'd'Jo 



JOUllXAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



liberal both for poultry aud Pigeons. lu all the larger breeds 

 the sexes are shown separately, which gives every opportunity 

 of success to those breeders whose stock is limited. The Ducks, 

 Geese, Tm-keys, and Bantams are shown in pairs. Independently 

 of prizes varying from £3 to IO5., there are offered no less than 

 six silver cups of the value of £5 each. It is with pleasure we 

 refer to the admirable arrangements that have marked this 

 Society.s efforts for the accommodation of both the poultry and 

 Pigeons for so many years past, and we need only add that this 

 division of the Show is still xiuder the able superintendence of 

 the same Stewards, whose prior efforts have been so satisfactoiy 

 to all competitors. We may also briefly allude to the fact, that 

 success in winning prizes at this earliest show of the season 

 is most conducive to the rapid disposal of surplus stock through- 

 oixt the ciUTcnt year. No less than seventeen classes are devoted 

 to Pigeons, the prizes offered being £1 and 10s. All entries must 

 he made on or before the 13th of the present mouth. 



OUB LETTER BOX. 



Glass-roofed Poultry Houses (L.B.).—'Wg find glass in a roof very 

 objectionable in the summer onaccoxint of the beat when the sun is on it. We 

 have only one, and were it not for the light we would do away with it at once. 

 "We give our fowls all the light we can. 



Light Erahmas— Cost of Feeding (jE. TT.).— The correct marking of 

 Liyht, not ""NMiite." Brahmas is to have striped hackle, black flights and 

 tails. They should also have pea combs. It would do no hanu to tbem ii 

 you bad Houdan or Black Hambm-gh hens nmning with them, but there are 

 Bometimes cmious results from such companionship. We consider oui'- 

 selves well served when the expense of our fowls does not exceed 2d. per week 

 per head. Potatoes, rice, and bran we consider bad feeding. You will find 

 plenty of Pigeou advertisements in cm- advertising columns. 



Fowls Dying Mysteriously [E. C.).— Everything woidd seem to indicate 

 that poison is at work among your fowls. It would be wrong to suppose that 



uptyinj 



ith ; 



ill the I- 



fur ttMwii 

 tliM stall] 



\-r thn.wnout. We 



of the fowls to a cotta; 



ordered c 



aud 1 



lately had a case where 

 aud it was found the " 

 throivn out, and the fow 

 jour case. Kemove som 

 tality continues. 



Game Bantam Cock's Hackle {T. D. T".}.— A Game Bantam cock should 

 Lave very little hackle — not enough to cover or to reach the shoulders. Pro- 

 vided there is nothing like hen feathers, be cannot have too little. Where 

 there is a vei-y full hackle there is usually " soft feather," and that is a serious 

 fault. A Game Bantam cock should be scantily feathered in body and tail ; 

 the latter should be canied rather sloping. The plumage should be very 

 liai-d in hand, and the wings carried cUpped-up close to the body. 



Feather-eating (Pitzzled Kcarfcr).— We are as much puzzled as you are- 

 There is no doubt the bai-e necks are caused by the other birds pecking out 

 the feathers. This is common enough when fowls are kept in confinement, 

 but we have never seen it where they have the run of fields. We have never 

 Lad it in Dorkings or BraLmas. Houdans were the first in our experience, 

 then Spanish, then Malays. We believe it arises in the first place from a dis- 

 dition of body, the bii'd seeking for something it cannot find. 'SN'hile 

 lii' ;iN li, a bare spot on a bird is seen and pecked at directly. 

 I ' M?, is carnivorous, aud as soon as the skin is removed 

 I 111 V go to work con amove, and will not leave off. Our 



emu ti-.:- il ;r I, ,ii to removc the birds with bare spots till the feathers 

 "were giowu. \Vhen they return in full plumage they are safe. It is often 

 tLe work of one hen, and if she is removed the "nuisance ceases. Wo believe 

 the habit becomes a second nature, and the cannibal becomes a fowl-eater. 

 "We should not, therefore, ever allow the peccant heu to return to the walk. 

 We have found benefit only fi-ora one treatment, which is a copious supply of 

 lettuces, especially if they are going to seed. The best treatment for the bare 

 spots is to nib them often aud freely with sulphm- ointment. 



Pip in Chickens (J. G.}.— No nostrum that requires to be administered is 

 of any use to young chickens. The disease you complain of is cured by giving 

 only camphor julep to di-ink. The same treatment is also a preventive. It 

 Las tLe double merit of being cure and preventive. 



Poultry in a Garden {E. H. U.).— We have been for many years advo- 

 cates for putting chickens in a kitchen gai'den. We have bad our own full of 

 them. The hens were put under their rips on the gravel paths, and the 

 n. The first day they are strong enough to do 

 fay into a meadow. We never did so well in 

 ur poverty" compelled us to keep two officials in 

 iiltrymau. He was sure one helped the other, 

 111. Since then we have more poultry aud two 

 __ lit on the score of a few chickens that cost more 

 id the i)Oultryman says, that half the food Lc supplies 



cLickens were allowed free 1 

 mischief they wero ninv.d 1 

 cLickens and \< . inii!. ^. ■■ 



we believed iin'l 

 men. The gai. 



than they are \\ ^ _.^ 



to the Louse would buy all the Vegetables grown in the garde; 

 " Sirs," cried the umpiie, " cease your pother, 

 TLe creatui-e's neither one nor t'other. 

 When next you talk of what you view, 

 Think others see as well as you; 

 Nor wonder that you find tLat none 

 Prefers your eyesigLt to Lis own." 

 Brahma's Egg (J. Tylor, Montrose).— TLe egg was smashed, and the 

 liquid contents escaped round the lid. 



conclude 



Pigeon Race.— Can you give me any information about the '* All England 

 Pigeon Race " that is to be flown from the Palace on the 20th of June ? How 

 can people living in the north compete with people living in or about London ? 

 For instance, we enter our birds for the race to fly two bundled or thi-ee hun- 

 dred miles, our birds cannot be expected to fly at the same rate as tLey would 

 Lad tLey only to fly fifty miles or less. If the bh-ds fly a mUe a mmute for 

 fifty miles they caimot fly at the same rate for two Luudred or tbi-ee hundred 

 nulcs. How are the birds to be timed fi-om leading the Palace to their respec- 



tive homes ? Please to give this information, "with full particulai'S, as early as 

 you can.— H. I. E. L. 



[M'e shall be obliged by some of cm- readers sending us the information 

 asked for. — Eds.] 



Pigeons Fighting {W. Davis). — Pigeons have odd ways, which are apt to 

 puzzle a beginner. As no doubt you wish to become fully acquainted with 

 tbem aud grow into a good fancier, we strongly advise you to obtain Brent's 

 "Pigeon Book" from our office, price post free Is. Id., and study its pages. 

 The cock Las some good reason of his own for wLat Le does. It was not a 

 good plan to shut him up, as the hen cannot long sit alone on eggs. She 

 requires exercise aud food, aud it is the nature of these birds to share the 

 sitting between them. You will lose these eggs, but have plenty of young 

 ones during the coming summer. Most likely the cock was only driving the 

 hen to nest, and not really fighting her. Feed them on beans or barley for a 

 change, as Indian com does not seem to suit them. 



Floor of Hutch (Itabhii). — Zinc is an excellent covering for the floor of 

 a Rabbit hutch; but being cold, especially in winter, should have a frame of 

 wood lattice (tliree-quarter-inch), for the dung to drop through, the frame an 

 iucL from tLe zinc floor ; and wLen tLis is on an incline of an incL towards 

 tLe back all can be soon washed away when the lattice frame is removed, 

 which is better in two pieces for that pui-pose. Let all be dry before the saw- 

 dust and oat utiaw aie thrown in for bedding. A good breed for home con- 

 sumption is the Belgian Hare Rabbit. It attains a wei-.jbt of from 7 to 10 lbs. 

 A cross between that and tLe Patagoniau vaiiety is still better. 



METEOROLOGICAD OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden Square, London. 



Lat. 51° 32' 40" N. ; Long. 0' 8' 0" W. ; Alti tude 1 11 feet. 



: Day. 



REMARKS. 

 Ist. — Very fine, bright and beautiful all day. 

 2nd. — CloKdy morning; but warm, sunshiny, and agreeable after througLout 



the day. 

 3rd. — Fine all day, but mucL cooler after tLe morning, 

 4th. — Fine morning; first shower 1.20 P.M., two others after. 

 5tL. — Jloriiin^'t'uie, looking very rain-like in tLe distance between 4 and 5 p.m., 



1: ■; h.ii ::'■ nit 5.30 p.m., fine after but cold. 

 6tL.- 1 I 1 1 1 her heavy showers tbi'oughout the day. 



7th.— > I I !;)_:. short thunderstorm commencing ten minutes before 



1/ ■■ I: . i.ii' 1 1: 1 moon and evening. 



hole somewhat warmer than tLe average, especially tLe 



The ■ 



on tht 



aiier part. TLe last few days stormy witL hail-showers. — G. J. Symons. 



CO'VENT GARDEN MARKET.— May 8. 



Although the attendance here is not so largo as usual at this season, a 

 fair average amount of business is being done, and most of the out-door pro- 

 duce is equal to that of former seasons. Complaints reach us of the effect of 

 the late frosts, but Gooseberries, Broccolis, and such articles as are brought 

 here do not show it much. Importations are heavy, comprising Apricots, 

 Cherries, the usual sorts of salading. Artichokes, Can'ots, aud Tmiiips. New 

 Potatoes are in much better supply tLis week. 



FRUIT. 



Chestnuts bushel 10 



Currants J sieve 



Black do. 



J 6 Melons each 8 Otolo 



3 I Nectarines doz. C 



5 Oranges 1^*100 4 10 



20 Peaches doz. 13 41 



Pears, kitchen doz. 



Filberts lb. 



Cobs lb. 



Grapes, hothouse.. .. lb. 10 



Strawberries l^+'lb. 



Walnuts bushel 10 



ditto 1^100 1 



■ lb. 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes doz. 



Asparagus ^i^'lOO. 



" 1, Kidney.. ..per 103 



Carrots bunch 6 



. doz. 2 5 



Celery bundle 16 2 



Coleworts.. doz. bunches '" ' ' ' 



Cucumbers each 



pickling doz. 



Endive doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Gariic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish bundle 



Leeka bunch 6 



Lettuce doz. 1 



Mushrooms pottle 1 



Mustard & Cress, .punnet 



Onions bushel 2 



pickling quart 



Parsley per doz. bunches 3 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 3 



Radishes, . doz. bunches 



Rhubarb bjndia 3 



Savoys doa. 



" i-kale basket 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows, .doz. 



