230 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, December 30, 1856. 
highest praise; they were alike indefatigable to secure the 
well-being of the valuable pens of poultry committed to 
their temporary care; and the courtesy displayed by every 
member of that body to the numerous inquiries of visitors 
was also well calculated to secure the final triumph of the 
undertaking. It is well here to acknowledge the promptitude, 
also, of the Honorary Secretary, Mr. R. Hawkesley, in reply¬ 
ing in all instances, by the return post, to every written com¬ 
munication from exhibitors. In short, each member of the 
Committee tried every effort to please and accommodate all 
parties, and thus the success of the undertaking was assured. 
The weather at the late meeting was all the most interested 
could possibly desire, being a clear day, with a bright sun¬ 
shine; consequently, the attendance of the aristocracy, and 
the ladies in particular, was far superior to that of last 
season, when one of the most inclement days that could be 
i imagined marked its opening. 
A great additional interest was caused by the strong 
competition for the possession of the Silver Cup for 
the best general collection. It eventually fell to the lot of 
J. R. Rodbard, Esq., of Aldwick Court, Langford, near 
: Bristol, after a very close run indeed between that gentle- 
1 man and Mr. Daft, of Halloughton, Southwell, Notts. We 
will mention a fact connected with this prize that may 
interest amateurs generally, and, at the same time, prove 
! “ the wind is indeed a bad one that blows evil to every one.” 
! Mr. E. H. Strange, of Ampthill, Beds, entered seven pens of 
i poultry for general competition, and, from some at present 
J unexplained cause, three pens only arrived at Southwell in 
j time to enter the lists for prizes, the other four being 
1 delivered the following day; and, consequently, all these 
' latter ones appeared before visitors bearing that “ plague 
[ spot ” to owners—“ too late for competition.” At the 
especial request of the Committee, the Judge, Mr. Edward 
Hewitt, of Eden Cottage, Sparkbrook, near Birmingham, 
reviewed these “ late pens,” to ascertain whether their non¬ 
arrival had caused any difference as to the Cup decision. 
The result of this reference proved that, had they been 
present and in time, Mr. Daft would have been the suc¬ 
cessful one by two points, whilst Mr. E. Strange, of course, 
lost high position on the prize-list in exact proportion, alto¬ 
gether independent of the actually pecuniary loss to the 
last-named gentleman. 
The Spanish classes were well filled, and the birds were 
also of extreme excellence, whilst, as in the Grey Dorldng 
classes, the chickens were undoubtedly entitled to pre¬ 
eminence, a very conclusive proof of gradual and certain 
improvement, the invariable result of judicious and careful 
breeding. In Cochin-China fowls the Partridge-feathered 
were the most excellent variety, followed by the White ones, 
and, lastly, the Buffs. These classes, particularly the last 
one, seemed to betray want of attention, and were not so 
good as we anticipated. All the Game classes were long- 
continued rows of perfect specimens, the very glory of the 
j Exhibition, and the extreme pride of a large company of 
, owners, who attended to witness what would be the final 
! issue of tbe contest, as not a few had wagered considerable 
sums on the external excellence of their favourites. Even 
! in this conflicting position we are happy to say the Judge’s 
: awards were approved, and all passed off most satisfactorily. 
We were informed, too, on the spot, that considerable 
numbers of these truly beautiful and courageous birds 
would, in the course of a few weeks, meet as antagonists in 
an arena where neither they nor their owners would, 
probably, remain so social and unharmed. Nottinghamshire, 
for centuries proverbial for its Game fowls, thus maintained 
fully to the extreme its very high position. The “ con¬ 
dition ” of the sixty-one Game cocks, save only two, was 
unexampled, in fact, “ impossible to improve ;’’ but still, as 
amateur exhibitors versus cock fighters, we could not help 
feeling a momentary regret to imagine how soon the lustrous 
whalebone-like plumage of these beautiful birds would fall 
severed by the trimming scissors; and the eyes of specimens 
now rampant with defiance, and glistening in the full enjoy¬ 
ment of extreme health, become, at least in some instances, 
dull and flaccid from collisions in the cock pit. From not a 
i few of the lady visitors we heard similar exclamations of 
regret; but, having simply expressed our own sentiments, 
the enjoyments of others we leave to individual tastes and 
selection. In Hamburglis, whether Spangled ortho Pencilled, 
the Golden ones were very superior; not so the Silver 
Hamburglis , they being, together with the Poland classes, 
the very worst in the whole Exhibition. It is very long 
since we saw a more beautiful group of Golden-spangled 
Hamburglis than those of Mr. W. H. Swann, of Famsfield, 
Notts. In the “ any other distinct breed” class the Malays of 
H. D. Bayley, Esq., were triumphant, and well merited the 
distinction they attained. The same gentleman actually 
swept away all the Bantam prizes, save the one for Blacks, 
which fell, as last year at Southwell, and since at Birmingham, 
to the well-known collection of the persevering Secretary, 
Mr. Hawkesley, whose Black Bantams are becoming noto¬ 
rious for unvarying excellence. The Geese, Turkeys, and 
Bucks were superior. 
It remains but to name that another season it is intended 
to place all the poultry exhibited under a covering of equal 
thickness, which will prevent any farther complaints of 
inequality of light, and will greatly improve the. general 
appearance of the whole Exhibition; in fact, this is the 
only improvement on present arrangements that calls for 
particular allusion, and we are glad to find the Committee 
have determined on its adoption. We gave the prize-list 
last week. 
DIARY FOR THE DAIRY, PIGGERY, AND 
POULTRY-YARD. 
It will be seen, by an advertisement to-day, that this is 
just published, and we again recommend it to our readers. 
The Directory to more than 1000 breeders of prize poultry, 
and the kinds in which they most excel, is very useful. 
Its author is a most active official of the Essex Poultry 
Show, and we are glad to hear that there are 500 pens 
entered for that Exhibition. 
OUR LETTER BOX. 
Brahma Pootra Cock. — Rabbit (W. O. C. H.).— Your Brahma 
Pootra having only one eye, and your rabbit with bowed forelegs, would 
have little chance at an Exhibition. 
THE HOUSEHOLD. 
Preserving Preserve. —Fruit jellies may be preserved 
from mouldiness by covering the surface one-fourth of an 
inch deep with fine pulverised loaf sugar. Thus protected, 
they will keep, it is said, in good condition for ten years. 
Calves’ Head Hash. —Boil the head three quarters of an 
hour, then put it into cold water, wash it, cut it in slices, 
pick out all the black; make a little beef gravy, flavoured 
with catsup ; put the slices into it, and boil up well; make 
the brains into cakes with two eggs, beat fine, and the brains 
chopped small with a little parsley and a few bread crumbs, 
and some force-meat balls fired brown. 
Custard. —Put a pint of milk into a jug with the rind of 
a lemon, a few bitter almonds to flavour it, set it on the fire 
in a saucepan of boiling water. When sufficiently flavoured, 
sweeten to taste with lump sugar grated on lemon; beat 
the yolks of six eggs, the whites of three, stir them in the 
milk, set it on the fire again, keep stirring it till it is suffi¬ 
ciently thick. Stir it a few minutes after you take it from 
the fire. Add half a wine-glass of brandy. 
Ginger Beer. —Two gallons of ginger beer may be made 
as follows:—Put two gallons of cold water into a pot upon 
the fire, add to it two ounces of good ginger, and two pounds 
of white or brown sugar. Let all this come to the boil, and 
continue boiling for half an hour. Then skim the liquor, 
and pour it into a jar or tub, along with one sliced lemon, 
and half an ounce of cream of tartar. When nearly cold 
put in a teacupful of yeast to cause the liquor to work. 
The beer is now made, and after it has worked for two days 
strain it and bottle it for use. Tie the corks down firmly. 
