THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, February 0, 1858. 
303 
—then a profit on the year is secured to a small yard, without 
reckoning the many little incidental helps, like the sale of 
eggs, &c. We shall shortly have to treat more at length on 
this subject : this notice belongs to our correspondence. 
“ Mr. Editor,” says the next, “ all my early chickens die 
just as they begin to grow nicely. Iliad a hen brought off a 
fine brood of thirteen; and, at three weeks old, they all died 
but three. They, poor tilings, crawl about after the hen, 
with their woe-begone faces, drooping tails and wings, and 
such looks of distress, that I am half-tempted to order them 
to be put of their misery. The most annoying thing is, that 
in the summer, when I am not so anxious to rear chickens, 
a hen will hatch fifteen, and bring them all up. I set these 
eggs on purpose to have some chickens for early Shows.” 
We have often pointed out the mistake that causes this 
disappointment, and shall have to do so again. If the hen 
had had but five chickens, she would have reared them all. 
The days are,short and cold, the nights are long, the earth 
yields no nourishment. Everything is against them. The 
long fasting during a winter’s night can only be compensated 
by warmth; and this must not be from a stove, or liot-water 
pipes, but the natural heat of the hen. When the brood is 
first hatched, the hen covers all easily; but when the chickens 
are large, she cannot do it, and they all get chilled one after 
the other. This is why they die when they are about three 
weeks or a month old. 
BUENOS AYRES DUCKS. 
I was pleased to see that in your last two papers you have 
taken up the cause of the Buenos Ayres Ducks, and agree 
with me that it is quite time they had a class to themselves. 
At all the Shows you find them number as well as Ayles- 
buries, Rouens, or any other breed; and therefore why should 
they not have a class to themselves, as well as the two former 
breeds ? They are quite as useful and prolific as either of 
them, and decidedly more beautiful; and yet they are obliged 
to compete in a class with all sorts of Ducks. Although I 
admit they generally take the chief of the prizes in this class, 
yet there is the greater reason why they should have a class 
to themselves, as it would give the other breeds a chance. I 
only hope that when the next Crystal Palace Show comes off, 
this will be the case ; and that all other Poultry Show Com¬ 
mittees will follow the good example then set them. I 
mention the Crystal Palace, as, that Show being second to 
none, that is where it should be first tried ; and there cannot 
be a doubt on the mind of anyone but that it will answer.— 
JUSTITIA. 
PERCHES. 
Ought the perches for fowls to roost on to be broad and 
flat, or round ? Some say they ought to be broad ; otherwise 
they make the fowls crooked-breasted. But how is it with 
them in a natural state, when they roost on the branches of 
trees, which are round, as pheasants do ? You do not see 
them with crooked breasts. I should be glad to hear some 
good opinion on this point: also the proper height for 
perches. I know they ought to be low for Cochins; but 
ought they to be so for other fowls ? You always find them 
anxious to get as high as possible : and I should think you 
ought to study their natural inclinations as far as it is prac¬ 
ticable.— An Inquirer. 
PRESTON POULTRY ASSOCIATION. 
The annual exhibition of this flourishing Association took 
place on February 3rd and 4tli, in the Corn Exchange, Pres¬ 
ton. The entries amounted to exactly 950 pens, including 
poultry and pigeons. The competition in general may be 
described as excessively severe; almost all the winners at 
recent Shows appearing at this, the last of the great battles of 
the season. The Show was carried out with a degree 'of zeal 
and energy on the part of the Committee, that is rarely found 
far away from the north of England, and which was responded 
to by the entry of birds that were in every way worthy of the 
large and valuable prizes offered. Where all were so excellent, 
it may seem invidious to particularise; but it is impossible 
not to allude to the surpassing excellence of many pens. 
In the single Game Cock class, 83 birds competed for the 
1 resident s ten-guinea piece of plate ; and by universal con¬ 
sent it was awarded to a magnificent bird, the property of 
Mr. Gilbert Moss. Side by side was the winner of the Liver¬ 
pool first prize, also belonging to the same gentleman, and 
who was here the recipient of the fourth prize, being far 
distanced by the first-named bird. 
In Spanish Cocks } a fowl belonging to Mir. Newton had an 
undoubted victory : although the whole class was highly 
meritorious, and described by the Judges as one of the best 
ever seen. 
In Pencilled Hamburgh Cocks Mr. W. Worrall won, with 
a golden bird as near perfection as may be attained by any 
feathered biped. The general Game classes were all very 
superior; and the Spanish extraordinarily good. 
In Dorkings , Captain Ilornby held his own in both classes ; 
his prize chickens being a wonderful pen. The White Dorkings 
were the weakest class in the Show : the first prize, however, 
went to a very good pen of birds. 
In Brahmas the Show was very strong in quality; there 
not being a pen in either that might not be described as very 
good. Messrs. Teebay and Catterall swept away all the prizes. 
In JIamburghs, as might be expected, the Show was un¬ 
usually strong. In the Golden-spangles Messrs. Chune and 
Brundrit took the prizes; the latter with a pen that excited 
much discussion. Some well-known Hamburgh exhibitors 
maintaining that it should have been first; and others that it 
should have been nowhere. Mr. Worrall showed a very 
beautiful pen that was highly commended, its chance being 
put out by the want of condition of one hen. 
In the any other variety class, the first prize went to a very 
good and uniform pen of Guelderlands, belonging to the 
Hon. W. Yernon. Second and third to a pen of Black Ham- 
burglis, and one of Malays. Of the latter it was remarked 
that “ they looked as hard as nails, and as cruel as sepoys,” 
—an expression that was fully borne out by the surpassing 
lustre of their plumage, and savage expression of eye. 
In the Bantam variety class, the Judges regretted that they 
had only two prizes to bestow, so good was the collection. 
The first prize went to a pen of White; the second to one of 
Game. Mr. Worrall exhibited a very pretty pen of brown- 
red Game that was highly commended. But the gem of the 
Game Bantams was a perfect little beauty (about one-half 
the weight of any of those shown for prizes). It was entered 
for sale by Mr. Tate, and would have been sold twenty times 
over by ten o’clock. 
In Aylesbury Ducks , Messrs. Abbot and Weston stood first 
and second with two pens, weighing each twenty-three pounds. 
The llouens of Mr. Forrest were superlative ; and the Coloured 
Call-ducks of Mr. Dixon extremely elegant. 
In Pigeons there was a capital collection, particularly in 
Tumblers , Barbs , Pantails , and in the extra variety class. 
The Punts were truly surpassing, Mr. Jones’s first prize pen 
weigliing over four pounds and a half. 
The Judges were Messrs. Hewitt and Tegetmeier for poultry 
generally; Mr. Foulds for Game; and Mr. Wolstenholme 
for Pigeons. 
Game Cock. — The President’s Piece of Plate, G. W. Moss. 
Second, E. Nevill. Third, A. Sutherland. Fourth, G. W. Moss. 
Highly Commended, G. Smith, and T. Salthouse. Commended, T. 
Shaw, Hon. W. W. Yernon, J. C. Forrest, R. Leigh, G. Boot, R. 
Sei'gencson, II. Worrall, J. Doncaster, E. Archer, and J. Hindson. 
Spanish Cock. —First, J. Newton. Second, J. Blinston. Highly I 
Commended, M. Potter, J. Blinston, and J. Busst, jun. Commended, 
J. C. Forrest, R. Teebay, and G. Robinson. (One of the best classes 
yet seen.) 
Dorking Cock. —First, non. W. W. Vernon. Second, W. Evans. 
Highly Commended, IP. W. B. Bewick, Rev. G. Hustler, P. Barnard, and 
G. Fell. Commended, Capt. W. W. Hornby. (A highly meritorious 
class.) 
Cochin China Cock. —First, T. Stretch. Second, W. Dawson. 
Highly Commended, J. L. Harrison, and T. Ilincks. 
Brahma Pootra Cock.— First, J. II. Craigie. Second, P. Catterall, 
jun. Highly Commended, li. Teebay. 
Hamburgh Cock.— First, W. Worrall. Second, E. Archer. Highly 
Commended, J. Dixon, and A. Fielding, jun. 
Hamburgh Cock. —First, W. R. Lane. Second, It. Teebay. Highly 
Commended, W. Worrall. Commended, J. Robinson, and Mrs. II. J 
Sharp. i 
