320 



JOURNAL OF HOKTICULTUBE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



[ October 23, 1S73. 



inch deep, raisiog the compost well in the centre and making firm. Plunge 

 the vase in water, stand on a sink to drain, place in a dark closet for a month, 

 and afterwards in a window, turning the vase daily. The plants should have 

 water as requii"ed. The bloomiug may not be siiaultaneous, but it will not 

 be very far from being so unless you use late kinds of Tulips and Hyacinths. 



Grapes Spotted (H. Craike).— The root-action of the Vines, the Grapes 

 of ■which are so affected, is deficient. If planted within the house let them 

 be well watered, and occasionally with wtak tepid liquid manure. If the 

 roots aj-e outside the house, let them be well mulched through the spring and 

 summer. We speak of future treatment, for nothing can be done now, as 

 the mischief is completed. 



Tines under Thick Fluted Glass (C. B }. — We have seen Vines grown 

 under such glass in Scotland, but they were not satisfactory. In the south 

 of England they might have done better. Black Hamburgh would be the 

 best sort to grow. Probably, as you suggest, Lady Downe's would succeed, 

 and the berries would not be liable to become scalded; but this can always 

 be prevented by giving plenty of ah' at the time of colouring. "White Grapes 

 would not do well. It would be useless to plant such a variety as Buckland 

 Sweetwater or the Muscats. 



Lady Downe's Grape in Cool Vinery (A. B. C). — If you can give a 

 little heat when the beiTies are setting — from 65° to 70^ at night — this Grape 

 will do without artificial heat at any other time, and will colour and ripen 

 well. 



Syringing Fruit Trees {C. S.). — It is vei-y beneficial to thoroughly wash 

 ■wall trees with the gai-den engine after the fruit is gathered. 



Planting Strawberry Beds (Idem). — The end of July or beginning of 

 August is the best time to plant. It is not too late now ; do it at once. We 

 do not know Prizetaker. 



Grapes for Ground Vinery (F. J.). — As you are desirous of obtaining a 

 few bunches next year, it is the best time to plant now. There is none so 

 good as Black Hamburgh. Place some rotted manure over the roots after 

 they are planted ; no other protection will be required, except to throw a mat 

 over them should severe frost set in before the lights are ready. 



Fruit Tree Diary (T. C.).— No such publication exists. A small ledger 

 index ready lettered can be had of any stationer, and the names of the trees 

 entered in it alphabetically. 



Vabiegated Laurel ICIiester). — We presume you mean the Aucuba 

 japonica, sometimes called " the Variegated Laurel." You can obtain it of 

 any nurseryman for a few pence. 



Names of Fruits (il/., .S(im/;?('W).—Yournoble Apple isthe GloriaMundi. 

 (O. H. R.). — The Apple is Winter Hawthoruden, and the Grape Royal Musca- 

 dine. (Junius). — Golden Eeinette. (S.). — No. 1 is not Copmanthorpe Crab, 

 and we do not recognise it ; 2, Unknown ; 3, Pennington's Seedling ; 4, De- 

 cayed; 5, Swan's Egg. [JR. TT.).— Stamford PiiJpin. {Mrs. Hfiidirson).— 

 Hampden's Bergamot. (L.). — Hall Door. {H. H. H., Covtutry). — 1, Yellow 

 Bellefleur; 2, Golden Streak. (A. L. McCalmont).—!, Ravelston Pippin; 

 2, Hampshire Yellow. {Itu»). — Pears — 1, Williams's Bon Chretien ; 2, Brown 

 Beurre ; 3, Thompson's. Apples— 1, Cellini ; 2, Ord's ; 3, Scai-let Nonpareil. 

 (B. L. E.). — The three Pears are entirely rotten. Apples — 5, Baxter's Pear- 

 main ; 6, Beauty of Kent ; 7, Dumelow'e Seedling. (Q.). — BeuneDerouiueau. 

 {H. Harris). — 1, Pearson's Plate; 12, Comte de Lamy ; 14, Golden Knap; 

 22, Susette de Bavay; 37, Autumn Colmar; 43. Jost-pbine de Malines. {Dr, 

 Jones). — 1, Durandeau; 2, Beurre Giffai-d; 3, Brown Beurre. The Apple is 

 Warner's I^i^g. [T. Pa/oHt.— Apples— 1, Golden Eeinette ; 2, Wormsley 

 Pippin. Peai-8— I. Duchesse d'Orleans; 2, Vicai- of Wiukiield. lE. S. H.). — 



4, Nonesuch; 12, Kiug of the Pippins; 17, Reinette du Canada; 10, Court of 

 Wick; 20, Golden Noble; 24, Adams' Pearmain. The Pear was rotten. 

 (L. J. B.). — 7, Wormsley Pippin ; 8, Selwood's Reinette ; 9, Lamb Abbey Pear- 

 main; 11, Emperor Alexander; 12, London Pippin. {G. Diss). — 1, Beauty of 

 Kent; 2, Braddick's Nonpareil ; 3, Dutch Mi;,'nonne; 4. Northern Greening. 

 (C«n(ur(o?iL— 12. Wyken Pippin; 9, Gravcnstein ; ll,RibstonPippiu; H, Cockle 

 Pippin. Pears — 1, Rotten ; 2, Jersey GratioU ; 3, Gansel's Bergamot ; 4, Marie 

 Louise; 5, Bergamotte Cadette; 6, Van Mons Leon le Clerc. (C. T. Wilson). 

 1, Urbaniste; 2, Old Colmar; 3, Chaumontel ; 4, Beui-re Sterckmans. (H.K., 

 ShadwelD.—l, Winter Quoining ; 2, CarUsle Codlin ; 3, Norfolk Colman ; 



5, Lord Duncan ; 6, Golden Pippin. 



Names of Plants {J. R., Hartlehury). — We cannot name any plants unless 

 their flowers are sent. Florists' vaiieties we cannot attempt to name under 

 any circumstances, and your Begonias are all such varieties. {JuvcniXc). — 

 The Guernsey Moor-plant is Pyrola media, or Intermediate Winter Green. 

 The "Hortus Britannicus " includes all plants known in Britain, not merely 

 the native plants. 



POULTRY, BEE, AND PIGEON OHEONIOLE. 



PUBLISHING JUDGES' NAMES. &c. 

 Taking all circumstances into consideration, it is both difficult 

 and doubtful to secure a judge long before the time of com- 

 petition ; consequently, if a change were unavoidable, endless 

 disputes would evidently be the result, if not cases for litigation. 

 Societies are generally formed, with the view of improving the 

 various breeds, by enthusiastic fanciers, who, at a considerable 

 expenditure to themselves both of time and money, give their 

 brother fanciers an opportunity of showing their stock, and, as 

 an extra incitement, offer premiums to be competed for in an 

 honourable way. Notwithstanding, it is a merry meeting and 

 unbegrudged expense on their side ; therefore, all who take ad- 

 vantage of these opportunities without the trouble and expense, 

 Bhould not be so ready dictating what ought to be done to secure 

 exhibitors a better chance of gain. There is no writer on 

 poultry Bubjects more in favour with the fancy than Mr. Wright, 

 and I doubt not he would lend his able support to establisla 

 the only system that would cure every disease attendant 

 hitherto on poultry shows, and thereafter purge from our pe- 

 riodical competitions the vei-y objectionable and systematic 

 practice of making them a source for mercantile speculation, and 



this can only be done by establishing a uniform standard, as 

 urged by " Spectatoe." Until this be done, and judges ap- 

 pointed who thoroughly understand their duty, we shall never 

 be in want of grievances, hitherto too frequently justly com- 

 plained of by honest competitors. Judges should be well paid, 

 and it may now be worth the attention of a number of gentle- 

 men to devote enough time to study the various properties of 

 each breed, to enable them to judge correctly according to the 

 standard laid down by a ruling committee, and when by them 

 considered proficient they could obtain a diploma, entitling each 

 to a fee — say ±'5, with expenses, for officiating at any compe- 

 tition. Such shows as could not afford that should not be con- 

 sidered of much importance, and we would not so frequently 

 hear of advertisers taking several hundred prizes in the course 

 of a season ; no doubt true, but which, having been obtained at 

 petty local shows, are of no great account. Under such a pro- 

 posed system it would be sufficient for a society to advertise 

 that their show would be judged by one qualified by the com- 

 mittee regulating the standard properties. 



Having been connected with competitions as secretary for 

 many years, I candidly state the difficulty the committee have 

 always had in obtaining first-class judges, and frequently after 

 the judges had been fixed we received apologies, and were left 

 in an awkward position up to the last hour. 



I thiuk, upon very little reflection, great danger and many 

 difficulties would arise to the standing of a society were they 

 tied down to name judges beforehand, as I fancy exhibitors 

 would be entitled to have their entry money returned if the 

 particular judge named did not officiate — nay, would they not 

 be entitled with some degree of justice to compensation to cover 

 the expense in forwarding their birds under a false notice 1 A 

 standard judge would prevent this, and give satisfaction to all. 

 In reference to professional dealers exhibiting, many object from 

 the same mercenary motives, but under the present rules we 

 must be content to see the best birds win without partaking of 

 the gain. The only professional dealers of any note we observe 

 carry off so many prizes are Mr. Fulton and Mr. Yardley. No 

 one who knows these gentlemen personally can say aught else 

 than that they are honourable in all their dealings, and have 

 done a great deal to stimulate the fancy ; at the same time I 

 must admit it is very sickening to all beginners who join in a 

 competition, their chance of a prize being so very small when 

 these great exhibitors are known to have birds in every class. 

 It stimulates all young fanciers to get a prize now and then, as 

 from all we know a twenty-shilling prize obtained by a young 

 enthusiast is almost certain to be followed by a ten-pound ex- 

 penditure in extra stock. 



I will suggest a remedy without laying any restrictions on our 

 respected dealers ; it is simply that all birds entered for com- 

 petition should have the breeder's name attached when known, 

 and when not, say " Breeder unknown." This would prevent 

 not only false fame, but would be a sufficient reward to a suc- 

 cessful breeder if not the exhibitor, besides being an assistance 

 to trace the pedigree of certain birds, thereby securing in a great 

 measure proper crosses when required. — Deeds Show. 



STANDAED CHARACTERISTICS. 



I ATFmM again, " judging at poultry shows will never give 

 anything like general satisfaction irntil there be a recognised 

 standard of excellence," because at present scarcely one in a 

 hundred exhibitors knows exactly what are the requisite points, 

 and I regret to say that one does his best, or rather his worst, to 

 keep the ninety and nine in the dark or to mislead them. That 

 is my experience and observation. 



I quite agree with Mr. Wright when he says that there would 

 be less dissatisfaction " if the grounds of judgment were fully 

 understood." That is exactly it — the general dissatisfaction has 

 its origin in the general ignorance of amateurs, but for whom 

 poultry shows would cease to exist. Is it not worth while to 

 instruct them 1 



Thanks to Mr. Wright for all he has done towards perfecting 

 the standard, but I think he might have done more by making 

 more points where possible, and not bulking '* head and comb," 

 "tail and its carriage," " colour and marking," A'c. ; for if ten 

 points are better than five, twenty ought to be better than ten. 



As to the judges, I believe they are thoroughly conscientious 

 and capable, but why should they, any more than breeders and 

 exhibitors, have crotchets, and " force others to agree " with 

 them ? and above all, why should they differ from each other ? 



It appears to me to be of small consequence whether a Brahma 

 should be vulture- hocked or not, but it is of much importance 

 to a breeder to kuow which it should be, and therefore I say the 

 point should be fixed, and similarly with every other point. 

 Let there be no question about the point, nor about its relative 

 value ; fix everythiug that can be fixed ; and still there are 

 some points which, as they cannot be accurately defined, must 

 be left to the taste and discernment of the judges. A " fixed " 

 standard may assume " finality," but for how many generations 

 of men will fowls be bred before the fixedness of the standard 



