283 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, August 3 , 1858. 
do not find among tlie dwellers in ancient towns and cities. In 
tlie one, all are engaged in forwarding the general prosperity, 
and in strengthening the infant settlement; in the other, 
the limits of each man’s society are defined. Too often the 
dweller in an old provincial town assumes a sort of “ See 
Naples and die ” feeling; and, having known and enjoyed all 
that Pedlington can show him, he is blase so far as the rest 
of the world is concerned. Such is not the case at Mertlivr. 
«/ 
Business is suspended in the town after one o’clock, excursion 
trains run on every railway, and all are interested in the suc¬ 
cess of the Show. 
It was last year held in a meadow, and, favoured by mag¬ 
nificent weather, was highly successful; but dreading the 
proverbial fickleness of our climate, it was now moved into 
the Market House, a very lofty and spacious building. The 
Exhibition is not confined to poultry, but also extends to fruit, 
flowers, and vegetables. Your reporter knows little of the 
latter, but his knowledge is great enough to enable him to say 
it was an excellent show, and that the progress, since last year, 
was marked. We were much gratified with the improvements 
in the Cottager’s Classes, and especially with the collections of 
eight vegetables. There was a large display of Melons, Pines, 
&c. The latter seem to increase very much in size, but there 
were some, named The JEnville , that were deficient of the stately 
Pine top, and have a sort of Piney cock’s-comb growing all 
across the head. We prefer the look of the old Pine-top. 
Last year we wandered among ladies fashions'; now we catch 
ourselves critising fruit. We shall be liable to prosecution— 
“ Dasli the wig o’me— 
If with poultry and fruit you persist to go, 
I’ll have you indicted for bigamy.” 
In sober seriousness, then, let us tell our readers,—if they 
have had patience to get thus far,—that here, as elsewhere, 
there was a great and marked improvement in Dorlcings , 
Spanish , and Game. f Tliat.the Poland entries were few in 
number, and that chickens are evidently late and scarce every¬ 
where this year. Our Merthyr Tydvil friends are a learning 
people, and seeing that last year we pointed out that where 
Game fowls were shown with legs of divers colours in the 
same pen, that disqualification was the result, and that such 
was, consequently, avoided this year, we now tell them, the 
same result always follows a mixture of combs. To this we 
attribute, that the Judge passed over a class of various 
Bantams , otherwise meritorious. The Golden Hamburghs , 
both Pencilled and Spangled , were better than the Silver. 
The Gold and Silver Sebrights were good ; but the Game do 
not yet seem to have penetrated into Wales, at least there were 
none shown. The Turkeys and Geese were excellent; and of 
the Bucks , the Itouens were better than the Aylesburys. Here, 
again, a last year’s lesson was remembered,—the bills were of 
the right colour. We do not hold with the prizes offered for 
the four best young Ducks of any breed. The Only result of 
it is, that four worthless animals get a prize. Our notion is, 
that everything shown at an exhibition should be pure. 
We congratulate the very efficient Committee on the suc¬ 
cess and comfort of their Exhibition. We advise some altera¬ 
tion in the prize sheet, as, being a local Show, the greatest 
premiums should be offered for the breeds that are kept in the 
neighbourhood ; and we cannot wish them better than that 
they may have many yearly Meetings as happy and successful 
as that we now record. 
The Judge was Mr. Baily, Mount Street, Grosvenor 
Square. 
OLD BIRDS. 
Cochin-China (Black).—First, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Cochin-China (Cinnamon and Buff).—First, R. T. Crawshay, Cy¬ 
farthfa. 
Cochin-China (White).—Second, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Cochin-China (Brown Partridge-feathered).—’First, W. Kedart, 
Fendarran. 
Brahma Pootra. —Second, E. W, Scale, Troedyrhiw. 
Dorkings (Coloured).—First, It. Forman, Pendarran. Second, D. 
Williams, Greyhound Hotel. Highly Commended, E. W. Scale, 
Troedyrhiw. Commended, It. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Dorkings (White).—First, R. Forman, Pendarran. 
Malay.— First, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Game.— First and Second, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. Highly 
Commended, W. Crawshay, Treforest. 
Hamburghs (Gold-pencilled).—First, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Hamburghs (Silver-pencilled).—First, J. Llewellyn, St. Fagans. 
Hamburghs (Silver-spangled).—Second, J. Carr, Havod, Swansea. 
Hamburghs (Golden - spangled). — First, L. Williams, Merthyr. 
Secpnd, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Hamburghs (Black).—First, R. T. Ciawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Polands (White-crested Black).—First, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Polands (Golden).—Second, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Polands (Silver).—Second, J. T. Williams, Merthyr. 
Polands (Buff),—Second, J. T. Williams, Merthyr. 
Spanish —First, It. Forman, Fendarran. Second, E. Payne, Wharf, 
Cardiff. Commended, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Bantams (Gold-laced).—First and Second, R. T. Crawshay, Cy¬ 
farthfa. 
Bantams (Silver-laced) .—First, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Bantams (Black).—First, J. Jones, High Street, Merthyr. Second, 
G. Warren, Merthyr. j 
Bantams (White).—First, R. Williams, Merthyr. Second, C. Smith, 
Merthyr. 
Silky Fowls. —Commended, J. Calvert, Pontypridd. 
Geese.— First and Second, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. j 
Goslings— First, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. Second, Mrs. Lew- 
ellyn, Court Colman, Bridgend. Highly Commended, W. Cuff, St. ] 
Fagans. 
Ducks (Aylesbury).—First, E. Payne, Wharf, Cardiff. Second, W. 
Jones, Cefn. Commended, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Ducks (Rouen).—First, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. Second, W. 
Cuff, St. Fagans. 
. Ducks (Black).—Second, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Ducks (Muscovy).—First, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Young Ducks (of any breed).—First, D. T. Jones, Merthyr. Second, 
J. Bryant, Merthyr. 
Turkeys.— First, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Guinea Fowls. —First, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. Second — 
Heyhurst, Pendarran. 
Fowls op any other Breed— Prize, W. Lloyd, Tydfil’s Well, 
YOUNG BIRDS. 
Cochin-China (Black) .—First and Second, R. T. Crawshay, Cy¬ 
farthfa. 
Cochin-China (Cinnamon and Buff).—R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Cochin-China (White).—First, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfartha. 
Cochin-China (Brown Partridge-feathered). — First and Second, 
R. T. Crawshay, Cyfartha. 
Brahma Pootra. —First, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Dorkings (Coloured). — First, D. Williams, Greyhound Hotel. 
Second, E. W. Scale, Troedyrhiw. Commended, R. Forman, Pen¬ 
darran. 
Dorkings (White).—First, R. Forman, Pendarran. 
Game. —First and Second, R. T. Crawshay, Cyfarthfa. 
Hamburghs (Silver-pencilled).—Second, G. Warren, Merthyr. 
Hamburghs (Silver-spangled).-—First and Second, C. Smith, draper, 
Merthyr. 
Hamburghs (Golden-spangled).—Second, J. Llewellyn, St. Fagans. 
Spanish.— First, E. Payne, Wharf, Cardiff. Second, R. T. Craw¬ 
shay, Cyfartha. 
Bantams (White).—First, C. Smith, draper, Merthyr. 
Bantams (any other variety).—Prize, — Hansard, jun., Ynysfach, 
Merthyr. 
WORKMEN’S PRIZES. 
Fowls op any Breed. —First, W. Lloyd, Tydfil’s Well, Merthyr, j 
Second, W. John, sawyer, Merthyr. 
Ducks op 1858.—First, W. John, sawyer, Merthyr. 
Chickens of 1858. — First, J. Gibbon, engineer, Troedyrhiw. i 
Second, W. John, sawyer, Merthyr. 
Goslings. —Prize, W. Rees, lock-keeper, Merthyr. 
Geese. —Prize, W. Rees, lock-keeper, Merthyr. 
Rabbits (Long-eared).—Prize, W. Crawshay, Treforest. 
PIGEONS. 
Carriers. —First and Second, G. Warren, Merthyr. Tumblers. — 
First, G. Warren, Merthyr. Jacobins. —Second, G. Warren, Merthyr. 
Trumpeters. —First and Second, G. Warren, Merthyr. Beards. — 
G. Warren, Merthyr. Powters or Croppers. — Second, G. Warren, 
Merthyr. Any other sort. —Second, G. Warren, Merthyr (Fantails). 
'.ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES 
POULTRY EXHIBITION. 
, 
t 
Although it is probable a report of this Meeting may have > 
already been prepared for the numerous readers of The 
Cottage Gardener, perchance a few passing remarks, re¬ 
ferring to the poultry department, from a visitor at Chester, 
may not be considered intrusive. There is no doubt on my 
mind, that, considered as a whole, the Exhibition just closed 
was decidedly the best collection of poultry that has yet been 
exhibited at any Meeting of the Royal Society ; such, I hear, 
was the opinion of the Judges, nor did I hear of a single 
dissentient among the numerous visitors. The manifest im¬ 
provement in those varieties of fowls chiefly valued for their 
domestic utility was the most apparent of any. The chickens 
of the Grey Dorkings have never been excelled, if the early 
season of the year is duly considered; and the adult fowls of 
this class, although somewhat out of feather from moulting, 
fully maintained their position as public favourites. Captain 
