THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Ararat 14, 1860. 
307 
First, J. Crosland, jun. Second, F. Hardy. Highly Commended, J. 
Crosland; G. Hill; G. Wentworth. Commended, G. Flower. 
Dorkings. — First, W. Cannan, Bradford. Second, H. Hemsworth, 
Wakefield. Highly Commended, H. Hemsworth. Commended, G, 
Wentworth; J. Hirst; J. Forge. Chickens.— First and Second, H. 
Hemsworth. Highly Commended, R. Athey; J. Forge. 
Spanish. —First, W. Cannan. Second, J. Hirst. Commended, J. Hirst. 
Hambuhghs (Golden-spangled).—First, W. Cannan. (Second withheld.) 
Chickens. —First and Second, J. Crosland, jun. Highly Commended, J. 
Hirst. Commended, J. Hirst. 
Hamburghs (Silver-spangled).—First, W. Cannan. (Second withheld.) 
Chickens. —Arrived too late to judge. 
Any Distinct Brked.— First, W.. Cannan. Second, J. Crosland, jun. 
Highly Commended, F. Hardy. 
Bantams (any variety).—First and Second, J. Crosland, jun. Highly 
Commended, J, 'Crosland, jun.; F. Hardy. 
Game Bantam Cock. —First, J. Crosland, jun. Second, F. Hardy. 
Best Bantams. —Silver Cup, J. Crosland, jun. 
Game Cock.— Prize, J. Crosland, jun. 
Gke8e. —First and Second, T. Wadsworth. Commended, T. C. Johnson. 
Ducks. —First, R. Athay. Second, T. Wadsworth. Highly Commended, 
Master J. Hall; R. Athay; T. C. Johnson; J. Forge; G. Wentworth. 
Judges. —Mr. S. Bird, of Sheply, near Eradford; and Mr. 
G. Hellewell, Sheffield. 
BEARING POULTRY. 
Since my last communication on this head (July 10th), not¬ 
withstanding the extreme wet and cold, I have been more success¬ 
ful with my ducklings and chickens than usual, not having lost 
one, simply from my own personal care and attention in feeding 
them. 1 find that one person should have the sole charge and 
care over them, to insure success, towards whom they will evince 
great attachment and docility. 
I have nearly a hundred, great and small, in number, in perfect 
health and full growth. Early-bred birds only will lay in the 
following winter, when most desired, and eggs sell best; others 
not being of mature age by that time, and what is bred after this 
time are not expected to be so lucrative as those reared in early 
spring. Such early birds are now ready for the spit to be eaten 
with our rarer varieties of green peas, and are better flavoured 
than those which have been shut up and made over-fat in filthy 
coops or dens. The male kinds (except stock birds) should all 
be killed or marketed as soon as full grown or approaching to it, 
as afterwards the corn, and time, and trouble, to keep them a 
longer period are wasted. The waste of the former being of the 
l greatest consequence, not only to ourselves, but to the country’s 
weal, whilst we have to send thousands of miles for it, not being 
able yet to grow sufficient corn at home to supply the wants of man. 
To keep any animal, if it is intended to be slaughtered, longer 
than it is fat enough for eating, or after it will not pay for what 
it eats, I consider is waste of food, and a needful consideration. 
My object for corresponding again on this subject, is to inform 
you that this week I am obliged to keep my ducks and chickens 
in closer quarters, as they had found their way, by stealth, to my 
corn and fruit, and had begun to demolish them sadly. I have a 
large farmyard, however, where I feed them all over it, as much 
amongst the loose straw and rubbish as possible, overnight, to 
keep them busy in finding it at early rise, and during the day¬ 
time. Where necessary, for want of a fenced and spacious yard, 
recourse must be had to keeping them in the fowl-house during 
harvest time (for only during that time is it necessary), due care 
should be regarded for cleanliness and ventilation, and the com¬ 
partment should be sanded with a small portion of gravel mixed 
therein, to be swept and renewed, and cast every day into a tub, 
as a substitute for manure. A coop with small apertures for 
ingress and egress of the smaller broods should be constantly 
charged with a supply of corn, and a small drinking fountain 
placed in the centre. Fowls shut up require double the amount 
of food than when allowed to roam in a wide range, and are more 
subject to diseases, as are all our plants and crops within doors 
or abroad, when crowded together.— Abraham Hardy, Seed- 
Grower and Merchant, Maldon, JEssex, 
REARING YOUNG BULLFINCHES. 
Can you inform me how to raise young Bullfinches ? Also, 
how to teach them to sing, or will they learn from a Canary or a 
Lark, as I have both ? I had a nest of five, I fed them on hemp- 
seed and bread pounded in a mortar. Though large when taken, 
they would take their food well off the point of a skewer, and 
went on well a few days, and then began to fail and die off. I 
found the gizzard full of the shells of the hempseed, which seemed 
to them indigestible. I then gave them boiled egg and bread, 
but one by ono they all died. I found the shell of the hempseed 
still remaining inside them. I can still get another nest.—A 
Gardener. 
[Young Bullfinches should be taken from the nest when 
partially fledged. Place the nest and young birds in a small, 
covered basket; feed them on a paste made of sopped bread (be 
sure there is no alum in it), hard-boiled egg chopped fine, and 
maw-seed. They may be fed with a flattened stick, or cut quill, 
every two or three hours, as much as they will open their mouths 
for. They should not be allowed to fust longer than eight or 
nine hours at the most at night. The food must never be given 
sour. Care should be taken not to smear their plumage with the 
food, and the dung must be removed from the nest. When they 
are old enough to leave the nest, put them in a clean cage, well 
sanded at the bottom, and furnished with stout perches, and they 
can then be fed through the bars. When they begin to peck 
supply the pan with dry bread, egg, and maw-seed, and the 
drawer with good canary-seed, and the glass with water. Continue 
feeding them by hand till they all feed alone well. Bullfinches 
are but poor hands at singing, but they may be taught to pipe 
or whistle, but it is a long task.—B. P. Brent.] 
THE CANARY AND THE BRITISH FINCHES. 
{Continued from page 280.) 
6th Variety.—The Crested or Turned-crown Canary. 
The Crested, Turned-crowned, or Copple-crown Canary derives 
its name from the feathers of the head being turned up, or 
reversed, so as to form a crest or crown. Instead of the head- 
feathers all lying smooth in a backward direction from the beak, 
as in most birds, in this variety they open from a point in the 
centre of the crown of the head, and spread out all round in front, 
over the beak, at the sides over the eyes, and behind in the usual 
manner. But here they are met by other reversed feathers rising 
from the occiput, or back of the head, like the turned crown in 
Pigeons; and when full and even all round, gives the bird a very 
pleasing and jaunty look. This remarkablo property, so different 
from all wild birds, was early noticed by Canary fanciers, and 
regarded by them as a very valuable point. Thus we see M. Her- 
vieux, 1718, in his list of Canaries, considers their being “ of the 
Copple-crown breed” as a desirable thing, but “having Copple- 
crowns ” still better; while those “ with regular black and 
lemon Copple-crowns ” he regards as the most valuable of all, 
and in hi3 list of prices values such at 25 livres. He also gives 
some curious ways of ascertaining if these birds are of the Copple- 
