISTICS OF HAMBURGH FOWLS. 
I will give you the opinion of a Hamburgh breeder, of 
twenty years’ experience, on the judgments given upon the 
Hamburgh classes at the Birmingham Poultry 81iow. He says : 
—“ It was always my greatest difficulty in breeding Golden- 
pencils to get a clear, deep, gold ground ; and then rich, bold, 
black-green. The straigliter across the feather the pencilled 
markings are the better : the pencilling not to be little copper- 
coloured marks, that look as if the feather were shrunk to half 
its natural growth; nor yet of that largo kind approaching 
the Spangle; but of the larger, middle size, of an oblong 
shape, forming direct lines of checking round the body of the 
bird. These lines of checking touching the bottom of the 
hackle, its feathers often are a little marked in the very best 
birds; and you cannot get first-rate birds of the kind I 
mention without their being a little marked in the bottom of 
the hackle. But the clearer this is the better; as are good white 
ear lobes, with rose combs.” 
Now, were the birds characterised, as above-mentioned, 
that took all the first, second, and third prizes at the Bir¬ 
mingham Poultry Show? No. Instead of that being the 
case, all the markings in the Golds were so small, and so 
irregular, that you had no proper checking at all; the pencil- 
lings being a grey copper colour: so that where the markings 
should have appeared on the breast, there were none, or they 
were so faint as scarcely to be seen. The cocks of the last- 
mentioned sort are the best to show; they have a rich bronzy 
tail, good plumage, and are clearer from body marks. But I 
defy any man to breed good pullets from the prize Pencils of 
the Birmingham Poidtry Show. I have bred thousands of both 
kinds, and it is from the last-mentioned kind that I breed my 
show-coeks. You cannot find one breeder of Pencilled Ham- 
burghs, of any experience, that would give prizes if the pul¬ 
lets were of the last-mentioned sort. 
Whatever professional Judges may think of my remarks, 
they are founded on long experience; and they will yet be 
adopted in the principal Shows. I scarcely ever show myself; 
but I may state, that I have bred more than twenty birds this 
year that have taken first prizes at a great number of first- 
rate Shows, including the Crystal Palace, Yorkshire, and 
many other local Shows in this neighbourhood; though I 
never show in my name. 
Now, I ask, what would the exhibitors of Dorkings, 
Spanish, Cochins, Polands, and, in fact, of all the classes out 
of the Hamburghs, say if I, who know nothing of their re¬ 
spective merits, were to judge in these classes ? In conclu¬ 
sion, I am satisfied that the time will come when scarcely any 
prizes will be given as they have been given in the Hamburgh 
classes in the middle and southern counties. 
Since writing the above, I have heard that one of the Judges 
at Birmingham ceased to act, because the awards were not in 
accordance with his views. If such were the case, all honour 
to him for his conscientious cessation.—J. H., Bradford. 
WINTER LAYERS. 
Having just read a letter of “ Observer,” in which he 
says he finds his Brahma Pootra fowls the best regular layers 
at tliis season, I woidd say, judging from experience—having 
kept nearly all kinds of poultry—though the Brahmas were 
not among the number, that young Cochins, if well fed, and 
healthy, are sure to turn out never-failing and regular layers. 
There is, also, another trait observable in this breed, and I 
need not say a most valuable one, viz., their great freeness 
from disease, and comparative facility of rearing when young. 
I consider them, as chicks, by far the most easily bred; 
though for beauty and delicacy of eating, give me the majestic 
Game, than which no finer bird was ever hatched. — A 
Welshman. 
WHAT ARE REDCAPS? 
The question is not unfrequently asked, What are Redcaps ? 
The answer generally given is, that the term is merely another 
name for Golden-spangled Hamburghs. It was, therefore, 
with much interest that I noticed, when the schechde of the 
last Sheffield Show was issued, some months since, there was 
a class for Redcaps, in addition to that for Golden-spangled 
Hamburghs, which interest was not lessened when the Com¬ 
mittee honoured me by a request to assist in awarding the 
prizes. As one of the Judges (although in conjunction with 
gentlemen who were well acquainted with the varieties cul¬ 
tivated in the locality), I took more than usual notice of the 
birds entered for competition, and will relate from recollection 
my impression of the classes of Redcaps. That they are 
highly valued in the locality of Sheffield, may he inferred 
from the fact, that no less than twenty-five pens were sent for 
competition. They are, in fact, regarded by the townsmen as 
a most profitable fowl, as to egg-producing powers. The 
chief points in which they differ from Spangled Hamburghs 
are, in size, in combs, and in markings. In size they very 
greatly excel the usual Hamburghs, being as large and com¬ 
pact as ordinary Dorkings ; and in markings they want the 
regularity and beauty of spangle, being much darker on the 
breast and other parts. The most striking difference, how¬ 
ever, is in the extraordinary development of comb ; this is 
increased to so great a degree, that the combs of the hens are 
much larger than those of the ordinary Hamburgh cocks, 
even when at their greatest size. So enormous are they, that 
it is almost impossible for them to balance on the skull; and 
they generally lop over to one side. This, however, is not re¬ 
garded as a serious defect by the amateur of the breed ; their 
aim being to produce combs that are of extreme size, square 
in front, well spiked, and peaked behind; in fact, a rose 
comb, immensely magnified, and bearing about the same re¬ 
lation to an ordinary Hamburgh cock, that the “ Leviathan,” 
does to a common three-decker. 
Writing at this distance of time, I should not like to make 
a positive assertion; but I think that there were several cocks 
in the Show whose rose combs were upwards of three inches 
in breadth, and more than four in length, to the end of the 
peak. 
It is a singular fact, that in most of iliese varieties of fowls, 
characterised by extreme activity of the egg-producing organs, 
there is a corresponding development of some of the appen¬ 
dages to the skin; our best layers are always thus distin¬ 
guished. Redcaps, Hamburghs, and Spanish, by their 
combs ; Polish by their crests; and Cochins by their fluff. 
Those breeds that are not such free layers, such as Game and 
Dorkings, being without any such development. — W. B. 
Tegetmeier, Tottenham. 
