THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, August 10, 1358. 
have been tampered with and changed, and the hens 
do not sit steadily and well. Then, again, that fowls 
are so pampered, and have such houses provided for 
them, and are so interfered with, they cannot be ex¬ 
pected to breed well. “Look,” says the advocate of 
the last opinion, “ Look at a common barn-door hen, 
who steals her nest in a hedge, sits on fifteen eggs, 
and brings out thirteen. She has never been over¬ 
fed ; she is of no fancy breed; she sits in the open 
air through wind, and rain, and sun ; she steals off to 
feed in the morning.” The last is very near the truth. 
Fowls are carefully set and tended, and the eggs 
fail. Pheasants, partridges, and hens that steal their 
nests, succeed. The shortest plan to arrive at a so¬ 
lution of this difficulty, will be to endeavour to find 
the causes of success in the latter. First, and not the 
least important, the latter always sit on the ground. 
Next, they have every advantage in air, so conducive 
to health, and they are not disturbed. Put the most 
important point is, they damp their eggs. Nature has 
provided this, and all poultry-keepers will do well to 
imitate it. If there is rain w r hile the hen is on her 
eggs, she gets wet, and so do the eggs, but it does not 
spoil them. If there is no rain, there are heavy dews ; 
and birds sitting in a state of nature leave their. nest 
at daybreak to feed. The grass at that time is as 
“vvetas a river” the hen in stooping for her food 
gets her breast saturated, and in that state goes to 
her eggs. It does not spoil them. 
Of late years our springs are seasons of drought, 
the surface of the earth is dry, and affords no natural 
food, every place is burnt up, the hens are out of 
condition, and do not sit well. The eggs are parched, 
and when the time comes, the chickens cannot escape 
from the shell, and they perish. 
Our recommendation then is, that in dry weather, 
and in wet, if the sitting hens are in confinement, the 
eggs should be sprinkled with water every day, while 
they are off feeding. If this is done, we can, from ex¬ 
perience, assure our readers they will have less cause 
for complaint as to the hatching of their eggs in 1859. 
CRYSTAL PALACE POULTRY SHOW. 
J. K. Fowler, Prebendal Farm. Second, J. L. Harrison, Foxholes, 
near Lancaster. Highly Commended, G. C. Adkins, West House, 
Edgbaston; B. J. Ford. Ide, near Exeter. Commended, T. Stretch, 
Marsh Lane, Bootle; H. Tomlinson, Balsall Heath Road. (One of the 
best classes ever exhibited.) 
Cochin-China (White).—First, R. Chase, Moseley Road, Birming¬ 
ham. Second, J. K. Fowler, Prebendal Farm. 
Cochin-Chtna Cocks (Coloured and White).—First, Miss W. Mus- 
grove. Second, Mrs. E. Herbert, Powick. 
Brahma Pootra. — First, G. Botham, Wexham Court, Slough. 
Second, J. K. Fowler, Prebendal Farm. Highly Commended, G. 
Botham, Wexham Court. Commended, J. K. Fowler, Prebendal Farm 
(A class of beautiful birds.) 
Brahma Pootra Cocks. —Prize, J. K. Fowler, Prebendal Farm. 
Game (White and Piles).—First and Second, H. W. W. Vernon, 
Wolseley Hall. Third, S. Matthew, Chilton Hall, Stowmarket. 
Game (Black-breasted and other Reds).—First and Second, G. W. 
Moss, The Beach, Aigburth, near Liverpool. Third, W. Bentley, 
Scholes. Highly Commended, A. Foster, North Petherton, near 
Bridgewater; J. Lamb, Highworth. Commended, R,ev. G. S. Cruwys, 
Cruwys Morchard Court; W. Cox, Brailsford Hall, Derby. 
Game (Blacks and Brassy-winged, except Greys).—First, Messrs. 
Bullock and Rapson, Leamington. Third, W. Ballard, Woodcote 
Lodge, Leamington. (Second withheld.) 
Game (Duckwings and other Greys and Blues).—First, W. M. Mar- 
ryatt, Bootliroyd, Dewsbury. Second and Third, W. Bentley, Scholes. 
Game Cocks. —First, S. Mathew, Chilton Hall, Stowmarket, Suffolk. 
Second, W. Cox, Brailsford Hall, Derby. Third, G. W. Moss, The 
Beach, Aigburth. Highly Commended, Mrs. II. Sharpe, Mill Lane, 
Bradford. 
Hamburghs (Golden-pencilled).—First, Messrs. Carter and Gaulter, 
Poulton-le-Fylde, near Preston. Second, W. H. Dyson, High Street, 
Horton, Bradford. Third, Miss S. Coates, Bicton, Shrewsbury. Highly 
Commended, J. Martin, Mildenham Mill, Claines, Worcester. (An 
excellent class.) 
Hamburghs (Silver-pencilled). — First and Second, E. Archer, 
Malvern. Third, Rev. F. B. Pryor, Bennington Rectory, Stevenage, 
Herts. Highly Commended, T. Keable, Rowdefield Farm, Devizes, 
Wilts. (A meritorious class.) 
Hamburgh Cocks (Gold or Silver-pencilled). — First, T. Keable, 
Rowdefield Farm, Devizes. Second, E. Archer, Malvern. 
Hamburghs (Gold-spangled).—Second, W. R. Lane, Bristol Road, 
Birmingham. Third, J. Dixon, North Park, near Bradford. (First 
withheld.) 
Hamburghs (Silver-spangled).—First, Miss E. Deighton, Saltaire, 
near Bradford. Second, J. Robinson, Vale House, near Garstang. 
Third, Captain Beardmore, Uplands, near Fareham. Commended, 
Mrs. H. Sharp, Mill Lane, Bradford. (A good class.) 
Hamburgh Cocks (Gold or Silver-spangled).—First, J. Davies, Bull 
Street, Harborne, near Birmingham. Second, J. Whiteliouse, jun., 
Selly Oak, near Birmingham. 
Polish (Black with White Crests).—First, G. Ray, Ivy Cottage, 
Minestead, Lyndhurst, Hants. Second, J. Dixon., North Park, near 
Bradford. 
This Exhibition commenced on the 7th inst., and will con¬ 
tinue until the 11th. We have only room for the Prize List 
to-dav. 
Spanish. —First, J. K. Fowler, Prebendal Farm, A 3 ’lesbury, Second, 
J. Clewes, Walhouse Street, Walsall. Third, Rev. W. G. Holmes, 
Brookfield, Arundel, Sussex. Fourth, J. R. Rodbard, Aldwiek Court. 
Highly Commended, G. W. Locke, Newport, Isle of Wight; J. R. 
j Rodbard, Aldwiek Court, Langford, near Bristol. (A very good class.) 
Spanish Cocks. —First, J. C. Hall, Surrey House, Sheffield. Second, 
J. R. Rodbard, Aldwiek Court. Third, W. Moore, Hanley Castle, 
Upton-upon-Severn. Highly Commended, J. R. Rodbard, Aldwiek 
Court. Commended, W. Moore, Hanley Castle ; R. Wright, 2, Porters 
j Place, Holloway. 
Dorkings (Coloured).—First, Hon. W. W. Vernon, Wolseley Hall, 
! Rugeley, Staffordshire. Second, H. Lewry, Rose Cottage. Third, 
C. H. Wakefield, Malvern Wells. Fourth, G. Chadwin, Tollard Royal, 
Salisbury. Highly Commended, J. Frost, Parham, near Wickham 
Market, Suffolk; W. Moore, Hanley Castle, Upton-upon-Severn; C. 
Revett, Parham, near Wickham Market. Commended, Captain W. 
Hornby, R.N., Knowsley Cottage, Prescot; C. C. Elgar, Reigate ; J. 
Frost, Parham ; H. Lewry, Rose Cottage, Staplefield, Ci-awley, Sussex. 
Dorkings (White). — First, J. Robinson, Vale House. Second, 
Captain Beardmore, Uplands. Highly Commended, Captain Beaid- 
more, Uplands, near Fareham, Hants; J. K.Fowler, Prebendal Farm, 
Aylesbury; H. Lingwood, Needham Market. (Noclass shows greater 
improvement than this.) 
Dorking Cocks (Coloured and White). — First, II. Lewry, Rose 
Cottage, Staplefield. Second and Third, Hon, W. W. Vernon. Wolseley 
Hall. Highly Commended, Hon. W. W. Vernon, Wolseley Hall. 
Commended, S. Lewry, Ashington Common. 
Cochin-China (Cinnamon and Buff) .—First, T. Stretch, Marsh Lane, 
Bootle, Liverpool. Second, G. Johnson, West Street, Fareham. Third, 
Fowler, Prebendal Farm, Aylesbury. Highly Commended, Mrs. 
D. rookes, Whitechurcli, Blandford, Dorset; Miss A. Watkin, 
freedom Cottage, Walkley. Commended, T. Cartwright, Croydon. 
(An excellent class.) 6 ’ J 
Cochin-China (Brown and Partridge-feathered).— First and Third, 
Polish (Gold). — Second, J. Dixon, North Park, near Bradford. 
(First and third withheld.) 
Polish (Silver). — First, G. C. Adkins, West House, Edgbaston. 
Second, J. Dixon, North Park, near Bradford. Third, P. H. Jones, 
High Street, Fulham. 
Polish Cocks. —Second, G. C. Adkins, West House, Edgbaston. 
(First withheld.) 
Malay. —First, J. Rumsey, 182, High Street, Shadwell. Second, 
N. Sykes, jun., 22, York Street, Globe Road, Mile End. Highly Com¬ 
mended, S. Saunders, 12, Portman Terrace, Globe Road, Mile End. 
(A capital class.) 
For any other distinct breed. —First, C. Coles, Fareham (An¬ 
dalusian). Second, Hon. Miss Dillon, Ditchley Park, Enstone, Oxon 
(Silky Negroes). Highly Commended, H. Gilbert, 17, Upper Philli- 
more Place, Kensington (Silk or Negro Fowls from China); C. Coles, 
Fareham (Andalusian). 
Bantams (Golden-laced).—First, T. H. D. Bayly, Ickwell House. 
Second, U. Spary, Markyate Street, Herts. 
Bantams (Silver-laced).—First, U. Spary, Markyate Street, Herts. 
(Second withheld.) 
Bantams (White).—First, Rev. P. W. Story, Charwelton, Daventry, 
Northamptonshire. (Second withheld.) 
Bantams (Black).—First, Hon. W. W. Vernon, Wolseley Hall. Se¬ 
cond, W. Barber, Globe Cottage, Globe Road, Mile End. Highly Com¬ 
mended, J. Monsey, Thorne Lane, Norwich. (A really good class.) 
Bantams (any other variety).—First, I. Thornton, High Street, 
Heckmondwicke, near Leeds. Second, T. II. D. Bayley, Ickwell 
House. Highly Commended, T. H. D. Bayley, Ickwell House. 
Geese (White).—First, W. Manfield, jun., Dorchester. Second, T. 
Williams, 7, Broad Street, Reading. 
Geese (Grey and Mottled).—First, Mrs. Seamons, Hartwell, Ayles¬ 
bury, Bucks. Second, S. Rigby, Ashby (Toulouse). Highly Com¬ 
mended, S. Rigby (Toulouse). (A good class). 
Ducks (White Aylesbury).—First, Mrs. Seamons, Hartwell, Ayles¬ 
bury, Bucks. Second, J. Weston, Aylesbury. Highly Commended, 
