110 



JjaKNAtj OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August 7, 1873. 



or seven weeks during the season, and then his work is done for 

 another year : hence some have been disposed to look favourably 

 upon such foreigners as Cynthia and Perneyi, which seemed to 

 promise more than one brood in a year. Bat would it not be 

 possible to bring about a retardation of the hatching of the eggs 

 of Bombyx Mori, so as to have a succession of broods? Suppos- 

 ing that a part of the eggs were exposed to the sun in April, we 

 might have a spring rearing ; then from the remainder of the 

 eggs, which had been kept back by a low temperature, we could, 

 perhaps, get other ''hatches" in May and June. There is no 

 difficulty in obtaining food, as we know, for Mulberry leaves in 

 eatable condition may be obtained even in September. — J. R. S. C. 



A CORRESPONDENT has scut US the following remarks on the 

 subject: — "I never found any difficulty in rearing the worms 

 and obtaining the silk, provided I could obtain a sufficient 

 supply of fresh food, nor did I find much trouble in reeling-off 

 the silk owing to breaking the threads ; but then it had little 

 commercial value, because, beiug a single thread, it was unfitted 

 for the purposes of the manufacturer, who had to treat it simply 

 as " floss." A certain number of threads must be united in one 

 strand, and it is for want of the kuowledge of the proper number 

 and the proper mode that amateur silk-growers in this country 

 fail to make sericulture yield tangible results. I may add, that 

 if the worms are hatched forth early there is a considerable 

 difficulty in finding them in food. If sufficient Mulberry leaves 

 cannot be had they will live on Lettuce, and on those of the 

 Osage Orange (Madura aurantiaca) they thrive well. I have 

 noticed that the silk from the Lettuce-fed worms is paler than 

 from those living on tho Mulberry, while that from the Madura 

 is orange and coarser. — C." 



Spanish Hen Hatching and Rearing Chickens {J. A. T.).—We ai-e 

 much obliged by your comniuuication. We fancy few people have had so 

 much poultry experience as ourselves. We have kept all breeds and humlredtj 

 of Spauish. but we uever before had a well-authenticated case of one hatch- 

 ing and rearing chicke ns. 



Brahma Cock with Dorking Hens versus Dorking Cock with Brahma 

 Hens (J. S.). — We prefer the Brahma cock with Dorking hens. 



Reeling Silk. — " J. S." desires to say that the diameter of the reel should 

 be 2 feet, not 3 feet, as stated on paye 55. 



Geese with Twisted Flight (J.D.L. T.).— The Geese in question are 

 suffering from twisted flights. There is no cure for it. It is common to 

 fowls as well as Geese, and is incurable. There is no difliculty in distinguish- 

 ing the sesea of Geese, but a certain result can only be arrived at by a close 

 examination and careful handling. 



Harvest Bugs (Pickled Angle). — Camphor and various odoriferous com- 

 poiinds have a partial effect in warding off the attacks of the Harvest Bug, 

 and persons have also been advised to rub themselves over with tar, a remedy, 

 doubtless, worse than the disease. These insects have, however, a strong 

 objection to anything oily, and the merest film of oil has been usually found 

 to keep them off; or any pUces particularly exposed to their attack maybe 

 damped, and then rubbed with soap, and this coating suffered to dry on the 

 skin. 



How TO Keep Butter Cool. — Get a large flower-pot (say 

 No. 12), plug up the hole with a sound cork, seal it. Now pat a 

 quarter-brick or other square heavy body in the bottom, to serve 

 as support for a second, but smaller pot (say No. 16}, which must 

 also be plugged in the same manner. Place a dish uuder the 

 outer pot, and a small plate iu tlie inner one. Put your batter 

 in the inner pot, and cover with any cover you please, provided 

 it be not metallic. Now fill the space between the inner and 

 '-^ater pot with water. The butter will keep as firm as a rock, as 

 cool as a cucumber, and as fresh, aye, as fresh as the trip across 

 the Atlantic iu a balloon. — Acherontia. — [English Mechanic). 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



Hakdiness and Feathering of CRCvE-dEaRS (StTn^Zi/).— We do nc t 

 consider the Cn^ve-Cteurs as hardy as the Houlaus, but have no doubt birds 

 bred in Scotland would bear the climate very well. They are, in fact, 

 acclimatised, and are not in consequence subject to the change from France 

 to the far north. They do very well in the cold damp climate of Lancashire. 

 The chief thing to insure success iii to have the stock on their run before the 

 cold weather sets in. The Cri've-Co^ur is not only a layer but a table fowl, 

 and in all suchsizeisa very important matter. Most of the old cncks have 

 white in their topkuots, and the hens the same. It is not a disqualification, 

 but every other point being perfect the scale would go agaiust the white 

 feathers. If they were in any other part than tha topknots they would dis- 

 qualify. 



Poultry- keeping on Small Farms {L.M.N.R.). —You will gain the 

 information you require iu any of the practical poultry books. They will 

 help you more than the expensive ones, because they coufine themselves to 

 poultiT' at the present time. There is no doubt it may be kept profitably. 

 The chief point is personal superintendence. The second is feeding at day- 

 break. The third, to turn your attention to that which will find the readiest 

 local mai-ket, eggs or meat. The fourth is not to begin ou too large scale, but 

 to gain experience that will justify outlay. Poultry must come to play its 

 part in feeding the country. Half the disappointments we hear of arise from 

 people going to considerable expense before they understand the subject. 



Fowl Dying without Apparent Cause (M, A. S.).—\Yq are sorry we 

 cannot tell the cause of death, but should attribute it to something the bird 

 picked up. With chickens, as with human beiugs, some will die, and no 

 cause can be discovered. Discontinue the sharps and buckwheat. Give 

 barleymeal or ground oats in the morning, some whole corn, maize, or 

 kitchen scraps at mid-day, barleymeal or ground oats at nit;ht. For young 

 chickens, give at intervals of three hours bread and milk, curd, and chopped 

 egg. Give to all as much lettuce and endive as you can. 



Spanish Cock's Face {A Fancier).— It your cock has been running with 

 the hens again, it is probable they have picked his face. If he has not, it is 

 ft troublesome disorder to which they are subject from the increase of the 

 ■white face. You have only one thing to do — wipe the moist places as dry as 

 possible, and put on a little powdered alum. You must use but a small 

 quantity, and you must watch carefully, for if the evil become chronic the 

 cock will be worthless. 



Cochin Cock Ailing (F. L.).— We are disposed to think tha Cichin cock a 

 bad case. We killed one to-day for the same malady. We have always 

 thought it is partly caused by excessive crowing, and the state of the brain of 

 the bu:d we kill ed|con firms us in the belief. Cochin-Chinas are not long-lived. 

 \Ve have known many instances of it, and have seen cases where the birds 

 ■lied in the act of crowing. The Hamburgh hen will do to breed from, but 

 ■will never do to show again. The defect will not be hereditary. 



DiSTiNQuiSHiNG Sex OP FowLS (SitfcscribtT).— Ducks sit longer than 

 fowls. You can distinguish cocks from pullets at a month old, the comb and 

 plumage differ; but there is more difficulty with Ducks, and, to be sure, you 

 aist wait longer. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 



Camden Square, London. 



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



REMARKS, 

 30th. — Very fine bright day, with cool breeze. 

 31st. — Cloudy early ; fine about noon ; i ain at 1 p.m. for a short time, but fine 



afterwards. 

 August let. — Fine early; rain at 10.30, thunder and lightning soon after; ficA 



afternoon, evening, and night. 

 2nd. — Fine all day, but rather cool breeze. , 



3rd. — Fine during the whole day, but not very bright, except occasionally. 

 4th. — Rather dull morning ; fine noon and afternoon, but cloudy in the 



evening. 

 5th. — Dull morning ; heavy rain about noon, fine soon after ; but heavy rain 

 at 3 P.M., at 5, and occasionally during the remainder of the day. 

 A fine summer week. Although there have been no extremely hot days, the 

 temperature has averaged nearly the same as last week. — G. J. Symons. 



COVENT GARDEN MARKET.— August 6. 

 The markets generally continue well supplied, and prices remain nearly 

 stationary. The last of the West Indian Pines ai'6 just to hand, and Con- 

 tinental consignments are large, comprising Green Gage and other Plums, 

 Apricots, Peaches, Nectarines, and Grapes. 



Apples i sieve 1 



.Vpricots doz. 2 



Cherries t»- lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 



Currants 4 sieve 2 



Black do. 2 



Figs doz. 6 



Filberts lb. 1 



Cobs Ih. 



Gfioseberries quart 



Grapes, hothouse lb. i 6 



Lemons it* 100 8 



Melons each 2 



s. d. s. d. I 

 6 too ' 

 3 I 





 

 

 

 

 

 3 



1 

 

 3 

 

 

 

 

 6 

 



10 















6 

 14 



8 



8. d. s. d. 



Mulberries i^lb. to 



Nectarines doz. 8 15 



Oranges i^ 100 6 IG 



Peaches doz. 15 30 



Peara, kitchen aoz. 



dessert doz. 2 



Pine Apples lb. 



Plums J sieve 



Quinces doz. 



Raspberries lb. 4 



Strawberries 1,* lb. 4 



Walnuts bushel 8 



ditto ^100 2 



VEGETABLES. 



Artichokes doz. 



Asparaans ^ 100 



French 



Beans, Kidney. ... J sieve 



Beet, Red doz 



Broccoli bundle 



Cabbage doz. 



Capsicums "{;>■ 100 



Carrots bunch 



Cauliflower dnz. 



Celery bundle 



Coleworts. . doz. bunches 

 Cucumbers each 



pickling doz. 



Endive dnz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs buni:h 



Horseradish bundle 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce doz. 



Oto6 

 6 

 8 

 

 3 

 9 16 



Mushrooms pottle 



Mustard & Cress. .punnet 

 Onions bushel 



pickling quart 



Parsley per doz. bunches 



Parsnips doz. 



Peas quart 



Potatoes bushel 



Kidney do. 



Round . do. 



Radishes., doz. buncliea 



Rhubarb bundle 



Saisafy bundle 



Savoys doz. 



Scorzonera bundle 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable jlarrows 



0to4 

 2 



1 

 



POTTLTRY MARKET.— August 6. 



The supply increases, and the demand diminishes. 



