THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, December 23, 1850. 211 
Pray do try, Mr. Editor, and get us all some little respite, 
and plain, natural living for a few weeks between our trials, 
to recover from temporary hardships, instead of making them 
all but continuous. One of my wives is now suffering from 
a dreadful cold; the other has been grossly and wantonly 
assaulted by a vixen of a competitor “ next door; ” and, if 
these errors are to be persisted in, my hopes of seeing my 
temporary residences bedecked with honourable distinctions 
are gone for ever. 
We Show fowls shall soon be all superannuated and im¬ 
becile. I feel my legs get weaker daily, and the Judges 
must injustice soon give our triumphs to less-favoured, but 
more robust ones. Then, Sir, what “ a jolly row must ensue! ” 
for my short-sighted master will inveigh on “ changes of 
opinion ”—“ chance work ”—“ there is no dependence to be 
placed on Judges now-a-days ; ” and, if jeered bj^he success¬ 
ful owner, will even venture to enunciate “humbug.” But 
I cannot help it—it is not any fault of mine; if I had been 
allowed a few weeks’ calm retirement from the fashionable 
world “ between times,” as Molly says, who generally feeds 
ns, the present troubles and mortifications would not have 
been heard of, and my poor emaciated, sickly wives might 
have, been blessed with happy increase. I do not pretend, 
Mr. Editor, to understand the signification of “hard cash,” 
“ the needful,” and “ bank notes,” so well as the bank which 
is needful for me to bask upon freely and unrestricted, and 
hard corn for my daily sustenance. Give my associates and 
myself these blessings regularly, or even occasionally, and 
you will not hear complaints from me; but if not (I have 
heard the Judges themselves say it at the front of my pen), 
we must give way, and, the best of us being deceased, our 
admirers will not feel the desire to inspect the less-favoured, 
and, therefore, the evil must cure itself by a general bank¬ 
ruptcy of our prison-keepers. As I belong to the most 
hardy of my tribe, the sufferings of others must be still 
greater, and it is only, therefore, by well-timed advice at 
your hands that an alteration is hoped for by —An Ole 
Cochin. 
NORTH YORKSHIRE AND DURHAM POULTRY 
SHOW. 
(From a Correspondent .) 
The fourth annual Exhibition of Poultry at Darlington 
took place on December 4th, in the Central Hall, a building 
admirably adapted for the purpose, being roomy, and 
having a fire-place on each side, in which was kept a roaring 
fire, both day and night, to the great comfort of the fowls. 
Notwithstanding the superior attractions of Birmingham, 
this Show far surpassed any of its predecessors in number 
of pens exhibited, last year the number of pens being 
398, and this year 475. But not only in numbers, but in 
quality did it excel its forerunners. The Game, as a class, 
were quite undeniable, and in Dorkings there was great im¬ 
provement—a fact which was made manifest, even to the 
tyro, by comparing the Silver Cup birds of last year (a 
truly good pen), with the winners on the present occasion. 
The whole class of old Dorkings, however, received the high 
commendations of the Judges. 
There were some excellent pens of Gold and Silver-laced 
Bantams. Cochins were few in number, and not remarkable 
for excellence. Ducks plentiful and good, and Geese far 
above the average. 
I heard numerous complaints, from both spectators and 
exhibitors, of the darkness of the room, which precluded 
the possibility of seeing some of the lower pens at all. 
This was, in a great measure, to be attributed to the snow 
lying on the skylight; but even under the most favourable 
circumstances I cannot help thinking that the lower tier of 
pens would be too low to show their inmates to advantage. 
The arrangements were, however, on the whole, most satis¬ 
factory, and, in many respects, I saw great improvement on 
those of last year, especially in the size of the pens appro¬ 
priated to Geese and Turkeys, and all praise and thanks are 
due to Mr. Hodgson, the zealous and very obliging Secretary. 
—G. B. 
Spanish.— First, Silver Cop, Mr. Shorthose. Second, Mr. Wm. 
Newsome, Heckmondwike. Chickens of 1856.— First, Mr. Daniel 
Wilson, Sutton Fields, Crosshills, Keighley. Second, Mr. Wm. New¬ 
some, Heckmondwicke. Highly Commended.—Mr. Wm. Liglitfoot, 
Shieldfield, Newcastle. 
Coloured Dorking. — First, Jno. Robinson, Esq., Vale House, 
Gars tang. Second, Edward Aekroyd, Esq., Denton Park, Otley. (The 
whole class highly commended.) Chickens of 1856.—First, Silver 
Cup, John Robinson, Esq., Vale House, Garstang. Second, Mr. Alfred 
Watkins, Walkley, Sheffield. Highly Commended.—John Robinson, 
Esq. 
White Dorking. —Second, Edward Pease, jun., Esq., Soulhend, 
Darlington. (First prize not awarded, there being only two exhibitors.) 
Chickens of 1856.—First and Second, Mr. James Robinson, Darlington. 
Cochin-China (Cinnamon and Buff).—First, Henry Marshall, Esq., 
Durham. Second, Edward Aekroyd, Esq., Denton Park, Otley. 
Chickens of 1856.—First, Mr. Joseph Teale Sigston, Welburn, Castle 
Howard. Second, John Robinson, Esq., Vale House, Garstang. 
Cochin-Chin a (Brown and Partridge).—First, Mr. John Bell, Thirsk. 
Second, Mr. Thomas Bridges, Croydon, Surrey. Chickens of 1856.— 
First, Mr. John Bell, Thirsk. Second, Mr. James Dixon, Bradford. 
Cochin-China (White).—There being only one exhibitor, no prize 
was awarded. Chickens of 1856.—First, Mr. Alfred Watkins, Walkley, 
Sheffield. Second, Mr. C. R. Titterton, Birmingham. 
Game (Blacks, Black-breasted and other Reds, and Brassy-winged). 
—First, Silver Cup, Mr. E. Wright Legram, Horton, Bradford. 
Second, J. B. Booth, Esq., Killerby, Catterick. Chickens of 1856.— 
First, Mr. Charles Gofton, Barnard Castle. Second, Mrs. H. Sharp, 
Mill Lane, Bradford. 
Game (Duckwings, Greys, and Blues).—First, Mr. James Dixon, 
Bradford. Second, Sir. Daniel Leeming, Little Blackwood House, 
Halifax. Chickens of 1856.—First, Mr. William Newsome, Heck¬ 
mondwike. Second, Mrs. H. Sharp, Mill Lane, Bradford. 
Game (Whites and Piles).—First, Mr. E. Wright Legram, Horton, 
Bradford. Second, Mr. Daniel Leeming, Little Blackwood House, 
Halifax. Chickens of 1856.—First, Rev. T. E. Abraham, Bickerstaffe, 
Lancashire. Second, Mr. E. Wright Legram, Horton, Bradford. 
Golden-pencilled Hamburgh. —First, Mr. Mackie, Darlington. 
Second, Mr. William Horner, Newsham, Thirsk. Chickens of 1856.— 
First, Mrs. H. Sharp, Mill Lane, Bradford. Second, Mr. John Crabtree, 
Shipley, near Bradford. Highly Commended.—Mr. William Horner, 
Newsham, Thirsk. 
Silver-pencilled Hamburgh.— First, Mrs. H. Sharp, Mill Lane, 
Bradford, Second, Mr. James Dixon, Bradford. Chickens of 1856.— 
First, E. Featherstonhaugh, Esq., the Hermitage, Chester-le-Street. 
Second, Mr. D. Wilson, Sutton Fields, Crosshills, Keighley. 
Golden-spangled Hamburgh. —First, Mr. James Dixon, Bradford. 
Second, Rev. J. C. Raw, Ainderby Vicarage. Chickens of 1856.—First, 
Mr. James Dixon, Bradford. Second, Rev. J. C. Raw, Ainderby Vicarage. 
Highly Commended.—Miss M. Grey Smith. Mr. Cleminson. 
Silver-spangled Hamburgh. —First, Mr. D. VVilson, Sutton 
Fields, Crosshills, Keighley. Second, Mr. James Dixon, Bradford. 
Chickens of 1856.—First, Mr. Daniel Leeming, Little Blackwood House, 
Halifax. Second, Mr. James Robinson, Darlington. 
Polish (Black with White Crests).—First, Mr. William Newsome, 
Heckmondwike. Second, E. Featherstonhaugh, Esq., the Hermitage, 
Chester-le-Street. 
Polish (Golden).—Second, Mr. James Dixon, Bradford. (First 
prize not awarded, there being no competition.) 
Polish (Silver).—First, Miss Cannan, Bradford. Second, Edmund 
Backhouse, Esq., Middleton Lodge. 
Polish Chickens op 1856 (any variety).—First, Mr. James Dixon, 
Bradford. Second, Messrs. Bird and Beldon, Eccleshill Moor, Bradford. 
Any other Pure and Distinct Breed.— First, Mr. Barnard, 
Darlington. (White Spanish.) Second, William Dawson, Esq., Hopton 
Mirfield. (Serai Taook or Sultan’s Fowls.) 
Cross Breeds.— First, Mr. Richard Pape, Darlington. (Cross 
between Brahma Pootra and Dorking.) Second, Mr. Rawling, Barnard 
Castle. (Cross between Golden-spangled Hamburgh hen and Sebright 
Bantam.) 
Gold-laced Bantams. —Mr. William Mais, jun., East Cowton. 
Silver-laced Bantams.— Mr. William Newsome, Heckmondwike. 
White Bantams.— George Baillie, jun., Esq., Mellerstain, Kelso. 
Black" Bantams. —Mrs. Pulleine, Crakehall, Bedale. 
Bantams (any other variety).—Col. Colling, Red Hall, Darlington. 
Ducks (White Aylesbury). — First, Mr. James Dixon, Bradford. 
Second, Edward Pease, jun., Esq. 
Ducks (Rouen).—First, H. Ambler, Esq., Watkinson Hall, Halifax. 
Second, Miss Wetherell. 
Ducks (any other variety).—First, Mr. Samuel Burn. (Black East 
Indian Ducklings.) Second, Mr. William Newsome, Heckmondwike. 
(Wild.) 
Geese above One Year old. —First, Mrs. Wooler, Berwick, near 
Yarm. Second, George Baillie, jun., Esq., Mellerstain, Kelso. (Grey 
Toulouse.) Goslings of 1856.—First, H. Ambler, Esq., Watkinson 
Hall, Halifax. (Grey Toulouse.) Second, Mr. Thomas White. 
Turkeys. —First, Edward Pease, jun., Esq., Southend, Darlington. 
(Norfolk Bronze-winged.) Second, H. Marshall, Esq., Durham. (Cam¬ 
bridgeshire.) Poults of 1856.—First, Mr. Wetherell, Aldbrough. 
(Cambridgeshire Grey.) Second, Miss Wetherell. 
Guinea Fowl. — Mr. Daniel Leeming, Little Blackwood House, 
Halifax. 
