JOUENAL OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ February 22, 1372. 



Dettles, or nib it -with, ointment prodacmg painful itching, to alleviate which 

 *;he used to press hai-d down on tho cold eggs. 



Redcaps (An ^mafcur).— The lost "Redcaps" we saw were at Sheffield? 

 there was a cIekb for them Bome years ago at that Show. These were so 

 httle known to ordinary Judges, that special Judges officiated for them. If 

 we recollect aright, Mr. Halhday bred them in that town. 



Fowts JK Confined Space (Mttio).— Tou may keep twenty fowls easily 

 in the ppflce, £0 vards by 2 yards. We think Brahmas would suit you best. 

 A 4-feet knee will keep them in, and we think wire the cheapest, because 

 when taken down it cannot be used for firewood. When you have chickens 

 they should go into the kitchen garden. If it is not already done, part of the 

 space you have should be laid down in grass. 



Pinioning Mandaein and Carolina Ducks (W. R.). — These birds cannot 

 be properly kept unless they are pinioned; therefore, it would not disquaUfy 

 them for eihibiting. It is said a gipsy may be kept tame till he comes in 

 contact with other gipsies, when he immediately joins them, and it is so with 

 every description of wild fowl. Ton may hatch them from eggs and have 

 them so tame that they will come to your whistle to be fed, and will be your 

 dehght all the summer ; but when winter comes, and the wild birds are in the 

 air, when they settle among the tame birds in the night, and prepsire to leave 

 in the morning, all the tameness disappears, and imless the birds ai-e pinioned 

 they go with the new comers. It would be impossible to exhibit full-winged 

 birds in cages, as when frightened they would fly up and seriously injure 

 themselves. Tameness is greatly induced by the inability to fly. A full- 

 winged bird shut in an aviary covered at top never becomes perfectly tame, 

 but on every occasion beats and dashes himself about ; while a pinioned one, 

 after some few attempts at flying, finds it impossible and accepts the situation. 



Egg-producing Hamburghs [F. 8. IT.).— There is ho difference in pro- 

 perties. Both are equally good layers. If it is near a town the white of the 

 Hamburghs gets sooty, while the Golden do not show it so much. We have a 

 prejudice in favour of ths Golden, but we fihould be troubled to justify it. 



Ground Oats (J. H.). — Ground oats are so skilfully prepared in Sussex, 

 that although nothing of any kind is taken from them, not even the husk, 

 they are reduced to so fine floiu: that they might easily be made into fine paste. 

 It is the fact that the meal contains tho whole of the corn, which makes It 

 80 nutritious. Fowls have an aversion to very coarse food, and ordinary 

 ground oats when nuxed with water have the appearance of sawdust and bran 

 mixed. Often they will not eat it, and we know that Mr. Baily, no mean 

 authority, has given up grinding oats, and buys them iu Sussex. In his 

 opinion the bran of wheat is advisable only for animals that have teeth. 



Judicial Decisions {W. M. Mann). — All that you state is not inconsistent 

 with correct judging. The health uf fowls, and other circumstances at the 

 time of judging must be known before the awards canbepronoiuieed erroneous. 



Whitehaten Poultry Show. — We have letters from Mr. Rollinson and 

 Mr. Lord denying that they trimmed their birds. They must discuss the 

 subject with the Committee, and we will readily pubhsh the result. 



Dublin Poultry Show (Exporter). — We omittedthe names merely because 

 they were in the prize list, and we do so always as far as possible to economise 

 space. Ton inserted the names evidently impartially. 



PohtsmouthPoultry Show. — The address of Mr. R. Wilkinson who took 

 the second prize for Spangled Hamburghs at this Show, is Waterden Eoad, 

 Guildford, not Portsea, as printed at page 160. (T. ^. D.).— Write to the 

 Secretary and ask him to return you pot^tage stamps to the amount you claim. 

 He ought not to have retained the money for the catalogue and yet neglect 

 to pcnd it ; but allowances ought to be made for the pressure of business on 

 the Secretary at the show time. 



Birmingham Poultry Show. — A pen of Aylesbury Ducks exhibited at the 

 last show by the Kev. G. Gilbert, of Claston, Norwich, were highly commended. 

 This was omitted in the prize list by accident.— J. B. Lythall, Sec. 



Almond Tumbters {A. Atkim.— It is in No. 489. 



Dragoon's Y.yt.h (B. G. S).— Get some fuller's earth, make it into a paste 

 with wafer and put it cu the eye, and it will cure it vei7 soon. 



Fantails at Wolverhampton Show. — Mr. W. Choyce*8 and not Mr. 

 Loversidtt't; j tn of Fantails was highly commended. 



Barbs AT Wolverhampton.— " If 'Cuniors' will give his name and ad- 

 dress, I will give him the information that he requnes, as I object to anony- 

 mr us concH f ndents.- E. E. Wright." 



Ligurjan Bees (W. C. C.).— We k-nowof no separate work on theirmanagc- 

 ment. We do nut think you can do better than apply to Messrs. Neighbour. 



Queen Bee Dead (Janr:). — A k^bt queen bee at this time of year cannot be 

 replaced. I he earhest period at which one could be procured would be to- 

 wards the end of April. We fear your case is beyond recovei-y. However, we 

 put your appeal in print. " A lady will be extremely obliged if any kind bee- 

 keeper will send her a queen, for which she will be glad to pay what is asked. 

 The name and address is at the office of this Journal." 



Bee Management [E. M. M.). — It is not necessary to cut out old comb 

 every season, but the hives should be examined early every spiing, and any 

 black, mouldy, or misshapen c^mbs should be cut out. We advise you to do this 



with yours. It is advi < 



bei 



ither 



3 to beuRtli i 



Boxes can be repair* I 



Hive Perishing ill. ,/. 

 the accompanying bees wtj 

 that thebeesperishedof sta 



i'lf nKi ■ f- ■ flit away any drone comb which appears to 



■! I- Jiive. To repair old hives of straw ap- 



' 'i tiiit them to the manure heap or thefire. 



li tho same material. 



11. i. Ua comb y<iu sent was quite empty, and 



e in a stinking condition. There is little doubt 



ation, andhave been dead for some time. — Eds. 



Preserving Rabbit Skins (G. B.). — When the rabbit skins are cleared of 

 all fatty particles that may remain, nail them fur-side downwards upon a 

 board, stretching them to their full extent, and tack them down; then wash 

 them with a solution of 1 oz. of saltpetre to a quai-t of water twice a-week, 

 and generally three apphcations will render them fit for use. When removed 

 from the board, roll them np a few times, and they will become soft and 

 flexible. Taiming is resorted to, but is more expensive, and is the work of 

 the furriers or Icather-drcsserp. 



Cannibal Canary (IF. Savage). — The egg-eating propensity is a thing no 

 one can understand. There is no radical care for it. You may try the experi- 

 ment of filling an empty shell with cayenne pepper, but the probabihty is, she 

 will eat the shell and its contents. You are beginning to breed a Uttle too 

 soon. Give the hen a rest, and in the meantime supply her with plenty of 

 shell-producing material in the shape of old lime rubbish. — W. A. Blakston. 



Zebta Love Birds {Edith}. — There are no Zebra Love Birds, the Australian 

 Grass Pan iikeets are probably meant. They moult in-egularly here, our sum- 

 mer is their winter season. They breed, and even hve out of doors freely in 

 England. Tbey nest in a hole in a tree like other Pan-ots, and Hawkin 



sells cocoa-nut nests for them to build or lay in, if placed in a cage. None of 

 the other foreign Finches, &c., mentioned, breed in this climate in confine- 

 ment.— C. H. F. 



Teaching Canaries to Pipe {A. H. S.). — I have never attempted the task of 

 teaching any bird to pipe, but the usual way is to begin with a young nestling, 

 which must be confined in the dark or cgvered ap in such a way as to give him 

 little opportunity of having his attention taken off by surroimding objects. 

 If you are a good whistler you can pipe the melody yourself, which should bo 

 simple and always whistled from beginning to end without ^ stop. This 

 occupation is at ouco delightfully raonotonons and well calculated to develope 

 the virtue of patience, at the same time making your fanuly well acquainted 

 with the musical phrases in " The Blue Bells of Scotland," " Over the Water 

 to CharUe," and other melodies in which Bullfinches, Starlings, and other 

 piping birds delight. If you have not confidence in your own musical ability, 

 purchase a bird-organ, which can be had of any musical instrument dealer. 

 You can then take a turn at the crank every morning after your breakfast, but 

 before the bird has had his, and when you find he makes a response to your 

 music rewai-d him with a grain or two of hempseed or any deUcaey, and leave 

 him a while to study. Repeat the lesson at frequent intervals during the day, 

 and when tired of the cnuik get somebody else to take a turn. If you per- 

 severe with this plan, tho prisoner may learn to pipe — or he may not. — W. A. 

 Bl. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden Square, London. 



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



REMARKS. 

 14th. — Dark and foggy morning, cloudless for a !few hours about noon, and 



nearly so at night with bright moonlight, 

 loth. — Overcast almost throughout the day, the only exception being a few 



gleams of sunshine in the forenoon. 

 16th.— -Overcast with northerly wind and no sun. 

 17th.^White frost in the morning, and very fine till noon, when it clouded 



over, and between 3 and 4 p.m. sUght rain fell, but most of the raia 



recorded for this day fell after midnight. 

 18th. — Eain in early morning, and rather dull all day- 

 19th. — A few minutes after midnight (0.10 a.m.), a sharp sqnall from S.W. 



with heavy rain, and it is reported some hail. The day was fino and 



sunny. Fine lunar halo for several hours at night. 

 20th. — Bright fine day, white frost in morning, fine evening. 



The week has been sUghtly cooler than the three previous weeks, but the 

 temperature is, nevertheless, considerably warmer than the average. The tem- 

 perature in the sun on the 20th was higher than had yet been reached this 

 year. — G. J. SYiioNS, 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— FEnnuAHY 21. 

 There is scarcely any alteration to report.^ Large quantities of rough 

 vegetables come into the market, and the supply of Broccoli from the west of 

 England and the Channel Islands is almost unprecedented at this season. 

 Forced Asparagus, Soa-kale, and Dwarf Kidney Beans are all ample for the 

 demand. French Asparagus is coming in good, but the sale is heavy at 

 prices ranging from 128. to 18«. per bundle. 

 FKUIT. 

 a. d. a. d I a. d. a. d 



Applea i sieve 2 to 4 



Apricots doz. 



Cherries lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 10 20 



Currants J sieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 6 1 



Cobs lb. 6 1 



Grapes, Hothouse. . . . lb. 6 12 



Gooseberries quart 



Lemons ^100 7 10 



Melons each OtoO 



Mulberries lb. 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranjfes ¥^100 4 10 



Peara, kitchen doz. 2 4 



lb. 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries lb. 



Walnuts bushel 10 



ditto VIOO 1 



VEGETABLES. 



ArtichokeH doz. 4 



Asparagus "p-lOO. 5 



Beans, Kidney.. ..per 100 3 



Broad bushel 



Beet.Red doz. 1 



Broccoli bundle 



Brussels Sprouts. . i sieve 1 



T^lOO 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower doz. 3 



Celery bundle 1 



Colcworts.. doz. bunches 2 



Cucnmbftra each 1 



pickling ...doz. 



Endive doz. 2 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



HoraeracUsh bundle 3 



Leeks bunch StoO 



Lettuce doz. 10 9 



Mushrooms pottle 10 2 



Mustard & Cress, .punnet 3 

 Onions... 



Parsley per doz. bunche: 



ParenipB doz. 9 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 2 



Kidoey do. 3 



Radishes., doz. bunches 6 



Rhubarb bundle 6 



Savoys doz. 9 



Sea-aale basket 1 



Shallota lb. 4 



Spinach bushel 8 



Tomatoes doz. 



