JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ January 4, 1872. 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



GoLDEK-PENCn-rjiD HAStBrRGU Hks (p. C). — Wo do not say we have 

 never seen one with a clear hackle oiul pcucilled tail, but it is ft very rare oc- 

 corrence, luid we sliould not know where to find one at any price. 



Top-knot Plvcked Off (fl. K.).~lt is more than likely the ointment you 

 require would he injurious to the feiithors growing in the top-knot. The 

 beet ointment you can use will bo strong sulphur. The hens only eat the 

 feathers while they are growing ; alter they are formed they leave them alone. 

 There can be noobjection to Boparate them for a time, or, if neccssaiy, to 

 allow them occasional nms in company, being watched all the time that the 

 liistiry may not be indulged in.; It is not for any purpose necesfiary they should 

 always bo together. 



YAKiors (Af. H.).— La Fleche fowls are never strong, and we believe they 

 Intk . un>titution. They will bear rich food very well, but they ore never well 

 if supplied with water. " Wc allow them to drink only morning and evening. 

 The cock you speak of has cither outgrown his streni^rth, or was not sufli- 

 cjently well fed when young. If he is not essential to your yard, do not 

 attempt to save him. He is not worth it. He will never be fit for a stock 

 bird. 



"Washtng a Buff Cochin (E. C. T'.).— Wash the plumage with soft soap 

 and water, the former in small proportion. Use a sponge, and !» content to 

 wipe the feathers gently down without moistening the under plumage, which 

 is always clean. Wipe them afterwards with flannel, and put them in an 

 open basket with some soft straw before a fire. They will dry clean. Be 

 sure you wash the fowl's legs as well as the feathers. Ground oats miied 

 with kitchen scraps will put on weight very fast. 



Brittlentss of Feathers (H. B.).~Tour Hamburgh cock is changing 

 his hackle, and the feathers only look as if they were broken. They will 

 come right if they are let alone. Tour feeding is very bad. Indian meal once 

 per day is enough. You may give it in the morning ; give good ground oats or 

 oatmeal midday, and whole Indian com in the evening. The tendency of 

 Indian meal is" to cause extreme fatness, and that is not favourable for 

 health. 



Brkbding Pile Game Fowxs (H.). — You con breed Piles either from the 

 birds you name, or from a Black Red cock and \STiite hen. You can breed 

 Piles irom a Brown Red cock and '\Miite hen, or between a %\'hite cock and a 

 Ginger hen. They would not be faulty, but if you have any fixed ideas as to 

 what you want, you must remedy the failings in the produce, by mating birds 

 possessing the properties you require with those of the first cross that comes 

 nearest to your standard. 



Legs of Pile Gaste Fowxs {An Old Gnme Brfedfr, ffr.).— We cannot 

 agree with yon about the colour of the legs of Pile Game. Nearly fifty years ago 

 we had much to do with Cheshire Piles, and there were Willows among them. 

 Many years ago we shipped a main of Piles to the West Indies, and many of 

 them had willow legs. We are heterodox enough to believe that the colour of tho 

 legs is immaterial; that whether it be a Derby Bed with white legs, or an old 

 Red with yellow, or a modem Red with willows, we should in the pit make 

 choice of the bird without looking at the colour of his legs. If you can 

 find us any county, or even large district, where Game fowls prevail, and 

 whore lege of only one colour are to be found, we shall ask ourselves a question, 

 but at present we side with the judge or judges, and think ** in re Game 

 fowls," it is necessary all legs in a pen should be alike, but no colour in 

 itself is a mark of greater or less purity or excellence. 



Price of Cochtn Cockerel [Devon Rector)). — Such a bird asyou describe, 

 between gentleman and gentleman, should moke £1. 



Fowl's Hofse (G. A.). — Tour fowls have cold, stimulants such as strong 

 ale are required. Hambnrghs are more prone to roup than any others. Wash 

 the swollen eyes witli vin^ar and cold water. Give Baily's pUls. Get rid of 

 the Hamburghs, they are " messing." 



Pullets Pickikg a Cockerel's Flesh {E. JMiitf). — You must separate 

 the cock from the hens till his top-knot is grown. It will then be safe from 

 attack. In these matters cocks somewhat resemble gentlemen, they stand 

 quiet while they are put to pain, looking for the *' compensation balance " in 

 the fact it gives the ladies pleasure. A cock or a cock Pheasant will stand 

 still to be eatru alive by the hens. Bruce's tradition of the Abyssinians cut- 

 ting a rump steak, day by day, out of the li%-ing ox. is nothing compared to a 

 Spanish or Houdan cock standing still, the one while hie head is eaten, and the 

 other while his face is being pecked. 



Selecting Stock Fowls {Hanis Hcntci/c ).— No. 1 should have gone into 

 the Btock-pot_ last year. How is it you hatched no cockerel till August ? 

 g; 5, 6, 7, should go with an 

 J are your own seeing, and if 

 and have more faulty 



i too old. 



Because No. 1 



early bird of last year. Tour failures of last 



you breed as you propose, you will hatch fewer 



birds. 

 Vulture Hocks {Inqti 



We republish the woodcut. Vulture hocks 



arc long, straight, quilled feathers protnidiug from below the knee. 



Silver-pencilled Hamburgh Cock (G. Caithmssl—Ji good Gold-pen- 

 cilled Hamburgh cock should have no \isible black but in the tail, and those 

 feathers should be edged with bronze. 



Plymouth Show {J. i^onj;).— We hope you are correct in stating that it 

 was ' a success in every sense of the word.'' ^\Tiat vou state about another 

 party s misfortunes is not suitable for publication. (iV. jBar(^r).—There i^ no 

 need to moke further inquiries. Let us see what the present year will bring 



Edinburgh Poultry Show (.7. RoUiiison). — It was very careless of the 

 Secretary not to Bond your prize Golden-spangled Hamburghs to Manchester 

 as was undertaken by the Society. It was the more vexatious because yon 

 travelled to Manchester. "An Exhibitor,'' Cambridge, was similarly badly 

 attendee! to, and at a cost of 3m. 



Canajiies (H. G.).— If your letter was received the query was answered; 

 but we have too many questions doily to be able to remember each. Send 

 your query again. 



Spratt's Cat Biscuits {Anthony). — As you cannot obtain an answer from 

 the factory we cannot advise you. Buy Meyrick's little book on dogs. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden Square, Lokdon. 



Lat. 51" 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0' 8' 0" W. ; Altitude 111 feet. 



REMARKS. 



27th. — Bright sunshine with showers in the morning, fine i 



;the€ 



28th.— Dull, overcast with slight showers, sunshine for a short time about 



noon, but dull day. 

 29th. — Kain in the night and tiU 9 A.M., then a fine day and beautiful moon- 

 light night. 

 30th. — Beautiful moonlight in morning and splendid sunrise, wind rather hifjh, 

 clouded over soon after 8 a.m., and a damp uncomfortable day. White 

 aurora between 8 and 9 p.m. 

 81st. — Slight white frost in morning, fine day, bright sun but rather cold wind. 

 1st.— Veiy fine all day, wind gradually rising after 6 p.m., rather high at night. 

 2nd. — Dark and wet in morning, slight showers during the day. Several 

 meteors at night, mostly radiating from near Gamma Urs» 

 Minoris. 

 The temperature continues unseasonably high, with southerly winds and 

 continued dampness. — G. J. Symons. 



COYENT GARDEN MAREET.^antiabt 3. 

 As usual at the close of the year, business transactions ore limited to 

 actual wants, and have no marked "features in them. It has seldom been our 

 lot to see a better or larger supply of roots and green vegetables than has 

 been offered during and since the Christmas week ; certainly the million have 

 been amply supplied. Potato trade is heavy with large stocks ; the Dunbars 

 and East Lotluans rule highest in the market. 

 FBriT. 



Apples jsieTe 3 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bnshel 10 



Currants i i 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 



Grapes, Hothouse.... lb. 



Gooseberries quart 



Lemons ^100 



Melons each 



Mulberries lb. OtoO 



Nectarines doz. CO 



Orancea ¥^100 4 10 



Peaches doz. 



Pears, kitchen doz. 2 4 



dessert doz. 3 6 



PineAppIes lb. 4 7 



Plums isieve 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



Quinces doz. 



Beans, Kidney per 101 



Broad bushel 



Beet, Red doz. 



Broccoli bundle 



Brussels Sprouts. .J sieve 



Cabbage doz. 



Cap-icums %*lf>0 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 



Celery bundle 



Coleworts.. doz. bunches 



Cucumbers each 



pi ckling duz . 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bnncfa 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



HorBeradisb bundle 



VEGETABLES. 



8. d. B. d 1 ^ X. ' 



OtoO I Leeka bunch 



10 I Lettuce doz. 



Orions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley per doz. bunches 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bu&htl 



Kidaey do. 



Radishes., doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bjndle 



Savoys doz. 



Sea-Kate basket 



Shall'.ts lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Vegetable Harrows.. doz. 9 



POULTRY MARKET.— Jani;aby 3. 

 It is impossible to give any account of the market for Christmas, or for 

 some days afterwards, Tiithin the limits of a market notice. Should space 

 permit we will give an article on the subject. Very choice poultry made good 

 price - throughout the CSiristmas week. That of inferior quality was unsaleable, 

 and TTiTiftVi of it remoiuB tinRnli^ now . 



