THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— October 21, 1856 
selves in a labyrinth, and were totally unable to count the 
cost of their undertaking. Times have changed. The 
proper tent is known; pens may be had at a fixed and 
moderate charge; competent men are to be had for every 
department; prize lists are understood; and what with 
subscriptions, entrance money, and pen money, all risk has 
ceased. An agricultural meeting is not complete without 
poultry. The agriculturist, it may be the tyro, can see the 
! sort of horse, cow, sheep, or pig be should choose, lie may 
become wise by marking the wisdom of the Judges. Imple¬ 
ments of every kind, from a steam plough to a hand 
machine, meet his eye. Seeds are provided for him of the 
same sort as the roots that are honourably distinguished; 
and, if this were all, there would still be something wanting. 
He must also see what sort of fowls he must keep. If 
there is more liberality in one pursuit than another it is in 
farming. The successful experiments of one become the 
property of all, and it is in this particular that a purely 
agricultural meeting stands alone. There is more real 
business, truth, and candour amongst those who Cultivate 
the land than there would be in the association of an equal 
number of members of any other pursuit. Whatever in¬ 
formation there can be imparted from one to the other is 
freely given, and, as everything is represented, every know¬ 
ledge is to be gained. 
Wo have deemed these remarks necessary, because this 
is the first time poultry has formed part of the Worcester¬ 
shire County Meeting. It was fair to expect some very good 
birds. Worcestershire has Mr. Archer’s Hamburglis, Mrs. 
Herbert’s Cochins, its own Pile Game, and, if more were 
wanted, part of Birmingham is in the county. Mr. Archer 
gained the piece of plate for the best collection. This 
gentleman is a poultry Proteus or butterfly. He changes 
or skips his breeds at will. After reigning over Silver 
Hamburglis, he won at Anerley with Gold, and now he 
headed the list of Dorkings. His Golden Hamburglis were 
again better than his Silvers, and, unless he can show better 
birds of this last breed, his days are numbered as leader of 
the class. He showed some good Silver-spangled. 
Mrs. Herbert’s old reputation was well sustained. She 
showed an exquisite pen of While Cochins, and a pen of 
Grouse-coloured almost of equal merit. We think these 
latter will be heard of again if they are shown in equally 
good condition. We must speak highly of the Buff Cochins, 
especially those belonging to Mr. Chase. They are the 
best chickens of 1856 that we have seen. The Game 
classes brought us nothing but disappointment. It is true 
Mr. France’s birds were very good; but we had looked for 
Piles “ plentiful as blackberries," instead of which but five 
pens competed. We are enabled to speak highly of the 
Dorkings, but can say but little for the Spanish. The Geese, 
Turkeys, and Sebright Bantams were very good. Every 
variety of Duck was well represented, and there were Call 
Ducks of singular merit. To those who can afford to 
indulge fancies these birds offer attractions, as they are 
ornamental and prolific. Their size precludes them from 
becoming the denizens of the farm-yard, where profit is the 
first consideration. The Aylesbury Ducks were well chosen 
for size, but they lacked the pale hills so necessary to 
success in competition. Polands were very good, especially 
a pen belonging to Mr. E. B. Guest, Black with white top- 
knots. These birds were larger, and appeared to have more 
strength and weight than belong ordinarily to this breed. 
Liberal prizes were offered to cottagers. In many 
Societies pains are taken, and every inducement is offered, 
to make them exhibitors, but all in vain. It was so in this 
instance. Six prizes; seven exhibitors. I)r. Brown, of 
Edinburgh, toasted a lady after dinner every day during 
fifteen years. One day he omitted it. When a friend 
remarked on such a rare occurrence, he said he had 
toasted her for fifteen years without making her “Brown,” 
and, therefore, gave her up. We have spent seven years, 
some labour, and all our eloquence in showing cottagers 
their interests. If they will not see them, why, then, like 
Dr. Brown, we give it up. The Judge was Mr. Baily, London. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Mortality among Chickens.—“I have had some 120 Speckled, 
Silver, and Golden Hamburgh chickens hatched this season, and have 
only reared nine. They are very healthy for the first ten or twelve days, 
and then they begin to scream, their wings droop, and they die off in 
three or four days, and are perfect skeletons. Warmth, oatmeal cooked 
and raw, scraped meat, bread crumbs, and milk, also letting them out as 
much as possible when the weather is dry, have been tried. I have now 
my last clutch four days old. How am I to rear them ?—H. M. R.” 
[Although it may have a “sound unmusical” to ears polite, we are 
compelled to say we think the chickens are troubled with lice. You say 
they are let out as much as possible. How are they confined ? In damp 
weather the rip under which the hen and chickens are put should be in 
a shed, the floor of which should be of dry dust. The bars of the rip 
should allow' the chickens to go in and out as they will, and they will then 
dust themselves, which is the natural cure, and resorted to by 
Pheasants and Partridges. A drop or two of oil put on the wing where 
it joins to the body, and the same quantity on the back of the head, 
kills the lice. Your feeding is good except the meat. If you allow the 
1 chickens their liberty, and, as the only difference in their food, give them 
a little bread and beer in damp weather, we do not see why you should 
lose any.] 
Delicacy of Dorkings (A- M. S.). —The great, perhaps, we should 
be more correct in saying, the only drawback to Dorkings is their 
delicacy, especially on clay soils or situations at all damp. If exhibition ) 
is not an object with the writer, the cross with a Cochin hen will he , 
found a useful table fowl, and much hardier than the pure breed. The 
birds described are evidently suffering from that, bane of poultry-yards, 
roup. The treatment has been several times described in the last tw o 
volumes; and warm, dry housing is essential. 
Productive Eggs from Single Ducks (A Subscriber). —In reply 
to a correspondent who inquires how long the eggs of a Duck will con¬ 
tinue productive after separation from the Drake, I can only state that I 
have never tried the experiment with a Duck, but should think it probable 
that the eggs would continue fertile until the end of the clutch that the 
Duck was laying when with the Drake. I know this to be the case with 
Turkeys, and have hatched eggs from Cochin hens six weeks after their 
separation from the male bird.—W. B. T. 
Feathers of Hamburgu Cock. —(IP. H.). —All the feathers sent 
belong to Golden Spangled Hamburghs. Our difference is that you call 
them Pencilled. All the feathers may form part of the plumage of a 
very first-class bird. The breast should be spangled, but the spangling 
need not be as accurate or distinct as that of the hens of the same 
breed. His saddle will be better if he gets some dark stripes in it. Do 
not kill your handsome cock. 
Relative Fattening Qualities of White and Yellow Indian 
Corn.— (.Alpha). —There is a much larger proportion of oil in the yellow 
variety than in the white; and the latter would, therefore, meet the 
wants of the inquirer. This diversity of constitution led to an amusing 
sci«nti6c quarrel between two eminent analytical chemists, each of whom 
declared the other to be in crTor. It was eventually discovered that they 
had been analysing the different varieties, It is impossible to hazard an 
opinion on the death of the fowl from the symptoms enumerated.— 
W. B. T. 
Brick Floor of Poultry-house.—(A Subsn-iber). — Cover it with 
sand four or five inches deep, and rake off the dung every morning. Your 
Dorking Pullets have the roup ; give them some Balsam of Copaiba as 
recommended in former numbers. 
Chicken falling on its Side ( C . J. E.). —A small blood-vessel 
is ruptured on the brain probably. Put it on a low diet of boiled rice, 
mashed potatoes, and plenty of green food. Do not let it have any 
hard corn, and very little barley-meal. 
LONDON MARKETS. —October 20th. 
COVENT GARDEN. 
Supply of home-grown fruit very limited, the markets being mainly 
| supported by foreign produce, of which very heavy consignments have 
i come to hand this week, comprising blue and white Grapes from Rotter- 
i dam, Apples and Pears from the Channel Islands ami various parts of 
France, the Pears being Duchesse d'Angouleme, Glout Morcean, Brown 
' Beurre, Easter Beurre, Crassane, Bonne Louise, and a few Marie 
j Louise. Of vegetables there is quite sufficient for the demand ; but we 
are sorry to find the late wet weather has developed the Potato disease to a 
considerable extent in some parts, particularly in the north, so that we 
may expect an advance in prices as soon as the present heavy stocks are 
i diminished, or towards the end of the month. 
POULTRY. 
We have no difference to quote from last week. Grouse are, if any¬ 
thing, more plentiful, while Partridges are short; and, hitherto, t lie 
supply of Pheasants speaks of a bad breeding time. 
Large Fowls 5s. Od. to 5s. 6d. each 
Smaller do 3s. 6d. to 4s. Od. ,, 
Chickens.. 2s. 3d. to 2s. 6d. ,, 
Grouse .... 2s. Od. to 2s. 3d. ,, 
Partridges.. 2s. Od. to 2s. 3d. ,, 
Pheasants .. 4s. Od. to 4s. 3d. ,, 
Hares .... 3s. Od. to 3s. 6d. each 
Ducks_ 3s. Od. to Os. Od. ,, 
Geese.tis. Od. to 6s. 6d. ,, 
Pigeons . 8d. to Qd. ,, 
Rabbit s.... Is. 5d. to Os. Od. ,, 
Witd ditto. lOd. to Is. ,, 
Birmingham Poultry Show. —A Silver Cup of the value 
of six guiueas will fie aw arded to the best Brown or Partridge- 
feathered Cochins in Class 25, and a similar Cup to Chickens 
of the same breeds in Class 20. 
London: Printed by Hugh Barclay, Winchester High-street, in 
the Parish of Saint Mary Kalendar ; and Published for the Proprietors 
at The Cottage Gardener Office, No. 20, Paternoster Row, in 
the Parish of Christ Church, City of London.—October 21, 1856. 
