THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Maech 9, 1858. 
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threaten. Still more will it lose, by casting off a body which 
it should foster and encourage. 
The Society’s usefulness is founded on bringing together 
j as many people as possible, and in showing to them the 
i perfection to which everything connected with agriculture 
may be brought, by a judicious system of competition. Does 
the Council intend that but one class shall benefit, or does 
it wish to promulgate the idea, that poultry is beneath the 
notice of an agriculturist? If it does, it falls short of its 
duty, and limits its utility. At the Meetings, the results 
attained by wealthy experimentalists are openly shown, lor 
the benefit of those less favoured by fortune. Many a man 
would exhibit oxen, sheep, pigs, or horses, but he cannot 
afford do so; he is not a less useful member of the Society 
when he shows poultry. Many an honest and superior, 
though needy man, hails gladly the help afforded to him by 
his poultry ; he will patiently work on till he arrives at cattle. 
It will, however, now be well such should know they have 
nothing in common with the Royal Agricultural Society; 
that it has nothing to do with poultry, and that it does not 
recognise it as part of the stock of a farm. The line is 
drawn, and prizes cannot be offered for anything lower than 
a pig, or a spade. 
WELLINGTON (SALOP) POULTRY 
EXHIBITION. 
Few Poultry Meetings have ever been carried out with a 
shorter public notice, than the one just concluded at Welling¬ 
ton ; whilst none, that have yet been held in Shropshire, have 
equalled it, either as to general aristocratic support, or the 
universal superiority of the poultry exhibited. Such result 
must, indeed, be most gratifying to its promoters ; more par¬ 
ticularly, when the high position Shropshire has, for a long 
series of years, maintained as to its poultry for “ table pur¬ 
poses,” is considered. There are but few counties, too, that can 
now produce so generally superior Exhibition birds, and the 
meeting just closed proves the determination of the surround¬ 
ing amateurs still to maintain, if possible, that superiority. 
Easy of access by railway, the number of visitors was propor- 
tionably increased, and we cannot doubt, judging from appear¬ 
ances, that the amount received at the doors has been satis¬ 
factory. Much credit is due to the indomitable perseverance 
of the Honorary Secretary, Mr. J ones, for the excellence of 
the arrangements; and the courtesy displayed by him, to 
every applicant for information, was as generally acknow¬ 
ledged. It is the combination of these little items that 
make success certain, or mar the prospects of every Poultry 
Show; and no doubt exists on our mind, that the Wellington 
Exhibition owes much of its support to the prompt and un¬ 
varying attention of the gentleman alluded to. On one point, 
however, there is evidently an objection easily capable of im¬ 
provement, viz. not permitting any prize or commended birds 
to be “ claimed,” at the opening of the Show, at the prices 
specified in the catalogue; but, contrariwise, retaining them 
to pass the ordeal of an auction at a later period of the day, in 
the hope of obtaining an improved amount of sale prices. 
Our long experience in these matters convinces us, however, 
beyond all doubt, that superior Exhibition poultry is never 
disposed of so rapidly, nor so well, as at the spur of the 
moment when the Exhibitioner^ opens. It is then that the 
rivalry, to become the future owners of certain pens, rises to 
its utmost pitch, and sales are continuously going on ; whilst, 
on the contrary, a later period of the day as frequently brings 
with it more time for reflection, and emulation as proportiou- 
! ably “ cools down.” 
The poultry were arranged within two very excellent tents, 
which afforded every necessary protection to both the birds 
and visitors, and the light was excellent and equal. The 
adornments were profuse, with flags of all nations; the coats 
of arms of nearly every nobleman and gentleman in Shrop- 
j shire, and numerous mottoes, printed on large pieces of 
calico, attracted attention on all sides. Among these we 
noticed “ God save the Queen,” “ Success to the Town and 
j Trade of Wellington,” “ Success to the Wellington Grand 
j Poultry Show; ” and, at the entrance, a giant strip, bearing 
i this inscription, “ Welcome Strangers to the Town of Wel- 
I lington.” The Show being actually within a stone’s throw of 
the railway station, added very much to the comforts of those 
visiting by train, and the access to it by private carriages was 
equally good. The weather told very favourably, and it is 
rarely any Show has been carried out so successfully. 
W e must now take a glance at the various classes. The 
entries of Spanish were few; and, with the exception of the 
winning birds, deserve but little remark at our hands. Not 
so, however, with the Coloured Dorking class ; an extensive 
entry was here combined with an aggregate of general excel¬ 
lence, very rarely attained, and the names of most of our 
principal breeders appeared. To what extent the improvement 
of Dorkings can really be carried, seems now most question¬ 
able ; year after year weights, deemed almost fabulous hereto¬ 
fore, only give way to still further progression; and the hens 
of the first prize pen, at Wellington, will not be very readily 
forgotten by the company assembled : they were the variety 
called Silver Greys , a strain to which public opinion has 
recently been directed, as never affording the possibility of 
success as to size , if competing with their darker feathered or 
spangled rivals : they were, however, of colossal proportions, 
of perfect symmetry, and shown in plain breeding condition. 
They were the property of Mr. William Bromley, of Birming¬ 
ham, “ bred by himself,” and we are informed had not been 
previously exhibited. It is almost needless to speak of 
the well-known excellence of the second prize pen (Gaptain 
Hornby’s), or of those exhibited by Lord Berwick, who 
attained the third post of distinction on the prize list. The 
Game classes were a triumph to any Poultry Meeting ; and 
although Messrs. Moss, Smith, Dawson, Abraham, Sabin, 
Fryer, Onslow r , and Jones, appear as the more fortunate com¬ 
petitors, there were numbers of pens far surpassing those we 
are accustomed to scrutinise at most meetings of the poultry 
fancy. The high condition of these birds was the subject of 
universal commendation. The Hamburghs were superior, the 
Golden-spangled having never mustered a more worthy col¬ 
lection. Polands , though the entries were few r , were very 
good. We now come to Puff Cochins , in which class not a 
few of the best birds in the kingdom presented themselves. 
Want of “ condition ” here told a heavy tale; and it is 
needful to again impress on the minds of proprietors, that 
even these fowls (although by nature, perhaps, of the strongest 
constitution among our domestic poultry) will not endure 
repeated, indeed almost continuous, imprisonment at succes¬ 
sive Show's, without not only loss of position, but a most 
serious injury also to their breeding properties. We noticed 
particularly two birds in this class, that could not even stand 
at the time of opening to the public, with feet deadly cold, 
and combs shrunken and discoloured. It is grievous to tax 
really good birds so heavily, and this leads to the expression 
of our high commendation of the care taken of the fowls (thus 
previously maltreated) whilst they were deposited at Welling¬ 
ton ; had they been neglected, death must have ensued. There 
were many excellent Cochins , both Partridge-coloured and also 
White ones. The extra class contained very good Rumpless , 
Black Hamburgh , Andalusian , and Brahma fowls. The 
Game Bantams proved very good, as were the Black ones and 
a pen of White ones; but the Sebrights , although only a very 
few years since bred surpassingly pure in this neighbourhood, 
now showed unmistakeable symptoms of degeneracy. The 
Rouen Ducks were not so good as is usual; the Aylesburys 
were first rate, and as “ happy ” as it was possible for Ducks 
to be ; for, being placed on the grass, they quickly made the 
interior of their coops perfect puddles, and their altered 
appearance possessed little cause for admiration. The Single 
Game Cock class was, however, the especial favourite of the 
public, most of the winning birds of the season being oppo¬ 
nents. Success here again deservedly resulted to the highly- 
renow ned stud of Gilbert Moss, Esq., of Liverpool. Numbers 
of amateurs travelled from considerable distances, simply “ to 
have a peep ” at birds now so notorious ; and we heard many 
parties expressing their gratification at having so done. The 
very careful manner in which this gentleman’s Cocks are 
“ dubbed,” is fully worthy of a passing notice, as being a 
most favourable feature to success in the Exhibition-room. 
Another not less important consideration, particularly in 
Game Cocks , is their “ condition : ” here all that art could 
do to insure superiority, had evidently been applied ; still, in 
proof, how' difficult the task yet remains, “ to retain live stock 
in extreme excellence,” was fully demonstrated. At Preston, 
