394 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, September 27, 1859. 
Whilst I am writing I may as well mention as a warning to 
poultry breeders never to use Irish moss. I have two yards. The 
poultry in the lower one had free access to meat in which Irish 
moss was mixed, when, to my surprise, they ceased laying. I 
could not attribute it to any other cause but the Irish moss. 
I then tried the effect upon my other hens by giving them the 
same mixture, when it was attended by similar results. I then 
discontinued it in both yards, when they recommenced laying in 
about four days. I shall be glad for any remarks which your 
correspondents may favour me with on the subject.— Lionel J. 
Brook, J.P., Gillygate, Pontefract. 
NOTES ON THE CEYSTAL PALACE POULTEY 
SHOW. 
I eerceiye you have already given two descriptions of the 
poultry at the Crystal Palace, so I shall not dwell long on that 
part of the Show ; but as but little has been said on the Pigeons, 
I beg to offer a few observations. What struck me among the 
fowls was, first, the Spanish. Class II. (pen 22), for cock and 
one pullet, the Judges had highly commended two cocks. The 
one representing a pullet was a sickly bird, the comb and gills 
being very slightly developed; but the curved tail-coverts and 
fringed saddle proclaimed his sex. Class III.— Spanish cocks of 
the year, pen 24 had a very wrinkled face, very white; but he 
was not noticeed by the Judges. Was he then considered too 
old P for it seemed to me almost impossible for a chick only 
thirty weeks of age to be so wrinkled. I guess there was some 
mistake there. 
White Dor/cings, I thought, suffered in shape, owing to too 
much stress being laid on size. 
Buff Shanghais were very fine, but every cockerel had a mealy 
tinge on the wings ; and one of the pullets in 116, second prize, 
had a wavy comb, partially cut off. Pen 120 contained two Silver- 
cinnamon pullets, with a Buff cook, consequently did not match. 
In the class for Brown and Partridge-feathered, all the hens were 
Gi'ouse-coloured—not one Partridge-feathered hen could I see. 
In pen 141 was a very beautifully-marked pullet. Pen 134 were 
very dark, the pullets almost gipsy, the cockerel seemed crossed 
with black. If this fashion continue of showing Black-breasted 
cocks with Grouse hens instead of Partridge hens, exhibitors had 
better keep two varieties to breed from. 
The Brahmas are still diversified about comb. 
Duckwing Game. —The first prize cock in pen 217 was in 
beautiful condition and a perfect model, but his colour was bad, 
the red on the back showed the cross with the Reds. This fault 
was too general. Pen 220 was the best coloured bird as a 
Duckwing, free from red, and equally black on the breast. Pens 
216 and 223 were also nearly free from red, and had good black 
breasts. Golden-pencilled, pen 243, the first-prize hens were not 
well marked, breasts and rumps were horseshoe-marked. Pen 
252 were beautifully marked. The so-called Golden-spangled 
were all Moonies. The Silver-spangled were all Creoles, except 
that they had a slight admixture, which gave black spots on the 
hens’ hackles. Black with white crest very good, but would do 
better with less black in front of their topknots. The Golden 
were better and more regular as to shape and colour of crests, 
but their bodies would not bear inspection. 
Polish cocks, pen 324, a very mongrel-looking bird. 
Malays all good. Pen 325 were a beautiful white. 
Andalusians have improved; they have lost the red and become 
whole-coloured. Now they want more perfect faces. 
Bantams. —The Silver-laced seem lost: what are exhibited as 
such are only light Golds. First-prize White were feather-legged 
and rose-combed. Rather large birds. 
Game Dwarfs are improving very much; some are really 
miniature Game fowls. Very pretty Black-breasted Reds with 
yellow legs, and a pen of good, coloured Duckwings. The cock 
nearly clear from red. 
The Aylesbury drake in pen 396 was hatched so early that he 
had forgotten how old he was, and had actually moulted his 
wings, thinking he was in his second autumn. Why on earth 
were those deformed-winged Ducks in pen 415 exhibited, much 
less commended ? 
There were a curious pair of knob, or homed, Geese exhibited ; 
and a good pair of Japan Silky fowls. 
Arid now to the Pigeons. The Powters did not show to ad¬ 
vantage, as they were not supplied with blocks to stand on. Pen 
457 was a nice upright bird. Pen 451 and some others were so 
heavily feathered on the feet, or “ rushed,” that one might have 
thought they were Trumpeters, and not the dandified Powters. 
Pen 452 ought to have been at the infirmary, not at the Show. 
Carriers were not very first-rate, and a great many of the pens 
were empty. Almond Tumblers few and nothing striking. First 
prize withheld. Dragoons were too good. They would have 
taken the shine out of many of the Carriers, exemplifying the 
folly of the class—where does the Dragoon end, and the Carrier 
begin ? Pen 517 were beautiful Yellows. Short-faced Tumblers 
were few; three entries of Black-mottled, one of Red, and two 
of Yellow, so that Red took a prize without competition. Like¬ 
wise in Baldheads, only four entries for five prizes. I think it 
would be far better to have one good prize, and let all the Bald- 
heads compete in one class. Beards were much the same—seven 
entries for five prizes. "Whole-coloured the same. Pen 543, 
Silvers, looked distantly related to Owls. Jacobins very coarse 
and inferior. Owls good in colour, but rather large. Pen 565, a 
pair of Mealy entered as Silver. Pen 571, Yellow Owls, looked 
like a cross with Barbs. Nuns were pretty; four pairs Black- 
headed, two pairs Red-headed, and one pair Yellow-headed. 
Turbits are pretty Pigeons, and these were very well as to 
feather ; but they were not good either in head or frill. Pen 598, 
White Turbits, had a strong dash of Barb. Fantails and Barbs 
were the gems of the Show. They were very good in Black, 
Blue, and White Fantails; Black, White, Yellow, and Red 
Barbs. Magpies nothing particular, except that pen 633 had 
got turned crowns. Trumpeters: there was one good pajr of 
Black-mottles, but they were generally defective in moustache. 
There were some very fine Runts of curious colours ; mostly of 
the Italian varieties. In the extra class I noticed a pair of Frill- 
backs, a pair of feather-footed Black Starling-breasts, and Pen 
661, a pair of feather-footed Shields. Here, too, were four pairs 
of Magpies. With the exception of Fantails and Barbs, the 
show of Pigeons I consider indifferent. 
Babbits were, however, very superior. There were eighty-three 
entries. Pen 669, Black and White Buck, first prize for "longest 
ears, was a very handsome fellow'. Black and White, Yellow 
and White, Tortoiseshell, and Blue and White, were well re¬ 
presented, and all contained excellent animals. The class for 
foreign Rabbits was occupied by other English breeds. Seven 
Silver-haired Blacks, and two White Rabbits with black points, 
which last were misnamed Crimean. Some of the Silver-haired 
Rabbits were very beautiful, all showed an affinity to the wild 
breed.—B. P. Brent. 
OHE LETTEE BOX. 
"Worcester Poultry Snow.—Messrs. Kerr and Co., proprietors of the 
Worcester Royal Porcelain Works, have most liberally added to Class 4, 
fur the test pen of Cotoured Dorkings', a valuable Porcelain Vase. For this 
prize the entries will be kept open until the 2S )th instant. 
Hackle of Silver-spangled IIameurgiis (A Constant Subscriber).— 
A white hackle is a serious, almost a capital, defect in a Silver-spangled 
Hamburgh hen. It should not he spangled, but striped with black. 
Choose striped hackles, firm comb, white deaf ear, clear white tail tipped 
with black, also well-marked wings. 
Uniting Bees {Alex. Scott ).—It can scarcely be expected that in every 
instance complete success should follow the operation of making autumnal 
unions of bee stocks ; and amongst apiarians a diversity of opinion prevails 
as to the best mode of proceeding. The case of partial failure is no argu¬ 
ment against the attempt to strengthen such hives as, unassisted, might 
hardly be expected to stand through the winter and a long cold spring. 
The driving plan is not always so successful where the population is 
small, and, under any system, a portion of bees will remain behind, to be 
removed as best you can. Still we think the amount of loss ought not to 
be placed against the certain advantages arising from a well-stocked hive 
in autumn, no matter what kind of hive it may be. It ought, moreover, 
to be borne in mind, that the usual alternative is the suffocation of the 
bees by brimstone, involving in a common and wanton destruction old 
and young, and the sacrifice of a number of labourers of great importance 
in early spring. 
LONDON MAEXETS. —September 26. 
POULTRY. 
There is a complete absence of demand, and a good supply of every¬ 
thing. Partridges are very abundant, but the majority are old birds. 
Grouse remain scarce. 
Each—s. d. s. d. 
Large Fowls. 3 6 to 4 0 
Smaller ditto . 2 6 „ 3 0 
Chickens . 1 9 „ 2 0 
Geese. 5 G „ 6 0 
Ducks . 2 C „ 3 0 
B5 66 0 
Each—s. d. s. d. 
. 0 3 to 0 9 
. 2 9 „ 3 3 
Partridges 
Grouse ... 
Pigeons. 0 7 „ 0 8 
Rabbits . 1 4 ,, 1 5 
"Wild ditto. 0 8 ,, 0 9 
