3C.f) 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUKE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November 6, 1873. 



this in." I do not know -whether you are a married man ; but of 

 course the bargain was concluded, the man was paid. I remon- 

 strated, and said I would pay him for the goods altogether ; but 

 his saying, *' We always make up our accounts every day, sir, 

 and you shall be sure to have the things on Friday;" and 

 another look from some one, made me relent and give him the 

 cheque. Suffice it to say, we never saw the silks or the carpet, 

 and the cloth has proved the veriest old shoddy that ever came 

 from Gloucestershire. — Yours faithfully, X. Y. Z. 



Preventing Rust in Iron. — The following mixture is stated 

 to be an excellent brown coating for protecting iron and steel 

 from rust. Dissolve two parts crystallised chloride of iron, two 

 parts chloride of antimony, and one part tannin, in four parts 

 water, and apply with a sponge or rag, and let dry. Then another 

 coat of the paint is applied, and again anotlier, if necessary, until 

 the colour becomes as dark as desired. When dry it is washed 

 with water, allowed to dry again, and the surface polished with 

 boiled liuseed oil. The chloride of antimony must be as nearly 

 neutral as possible, — [English Mechanic.) 



OUR LETTER BOX. 



OxJORD Show {Blackhird).~\ou will see 'Oiir report, and we think that 

 renders forthor comment needless. Your remarks will always be acceptable. 



Wright's Illustrated Poultrv Book [Rfv. H. F.].—'We are informed 

 that Mr, Wright's Poultry Book will be published in volumes from this month, 

 but that the issue in monthly parts will not be completed till February, and 

 that cases for binding will then be provided, and duly advertised on the 

 wrapper. 



Bantams at Bristol Snow.— I should like to ask some one connected 

 with this Show to state whether it is by oversight or design that all Bantams 

 except Game, Black, ^V^lite, and Sebright s are ignored in the schedule? I 

 have no personal interest in the matter, not bein:; a Bantam breeder ; but as 

 such a decision leaves no place for the beautiful -Japanese Bantam, the Pekin, 

 Nankin, White-booted, and others, which surely would fairly till a class, I 

 think it well to make the inquiry while there is still time to remedy the 

 omission if desired. — L. Wright. 



Partridge Cochin's Plhmage (T. S.).— We have no hesitation in giving 

 a deci^-ion in favour of No. 2. The feather enclosed is exactly the colour the 

 breast should be, whereas that from No. 1 has the tinge so much complained 

 of by judges. No. 1 is pencilled, but No. 2 is not. The latter would be better 

 if it were pencilled. 



Ducks Breeding (J. C.).— Ducks require water in the breeding season. 

 They do perfectly well without it at any other time. The Aylesburrs are the 

 best layers, but they do not sit. The Rouens come next, and "then the 

 Buenos Ayreau ; these last lay and sit well; they are also hardy. Your 

 Light Brahmas will not lay before December, and that will depend somewhat 

 on the weather. When you speak of a shade of buff, do you mean a decided 

 buff, or merely a faint cream ? If they have any buff feathers, get rid of 

 them. If they have only cream colour, keep them ; they will likely moult out 

 of it. 



Hens Picking their Mate {,Xantippe).~ATe you sure the hens eat the 

 cock because they dislike him ? It may be their way of showing love, or it 

 mav be that, like the husband of two wives in the fable, the ladies do not 

 agree as to the caudal appendage of their lord and master. Let it be as it 

 may, we know from experience what an abominable prupensity it is, and how 

 hard it is to get rid of it. We have never known it to be continued after the 

 fowls were turned out; but as we are by no means sure the cock objects to the 

 operation, we advise you to try one of any breed. As your hens are cross- 

 bred, you can do so with impunity. We have suffered much from this 

 same complaint. Ldst summer we had a pen of Spanish, cock and eight 

 hens. After a time they began to eat each other's feathers. At last only the 

 wing and tail feathers were left. No one ever saw such a lot of hideous scare- 

 crows. We s^eut them to the back slums, where they are barely sheltered 

 from the weather, but have a tolerably good run. We asked after them from 

 time to time, and the answer always was, "They are going on nicely." We 

 saw them yesterday; the hens have moulted beautifully, so has the cock, 

 only he has no sign of a tail; he is to all appearance a Rumpkin. We are 

 seeking a cock of small value to try with these cannibals. We ehall then 

 shut this bird up till his tail is fully grown, and try whether they have for- 

 gotten the propensity. There is no cure for it that we are aware of. We 

 should advise you to try a Game cock. He will not be particular who he hits, 

 whether male or female, and his ideas of pleasure are likely to differ from 

 those of his more placid and patient predecessor. Take your bird from the 

 hens and let them run alone. Turn him among them every morning for half 

 an hour before they are let out. Watch him and them. It is very likely 

 there is only one offender. If it be so, take her away, and then let him run 

 with the hens. 



What Pigeons to Keep {E. B.).—Ae yon want Pigeons for the table 

 and also to please the eye, we say. Do not keep what are called most improperly 

 "Blue Rocks," but are really Dove-house Pigeons, the true Blue Rock being 

 a very scarce burd. Buy at any Pigeon shop a few pairs of variously-coloured 

 Dragoons, called vulgarly Dragons. They are cheap, are capital breeders, and 

 all you want, as they are good-looking birds as well. Get some one who 

 understands the matter to fit up your Pigeon house with nest-places. If you 

 send us particulars as to what sort of a house it is, we shall be pleased to give 

 you full information. 



Pigeon Dhopping his Wing (C. 3/:).— Feel beyond the quill of the wing 

 featherw, and it there is a hot lump your bird has wing disease; if so, pluck 

 the flight feathers out, and when they grow he will most probably be well. 

 If no lump or thickening, he is ill from moulting, and. perhaps, is a very old 

 bird and will die. Move him into a warm place, and give hempseed with his 

 food. 



Various (A Suhscriber, G. L.l.— Your stocks weighing 35 lbs. each are not 

 too heavy, though a few pounds less will keep the bees till spring. There U 

 no better bar-frame hive than the Woodbury, but we cannot mj that red 

 cedar is the best kind of wood to make them of. Bees have no aversion to 

 ziuc feeders. 



Deficiescv of Honey (An Old Bee-keejier, Ecnt].~lt is owing to the pas': 

 season having been so unfavourable for bees that the cottagers around you 

 have so little honey to take now. You yourself have been comparatively suc- 

 cessful ia realising sLx-tenths of your usual quantity. 



Deficiency of Bees (Wt-m).— " ^Vhat has become of the working bees 

 which are so greatly reduced in numbers ? " We have to say that the bees 

 stopped breeding this year a month sooner than they usually do. and doubt- 

 less the storms of wind and rain which they had so often to contend against 

 brought many of them to the ground, where they were chilled to death. The 

 death-rate amongst bees has been uncommunly heavy this year, and the birth- 

 rate has been unusually small. Good coverings against frost and rain will be 

 needed to preserve weak stocks. If your stocks are in a bee-house cover them 

 well round with some soft dry hay or other warm material ; if not in a house, 

 cover them well with hay, and over all a good thatch of straw. This is of far 

 more importance than the aspect in whicli they may stand, for we have found 

 no advantage in one aspect over another. 



Killing and Preserving Insects (A Siihscriher).— The question ia an 

 extensive one. Various details in reply would be found in Green's "Insect- 

 hunter's Companion," and Knagg's " Lepidopterist's Guide ; " but the subject 

 to answer fully would require more'space than we can afford at present. 



Softening Skins.— "-4. E." wishes to be told how to soften the skins of 

 small animals after they have been cured with alum to keep the fur on them* 

 We shall be obliged by a reply from some of our readers. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS, 

 Camden Square, London. 



Lat.51°32^4Q"N. ; Long. 0= 8' 0" W. ; Altitude 111 feet. 



BEMARKS. 

 29th. — Very foggy, cleared off for a short time about 11 A.M., but came oa 



again, and continued though the sun was shining brightly. 

 30lh. — Foggy and frosty in the morning, and more or less so all day, but not 



dark, as the sun continued shining. 

 Slst. — Bain in the night ; fine morning ; rather cloudy afternoon, slight 



shower about 3 p.m ; sharp shower about 9 p.m., and showery after. 

 Nov. let. — Itain in the night; fine morning and much warmer; tine evening. 

 2nd.— Cloudy morning, slight rain at 10 A.M., then tine till 2 p.m. ; showers- 

 after; heavy rain from 7 to 7.2.5 p.m., and again at night. 

 3rd. — Foggy morning, clearing off before noon, but foggy and cloudy at times- 

 all day. 

 4th. — Fog in the morning, but cleared off soon after 11 A.M., continuing fine 

 the remainder of the day. 

 Temperature still falling, and would have been mucli lower but for the warm 

 days at the beginning of the month. White fog very prevalent. — G. J. SvMONff. 



COVENT GABDEN MAKKET,— No%-ember 5. 

 We are still able to report a steady supply of all the out-door produce of the 

 season ; that from under glass consists only of Pines and Grapes, the formei: 

 of which are unusually pood for the season. The latter realise rather low 

 prices from the competition with Dutch Hamburghs and Portugal vai'ieties. 



Apples i sieve 1 



Apricots doz. 



Cberries V lb. 



Chestnuts bushel 10 



Currants 1 sieve 



Black do. 



Figs doz. 



Filberts lb. 1 



Cobs lb. 1 



Gooseberries quart 



Grapes, hothouse lb. 1 



d. B. 



Otol 

 





 



i'i 





 

 



1 







Lemons ^100 8 



Melons each 1 



B. d. s. d. 



Mulberries li^lb. OtoO 



Nectarines doz. 



Oranges y 100 10 



Peaches doz. 8 



Pears, kitchen doz. 1 



dessert doz. 2 



Pine Apples lb. 3 



Plums i BieTe 2 



Quinces doz. 1 



Raspberries lb. 



Strawberries ^ lb. 



Walnuts bushel 10 16 



ditto ^^loo a a e 



VEGETABLES, 



Artichokes doz. 



Asparagus ^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 doz. 



Fennel bunch 



Garlic lb. 



Herbs bunch 



Horseradish bundle 



Leeks bunch 



Lettuce duz. 



B. d. s. d. 

 S 0to6 





 

 

 

 6 

 6 

 

 

 

 

 

 9 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 6 



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. bunches 



Rhubarb bundle 



Salsaf y bundle 



Savoys doz, 



Scorzonera bundle 



Sea-kale basket 



Shallots lb. 



Spinach bushel 



Tomatoes doz. 



Turnips bunch 



Vegetable Marrows 



B. d. B. d. 



1 0to2 

 



3 



6 







9 







3 











4 



1 







4 











1 







1 











3 



II 



8 



2 



4 



0- 



