77 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, May 4, 1858. 
often remark the manifest superiority of the early to the later 
broods, though all may be the produce of the same eggs ; and 
the average number of chickens is also considerably less when 
the hen’s constitutional power has been impaired by protracted 
laying. So convinced am I that this is the case, that in 
hatching my later chickens I always select the eggs, either of 
hens that did not begin laying until late in the season, or of 
such as having sat in early spring, have recruited their egg- 
producing power by a long rest. By adopting this plan, much 
of the inferiority of late-hatched chickens may be avoided, 
| though, in no case, I think, is it advisable to hatch chickens 
i for exhibition later than June ; and I was surprised, last year, 
to see one of our well-known dealers advertising eggs, for 
sitting, until the end of July. 
I think the facts I have referred to offer some explanation 
of the disappointment so often complained of by the pur¬ 
chasers of eggs; but I am afraid it is almost impossible to 
suggest a remedy. It is hardly to be expected, the owners of 
! the best stocks will supply the public until they have selected 
for themselves what they consider their choicest eggs; they 
] will, in fact, keep the cream, and sell the skimmed-milk. No 
doubt, as your correspondent “ R. B.” suggests, the exhibi¬ 
tions, which, to a great extent, are our poultry fairs, offer the 
best opportunities for the amateur to obtain what he requires. 
But as Shows occur only at intervals, I am in the habit of 
reading your advertising columns, and I have no reason to be 
dissatisfied with the birds I have obtained in this way. If 
the purchaser describes with accuracy what he requires, I 
believe the great majority of those who advertise in your 
pages will send him what he wants, or state that they are 
unable to do so. But, I confess, I am one of those who think 
the egg trade lias been pushed a little too far, and has led to 
much disappointment; and even your correspondent “ K.,” 
who very properly defends the honesty of the egg sellers, gives 
small encouragement to those who may be disposed to try 
their luck in this lottery, in which the blanks so far exceed 
the prizes. For if, as he says, seven in twelve is the average 
produce from travelled eggs, and with the most careful breed¬ 
ing from the choicest stock, no better result is obtained than 
twelve first-class birds from 200 chickens in the case of Spanish 
fowls, and eight first-class birds from forty-eight chickens in 
the case of the other fowls referred to, a purchaser of eggs 
would be sanguine indeed to anticipate much from his specu¬ 
lation. If such is his experience with first-class stock, I can 
only rejoice that I. never sold an egg, and will now subscribe 
myself— One who Regrets he ever Bought One. 
BLACK POLAND FOWLS. 
As one of the oldest exhibitors, and, I believe, the largest 
breeder of the White-crested Black Poland fowls, I sincerely 
join with Mr. Ray, in condemning the present plan of exhibit¬ 
ing them with other varieties at many of the Poultry Shows. 
I believe them to be far superior to either the Golden or 
Silver, and I do not see why they cannot have a class to them¬ 
selves. If the funds will not allow of their being exhibited 
separately, then class Golden and Silver together, and that 
will allow of the White-crested Black having a separate class 
j allotted them, I consider them more of a distinct species 
i than the others, and well worthy of better treatment than 
they receive at some of the Shows. Should the present 
j system be continued, I, for one, shall not send my birds to 
j any Show, in which they are not exhibited in a sepai’ate class ; 
and I also know that others intend to do the same. 
The mistake alluded to by Mr. John Jackson, of Preston, 
as being made by Mr. Rav, was owing to Mr. Ray taking the 
j official catalogue of the Preston Poultry Show for his guide, 
in which Mr. James Dixon’s Polands, exhibited in pen 676, 
class 31, are inserted as being Mack. I was of the same 
opinion as Mr. Ray, and I beg to thank Mr. Jackson for cor¬ 
recting it.—T hqs, P, Edwards, Lyndhurst, 
TOP-KNOTTED WHITE AYLESBURY' DUCKS. 
In The Cottage Gardener, of January 26th, appeared 
an advertisement stating that the advertiser had some eggs to 
part with of that rare and fine bird the Top-knotted White 
Aylesbury. I wrote to ask the price, and received an answer 
stating that the price was £1 Is. for a sitting of thirteen eggs. 
I sent a post-office order for the above amount. The eggs not 
arriving for more than a week, I wrote and asked the reason ; 
which he states in the enclosed letter. I received the eggs early 
on the 9th ot February. I put seven under one hen, and five 
under another : one was broken when it arrived. On the 10th 
of March two ducks were hatched, and two more on the 
morrow ; two of them were nearly black, and the other two 
black and white ; not the least sign of any top-knot whatever. 
I wrote as soon as I found the other eggs were not good, and 
told Mr. Turner all the particulars ; but, although more than 
a month has elapsed, I cannot get any answer from him. I 
referred him, in case he should doubt my word, to three of 
the largest and best-known poultry breeders in the neighbour¬ 
hood. The eggs, with carriage, &c., cost £1 4s. 5 d. I have 
enclosed the two letters I received from him. The person I 
had the eggs from w T as Mr. Wm. Turner, Sefton, near Liver¬ 
pool.—J. W. 
[We have the writer’s address.—E d.] 
POULTRY AND EGG SALES. 
In answer to “ Senex ” and “ W. W. H.,” I beg to state 
that some misunderstanding exists, as may be gathered by a 
careful perusal of their statements. Now, 1 have been 
accused of attacking the whole body of poultry fanciers of 
ignorance and of disappointments. The first allegation I 
deny, and never intended any such construction to be put 
upon my complaints and inquiries how to act with those who 
might continue to advertise what they did not sell. Neither 
was it from a mere selfish view I ventured to ask your aid, to 
remedy the evil. I never intended many—equal to a Baily, 
a Fairlie, a Punchard, or a Hornby in honesty, or in honour¬ 
able dealing—to be included in the category; but I simply 
wanted a suggestion how to act when a Dorco-'pencilled 
Hamburgh was the produce of so-called prize grey Dorkings, 
or a non-descript the produce of Golden Sebrights, &c. 1 am 
too old in the fancy to imagine such things as “ W. W. H.” 
Avould appear to suggest ; but, as some good ought to be the 
result of this poultry mania, and a not mere game of exhi¬ 
biting amongst a few, some other method ought to be adopted 
to insure success in obtaining birds as advertised, so as to 
lead to the more general diffusion of poultry breeding. What 
good has yet been done in the propagation of poultry ? What 
public benefit has resulted ? Where is the cottager to pro¬ 
cure good breeds at the prices and risk he has to run ? 
Where is there a philanthropist in the poultry world? With¬ 
out one, I am afraid no real good will result. On many j 
topics I have, in The Poultry Chronicle, already said | 
sufficient, I trust, to convince “ W. W. H.” that I know | 
something about breeding, &c.; and that I am not quite so j 
ignorant as he imagines. If “ Senex” is as old as his sig¬ 
nature implies, little good would result from his perusal of 
the only three volumes ever published of The Poultry 
Chronicle. Under the signatures of “ R. G.,” of “ Te- 
trao,” and “ Lagopus,” I have endeavoured to lend a help¬ 
ing hand to all who are interested in poultry and their allies. 
“ W. W. H.” is kind enough to offer assistance, and if the 
season is not too late, he may yet hear from me.—R. G. 
FRAUDULENT APPLICANTS FOR EGGS 
AND POULTRY'. 
In your paper of the 30th of March, there is an article 
headed, “Warning to Railway Companies,” wherein you ex¬ 
press great indignation at two hens being abstracted from 
their baskets in returning from Hereford Poultry Show, and 
two of less value put in. This fraudulent transaction ought, 
very properly, to be made widely known; and I hope the 
delinquent will be found out, and punished accordingly. 
And as your columns have often of late recorded instances of 
unfair dealing, or what was by some parties considered as 
such, you will, I am sure, give the following recital of a poultry 
transaction a place in your paper, as I happen to know it is 
not an isolated case. 
In the autumn of last year, some Aylesbury ducks were 
