JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



337 



relief. There is this gi-eat and essential difference, that in the case of plants 

 the extravasation is upon the surface of the leaves, and in proportion, conse- 

 qnently, to the abundance of the estraded sap are their respiration and diges- 

 tion impaired. Sponge the leaves, and then more moisture both in the soil 

 and air of your orchard house will probably prevent the honeydew. 



AtJcuBA Seeds ( ), — The seeds "will probably produce both female and 



male plants, and if these are allowed to grow near together the pollen of the 

 males will fertilise the others. As the male flowers usually open earlier than 

 the female, to insure fertility some pollen should be preserved between folds of 

 blotting paper, to be applied by a camel's-hair pencil to the female flowers 

 when these are expanded. Write to Mr. Turner, of Slough, or Mr. Ware, of 

 Tottenham, about the Polyanthuses. 



CoiTPOST FOR Vine Border {T. E. P.). — ^We do not approve of many in- 

 gredients beingmixed up in the compost for a Vine border. Half a hundred- 

 weight of inch bones added to each cartload of your turf would make the best 

 medium for Vine roots to work in. As your " Infusoria guano" shows nearly 

 96 per cent, of organic matter and silica, you might mix a small portion of it 

 with your compost. The best way to use guano for Vines is to sow it on the 

 sm-face, and water it in when the Vines are in full growth. 



Figs on Back Wall of Vixery (A Subscriber). — Figs will succeed in such 

 a position better than any other fruit we know. Plant them in good txuiy 

 loam. Figs ai-e apt to be unfi-uitful if planted in a rich compost, unless the 

 roots are confined to pots, in which case the compost should be turfy loam, 

 crushed bones, and a Uttle rotted manure. 



Destroving Woodlice (X. Y, Z.).— We should not despair of destroying 

 them by trapping, even where their numbers are great. Pouring boiling 

 water on them can also be practised where the water will not come in contact 

 n-ith plants. A few Bantam fowls will devom* these and other insects, but 

 will damage many things by their scratching. 



•Thalictrum adiantoides Treatjiest (C. a. S.).—lt is perfectly hardy 

 and is an herbaceous perennial, requiring to be grown in sandy loam, with 

 the addition of leaf soil and sandy peat. It is propagated by di\'ision early 

 in spring. Hai-den-off the plants before planting out. It will soon be mined 

 in a house ■with the temperature you name. T. anemonoides flore-pleno is 

 an exceedingly pretty flower, with very delicate and elegant foliage, and great 

 numbers of Ranunculus-like snow-white buds. 



Geranttui Leaves Spotted (31. A. 3/.).— The leaves sent have the ap- 

 pearance of being spotted by the sun's rays striking on them whilst wet. 

 Admit ail- more freely, bo as to have the leaves dry before the sun has much 

 power. Sometimes the spotting arises from growing the plants in too rich 

 soil, and watering them too abundantly at the roots, together with a Idw 

 temperature and close moist atmosphere. We think that in your case it 

 arises from sprinkling overhead. Give more air and keep drier. 



Clesebebs for Shading GREEN-HorsE (WaUrloo).—V^e have the follow- 

 ing, and find them first-rate, never giving us any trouble as regards insects, 

 and they are not syringed: — Tacsonia molUssima, T. Van-Volxemi, Passiflora 

 cperulea racomosa rubra, P. Imperatrice Eugenie, P. Comte Nesselrode, 

 P. Countess Guiglini. They give us all the shade required, and are fine 

 flowering climbers. They will succeed if gi-own in pots, but are best planted 

 out. Ours are now quite a sight — the shoots hang from the roof as climbers 

 ought, in a month will be all in bloom, and they continue throughout the 

 season. They are admired by everybody. 



Leptosiphon partially Slug-eaten (J. J. J?.).~As the plants are only 

 just appearing, sow again, covering the seeds vei-y sUghtly, and dust the sur- 

 face with quicklime. There are drawings and descriptions of in-door plant 

 cases in our Journal, vol. ii., page 130, and vol. iii., page 123. The heights of 

 Geraniums (Pelargoniums) are stated in the " Cottage Gardeners' Dictionary." 



Patenting and Registering (W. H. Farendon). — Write to some Patent 

 Agency office. We have no information on the subject. 



Flower-garden Plan (Tf/ro).— We never undertake planting, we only 

 criticise that proposed. Send a plan planted as you intend, and we will state 

 our opinions on it. 



Bark of Vine Joints {P. C).— The Golden Champion is very vigorous, 

 and we do not think that the slight decayed spot on some of the joints will 

 spread so as to be injurious. We beUeve it to be a consequence of the 

 growth being more rapid than the roots can supply sap to maintain. We 

 should put a shght plaister of clay and soft soap on each spot, and keep the 

 air of the house less moist and more cool. 



Insect on Peach Trees {J. E. P.).— The night marauder is a weevil- 

 Ciurculio oblonguB. It hides in the soil and holes in walls during the day- 

 Spreading a sheet beneath the tree at night and jan-ing the branches to make 

 the weevils fall is the only remedy. 



Names of Plants (D.£. S.).— 1, Polygala Chamrebuxus; 2, Pulmonaria 

 officinaHs; 3, Dielytra formosa ; 4, Arbutus Unedo; 5, Amelanchier cana 

 densis; 6, Polygala'DaLmaisiana ; 7, Linnm trigynum. (CamjVc).— A variety 

 of Lady Fern. Athyrium Fillx-fcemina var. moUe. {R. B. L.).—\, Possibly 

 some Blechnum, but Uke No. 3, it is undeterminable ; 2, Cyrtomium falcatnm; 

 4, Nephrolepis tuberosa. (R. Marifs). — No Ranunculus, as the leaves or leaf- 

 lets are opposite. More like a submerged leaf of some CEnanthe or other 

 tTmbeliifer. 



POITLTEY, BEE, Km) PIGEON CHROinCLE, 



TEEATMENT OF FOWLS BEFORE AND 

 DURING EXHIBITION. 

 On the few occasions, hitherto, when I liave sent birds to ex- 

 hibitions I have had to do so under the most unfavourable 

 circumstances, having had to take them in the first place from 

 pens of bare earth only a few feet square which formed their 

 ordinary abode. Under such circumstances it is not easy to get 

 the vigorous health which birds on a good grass run almost 

 always enjoy ; yet I have never had a bird returned me from 

 a show any the worse, and have frequently wondered at the 

 bitter complaints I often see of disease and death. But we live 

 and learn; and after the discussion on_thiR subiectcarj-ied on by 

 "A Winner of Foue Cup.=:," " Ajuteub," Mr.|.Jame3 Clark, and 



Mr. Nicholls, I wonder no longer. My only wonder is that more 

 fowls do not die. 



I have reason to believe that Mr. NichoUs's description of the 

 treatment of many birds is not overdrawn; but I wish to re- 

 mark that no first-class poultryman ever treats his fowls in that 

 way, or now endeavours to obtain the utmost degree of obesity. 

 Even when no other ill results follow, I have often noticed 

 where there are really good judges, that such birds are virtually 

 (and very properly so) disqualified, being what is known as " out 

 of condition," for the plumage of such pampered birds is in- 

 variably " soft," and lacks the beautiful glossy look of th& 

 healthy fowl. These are the cases which get " starved to death " 

 if delayed a few hours on the return journey, whereas last 

 October I sent a couple of pullets to a lady in Ireland, which 

 from some mistake were foirr days on the road, but arrived iii 

 perfect health and with first-rate appetites. An occasional loss 

 cannot be avoided, as a cold building may give roup to a deHcate- 

 breed; but as to fowls dying of " starvation " from any delay 

 that could possibly occur in returning, it is simply nonsense if 

 they are in ordinary health and vigour-. 



Penning, however, is of the greatest use before exhibition. 

 Either a room maj' be set apart, or, failing that, pens resembling 

 those used at shows provided, only larger — say about 3 feet 

 square. In these, after washing, the fowls may with marked 

 benefit be confined for two or three weeks before exhibiting; 

 but the object is not to make weight, but to put on gloss and con- 

 dition, and to get the birds clean. The food must be plain oat- 

 meal or other meal, mixed stiff with boiling water every morn- 

 ing, and some good grain at night, with a httle hempseed or 

 buckwheat to finish with. It is of the greatest importance not 

 to overfeed, giving just as much as the birds will eat up quickly, 

 and then clearing all surplus away. Two or three times a-week 

 some linseed stewed into a jeUy should be added, to give gloss, 

 and a Uttle meat now and then will keep up the appetite and 

 spirits ; but appetite should never be more than satisfied. Thus 

 treated, the birds will go on improving for weeks, and retain 

 the highest health. One pair of my puDets were never out of a 

 pen from a fortnight before the Ci-ystal Palace Show tiU they 

 returned from Birmingham; one bird when first put in had 

 hardly recovered from a severe cold of weeks, nearly mnning 

 into roup ; but they both came back from Bu-mingham better 

 than ever, and with first-rate appetites. 



What is needed in the pens is not sand, which is nearly use- 

 less, but coarse clean gravel or grit, such as is used generally at 

 Birmingham. The objection to it is, that white fowls, especially, 

 get dirty upon it, and to avoid this a large handful of chaff cut 

 very fine should be sprinkled over the grit. If the pens are 

 covered in this way the birds will scratch about a good deal, 

 which gives them exercise, and get cleaner and cleaner evei-y 

 day. Of course, every morning the whole must be scraped out 

 and fresh put in. The pens at shows should be supplied in just 

 the same way. Grit alone gives neither cleanliness nor exercise ; 

 chaff alone does not help digestion, but, as far as my experience 

 goes, by using both I beheve fowls might be penned in a cage 

 a yard square for almost any time in reason, and come out look- 

 ing better than they went in, provided insects be keep away, 

 Mr. Clark is quite right as to the necessity for coarse grit, even 

 to holding particles the size of large peas, which so far as I have 

 observed seems the favourite size for swallowing, and will all be 

 picked out in the course of the day. 



I feel bound to say that at veiy few shows fowls are fed as: 

 they ought to be. I particularly noticed at Birmingham, that 

 in all the Asiatic classes just the same rations were given to the 

 pairs of hens as to the single cocks ; and as even a single hen 

 eats far more than a cock, the consequence was that while most 

 of the cocks had left more or less food, the hens and pullets 

 were ravenous. Here what was wanted was simply a httle 

 thought, the food being of the best quality, and this mistake of 

 not considering what there is in each pen is very common. In 

 spite of this, I do not think unpampered fowls would often be 

 injured by any ordinary show treatment ; but so far as my 

 observation goes, the cases of indigestion and blackened comb 

 to which reference has been made, are almost always caused by 

 carelessness with the water supply, and generally the first even- 

 ing. The birds ai-rive from their joirmey, and find a full water 

 tin in their pens. Those which are very thirsty drink this 

 entirely up the first thing, and thus distend their crops with 

 fluid before they eat a morsel ; the comb goes black almost at 

 once, in the case of birds at aU out of condition, and gi-eat care 

 is needed to save the fowl. In fact such birds have now what 

 is known at home by the name of "soft" or " swelled crop," 

 and in the same way — by excessive drinking after thirst ; the 

 contractibiUty or tone of the organs is gone, and hence the 

 mischief. 



All these things may be avoided without any additional trouble, 

 to show committees. Let the pens be floored, as I have said, with 

 coarse clean gi-avel or giit first, and fine chaff on the top of it. 

 The evening of reception let the water tins for single birds be 

 only one-quarter, and for pairs only one-half full. This especially 

 is of the gi-eatest importance. Let the best fresh oat or barley- 



